It seemed at first like good times were on the way. Governor Cuomo is pushing to decriminalize pot. Why is that important you say well it is a move in the right direction from the precedent established by the Rockefeller Laws. Let me share briefly something about the Rockerfeller Laws:
The Rockefeller Drug Laws, enacted in 1973, mandate extremely harsh prison terms for the possession or sale of relatively small amounts of drugs. Supposedly intended to target major dealers, most of the people incarcerated under these laws are convicted of low-level, nonviolent offenses, and many of them have no prior criminal record. Across New York State, the Rockefeller Drug Laws create stark racial disparities and exact an enormous financial toll.
NYC is the pot arrest capital of the world. Back in the day I believe the idea was of we arrested everyone who took drugs we could solve the problem. Of course some have argued that the Rockefeller Laws have racial implications: “Other critics have deplored the grave collateral consequences of the state’s harsh mandatory sentencing scheme — particularly for the low-income inner city communities of color that have been the primary focus of drug-law enforcement. In an article published recently in The Boston Review, the African American scholar Glenn C. Loury, a noted social conservative, called the war on drugs a “monstrous social machine that is grinding poor black communities to dust.””
But I am not going to talk about how the war on drugs is used as a means to keep the prison industrial complex alive and thriving in the country, or the implications of race I am going to talk about something more insidious. (BTW- Prisons are privatized and a big source of business in the US) There has been work done to change the laws on drugs here in this Empire State since 2009 onwards.
The Reach Around
In Rome when the people were upset and there was growing unrest they gave them the games. In watching gladiators kill other gladiators, deadly chariot races the Romans forgot how badly they were getting rammed in the ass. The precedent still exists today. ‘How MrMary?’ you say well while pot is being decriminalized and carrying 22oz is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $100, NY is giving tax break to local breweries:
Albany has actually given breweries some nice perks for their trouble. Craft beer at farmers’ markets, anyone?In addition to giving tax credits to help the breweries keep their cash, the new measures will allow craft brewers to use state-grown products as if they were wineries. That means being allowed to sell limited amounts of their hooch from retail outlets and farmers’ markets.
So far nothing bad except that Bloomberg is cutting the budget for libraries and has introduced a ban on sugary drink over 16 oz which may get passed, and which will include frappucinos too. Does everyone see what is happening here?
Breaking it Down
The Government is banning all the drugs that keep you awake and focus on whats going on around you. and replacing it with drugs known to make people apathetic and not to engaged in whats going on around them. While this is happening libraries will be shut down. Actually:
The three library systems in New York City, Queens Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and New York Public Library serve 8 million residents from a combined 212 locations. Mayor Bloomberg’s Executive Budget for FY’13 calls for a reduction in funding of $26.7 million for Queens Library, $26.9 million for Brooklyn Public Library, and $42.8 million for New York Public Library. This $96.4 million in cuts is almost 32% of the total library budget. These cuts would result in the closure of 46 libraries across the city.
I feel that personally our civil liberties have suffered in this country a lot since 9/11. I feel as a nation we are being anally raped without our consent. Fear is being used to make us vote against our interest. Money can Buy position look at what happened in Wisconsin. We are at war with people and nations the mass majority of our citizens couldn’t find on a map. We police some people more than others we are xenophobic and anti immigrant, but it’s OK.
Luckily in NY the government has the courtesy to mitigate the pain of unsolicited anal Bludgeoning with a reach around that comes with gentle caresses not intended to ever get you off but to prolong your agony. But its ok, everything is alright, black Friday isn’t to far away we will get to stomp on people we don’t know or like to buy stuff we done need with money we don’t have
By the way check this out:
Jon Stewart Figures out what to Put in His Mouth
Great post. You are spot on with this. We are all a target market, distracted by shiny shit that disables us from thinking and behaving coherently.
Man I get scared sometimes , there is an industry devoted to telling you what to buy who to like who to dislike, where to travel. I think less and less we think our own original thoughts or do things that come from within. There is no room for an experience of one’s self or an experience of being free