The Hidden Racist Message in Tucker Carlson's Rant Against Two Senators that Support Cannabis Legalization

It seems like a simple issue on which to take sides: legalizing cannabis.

You’re either for it, or against it.

But in the world of conservative media, it can’t be that easy. And there’s no greater proof of this than a recent Tucker Carlson segment where the conservative pundit admitted his support of legalization, but not without turning it into some kind of liberal conspiracy designed to hurt the homeless while further screwing taxpayers.

So today, I decided to take a few minutes to dissect this segment in an effort to better understand the bizarre nature of Tucker Carlson’s support for legalization.

Take a look at each segment, then note by observations after each one ...

Observations ...

• Neither senator has advocated for people to smoke weed. Instead, they support ending the prohibition on cannabis, which I believe Carlson also supports.
• There are plenty of white republican senators who also support the end of prohibition, but in this segment, only two black democrats were accused of promoting cannabis use.

Observations ...

• Carlson is right. The drug war hasn't worked. And like guns, banning something doesn't make it go away.
• Carlson insists that the "ruling class," which apparently in this case are two democrats, is telling people they should smoke more weed and become more passive and less concerned about the failures of politicians.  This is not at all what those two senators have said, but it is the second time Carlson makes this accusation within the first two minutes of the segment. This is also where Carlson lays the groundwork for a conspiracy suggesting that maybe these politicians want people to be high so they don't notice how they're being fucked over by the government. While I agree that politicians would love nothing more than for voters to remain complacent, this is a bit of a stretch.

Observation ...

• In this segment, for the third time, Carlson suggest that Kamala Harris is telling people to smoke more weed. Which, again, is not true.
• Carlson also suggests here that Harris wants people to smoke more weed so they will be less likely to mount a revolution against her leadership, further laying the groundwork for his conspiracy theory.

Observation ...

• Carlson says that people who are high don't fight against misused power. And there is probably some truth to this. But just because you consume cannabis, doesn't mean you're always high.  I consume cannabis and fight against misused power every day.  So do most legalization advocates.  It bothers me that Carlosn is painting a picture of cannabis consumers as complacent stoners.  This is not accurate, but futher feeds the type of propaganda that had kept cannabis prohibition in place for so long.

Observation ...

• This is the fourth time Carlson suggests that these senators are encouraging people to smoke more weed.  And even after four times saying it, it's still not true.
• Here Carlson actually connects the move to legalize cannabis (which he suggests is a move to get people high), to the move made by politicians to pacify voters. Which, of course, is absurd, as they're not encouraging people to get high.  But that's a talking point that is well-threaded throughout the entire piece.  Because after all, if you say it enough, perhaps people will believe it.

Observation ...

Tucker Carlson will get no argument out of me when it comes to the government getting rich off the backs of taxpayers. In fact, I would argue that cannabis shouldn't be taxed at all, as any kind of taxation is immoral, as it is a form of theft. That being said, I would love to see Carlson show the same kind of disdain for the taxation of other industries, and not those that are just championed by the left.

So watching this segment, I’ve concluded a few things …

1.) Tucker Carlson suggested the Cory Booker and Kamala Harris want people to smoke weed. Which is absolutely untrue. This lie was repeated four times in a segment that was less than six minutes long.

2.) Of all the politicians that support legalization, the good folks over at Fox decided to focus on two that happen to be black.  Make of that what you will.

3.) Tucker Carlson supports legalization, but wants to ensure that all the folks watching his program know that he still hates the “liberal elite,” and of course, black liberals are still the enemy of America.

I realize that no one who’s a fan of Tucker Carlson will agree with me on this. And I also realize that it is highly unlikely Tucker Carlson would ever have a guy like me on his show to discuss the merits of cannabis legalization. So why did I decide to write this piece and call bullshit on this segment?

Because I couldn’t fit all of this into one tweet. :)

And also, the prohibition of cannabis is a violation of human rights. And while I’m glad to see Tucker Carlson support legalization, I’m equally disappointed in his vilification against two black senators that also support legalization. While Carlson may believe that this just fits with the Fox narrative, the reality is, it does much more: It continues the negative stereotypes about cannabis and those who use it. It bolsters the credibility of nearly a hundred years of anti-cannabis propaganda, and it makes it difficult for those who want to end the war on cannabis to be taken seriously by the right.

As a libertarian, I don’t claim either side of the aisle. To quote the great Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, "neither party is mine, not the jackass or the elephant."

That being said, those who demand less government and more freedom do little to support that argument when they attack those who seek to end the war on cannabis.