In this blog I will be expanding on my stage 5 Blog. Where I would like to see Texas go with this is complete legalization. I do not want Texas to approach this immediately.
First I think Texas should decriminalize the punishable crime. By converting the criminal penalty into a civil penalty this will completely cut out all of the unnecessary arrest for small amounts of marijuana. Another bonus is it will not appear on your criminal record. The result will be that you are order to pay a fine and the civil court fees.
Once Texas is more used to the idea of marijuana I believe legalization can be an option. If this is done, the state can regulate the quality and safety of marijuana. With recreational shops and prescriptions this will increase tax revenue by tons. In 2018 the Colorado tax revenue for marijuana was over $266 million dollars. With shops this will decrease the drug trafficking and the gang related drug violence. With less needless arrests and less drug trafficking this will allow APD more time to work on more violent crimes and the court can hear more cases. This will also let the variety of sicknesses allowed to be treated by medical marijuana in Texas to be broad.
Friday, May 3, 2019
Friday, April 19, 2019
blog stage 6
After reading Mai's blog, it has really opened my views on drug abuse. In the blog, it brings up how misinformed people really are about what a controlled substance really is. Personally, i agree with this statement. I do not believe the average person knows every single controlled substance there is lingering. Most of these controlled substances lingering are prescribed drugs. Mai highlights the increasing drug problem that is slowly making its way to the surface. Toward the end of her post she brings up that the "Good Samaritan" law should be implemented in doctors offices.
Mai proves how lengthy and extensive the list of controlled substances are by providing the Texas Health & Safety code. It consists of tons of substances, too long for the average person to remember. She gives the link to a Dallas News story going over how the death count was worse than we thought in 2013. But as for the 2017 data, there is not very much hard evidence.
Ultimately Mai's article persuades me that the government should take action in making sure people are more informed on what a controlled substance is. As well as not making the list so complicated. I also agree that doctors should be informed of the "Good Samaritan" law, this could possibly lead to an alternate path back to health.
Mai proves how lengthy and extensive the list of controlled substances are by providing the Texas Health & Safety code. It consists of tons of substances, too long for the average person to remember. She gives the link to a Dallas News story going over how the death count was worse than we thought in 2013. But as for the 2017 data, there is not very much hard evidence.
Ultimately Mai's article persuades me that the government should take action in making sure people are more informed on what a controlled substance is. As well as not making the list so complicated. I also agree that doctors should be informed of the "Good Samaritan" law, this could possibly lead to an alternate path back to health.
Friday, April 5, 2019
Blog Stage 5
Texas has too many people arrested for minimal amounts of marijuana. I believe Texas should decriminalize marijuana. This will reduce the amounts of non-violent arrests for small amounts of marijuana. This is far from recreational use but these small movements forward could spark change and enlightenment to other illegal states. Based on many polls, the majority of the voters in Texas support partial legalization. A lot of people who are arrested are seeking stress or pain relief, in many cases they are not interested in prescribed pain killers by their doctor. The outcome for possessing a small amount of pot is a Class B misdemeanor that shows up as a conviction on someone's criminal record. On top of this it is punishable by up to 180 day in jail or a 2,000 dollar fine. I believe this is a very harsh punishment for possession of the minimal amount of marijuana. When people are charged with a crime like this, it can greatly effect their life. They can have a harder time finding a job, getting a home or even a car. Luckily, in some counties they might give you the opportunity to pay a fee and take some classes so that no criminal charges will be pressed. In my opinion the outcome of possessing the minimal amount of marijuana in a non-violent arrest are little to intense for the severity.
Friday, March 15, 2019
Blog Stage 4.
In the article Beto is in for president, written by Charles Kuffner he states that Beto O'Rouke is now going to attempt for president in 2020. This article is meant for democrats and liberals. To keep the audience attracted they must include quotes from Beto, which they do and talk about why they believe he should win the election. The argument here is that Beto as well as any other elected Dem. should easily beat trump in the next presidential race. This argument relies on the assumption that Trump is our worst president yet. The real dilemma is what will the democrats do to turn texas democratic again. This is politically significant because Texas is currently ran by all republicans. this could be a big change for the state.
Friday, March 1, 2019
Blog Stage 3.
In this article "Instead of Building Family-Friendly Jails for Migrants, We should Just Stop Jailing Them" posted on texasobserver.org written by caucasian female, Bea Bischoff. She is an immigration attorney in El Paso. The article is directed towards anyone residing in the state of Texas. In order to attract the audience the author must point out personal family experiences and conditions within the facilities. This may cause the content to be more sensitive to the average reader.
She argues that instead of building "family-friendly jails" for them to go to, they should not be sent at all. This argument relies on the assumption that all CBP and DHS agents are inhumane toward immigrants. CBP and DHS agents are the guards and higher ups within these facilities. To Bischoff it is important that the immigrants are safe and if possible not in the facilities at all. It is crucial for government to make sure the immigrants are given the proper conditions to maintain a suitable lifestyle and keep tabs on the agents making sure they are doing their jobs properly.
In paragraph 5, the lawsuits and deaths of two children younger than 10 within the facilities. In paragraph 6, it is detailed that in 2019, two teenage sisters were sexually assaulted by a CBP officer. As well as an embedded link that shows many sexual assault cases within the "family-friendly jail" in 2018. In paragraphs 1 and 2 the horrible conditions are descried and given embedded links with pictures and articles from various credible sources.
I believe this is a successful argument because it provides enough evidence to make me believe these immigration processing centers are full of injustice. This article stands by my beliefs that the immigrants being sent to processing centers is not the proper route to take. I have learned from this argument that the facilities are a bit worse than imagined.
This argument is politically significant because it is relative today. Our neighbors, friends, and some of our own families are being stripped of their day to day lives and being put into what is comparable to jail or worse. This article helps me understand that there are dark areas of the political world that are not headlined as much less significant things.
She argues that instead of building "family-friendly jails" for them to go to, they should not be sent at all. This argument relies on the assumption that all CBP and DHS agents are inhumane toward immigrants. CBP and DHS agents are the guards and higher ups within these facilities. To Bischoff it is important that the immigrants are safe and if possible not in the facilities at all. It is crucial for government to make sure the immigrants are given the proper conditions to maintain a suitable lifestyle and keep tabs on the agents making sure they are doing their jobs properly.
In paragraph 5, the lawsuits and deaths of two children younger than 10 within the facilities. In paragraph 6, it is detailed that in 2019, two teenage sisters were sexually assaulted by a CBP officer. As well as an embedded link that shows many sexual assault cases within the "family-friendly jail" in 2018. In paragraphs 1 and 2 the horrible conditions are descried and given embedded links with pictures and articles from various credible sources.
I believe this is a successful argument because it provides enough evidence to make me believe these immigration processing centers are full of injustice. This article stands by my beliefs that the immigrants being sent to processing centers is not the proper route to take. I have learned from this argument that the facilities are a bit worse than imagined.
This argument is politically significant because it is relative today. Our neighbors, friends, and some of our own families are being stripped of their day to day lives and being put into what is comparable to jail or worse. This article helps me understand that there are dark areas of the political world that are not headlined as much less significant things.
Friday, February 15, 2019
Blog Stage 2
On February 13, 2019 The Daily Texan published an article titled Police associations at odds with legislation to decriminalize marijuana. This article is about the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas being concerned with the law pending to decriminalize marijuana. Charley Wilkinson, executive director at the Combined Law enforcement Associations of Texas says a large concern is making sure the law includes the proper steps to take in order to determine impairment if caught with marijuana. James McLaughlin, general counsel for the Texas Police Chiefs Association, claims he doesn't support the law because it wouldn't consider impairment when found with marijuana. Another concern is the community would try for larger amounts. In the article it is stated that we have a finite measurement for alcohol (0.08), that is a scale we go by to measure impairment. We do not have a scale to go by for marijuana yet. There is a scare that students will suffer from health, financial, or academic issues. It is believed decriminalization would open opportunity for illegal drug deals. I think you should give this article a read because there are lots of tiny factors you wouldn't take time to think about when giving your opinion on whether you are for or against decriminalization or marijuana. Also there are lots of small arrests that don't serve much of a meaning because the possession amount is so small, the law change could effect lots of peoples daily lives.
Friday, February 1, 2019
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