Although information is a valuable tool in combating our current drug laws, I believe it is one that is not doing enough. After thinking about a friend of mine, and how his life has been changed for much, much worse because of our drug laws, I decided to write about him. Please, if you know someone who has been affected by our drug laws in a negative way, tell their story here. I think if we could get enough firsthand accounts of people that the drug war has destroyed, we could try to get it published. This is the kindof thinking that anti-drug people use to sway their arguement, so we must appeal with equal emotion.
We can't let the people who have lost their lives to the war on drugs be in the shadows any longer. I hope this thread will get off the ground, perhaps the Music, Art, and Literature fourm would be a better avenue, and if so feel fee to move this thread. The idea of this though is to (hopefully) create some publishable material that can make its way into the hands of the general public, and make them feel for our cause.
Here is the essay I wrote, feel free to critique it, and I really encourage anyone with a similar thought provoking story to share it. Thank you.
I have a friend named Randy. He has been living with his grandmother, and occasionally his mother and half-brothers, all his life in their small house in the country. Randy is not an honors student, in fact, he never graduated high school. After completing an extra year of high school for 1 credit of class, he failed his senior project because he completed volunteer work at a stable, which was not considered community service, as the project required, but I digress…
Randy does not lead a privileged life, not hardly, but his grandmother does all she can to provide for him, working on a barge as a cook for weeks at a time as they transport their cargo over the rivers of America. As a result, Randy has spent much of his life alone, cooking his own meals, cleaning the house, everything but giving himself a loving kiss goodnight. Randy, however, is a criminal in the eyes of our government, and only for one reason, he smokes marijuana.
I could go into great detail about the rather mundane happenings that occur when I am at Randy’s house, there always seems to be someone there hanging out, most likely smoking as well. Normally we watch movies or simply sit around and talk. Randy, nor anyone else in our circle of friends, has committed any violent crimes. Randy in particular is someone who would help anyone in need if he could, he’s one of the most selfless people I know. Perhaps it is because he has so little himself, but class aside, Randy, as well as our friends who keep him company, are kind, generous people.
Randy’s grandfather was arrested multiple times for growing marijuana. This took away the one father that Randy knew, and even though his family could easily grow marijuana and make enough money to supplement their small income and improve their quality of life. Randy’s fear of someone going to jail like his grandfather did is so great that even considering growing is out of the question.
The war on drugs is not as advertised, it has become a war on people, freedom, but most importantly, it has become a war on families like Randy’s. These are people just like you. Imagine having regrets over your late-grandfather because he was arrested for growing a plant. Imagine being a criminal for saving your grandmother enough weed to roll a joint with her morning coffee. Now realize this, your imagination is our reality, our only crime is burning a plant that gives us a little bit of joy in this world of poverty. Help us.
Edited by xFrockx (08/13/07 07:09 PM)
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