Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
The NYPD descended on Columbia University's elite ivy leagued campus Tuesday morning to break up one of "the biggest campus drug busts in memory—the arrest of five students and three alleged off-campus dealers in an undercover sting popularly dubbed 'Operation Ivy League.'"
Pictured above are two of the five student drug dealers who were arrested Tuesday. The Daily Beast reports that these students were not messing around:
One of the accused suppliers, according to law enforcement authorities, tried to hire a youthful undercover cop to kidnap a rival dealer, and possibly torture and murder the miscreant. In other words, Columbia’s cosseted undergrads were allegedly involved with some truly dangerous thugs.
Horrifying.
This story makes me incredibly grateful that the drug scene at my alma mater, Dartmouth, was benign and nearly invisible.
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Nov '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
That last thing in the article about the AEP frat having a drug delivery service is absolute nonsense, as far as I'm concerned. The frats at Columbia have always been a disorganized bunch of nerds, not mafiosos. I never once heard of this supposedly well-known "service" during my time there.
EDIT: For that matter, most of the students are nerds too. If the police wanted to make a drug bust that would rival a mexican cartel takedown, they need only have gone as far as an NYU or New School dorm.
Edited on Dec 9, 2010 at 7:13amRe: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
Jan-Michael Rives: That last thing in the article about the AEP frat having a drug delivery service is absolute nonsense, as far as I'm concerned. The frats at Columbia have always been a disorganized bunch of nerds, not mafiosos. I never once heard of this supposedly well-known "service" during my time there.
EDIT: For that matter, most of the students are nerds too. If the police wanted to make a drug bust that would rival a mexican cartel takedown, they need only have gone as far as an NYU or New School dorm. · Dec 9 at 7:08am
Edited on Dec 09 at 07:13 am
It sounds like you know Columbia pretty well! Still, don't you think the torture and murder aspect of this is a bit frightening?
Nov '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
I'm more disturbed by the fact that the university funds a student-run bondage club (fact) than that a couple of students were caught selling drugs they bought from some unsavory people. I wish Columbia's problems were so pedestrian.
May '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
If you're selling drugs you're already manifestly destroying human life. It's a short putt to move from one to another.
I think it's more of a shock to your Ivy League sensibilities that gap between the privileged and the baser, uglier aspects of society is a lot narrower than you want it to be.
Nov '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
No drug scene is ever truly "benign," especially at an institution where one might assume that keeping a clear head is critical. It never ceases to amaze me when otherwise intelligent people wax nostalgic about the "stoner scene" at the old alma mater.
EJHill
I think it's more of a shock to your Ivy League sensibilities that gap between the privileged and the baser, uglier aspects of society is a lot narrower than you want it to be.
The spoiled, privileged children who dally with drugs — the sons and daughters of doctors, lawyers and bankers — all have blood on their hands to one degree or another. And it starts early. At a local high school, it was discovered that boys (good-looking fellows from "good families") were (doubly) corrupting underage girls by offering them drugs in return for sex. So I am bound to take a very harsh stand on this subject.
Edited on Dec 9, 2010 at 9:53amMay '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
Lady Kurobara
The spoiled, privileged children who dally with drugs — the sons and daughters of doctors, lawyers and bankers — all have blood on their hands to one degree or another. And it starts early. At a local high school, it was discovered that boys (good-looking fellows from "good families") were (doubly) corrupting underage girls by offering them drugs in return for sex. So I am bound to take a very harsh stand on this subject. · Dec 9 at 9:46am
Edited on Dec 09 at 09:53 am
IMHO there is far more blood on the hands of the prohibitionists who persist in supporting laws that inevitably create a violent black market, despite the fact that there is not now, nor will there ever be, a way to win the War on Drugs. William F. Buckley understood this many years ago. It's a shame more conservatives don't follow his lead. It may help to reflect that had there been a drug raid when George W. Bush was an undergrad he may well have been arrested for possession.
May '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
Lady K - Kinsey asserted that those with the most casual attitude towards sex were the very, very, rich and the very, very, poor. The latter can't afford the middle class amusements and the former get bored with him. I suspect it's the same with their attitudes to drugs.
Jul '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
Quite right, Lady. Violence is a product of the mind altering drugs themselves and the resulting diminished states. The laws provide tools to suppress the worst of it, much to the annoyance of the predators of our species. Drugs are one of the most useful tools for slavers, con-men, and even criminally minded frat boys.
There are neighborhoods in this country that are ruled by terror, with drugs as a key component to keeping thugs engaged in daily intimidation of the populace. Gun control is a big plus with these guys, too. I've seen the fear first hand.
Designer drugs have done nothing to improve the situation. Legalization would just make it harder to protect targeted neighborhoods and families.
Edited on Dec 9, 2010 at 11:20amRe: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
I thought the Columbia Drug Cartel was something completely different.
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
Lady Kurobara
No drug scene is ever truly "benign," especially at an institution where one might assume that keeping a clear head is critical. It never ceases to amaze me when otherwise intelligent people wax nostalgic about the "stoner scene" at the old alma mater
Dec 9 at 9:46am
Edited on Dec 09 at 09:53 am
Good point. I just meant to say that the harder substances are less common at Dartmouth than, say, pot--and even pot is something of a rarity.
Aug '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
Lady Kurobara
At a local high school, it was discovered that boys (good-looking fellows from "good families") were (doubly) corrupting underage girls by offering them drugs in return for sex.
Well, that certainly demonstrates that a lot of young women are having sex for reasons other than the pleasure of it. I mean, I knew that already. But I wish more people would.
Even a pure hedonist should be disgusted that so much early sex is happening with so little innate pleasure. (At least for the girls.)
Edited on Dec 9, 2010 at 12:02pmNov '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
Conor Friedersdorf
IMHO there is far more blood on the hands of the prohibitionists who persist in supporting laws that inevitably create a violent black market, despite the fact that there is not now, nor will there ever be, a way to win the War on Drugs.
Let me wise you up, Conor...
I have never smoked. I have never been drunk. I have never used recreational drugs in any form. And I would probably do violence to anyone who tried to trick me into eating a hash brownie. If everyone felt the way I did, how much business would the drug dealers have?
The problem is not that drugs exist, or that criminals are willing to sell drugs and willing to do violence to protect their turf. And the problem is certainly not that "prohibitionists" continue to oppose the drug trade.
The problem is that morally bankrupt idiots want to consume the dreadful stuff. It is a problem not of supply, but of demand.
But human nature is deeply flawed, so maybe the War on Drugs is a futile struggle, Conor. Nevertheless, your faux sophisticated attitude is nothing but lazy, moral capitulation.
And I refuse to surrender.
Edited on Dec 9, 2010 at 1:04pmAug '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
Jan-Michael Rives: ...The frats at Columbia have always been a disorganized bunch of nerds, not mafiosos...
For that matter, most of the students are nerds too.
My experience? Never underestimate the bohemian streak in nerds.
That said, nerds do have a greater incentive to schedule clear-headed times for academic work than most.
Unfortunately, many don't seem to see a clear head as a prerequisite for a safe and sane social life.
Sep '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
Emily Esfahani Smith, Ed.
Good point. I just meant to say that the harder substances are less common at Dartmouth than, say, pot--and even pot is something of a rarity. · Dec 9 at 11:48am
Considering the fact that Dartmouth's school mascot is a walking beer barrel named Keggy, how common is binge drinking?
Nov '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Lady Kurobara
At a local high school, it was discovered that boys (good-looking fellows from "good families") were (doubly) corrupting underage girls by offering them drugs in return for sex.
Even a pure hedonist should be disgusted that so much early sex is happening with so little innate pleasure. (At least for the girls.)
It is even worse than you think, Midge. I personally spoke with one of the victims. She could not even remember how the thing started. All she knew was that she was desperate for drugs — to dull the pain and shame of submitting to sordid sex in return for drugs. She was trapped in a horrible vicious circle.
And the boys involved were supremely arrogant. To them, using their wealth and social privilege to reduce young girls to groveling sex slaves was merely amusing.
Aug '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
Lady Kurobara
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Lady Kurobara
At a local high school, it was discovered that boys (good-looking fellows from "good families") were (doubly) corrupting underage girls by offering them drugs in return for sex.
Even a pure hedonist should be disgusted that so much early sex is happening with so little innate pleasure. (At least for the girls.)
It is even worse than you think, Midge. I personally spoke with one of the victims. She could not even remember how the thing started. All she knew was that she was desperate for drugs — to dull the pain and shame of submitting to sordid sex in return for drugs. She was trapped in a horrible vicious circle.
That's kind of what I expected... Knew a girl who attempted suicide in similar circumstances. Minister's daughter, drug-dealing boyfriend treated her like a sack of dung.
Naturally they were.
A positive view of virginity is, contrary to what modern sophisticates choose to believe, empowering to girls. You lose that, and this happens.
May '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
Which is why the Duke Lacrosse story had legs - even when it was untrue.
Dec '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
Maybe they were so drug addled and confused they thought they were in Colombia (the narco state) instead of Columbia (the left wing university).
Imagine the pride of their parents when they got those acceptance letters. Breaking Bad, indeed.
Sep '10
Re: Frightening Drug Bust at Columbia
Dealers at state schools are just selling dime bags to their friends. They lack the intellect and ambition you find in the Ivy League.