#therealnotasecretagent

[therealnotasecretagent]

Leon Smallwood-Bey:

"I'm currently going into serving my 18th year of a life sentence for a non-violent drug crime, which is equivalent to a death sentence. But if I were to be sentenced today under new drug laws, I wouldn't be sentenced to die in prison."

Leon Smallwood-Bey was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and given a life sentence, even though then courts didn't know the amount he had.

[therealnotasecretagent]

Golf Clap

Michelle Alexander wrote a book, "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness", and made known racism that wasn't acknowledged previously. She points out that racism is nowhere near gone, it's just hiding behind our criminal justice system. Although I would add it's more class-ism than racism, since I feel like it's more people in poverty turn to and are caught with (and therefore thrown in jail) drugs than are more privileged people.

[therealnotasecretagent]

The Thirst for Prisoners

Maddie Valle, someone in the other English Wr section, is writing about California's drought. The California drought and prison overcrowding across the United States are both rooted in greed. Mother Nature doesn't want to share her water with the majority of California, and wants to keep it for herself. Private-prison higher-up want more prisoners so that they can get more money from the government (who get their money from taxing the public). If drugs were legalized, there would be a lot less prisoners, more free people, and a lot more money for everyone else, plus a more efficient police force. Likewise, if Mother Nature gave more of her rain with California, more seeds could be freed from their (prison) cells, and there would be more oxygen for everyone!

[therealnotasecretagent]

Things I Like

Again, not related to my topic, but an assignment for this class. It's a remix of GW #24, from Unit 2. The original assignment was to list things I don't like, and then talk more in depth about one of them.

Martial arts - Math - Dancing - Science - Doctor Who - Music - Movies - Guitar - Practicing singing while alone

I really enjoy martial arts. When I practice my martial art (Poekoelan), all of my problems disappear for the hour I train. I can relax and focus only on the present. After training I usually can concentrate better, since my mind is clearer and my will-power feels stronger.

[therealnotasecretagent]

1. "So what are you in for?" 2. "Really want to know, buddy?" "Tell me." 3. "They found my girlfriend's cocaine on me. My parents are raising my kids. You?" "Damn." 4. I robbed a bank and killed two tellers, it was fun." Note, I added the last three words and they aren't in the comic. Assumptions are interesting, huh? Also these were intended to be the same two people in every comic #ArtSkillz #StickFiguresAreHard

[therealnotasecretagent]

How could we prevent children from gaining easy access to addictive drugs if all drugs are made legal? Even if there are age restrictions placed on the sales of these drugs, it will be as easy for underage children to have access to these drugs as they do with alcohol now.

I don’t think prevention is the solution. That’s what we’re doing now, and everyone (any age) that’s using drugs currently, is finding a way to get them: illegality isn’t stopping anyone, so they might as well be legal. A lot of these ways are shady, and are also the reason for a fair amount of crime. We can educate students and regulate drugs as we do now with alcohol and cigarettes. If heroin was legalized but you needed to be 21, would you ask someone to buy you some? Maybe? More than likely I’m guessing not.

Part of the reason why so many underage people are able to smoke marijuana, for example is because drug dealers don’t care how old the person they’re dealing to is. If we regulate the drugs, I believe it will be harder for a lot of teens to get drugs

[therealnotasecretagent]

Context Lens

I am always trying to better myself, in any way I can, and as someone who believes that everyone should have the right/chance to ameliorate themselves as well, I really think drug imprisonments and punishments are unjust, unfair, and unreasonable in that sense (they are in most senses though). No one chooses to be addicted to drugs, and a lot of times the drug smog enshrouding their brains can't be cleared without help. Putting people in prison doesn't really help them at all. If they were using drugs to cope with stressors in their lives, imagine what prison is/does to them.

[therealnotasecretagent]

A pretty creative, well edited video designed to catch individuals attention long enough to get them to listen. The chorus is really catchy, and has a very good point. 

"The worst thing stoned people do

Is steal their roommate's oreos

And that's a misdemeanor at most"

And also that we don't treat alcoholics like this. Alcoholism is treated as a disease or mental illness, dependent drug users need medical help, not a jail cell. More often than not after jail, they end up going back because their addiction wasn't cured, and the cycle continues.