"First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can’t agree with your methods of direct action;” who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a “more convenient season.”
Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection."
No, the actual advocates are calling for it’s decriminalization, which is a very, very different thing than mere legalization.
Legalization merely means that it becomes acceptable for the privileged while leaving enough law in place to allow the pig to still use it as a pretext to wage war on the marginalized - as is the case with the notorious “Swedish Model” when it comes to sex work.
Which advocates for marijuana are calling for it just to be decriminalized and not fully legalized?
Also: You have a unique definition of what legalization vs decriminalization means that I don’t think the majority of literate people would agree with.
Legalization implies decriminalization and more. Decriminalized but not legalized substances are still banned, but they just carry civil penalties instead of criminal ones (so like a small fine instead of a massive fine and/or jail time). With legalization, the substance is unbanned entirely and can be sold by legal businesses or private citizens on the legal market, though subject to whatever other regulations apply to it.
It won’t stop cops from harassing minorities or anyone they don’t like because they don’t need a reason to do so and will make up one to try to get away with it. But it will remove a common excuse to harass them.
To what end? If we make alcohol more difficult to acquire, we are encouraging illegal markets as has been demonstrated. Making any drug illegal doesn’t work.
Most drugs on the schedule are not illegal, just controlled. In fact, we already do control alcohol with things like age limitations. Due to the destructive nature of the drug, is it so incredible to control it further?
Distillation doesn’t create alcohol, it concentrates alcohol. Fermentation creates alcohol and the hardest part about fermentation is waiting for it to finish.
Fermentation is unlikely to create something that will cause worse than mild stomach issues. For homemade alcohol to be really dangerous you have to distill it and distillation without a license is already a federal felony.
Yes, prohibitions of addictive substances creates dangerous black markets and criminals out of addicts who usually need medical support not a judge or jail. We try to prevent children from driving, drinking, smoking, etc for the same reason we don’t send children to jail & that’s not a good way to legislate adult or general populations.
Now imagine if cannabis seeds were floating through the air all the time, and also used to produce a staple food, and you’ll see how alcohol is even harder to regulate.
Alcohol and tobacco are specifically not scheduled. They don’t even fall under the same regulatory agency. They get their own special one with firearms of all things.
Yes. But in Canada it took a long time to legalize it for whatever lawyering reasons. Long enough that people started to say decriminalize it first just so people wouldn’t get criminal records for it (PSA: decriminalization is not legalization). So yes to both (or all three if you include rescheduling as something).
Rescheduling is a great step forward. Congress needs to pass legislation to decriminalize marijuana. It’s in their court now. Write your Senators and Representatives if you’re invested.
Exactly. We can have more influence in decriminalization by paying attention to Senate and House vacancy dates and elections, and by writing them with our interests.
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