Wednesday is Pink Shirt stand up to bullies day. Although pink just isn't my colour, I completely support the message. I don't want to live in a society that allows bullies to thrive. On the same note, I don't want to live in the other extreme and end up like Texas where someone can do real time in prison for possession of a couple of joints. I know I am naive and idealistic, but I aspire to finding a balance between the extremes.
Cutting someones hand off for theft or capital punishment for a drug offense is in my opinion extreme. Yet so is house arrest for trafficking cocaine for the Hells Angels. Both extremes are wrong.
I do believe rehabilitation should be a factor in incarceration. Not the primary factor because public safety is but it should be a factor nonetheless. Christianity is all about second chances. Starting over and learning from our mistakes. In fact Christ talked about visiting those in prison and ranked it right up with visiting the sick, feeding the hungry and clothing the naked.
Many people have volunteered their time on Prison Alternatives committees trying to find a better way than just locking people up in cages. Yet it's clear that our noble ideal of rehabilitation has gone to the other extreme where violent crime has no real consequence. This needs to change but we don't need to change it to the other extreme.
All of us rather spend tax dollars on schools and hospitals than on more prisons. However, I don't want to live in a society that's run by organized crime. That is not the kind of society I want to leave for my children. That's not the kind of society our forefathers fought in the trenches to protect.
I get a lot of slack for expressing my opinion in a blog. Sometimes I cross the line and say things that are pretty rude and I suppose I deserve it. I'm just fed up with the consistent lies and denial that are no longer believable.
I'm fed up with politicians who put themselves above the needs of the people who elected them. I'm fed up with criminals who think they can bully everyone forever. It's all about the golden rule - treating others the way you want to be treated. Don't sell crack to kids. Don't sell date rape drug to anyone and don't cry like a baby in court when you are caught selling date rape drug. That is absurd.
And just for the record, I don't sell pot and I haven't smoked a blunt in 25 years. I would rather live in a society where people smoke pot than in a society where people smoke crack or meth. It's like night and day. They're two different worlds. And I don't want to live in a police state where police are beating civilians without cause or locking them away in jail for smoking a joint. Is it really that hard to understand?
WTF does this have to do with bullying?
ReplyDeleteI agree that people should not be imprisoned for drugs, but that has nothing to do with the Christian mythologies either.
In fact, whenever Christianity has ever gained real power, you will find nothing resembling second chances and everything to do with promoting fear and ignorance, murder and cultural destruction...the same things we see in places where religion and rule still exist hand in hand.
I just said I didn’t want to live in a society that doesn’t stand up to bullying and went off on a tangent I suppose. A bully free society is something to aspire to and yes I would classify the Hells Angels as bullies. I think any religion and any political doctrine when it gets power in government gets corrupted. Thus the goal of having a separation of church and state. Some within fundamental Christianity could be seen as promoting fear but the fundamental ideals support service and tolerance. True we see many fundamentalists that are far from tolerant but to blame Christian mythology for ignorance, murder and cultural destruction is a bit much. I totally support cultural diversity but I’m sure most would say I’m not much of a Christian. I have simple ideals I aspire to. I find an atheist who aspires to the same ideals I have to be far more trustworthy.
ReplyDeleteAgent K, you talk alot about how Crack and Meth ruin lives, but have you, or do you talk about how legalized gambling ruins lives? Do you talk about how alcohol ruins lifes?.. Two major "recreations" which the government hoards millions in revenue from. Or how about the pharmaceutical companies that muster millions from their legal, yet highly addictive drugs. Why do I not see the faces of those people in your blogs. At least Outlaw Motorcycle Club Members admit who they are and don't try to pretend any different, where as the big corporate members of casinos, pharmaceutical, and alcohol companies go about there business as if their hands are not dirty, as if they do not have a hand in ruining lifes. It is of my opinion that the average Outlaw is not out to ruin lifes, nor the corporate members or the previously mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI went downhill with multiple addictions some of which are legal and by which the government prospers from. But guess what... That is my problem. No body forced me to gamble. Nobody forced alcohol down my throat. In fact most of my abuse was due to an illness and I was self medicating. No one is to blame for my actions, but me. I went looking for the substance, I used the substance, and I allowed the substance to get the better of me. The key word in all this is I. I blame no one but myself for my addictions.
Where there is demand, there will always be supply. I believe it is how all this is went about that matters most. I could not agree more with your stance that kids should be left out of the equation entirely, and we as a society should go after whomever preys on kids period. Whether it is social justice or Renegade justice, justice should be served. As for us adults, well were big enough to make up our own minds, and so shall we be big enough to accept responibility for our own actions. People own up to your actions and quit trying to put the blame on someone else. If the world of Outlaws is not your thing then let it be, and it will let you be, period.
Agent K is right to ask, "What kind of society do we want to live in?", because this is how it looks now:
ReplyDelete"During the July 2007 assault, both accused put guns in McMillan's ears, nose and mouth, but he didn't reveal anything about the earlier robbery, Sheardown (Crown Prosecutor) said."
"Both accused bashed at McMillan's knees with a framing hammer, Sheardown said, adding that the victim was also threatened with a bolt cutter."
"Then McKinnon took an exacto knife and cut off McMillan's left ear, the Crown said."
"He yelled into the severed ear: "Do you hear me now bitch? Are you going to talk now?" Sheardown said."
"After his ear was sliced off, McMillan was asked which of his fingers or toes he was prepared to lose next, Sheardown said."
"He said McMillan offered up his right pinky finger which was then snipped off with gardening shears."
http://tinyurl.com/4zt44g9
Ain't life in Vancouver grand...?
2910 Dewdney Trunk Road – gee I wonder which gang that involved.
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/4tgb7sl
ReplyDeleteI just read "An Inside Look At The UN" which is the link above. I don't know who wrote it, but if it was you, Agent K, good work, because that piece is dead-on the money, full of understanding and gets right to the heart of the matter.
Yes that was me, thanks. To me it really is that simple.
ReplyDelete