#therealnotasecretagent

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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

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.

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.