I just came across an article about an Australian woman, Schepelle Corby, that has been sentenced to 20 years in an Indonesian prison for possession of marijuana. Guilty or not, that sentence is insane. Twenty years in a cage for possessing a plant? What has this world come to? :(

Well she escaped the death penalty, unlike 2 others sentenced on Tuesday. They got death by firing squad. Hard to balance this. On one hand the laws are over the top, on the other it is WELL signposted at all airports and in the media what the punishment is for trafficking. So if you take the risk when these unjust laws exist its hard to cry foul if you are caught.

Ms Corby's case is also unusual in that she claimed the drugs were not hers. A week after she was caught there was a massive revelation by our Federal police that they had un covered a drugg smuggling ring throughout Australia using baggage handlers..... Ms Corby's plane went intra- Austrlaia before going to Bali, and she contended that the drugs were missed by the baggae handlers on the second stop. A person unrelated to her came forward and claimed the drugs were meant for him and that they were missed. The indonesian judge, who was reading an unrelated book throughout the trial (stopping ocassionally to glance around looking very bored), ignored this evidence. This judge also had a 57 out of 57 conviction record of defended trafficking charges.... Now THAT you can cry foul of.

Yeah, I have read about some of the injustices and straight up corruption that is present in the Indonesian courts and criminal justice system as a whole. I don't know if Schapelle is guilty or not, I just don't understand where these laws are coming from and why people are backing the US sponsored "War on Drugs". Prohibition doesn't work. Period. Never has never will. Not for alcohol, not for weed, or even crack cocaine. Governments need to educate not legislate.

Countries that have legalized, or de-criminalized, a lot of drugs have the same or lower habitual users; same or lower rates of adolescent users. Putting someone in a cage for 20 years because they had some organic plant matter is just insane.

Jessie?

Jessie Jackson?

Is that you? :blink:

Jessie Jackson?

I don't follow his politics, but I must guess that he is against prohibition. In fact, I believe that as a free individual I have every right to put ANYTHING I want into my OWN body. Who are they (governments) to tell me something is "naughty" and I cannot use it? I believe drug laws are immoral and unconstitutional (US Constitution anyway).

Humor my friend, in reference to your rhyming. Politcal muse is an art and Jessie is the Grandmaster of Bards in that respect.

I love you.