I read a commentary written by Ryan, titled. "A Solution Made Into A Problem", under his blog, Ryan's Slice of American Hypocrisy", dated December 1st, 2009. His comments and opinions are supported by a recent NPR story titled "California Officials Target Big Marijuana Growers". Ryan, as well as many other citizens if this country strongly believe that marijuana should b legalized, regulated and taxed. For starters, marijuana is now being used as a medication for cancer and AIDS patients to help with the nausea, pain and lost of appetite. Although, marijuana has been proven to have medical benefits, I do not believe Americans are ready to manage and control the usage of this drub. California is now allowing not-for-profit-cooperatives to supply medical marijuana to persons who carry proper documentation, these facilities have become profit-making marijuana retail outlets. It seems to be that these sites have become a center for other types of criminal activities a well. Susan Manheimer is the police chief in San Mateo California. Her comments in reference t legalized usage of marijuana were published on the New york times, and she said ," there is already the legal support to ruled on the illegality of these dispensaries by Los Angeles County though the Los Angeles district Attorney and the Los Angeles city Attorney.
Marijuana also has psychotic and physiological effects when consumed. Stronger strains of marijuana are now available. The new marijuana has higher ratio of THC (tratydrocannabinol) to CBD (cannabidol). THC tends to induce anxiety, and CBD tends to relieve anxiety. In other words, it is expected to create a higher rate of panic attacks. The consumption of marijuana has been proven to have a correlation with anxiety, psychosis and depression. The drug presents all the properties of a stimulant, depressant or hallucinogen.
Marijuana is potentially addictive. The University of Washington has been following dependence counseling studied for 20 years. Approximately 3.6 million Americans are daily or near daily users. Those who have been daily or near daily users for 10 years, have tried quitting more than six times and failed. I respect Ryan's opinion, but I do not share it. Marijuana has many good properties, however;the fact that it was introduced into this country as a recreational drug tends to limit its benefits. The use and abuse would skyrocket it is were to be legalized.
http://roomfordebate.blogs,nytimes.com/2009/10/19/a-new-course-on-medical-marijuana/
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytiems.com/2009/07/19/if-marijuana-is-legal-will-addiciton-rise/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana
Friday, December 11, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The Congress Expands Hate Crime Protection
United States is a very violent country. The American Government textbook shows on page 90, the firearms death rates in this country compared to other countries. I knew that the number would be high, but it honestly shocked me, when not only do we have the highest incidents, but the second highest was only half of the total that we carry.
Hate crimes law were ordained after the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King JR. in 1968. This law is centered on crimes based on race, color, religion or national origin. The Congress has now approved an expansion of civil rights based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability,and President Barack Obama signed this federal law last month.
Those against the expansion are concerned that it will create a special class of victims. However, what were to happened, to these people who are exposed sometimes on a daily basis to discrimination based on what they look like or how they live their lives. If the protection does not come from the law ,then these hate crimes will continue increasing. The federal government is now able to give resources and assistance to the communities dealing with these kinds of crimes. According to an FBI report dated for 2008, there is an 11 percent increase on hate crime offenses based on sexual orientation. Among all the categories of hate crimes, about 30 percent involve intimidation of some kind and another 30 percent were physical attacks. The FBI reports show that half of the hate crimes are motivated by race, one out of every six is based on sexual orientation bias, and one out of every five is led by religious bias.
Regardless of what anybody's ethnic, cultural or religious background is, when someone is led by any reason to foment and show hatred and violence towards someone else only because they are different, he or she should be accountable with the law. I hope that this expansion of the civil rights will stop the discrimination that prevails in a country, which is also know for its democracy and equality. Hatred and violence does not resolve the issue, it only teaches the younger generations that it is okay to think that one person is better that another. Just like a human being does not have the legal right to own another human being, no one has the right to take someone else's life due to discrimination.
Hate crimes law were ordained after the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King JR. in 1968. This law is centered on crimes based on race, color, religion or national origin. The Congress has now approved an expansion of civil rights based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability,and President Barack Obama signed this federal law last month.
Those against the expansion are concerned that it will create a special class of victims. However, what were to happened, to these people who are exposed sometimes on a daily basis to discrimination based on what they look like or how they live their lives. If the protection does not come from the law ,then these hate crimes will continue increasing. The federal government is now able to give resources and assistance to the communities dealing with these kinds of crimes. According to an FBI report dated for 2008, there is an 11 percent increase on hate crime offenses based on sexual orientation. Among all the categories of hate crimes, about 30 percent involve intimidation of some kind and another 30 percent were physical attacks. The FBI reports show that half of the hate crimes are motivated by race, one out of every six is based on sexual orientation bias, and one out of every five is led by religious bias.
Regardless of what anybody's ethnic, cultural or religious background is, when someone is led by any reason to foment and show hatred and violence towards someone else only because they are different, he or she should be accountable with the law. I hope that this expansion of the civil rights will stop the discrimination that prevails in a country, which is also know for its democracy and equality. Hatred and violence does not resolve the issue, it only teaches the younger generations that it is okay to think that one person is better that another. Just like a human being does not have the legal right to own another human being, no one has the right to take someone else's life due to discrimination.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/10/23/senate-votes_to_expand_hate_crimes
http://www.statesman.com/search/content/shared-gen/ap/Other_us_Government/US_Hate_Crimes
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