I actually did not say I think drugs should be illegal or users treated like criminals. I am, in fact, a regular sap who (by virtue of heroin) is a criminal.

I didn't mean to imply you did, but I don't understand how you can defend something simply by virtue of being illegal. If a law is unjust it is unjust, period, anyone who supports it is in the wrong. If it's something petty like a small fine then it's understandable you don't want to quit your job over it, but when you're talking about literally destroying peoples lives, and a lot of people at that, I just cannot see how anyone can defend that in any way. I especially cannot understand how anyone can do that for a living and feel comfortable with themselves.

No, they probably go in wanting to do some good, but have to enforce the ridiculous drug war just because that's the law and they are the police. So attacking them is a misstep on your part.

I'm not attacking them, I'm more of a civilian at home doing their job while the boys fight the war overseas, but I certainly want them to win the battles. Do I want random cops to die? Well, I'm glad there are less cops, but otherwise no, I don't want them to suffer. However if a cop is killed while busting into someones house guns drawn threatening to take their home, property, and freedom, it's really hard to not pick a side.

You hate the police when they are busting you for smoking drugs (see previous point) but think they are swell when you need them?

Which point? What's wrong with thinking a cop should protect people yet not arrest them for doing morally innocent actions which cause no harm to anyone? It's not as if I somehow gain respect for a cop for showing up at my house when I need him, he still does bad things. If a rapist saved your cat should he have a reduced jail sentence?

you should realize that cops are regular people caught up in forces bigger than themselves.

How do you figure? Just about every cop these days applied for the job after the drug war was in full swing. If this were 20 years ago then I'd give you some senior staff were likely still there from before these changes took place and I'd have much more sympathy for them, but that's not applicable anymore.