Decriminalization of Drugs in America

As stated in my last blog post, I had a lot more research to do on the topic of the "war on drugs" in America. Up until a couple of weeks ago, everything I knew about dangerous drugs and the people associated with them was pretty straight forward. How could anyone question whether these harmful substances should be legalized or not? Now, I am not talking about marijuana. I don't believe this is a dangerous drug as long as it is used responsibly, but the more dangerous and addictive substances are what I have a problem with. I have personally seen the abuse of drugs turn people I love into strangers who represent more of a zombie than a live human being. Their home, their family, their children, ripped apart by a series of bad choices that led to an addiction that took over their entire being. Educating myself on this topic as brought me through so many emotions, going back and forth with what I agree with. All the articles I have read, along with the film, talk about how we should end the "war on drugs" and they seem to make so much sense. However, knowing what I know and seeing what I have seen, how can I agree that ending the war on drugs is a good thing?

This is what I came to realize, ending the "war on drugs" is not about saying drug use is okay. It is not about promoting drug use or ignoring the problems associated with addiction. It's about breaking the cycle of unproductive, unfair, and unjust punishment that is targeting communities based on race and social class status, while over crowding our prison systems and costing America billions of dollars each year. With that being said, I still had my doubts. If drug abuse and the violence that is associated with it is so out of control now, what would happen if we made it legal? My fear is that it would only get worse. When researching this fact, I came across an article that answered these questions. In the Forbes business section, an article titled "Let's Be Blunt: It's Time to End the Drug War" talks about the prohibition going on with today's strict drug laws, and how people do not change their drug consumption based on the price of the drugs themselves. The article further explains how drug violence is a result from drugs being illegal and not the drugs themselves. People who are addicted to something will do whatever it takes to satisfy that need. When drugs are illegal, it forces the price of drugs to be high. These addicts then result to criminalized behavior to get their hands on the drugs anyway they can. I believe this direct quote from the article sums it up best, "The more effective prohibition is at raising costs, the greater are drug industry revenues. So, more effective prohibition means that drug sellers have more money to buy guns, pay bribes, fund the dealers, and even research and develop new technologies in drug delivery (like crack cocaine). It’s hard to beat an enemy that gets stronger the more you strike against him or her." In other words, drugs being illegal is actually putting more power in the drug dealers hands and as a result is creating more dangerous drug use and violence.

Of course this subject is so complex, there are so many areas that need to be evaluated. But, the more I question myself on this topic, the more answers I come up with. People do not stop doing drugs just because it is illegal, so I have to believe people may not start doing drugs just because it becomes legal. Decriminalizing drugs is not saying to do drugs, it is just about finding another way to treat the problem of drugs and the unjust punishment that often comes with it. Ending the "war on drugs" is just a start. There would have to be many laws put into place about the use of drugs and drug treatment. If I can start to understand how this would better our society and think of all kinds of ideas to treat addiction itself, better communities, save money, all while still providing jobs to people, than I think others can too. The more we educate each other and learn the truth, the sooner we can start to make the changes that are so desperately needed.

The War on Drugs in America

While watching The House I Live In, I was instantly engrossed into Jarecki's documentary on the "war on drugs" in America. This film has an interesting view on the increasing drug problems in the United States. It states that the "public enemy number one in America is drug abuse." This itself may not be a new idea, but Jerecki's take is that for many people it's a lifestyle that they are born into and is very hard to escape. The film walks you through various communities whose economy is based on the sale of drugs, and in his view, they almost have no other choice. Watching the interviews with the people in his film, gives you a sense of compassion for the problems these communities face, and can make you understand how they got sucked up into these choices in the first place. Having you go through these emotions with these communities, he now brings up another problem; the increasing population in America's prisons.

This increase in our prisons, is directly related to the crack down of the "war on drugs." America has the largest population of drug related convictions in our jail systems; however, it isn't working. The amount of crime related to drugs, and drug abuse itself, continues to sore in our county. This makes you think, should we do something to change it? Most often, drug related crimes, drug sellers, and drug users are often punished the same. This makes me wonder if there should be another approach. The fact is, when people are heavily addicted to drugs it often leads to other serious crimes, which should in fact be punished; but, should the less serious drug crimes be punished to jail?  Before watching this documentary I believe I would have answered yes, of course, but the way the information in this film is presented, has me thinking otherwise. Is America's "war on drugs" really about getting drugs off the streets, or is it about making a profit for our law enforcement systems?   I'm not really sure what the answer to this question is, but it does have me wondering. If our current system is not working, we need to look at other approaches. I like the idea of  putting more money into drug treatment, rather than drug enforcement. Treating the root of the problem, instead of just punishment, seems to make a lot more sense.

I believe a lot more research, on my part, needs to be done to fully understand the complexity of this situation. I think Jarecki's point is presented effectively; however, I'm not sure how much is true without further investigation. The fact that he has me thinking about so many other views on this situation, has definitely changed my thoughts on the problem with drugs in America. Before, I thought of any drug offender as just a bad person, but I now understand that there is much more to the story than that. I do believe drug crimes need to be confronted, but in Jarecki's view, it's the unfair punishment that needs to change.

Work Smart AND Hard

While reading Mike Rowe's thoughts about the advice he was given as a teenager, "work smart, not hard", I found an instant connection with his writing. His high school guidance counselor used a poster with not only these words, but also pictures to illustrate a dismayed blue-collar worker vs. a content college graduate, to try and inspire Rowe's decision to go to a four year university. Rowe felt that a community college, or other type of program, would be more fitting for himself. His article goes on to describe the problem he sees with this type of thinking, and how it has affected our society, as a whole, today. Why are we not encouraging trade schools, vocational programs and other apprenticeship opportunities, as well as college? Is a person less because they feel a trade job or other type of work is more fitting for them? Rowe is not saying that college is a bad thing, he is simply asking us to start thinking about the consequences of only pushing this type of education. What is so wrong with encouraging "Work Smart AND Hard" as Rowe points out.

Now, I am definitely not saying that college is a bad idea either. That would be a little hypocritical, as I myself, am in the midst of working on a degree. I think college is a wonderful thing for those who choose it. However, I do notice a different level of respect when I tell people I'm going to school to be a nurse, compared to when I just mention that I am a stay-at-home mom. Does managing my own household make me less smart than managing a company? I think this a pretty common thought in our society today. When reading Mike Rose's (not to be confused with Mike Rowe) Blue-Collar Brilliance, I noticed a lot of similarities with my husband. Rose illustrates, through his words, a picture of the thought processes involved in working "everyday" jobs. Jobs that may have not required a college degree to get into, but defiantly require constant problem solving skills, on so many levels. My husband was never one for the classroom, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love to learn. He is brilliant in so many ways, ways that I could never compare to, no matter how much college education I have. He started working at a young age, because he loved the idea of working hard to receive a paycheck. He loves the constant problem solving and coming up with new ways to make his job, and others around him, easier and more efficient. He worked many years in construction, where he was the best at what he did. Unfortunately, the physical demand on his body was catching up. He found a new company that promised an office position, as soon as the current placement retired. He worked a few years there, proving his worth. When the position finally opened up, it was filled by somebody else, a college graduate. My husband was told he was "too valuable in the field, and they couldn't loose him there." He was, indeed, valuable in the field, but could he not be just as valuable in the office? He was never given the shot. A couple back injuries, and a double hernia surgery later, my husband switched fields. He was now going to try his hand at retail. At first, all the new learning was a little intimidating, but soon my husband found himself in a perfect rhythm. Once again, he was really good at his job and loved the whole learning process, but the pay was not that good. His goal was to become manager through his hard work. He is currently "on the bench" for the next open management position. This is great, and I am so proud of him, but like most companies there are different levels of management. Although, the first level of management pays better, it is still not that high. This would not be a problem, if through his hard work he could continue to grow in the company, but to advance any higher, you need a four year degree. The funny thing is, the degree doesn't even have to have anything to do with business or the position. It is for this exact reason, I have to agree with Rose when he states "Intelligence is closely associated with formal education—the type of schooling a person has, how much and how long—and people seem to move comfortably from that notion to a belief that work requiring less schooling requires less intelligence." Let's use our own intelligence to realize, this is simply not true. Whether well college educated, or a hard worker, both intellectually and physically, we all deserve the same respect. Let's not let a person's worth be determined by their level of education, but realize that education comes in all different forms.  

My Education

After reading "Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work" it made me reminisce about my past education experiences. It was very easy to identify, immediately, which school class resembled that of my own. The "middle-class school" was the perfect description of most of my past education. The interesting thing is, I had a handful of different types of schools, in different locations. I started out in a private Christian school. It was a small school, and there was only one teacher per grade. I remember really enjoying my time spent at school. The smaller class sizes and school made it not seem so intimidating. My teachers were very friendly and encouraging. One of my favorite memories was at Thanksgiving time each year. The last day before our break, we were aloud to dress up as either a Pilgrim or an Indian. We enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast for lunch and played "Pilgrims and Indians" at recess. The game we played at recess was made up by the students, but we seemed to carry the tradition each year. Although this one event sparked our own creativity, I can't really remember any other times during class that we were encouraged to use our own ideas and creative thinking to learn. Our ideas came from textbooks and teacher's lectures. Anyon states that "In the middle-class school, work is getting the right answer. If one accumulates enough right answers, one gets a good grade." Wow, most of my life I thought this was the whole point of education, but I know now it's so much more! My time at VCS came to an end in fourth grade. The school only went up to fifth grade, so I was going to have to switch sooner or later.

 

 Next, came my first experience at homeschool. To compare homeschool to one of Anyon's school classes, it would definitely resemble the "affluent professional school." That may be a surprised comparison to some, but as I read the descriptive paragraphs about their school days, it would coincide with my own memories of a typical homeschool day. "In the affluent professional school, work is creative activity carried out independently." We had structure to our homeschool day, but each subject we studied was learned by creative projects as well as textbooks. We took field trips that went hand and hand with what we were learning at the time, bringing it all to life. I could spent as much time as I needed to on a subject, or as little. I was encouraged to use my own ideas to learn and express myself, as well as work independently. Although, I guess working independently wasn't much of an option with only my brothers and I being taught. They were also in different grades than I, so they were learning different material. Somehow, my mother would find a way to relate the different things we were learning, so we could also interact our learning and field trips. As much as I loved homeschool, I started to miss daily interactions with friends.

Halfway through 6th grade, I made my way to public school. This reverted my learning experience back to the "middle-class school." Our teaching was mostly from textbooks. We kept a strict schedule that cohered to the bells for changing classes. It was a big adjustment for me going from a private school and homeschool to a fairly large middle school. However, the social experience I loved. Anyon wrote of the "middle-class school" that "The style of control of the three fifth-grade teachers observed in this school varied from somewhat easygoing to strict." This mirrored my own memory of my public school teachers. I continued in public school, even as we moved to another town in 8th grade. I stayed in public school until 10th grade, when a health issue kept me out of school for the remainder of the year. This time at home forced me to get help from my mom's teaching once again. It reminded me how much I loved the one on one help, and I found I was understanding everything so much easier. I also felt at this age, the social aspect of school was more of a distraction from my focus on learning, so I graduated from homeschool. Although I was encouraged to go to college, I really could not decide what I wanted to go for. It took me until the age of 32 to finally decide.

Going back to school, after being away for so long, was hugely intimidating. So many fears and questions crossed my mind. Can I do this? Am I smart enough? What if I fail? Luckily, my experience at Cedar Crest College has erased all my fears. The professors are all so kind and supportive. They are helpful and resourceful. The extra tutors they offer, included in your tuition, make all the difference. I can't imagine returning to school, to face a teacher like Professor X. After reading "In the Basement of the Ivory Tower" I realized just how lucky I am to be here at CCC. Very soon into my first semester, I had to face my fear of writing a paper. Although I know it wasn't very good, it was my best effort, and it was graded as such. Professor X states "For I, who teach these low-level, must-pass, no-multiple-choice-test classes, am the one who ultimately delivers the news to those unfit for college." If my first paper was graded with such thinking, I'm sure I too, would have failed the class. My fears would have been confirmed, and may have ended my plans of school altogether. I thank God, my adult education mimics nothing of this article.

 

Meet So yeon

In class, I had the pleasure of interviewing So yeon Lee. Within minutes of talking with her, the warmth of her personality showed through. I immediately felt a connection with her, which is
interesting since we have very little in common. While interviewing her, she opened up about so many interesting things about her life. She describes herself as a shy and peaceful person, but is also active and loves to challenge herself. Her favorite food is noodles and the many flavors she can add to them. In her free time, she enjoys drawing, watching movies and also being in the woods, where the smell of the trees relaxes her.

 So yeon is from a small town in South Korea, called Seoul. In America, she is 20 years old, but her Korean age is 22. In Korea, they have a different age system that starts from the time in utero. She is the youngest of two, and her older brother is nine years older than her. This age gap, and her being one of only a few females in her family, is the reason she received a lot of special attention as a child. She and her brother enjoyed watching baseball together, but both had different favorite teams. Her brother is now married and expecting his first child. So yeon is really looking forward to being an Aunt! When she was little, her dad was in the military and she traveled a lot as a result. This is an experience she loved.

Now, she gets to experience the United States and is very excited about it! She came to America just three weeks ago, to study at Cedar Crest College through their exchange program. She chose CCC because of it's well reputation and also because of her nearby relatives in New York. It's clear that she feels passionate about her major in Psychology. So yeon chose Psychology because, she loves to listen to others and give them counseling as well as direction. She enjoys talking to people and getting to know them. So yeon also thinks back to the counseling she has been given in life and knows how much it has meant to her. She looks forward to returning this favor to others, which is something I know she will be great at.

Introducing Me

Hello, my name is Jeanine Diaz. I'm 33 years old (almost 34) and I live in Quakertown, PA. I was born in Mt. Holly, NJ. I lived there for about the first year of my life, until my parents moved to Pennsylvania. I have one older sister and two younger brothers.

At the young age of 17, I married my high school sweatheart. Yes, that's right, 17. I know it sounds crazy to most people (even myself). However, I was in love and I knew what I wanted. I have now been happily married for 16 years and we have 5 beautiful children. The oldest is my step son who lives back and forth between households. My family and I enjoy hiking together at the local parks, going to concerts, playing family football games and just hanging out together for fun.

I am currently a student at Cedar Crest College and I am a pre-nursing major. I always knew I wanted to go to college, but I could never decide what I wanted to be when I grew up. Now, after being a stay at home mom for 15 years I have finally decided. I love helping and caring for others and am really excited to get started in my nursing career. This fall semester, I am taking Writing 100, which is the reason for this blog. I have never been a strong writer, but I'm confident that this course will help me strengthen my writing skills.