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Oregon law to decriminalize all drugs goes into effect, offering addicts rehab instead of prison:
"I lived in the bottom for years," says [Janie] Gullickson, 52. "For me and people like me, I laid there and wallowed in it for a long time."
But if she has to pick the lowest point – one that lasted years, not days, she says – it came shortly after she hit 30 in 1998. At that time, Gullickson had five kids, ages 5 to 11, by four different men. She came home from work one day as a locksmith to find that her ex-husband had taken her two youngest and left the state. Horrified, devastated and convinced that this was the beginning of the end, her life spiraled: She dropped her other son off with his dad, left her two daughters with her mom and soon became an IV meth user.
In prison six years later, Gullickson was contemplating joining an intensive recovery program when a "striking, magnetic gorgeous Black woman walked in the room, held up a mug shot and started talking about being in the very chairs where we were sitting," Gullickson remembers. There was life on the other side of addiction and prison, the woman said. But you have to fight for it. Gullickson believed her.
"I remember thinking, I may not be able to do all that, be what she was, but maybe I could do something different than this," Gullickson says. "That day, I felt the door open to change and healing."
Now Gullickson, executive director of the Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon, is determined to give other addicts the same opportunity. That's why she pushed for the passage of Measure 110, first-of-its-kind legislation that decriminalizes the possession of all illegal drugs in Oregon, including heroin, cocaine, meth and oxycodone. Instead of a criminal-justice-based approach, the state will pivot to a health-care-based approach, offering addicts treatment instead of prison time. Those in possession will be fined $100, a citation that will be dropped if they agree to a health assessment.
The law goes into effect Monday and will be implemented over the next decade by the state officials at the Oregon Health Authority.
[...] "I hope that we all become more enlightened across this country that substance abuse is not something that necessitates incarceration, but speaks to other social ills – lack of health care, lack of treatment, things of that nature," says Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., an outspoken critic of the War on Drugs.
[...] Watson Coleman also points out that it's far more expensive to pay to incarcerate someone than get them treatment. Rehab programs not only empower people, she says, but they also save communities money.
Also at: CNN.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday February 02 2021, @06:11PM (30 children)
Actually, I agree with you. Putting a baby into a juice blender isn't funny at all. How many million Americans have been pureed by Margaret Sanger's 'Planned Parenthood' now?
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 02 2021, @08:00PM
Were you born this stupid? Or did your parents have to work at it?
(Score: 4, Insightful) by cmdrklarg on Tuesday February 02 2021, @09:57PM (20 children)
To be perfectly honest: I wish for the day when abortions are no longer done, because they have been made unnecessary. Until then, they are unfortunately a necessity.
I find it hilarious that the most staunch anti-abortionists are also pro-gun, pro death penalty, and against anything that might help with a newborn child. Human life is most certainly not sacred to these people.
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Tuesday February 02 2021, @11:35PM
The most staunch anti-abortionists are useful idiots.
They've been kept in line by the Evangelical wing of the Republican party. Weirdly, the republicans like to pretend they're the party of individual responsibility, but have no problem telling other people what they are allowed to do with their own bodies.
No surprises Runaway is falling into line, his worst fear seems to be of being called a RINO.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday February 03 2021, @12:37AM (18 children)
Anti abortionists hate to see innocent lives taken. None are as innocent as the unborn, and infants.
Pro-gun and pro death penalty positions distinguish between innocents and those deserving of death. But, you find that hilarious. Imagine that.
Against anything that might help with a newborn child? Do you have citations for that, or is that just some nonsense spat out at anyone who is non-progressive/liberal/dem? Maybe you're incapable of distinguishing between social programs that reward the lazy and the useless, and social programs designed to help the innocent and helpless. I resent every welfare dollar spent on feeding and clothing and housing able bodied men who should be working. On the other hand, if you want to triple or quadruple the money spent on natal care, infants, and children, I'll go along with that. That is money well spent.
Your view of me seems to be quite warped. I have never resented money and resources spent on innocent children.
(Score: 5, Informative) by Mykl on Wednesday February 03 2021, @01:24AM (3 children)
Pro Death Penalty people are not Christian.
One of the key tenets of the Christian faith is redemption. It's why people (particularly Catholics) go to church every Sunday - to be cleansed of their sins. For all of their weirdness, I have to give credit to the Mormons for their dedication to this principle (random doorknocks for their entire lives are worth it if they convert just one person). If you kill someone, they lose the opportunity to be redeemed (regardless of the likelihood of success in any given case). Anyone who supports removing the possibility of redemption from someone and damning them to an eternity in Hell cannot also be Christian.
If you are non-Christian and support the Death Penalty then go ahead and fill your boots.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Azuma Hazuki on Wednesday February 03 2021, @02:25AM (2 children)
Did you know most early (as in, pre-Nicene) Christian church fathers were Universalist? They didn't believe no one went to Hell so much as that no one stayed there for eternity. It's very interesting to notice that the idea of eternal torture grew in popularity only with linguistic, geographic, and (with the exception of Tertullian), chronological distance from the start of the religion, isn't it? :)
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 03 2021, @02:39AM (1 child)
Eternal punishment is much more effective as a means of control.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Thursday February 04 2021, @12:33AM
Oh, definitely. But I can't help but notice virtually no Christian, ever, anywhere, cares enough about their religion or their God or the history of their beliefs to actually research it.
I actually think the Bible teaches (eventual) Annihilationism rather than Universalism, i.e., people go to Hell but are eventually completely annihilated, but the ante-Nicene patristics weren't idiots and it's possible I misunderstood some of their arguments. In either case, though, Annihilationism kept me a Christian much longer than I would have remained one otherwise.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 03 2021, @02:29AM (3 children)
Yeah, my ironsight flips up a little "innocent!" flag and engages the safety when I point at someone not deserving of death.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday February 03 2021, @03:14AM (2 children)
Hey, stupid - that flag should be implanted into your mind and your soul, not your iron sights.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 04 2021, @05:35AM (1 child)
Poor cop, I wish the insurrectionists had better morality in their minds and souls. Thankfully your wisdom has fixed humanity, no longer will we need laws or police officers, we can just give out guns to those with strong moral fiber! It is so simple, I wonder why no one came up with that solution before.
(Score: 3, Touché) by Runaway1956 on Thursday February 04 2021, @02:43PM
Poor cop - defund the police - poor cop - defund the police - poor cop - defund the police -
Help me here, the mob chant just isn't sounding quite right.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by cmdrklarg on Wednesday February 03 2021, @06:55PM (9 children)
Anytime I see anything involving cutting social services it's always some conservative behind it with the excuse of getting rid of "freeloaders". FSM forbid that someone poor gets something they didn't earn; that's the wealthy's job!
And when it's about women's health services being cut it is ALWAYS from an anti-abortion conservative.
I understand your resentment towards welfare for the able-bodied; I feel the same. Go look up about corporate welfare to find where my resentment is.
I would rather have 100 freeloaders in the system than see one truly needy person go without. Nevermind that there are many really needy people (who generally would rather not have to use welfare) for every freeloader on the books.
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Thursday February 04 2021, @02:44PM (8 children)
Of course it is. Because Democrats looooooove freeloaders. Their entire economic policy is based on buying every possible vote from them. With money taken from people who worked for it.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by cmdrklarg on Thursday February 04 2021, @06:14PM (7 children)
As if the GOP is any better on the subject of buying votes with their constant drumbeat of "lower taxes". They love spending money even more than the Democrats, but don't want to pay when the bill comes due.
The GOP also enable the biggest freeloaders in existence: corporations and the wealthy.
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Friday February 05 2021, @02:04PM (6 children)
Dude, really? You're really going to say a bully taking less of your lunch money in exchange for your homecoming king vote is giving you something? That is some truly fucked up mental gymnastics. Taking less of what is yours to begin with is not a gift.
Yup to corporations and the wealthy. But until you support a same percentage for everyone, no loopholes, no exceptions tax system, we have nothing to talk about.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by cmdrklarg on Friday February 05 2021, @04:24PM (5 children)
You're one for mental gymnastics. You're blaming the Democrats for something ("buying votes") that the GOP are happy to do as much of if not more. Now if you had said "politicians" instead of "Democrats" I'd agree with you wholeheartedly.
A no loopholes, no exceptions system is fine by me, but a same percentage for all system would be a larger burden on the poor, so I can't support that at face value. A tax rate of, say, 20% would hurt a guy making $10000 ($2000 in tax) far more than a guy making $1,000,000 (200,000 in tax). Some kind of progressive cost of living adjustment would need to be put in to make me go for that.
Either way the tax code is in dire need of simplification for certain, so I'm with you there.
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Friday February 05 2021, @08:34PM (4 children)
Nope. Not taking the people's money in the first place is not the same as taking it and then giving some back to whoever you bribed into voting for you.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by cmdrklarg on Friday February 05 2021, @09:05PM (3 children)
So what you're actually griping about is taxes, and not the buying of votes. The GOP promising to "take less money" is all about buying votes too.
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Saturday February 06 2021, @02:31PM (2 children)
Nope, not at the moment. Maybe later but right now I'm telling you your comparison is false both logically and morally because taking less in the first place is not in any way the same as taking and then giving back selectively.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by cmdrklarg on Monday February 08 2021, @03:36PM (1 child)
I say it is no different; it is still a financial incentive to buy votes. Tax and spend isn't the greatest, but borrow and spend spend spend is worse, and costs you more in the long run.
Morality, bah. We're talking about politicians here.
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Monday February 08 2021, @06:44PM
The difference is saying they'll do what they should have been doing in the first place is not in any way bribery. And since bribery is what you're claiming and it's a morality-based issue, morality does enter into the argument.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Wednesday February 03 2021, @02:23AM (7 children)
Not even your mother is fat enough to have a vagina that could accomotate an Osterizer. And I have it on good authority that Margaret Sanger prefers the Hamilton Beach brand, as they're much cheaper and still almost as good.
More realistically: do you understand nearly all abortions are performed in the first trimester? Do you know ANYTHING about how pregnancy works?
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday February 03 2021, @03:31AM (6 children)
https://www.lifenews.com/2015/02/05/dismemberment-abortions-the-babys-head-is-crushed-and-extracted-in-pieces/ [lifenews.com]
Regardless when most abortions take place, some are trying to legalize post-natal abortions.
https://cnsnews.com/news/article/emily-ward/virginia-governor-describes-how-post-birth-abortion-would-proceed [cnsnews.com]
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Thursday February 04 2021, @12:31AM (5 children)
Post-birth abortions are commonly referred to as "the death penalty." Which I'm sure you're all about.
This may surprise you but I'm actually against abortion after the age of viability, and after the first trimester in general. That said, since I'm never going to *be* pregnant short of rape (and if THAT happens the first thing I'd do is get a dose of Plan B!), my opinion doesn't hold the same amount of weight a straight or bisexual woman's would.
Now, question: *what are you doing to reduce the rate of abortion?* If you want to lower abortion, repeatable, empirical evidence shows that you have to make comprehensive sex education and contraception available to everyone and raise peoples' standard of living. And all those babies that would be born instead of aborted, what are you doing to help care for them?
Hint: if you are *truly* pro-life as opposed to simply anti-choice (your anxiety about "Hispanics outbreeding 'us'" has been noted!), you will be all for Nordic-style social programs, contraception, sex education, etc. If you are not, then your supposed concern for "muh innocent baybeez!" is a reeking pile of self-serving horseshit.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2, Troll) by Runaway1956 on Thursday February 04 2021, @03:24AM (4 children)
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Thursday February 04 2021, @01:05PM (3 children)
You don't read what people write, do you? Shoulda known I was wasting my breath...you don't give a damn for "innocent lives," you just don't like the idea of being "outbred."
Answer me this though: why, WHY, are the most staunchly anti-abortion people always the best arguments for abortion in, just to pick a random example, the 197th trimester?
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2, Touché) by Runaway1956 on Thursday February 04 2021, @02:34PM (2 children)
Projecting again, I see.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Friday February 05 2021, @01:38AM (1 child)
Then engage honestly with what people write to you! Answer the fucking questions: what are YOU doing, in your personal life and in your politics, to change circumstances for people such that they are less likely to think they need to have an abortion? I gave you a comprehensive list of things that have been shown, time and time again, in the real world, to lower the abortion rate.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 3, Touché) by The Mighty Buzzard on Friday February 05 2021, @02:07PM
The irony there is breathtaking. When's the last time you engaged with anyone who disagreed with you honestly? When's the last time you asserted a position and defended it? Mostly you just throw a fit, hurl insults, and fail at attacking their position. It's to the point that it can't be for any reason other than because you know yours cannot be defended.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.