One out of every ________ Americans is in prison.
a. 3300
b. 1100
c. 750
d. 140
(See Comment for the answer)
The US, "the land of the free," has the biggest prison population in the world and the highest rate of prisoners per capita of all countries – including countries that President Bush believes need liberating by US armed forces.
Even China, with one party rule and a population that is 4.5 times larger than the US population, has 30% fewer total prisoners than the US.
The US prison population per capita is three times higher than "axis of evil" country Iran, five times higher than Tanzania, and seven times higher than a civilized European country like Germany.
Why?
18 comments:
ANSWER: d.
OK, I think I know where this is going... Why? Because the majority of people in custody are there for drug offenses, such as being in possession of an illegal substance, being under the influence of an illegal substance, or selling/attempting to sell an illegal substance, all of which are NON-VIOLENT offenses (that is, they aren't crimes at all, as a real true-blue crime always has a victim).
But you see, none of what I think or say means that I condone a person's use of legal or illegal drugs. But neither do I condemn it. Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn. What I really mean is that, as far as I'm concerned, it's none of my business.
"Whenever a government criminalizes victimless or consensual behavior, it brews a recipe for failure - if not disaster." -- Harry Browne
Oh Lisa, you are funny BUT THINK ABOUT THIS.... Most of the car chases are idiots that that are high on drugs and thats a fact!! How would you feel if a loved one of yours you really cared about was killed because of this? Its getting worse all the time. Yes anyone and everyone should have the freedom to do as they want AS LONG AS THEY DONT TAKE FREEDOM FROM
OTHERS!!!
This might be why I enjoy and prefer living in this country much more than China or Iraq.
I agree with Vivian and I know that Lisa agrees with Vivian, too, when she (Vivian) says: "anyone and everyone should have the freedom to do as they want AS LONG AS THEY DONT TAKE FREEDOM FROM
OTHERS!!!"
Vivian?
Yes Mom, I know exactly what you mean! It would be terrible to lose a loved one, for any reason!
Those police pursuits happen so rarely that they're televised, like a form of entertainment, so that's a good thing, huh!?
But aside from all that, I'm an avid believer in the right to privacy, which is covered by the Fourth Amendment. If you don't have that, then you really don't have anything, as far as I'm concerned. And because the extent to which law enforcement goes to to make a drug arrest oversteps its boundaries, The Drug War is more of a problem for society than the Drug Problem. The DRUG WAR has caused more heartaches, more violations of rights, more crime, more criminals, and more expense, than the DRUG "PROBLEM" ever could. I mean, when you have to surrender your own body fluids so law enforcement can take a chemical analysis of them; when police are allowed to conduct a search of your body cavities; when government agents are allowed to pose as people's friends, rifle through your trash, monitor telephone and electrical bills, peer over fences, fly over homes, scan them with infrared sensors, heat detectors and even enhanced satellite surveillance photography to see what Americans are doing in their own backyards, well, that's a problem.
And don't forget this: You never have to touch any drugs or money to be prosecuted in the Drug War. It's what you know; it's who you know, and it's what you don't know. That's the idea behind conspiracy laws. In 1988, the Omnibus Anti-Drug Abuse Act added a significant dimension by including conspiracy convictions in the mandatory sentencing scheme.
People with no active participation in a drug offense are penalized for "aiding and abetting" simply for knowing about a situation and not reporting it to the police. Sometimes even for not knowing about a plan or situation prosecutors say they should have known about, and some even for trying to talk someone else out of committing a drug crime! Wives and girlfriends of offenders have suffered the brunt of this law.
With that logic, no one is safe -- except, of course, government agents and spies, who are paid to go out into society and manufacture, buy, sell, and use drugs, arrange deals, etc., to entrap and betray others.
Anyway, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
I love you, Mamasita!
Yeah, I said "Vivian" instead of "Mom" because other people may not know our relationship with her. After all, you know there are hundreds that read this blog. Just kidding.
All I can say Im really for every persons freedom!! But there are many cases where drugs, and alcohol have caused loss of freedom to others and even their lives. As I recall my childhood: my Dad coming home drunk being mean, hitting my Mom and me screaming, scared to death, going to school hungry, hiding in the bath room at school when the kids were having their lunch because I didnt want them to know my situation. Now today if I saw a child going thru this, Id feel guilty not reporting it!! My Mom and I didnt have freedom because of my Dad being drunk every night.I think we have to laws,I will admit so much of it crooked as can be though and thats too bad. Things are getting so much worse now too, I feel stupid writing all this crap but damn it I like freedom, and I dont want anyone taking it from me and if everyone is allowed get high and go out and kill then I say put them behond bars, someone drives drunk and kills, put them there also. OK I WILL SHUT UP
That's funny, Linnette. Not just amusing, but actually downright FUNNY. I'd even go so far as to say it was hilarious.
Leo, when you said that about preferring to live in the country, I nodded my head in agreement, because it sure beats living in another country like China, Iraq, or Russia. There's no question about it, America is still the greatest place to live on earth, huh!?
No Mom, I was really into reading it, you made a lot of sense. I can totally understand where you're coming from, as far as you feeling that someone else can get drunk or high on drugs and in doing so, infringe upon other peoples rights, such as your dad.
And then when you said, "I think we have to have laws,I will admit so much of it crooked as can be though and thats too bad", I was impressed, because I think a lot of people are so rigid in their thinking that they see law enforcement as always right, always good, and always out there risking their lives to protect and serve, and that ain't always the case.
Yes, Mom, that is very, very sad what you and your mom had to endure. Your dad being violent and hitting your mom was wrong, wrong, wrong. And, at that point, he was violating your mom's rights, her freedoms. And, when you said, "I think we have to have laws..." Well, we do have laws. Assaulting someone (like your dad did to your mom) is a crime. I agree with you when that if someone gets high and kills, then he should be behind bars. Absolutely! But, what if someone gets high and does NOT kill? Should he be behind bars, too? It is the action that should be the crime. The killing. The crime should not be having the wrong substance in your blood. Because as we all know it is possible to have a substance in your blood and not commit a crime at all. And, some men beat their wives without taking any drug or alcohol. We shouldn't allow the government to criminalize the content of our blood instead of our actions themselves.
The law should deal in actions and actions alone, and only insofar as they damage person or property.
That's my opinion. What do you think?
This reminds me of Leo, Alyssa, and a friend walking down to the beach at sunset. They were sitting on the beach with a plastic cup which contained champagne. Talking. Watching the sunset. Not harming a single person. Along comes a cop and makes them pour out their drinks. Were they infringing upon anyone's freedoms? No.
That actually happened? Unbelievable! See, it's incidences like THAT that get me so riled up. When I hear things like that -- which is often! -- I think, see? This is why the stupid Drug War bothers me so much, because it puts a leash on innocent citizens as they go about thier bueiness of living. And so, it's causing more problems in society than the drug problem it's trying to fight.
That incident with Leo and Alyssa reminds me of my own incident about one week ago. I was hungry, it was about 3 am, and there's a Jack in The Box about a mile down the road, so I decided to go. Well, I was about two blocks from my house and this car is behind me, following so closely, it made me mad. So I sped up a little, in case I was making them mad, and then suddenly there's flashing lights. It was a male cop and a female cop, and the woman was trying so hard to turn this incident into a big thing. I could hear it in her voice, and her questions, she wanted so badly to provoke me, and kept asking the same questions two or three minutes apart, to see if I'd contradict myself. And then, they get my license and check to see if I have warrants, she comes back with my license and says, "Step out of the car please... And bring your purse." I could feel a twinge of anger well up, and I said, "Bring my purse? Why, what's going on?" I didn't want to act too mad, because I knew she was hoping I'd screw up somehow, but I didn't want to act like a good little soldier either, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, I got out and put my purse on the trunk, and they continue to ask the most ridiculous questions, like, "Why are you going to Jack in The Box at this hour?" I said, "Because I'm hungry, and it's the only place that's open right now." Then she asks, "Why are you taking the back road, why didn't you get on the freeway?" I'm thinking, "You IDIOT! Because I live on this street!" But I just said, "Because I live on this street, and Jack in the Box is right down there", and I pointed.
Anyway, they decided there was nothing they could arrest me for, so the male cop says I can go, as he leans over to look in my purse without touching it, then he says, "Is there anything in there you're not supposed to have? Mind if I go through it real quick?" I said, "Yes I mind. Not because I have something I shouldn't, but because of the principle."
And another thing.... jk
Seriously, I was thinking about that time Dad went with me to Thee Embers years ago, and I went to the bathroom and when I came out, I couldn't find him, so I walked outside, and there was Dad, standing in a circle with a bunch of guys, with one hand behind his back. I said, "Dad, what do you have?" And I walked behind him and he had a joint in hiis hand, and then suddenly this big puff of smoke came out of his mouth. Can you imagine? My dad! Smoking pot. It was really funny, and CUTE that he was trying to be cool.
And so, I'm wondering what Mom thinks about that. If, on that night, the cops had seen Dad with that joint, what do you think should have happened? Do you think Dad should have been arrested?
Leo, Linnette tells me that I missed your point about preferring to live in this country rather than China or Iraq. You meant because everybody who should be is in jail?
Not to change the subject, but this is interesting.
Did you guys know that...
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321 ?
the average number of people airborne over the US any given hour is 61,000?
intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair than people with average brains?
windshild wipers, bulletproof vests, fire escapes, and laser printers were all invented by women?
the cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven is $6,400?
it's impossible to lick your elbow?
at least 75% of the people who read this will try to lick their elbow?
OK, now it's someone else's turn to submit a collection of interesting facts...
That is so funny! Do you know why? Because I tried to lick my elbow. And, then I read that at least 75 percent of the people will try to lick their elbow. Garrett tried to lick his, too. Okay, a new post about interesting facts.
I did too. Well, I just lifted my left arm about three inches, then realized, no way, it would be impossible. So, I didn't actually try, I stopped just short of it. jk
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