This morning on radio, Glenn, Pat, and Stu were discussing a case of a woman who was held outside her house while police awaited a search warrant, all because her son defended the use of marijuana. Glenn has been a long time libertarian leaning conservative, but has consistently shied away from arguments such as the legalization of hard core drugs.
During today's discussion, Glenn seemed to be reconsidering his stance on the legalization of marijuana. What was the reason behind Glenn's reconsideration? Glenn brought up how the legalization of the drug would end police officers from using it as a "go to" reason to search your car, or hold someone outside of their house while police officers obtained a search warrant. Glenn said, "All they have to say is, I thought I smelled it. If your windows are closed, they can't say that. If your windows are open, all they can say is, I swear to you, I thought I smelled dope. As soon as they say, I thought I smelled marijuana, they can rifle through your car. They can throw you up against the hood of the car. They can do all of it."
Both Pat and Stu were a bit shocked by Glenn's reconsideration on this topic. Pat strongly disagreed with Glenn, saying the true issue is "not whether marijuana is legal. I think the problem is the oppressive agency of CPS or DCF." While Glenn did agree with Pat, it does raise some questions. Could the legalization of marijuana change or elminiate some of the police overreach we are constantly seeing?
Rough Transcript Below:
STU: So did the kid say, look, I think it's safe. My mom used it.
PAT: It doesn't really say.
GLENN: It doesn't matter! It doesn't matter.
PAT: He just defended marijuana.
GLENN: He's using his first amendment to speak out and the fricking spies at the school decides my kid is in trouble because they're with that person. Oh, my gosh.
STU: Especially when -- in a situation where you're encouraging the child to make his best arguments in favor of a mythical argument. You're requiring him to be part of.
GLENN: Let's say, it's an antidrug presentation. Let's just say he was sitting in the bleachers and he was like, pot is dope! Let's just say he's saying that.
JEFFY: Right.
GLENN: You still don't call the Department of Children and Families.
STU: Even if he said pot is dope, my mom has some at home. Does that allow -- even at that point --
GLENN: No. Here's what happens. You call the mom. And say, hey, mom, your mom son was screaming pot's dope and mom smokes it all the time. And you have an adult conversation. You have an actual human being to human being conversation. And then if you're like, you know what, I think this lady is a drug lord. Then you call.
PAT: It's pretty bad. Because CPS or DCF or whatever they call it in Kansas has almost unlimited power. Once they're involved, there's almost nothing you can do.
JEFFY: We're seeing that everywhere.
PAT: You're almost powerless against them.
GLENN: I'm about to go all Libertarian.
STU: You're about to go all Libertarian up in here?
GLENN: What's up, my cracker?
I'm about to go all Libertarian. I'm about to cross the rubicon on this. Legalize marijuana. Legalize it.
PAT: Yeah, I'm not there yet.
GLENN: You will be. You will be.
PAT: No, I'm not. I won't ever be there.
STU: This is a firsty for you.
PAT: You will die. You will be --
GLENN: The way to stop this is legalize it.
STU: Well, they would do it with the next drug.
GLENN: Oh, come on. Stop it. Stop it. People drink liquor over in Italy. At four years old, you're drinking a glass of wine. And the alcoholism rates are nothing like ours.
STU: I think you're misunderstanding what I'm saying is going to stop. What I'm saying is there will still be these situations where police officers do these -- I don't think it solves all this, as you said. But I think it probably cuts down on it quite a bit. Right?
It might encourage other things.
PAT: I think the problem here is not whether marijuana is legal. I think the problem is the oppressive agency of CPS or DCF.
GLENN: I agree with that.
PAT: And some police agencies that get out of control and become all authoritarian on you for no apparent reason.
GLENN: But do you know why when you're approached at a -- you know, at a blockade, why they say don't open your car window? Talk to the police officer from -- behind the glass. Do you know why? We've talked about it --
PAT: Because they can smell.
GLENN: They're sampling the air. We know they're sampling the air. Okay?
PAT: Uh-huh.
GLENN: But the other reason is because all they have to say is, I thought I smelled it. If your windows are closed, they can't say that. If your windows are open, all they can say is, I swear to you, I thought I smelled dope. As soon as they say, I thought I smelled marijuana, they can rifle through your car. They can throw you up against the hood of the car. They can do all of it.
PAT: Well, I don't have anything wrong in my car. There's nothing going on. I don't care if they go through my car. That's the attitude --
GLENN: Thank you, Lindsey Graham, for dropping by.
PAT: That is the attitude. I don't care. Go ahead. What are you doing wrong in your car that you care if they go through it.
GLENN: Go ahead. Let them access my phone camera. What do I care? So what they're watching me these really icky disgusting porno tapes that I would be making unbeknownst to me.
STU: Hold on. I think we need to focus here for a moment. Because what's happened here is a major -- I would say a major national development. I would say it's a very big newsworthy event if that's what you're doing. If Glenn Beck is coming out on national radio saying he's now in favor of marijuana legalization for recreational use. That is, I would say, a news story. Is that what's happening right now?
GLENN: You're making me decide?
STU: Well, I thought we should. If you throw it out like this, we'll get everybody speculating on what you supposedly believe.
GLENN: I think I am. I think I am.
PAT: I think you might want to reconsider. And then re, re, reconsider your reconsideration.
GLENN: I'd like you to reconsider.
PAT: I've considered it. I'm done.
GLENN: And I double down on your reconsideration. I challenge your consideration.
PAT: I don't think that's the answer. I don't think legalization of marijuana is the answer here.
GLENN: Well, I don't think the time that is wasted on mari-fricking-juana, man.
STU: Well, it's certainly not a good reason to make it legal, to solve this situation or situations like it. There's a much larger issue going on here obviously. It's not just police officers doing things that are wrong. I mean, there's much more to the drug trade.