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We often just sit back and watch the fireworks on July 4th. But we seldom remeber that July 4th is a celebration of our Independence. So to commemorate our freedom, here is a post from my blog page about personal freedom, and it's benefits to America.
Let's face it. People in authority often abuse their power. A lot of times, it's the police and law enforcement officials. Police brutality is something we see more and more of everyday.
The police in the city in which I live, have just been given taser guns. Yes, that's right- tasers. Tasers used by police have been responsible for 192 deaths in just ONE MONTH! Isn't it sick to know that the people who claim to "protect" and "serve" the community are the ones who are allowed to use billy clubs, guns, pepper spray, and now tasers on the people of this country?!?!?! What ever happened no cruel and unusual punishment?
The argument made by the sick people who are actually FOR this unAmerican kind of bull crap is that police have a right to protect themselves.
Protect themselves? From what? Let me tell you something. When police even suspect that a person is going to be combative, they immediately call for back-up if they didn't already take one or more fellow cops to the scene. If you are telling me that a group of police can't manage to subdue one criminal without the use of dangerous, unsafe, unhealthy, harmful, painful weapons then I don't think the Police Force is something that should be taken seriously.
When police cause 192 deaths in one month, I say they are causing more harm than good.
Police are trained how to handle dangerous situations. If they are doing things the way they should be then they shouldn't even need instruments of torture.
It is our job to do something about this brutality! YOU are an American citizen. YOU have the right to be heard. YOUR opinion and voice counts. Take action against this brutality. Protest, speak to your local officials, or write to your senator. But please, please, please, don't just sit there and do nothing. You can save people's lives from the police by making your opinion heard. You can stop these villanous cops from doing evil. This is your country too. DO SOMETHING!
Besides, if we would get rid of laws, this wouldn't happen. The only law, should be to not hurt anyone else. Do you know how many people are in jail for drug related charges? Well, it has been increasing. In 2004, more than 1,500,000 adults were arrested for drug related charges. That is nearly as many as the amount of violent crimes committed in 2004- 1,648,100.
See? This is just an example of how small our crime rate would be and how small an amount of people would have to be in trouble with the law and probably beaten/tortured by police if law enforcement would only concentrate on what is important.
If a person uses drugs, it is that person's business. A huge amount of violent crime is committed as a result of drug prohibition. If drugs were legalized, junkies wouldn't have to rob or kill someone for their habbit. That would mean a lot less people in jail, fewer taxes for YOU to pay for their court hearings, everything that your taxes pay for in the prisons, etc. And, drug legalization would also mean a lower crime rate in general. You wouldn't have to pay so much in taxes for the police and their weapons of torture. Also you wouldn't have to pay so much for a war on drugs. Did you know that last year $12,162.70 went to the war on drugs? This year a full $12,431.10 is being requested for the drug war. Studies show that the drug "problem" continues to increase. How much will you have to pay next year? And the year after that? The price can only get higher. And you are paying.
But not just drugs. Prostitution is also a big factor in the crime rate and your high taxes. Every time someone is arrested for prostitution, it costs tax payers 2,000 dollars. And that's not even if they are found guilty and sent to prison! In 2002 87,500 people were arrested for "public order" crimes. This would include prostitution. Let's just assume that 1/3 of that 87,000 was arrested for prostitution. For every prostitute arrested, it costs $2,000 so 1/3 or those people would be about 29,166 criminals. That's $58,332,000.00 of taxpayer money! 4,000 children die per hour of starvation. Do you know how many lives could be saved by simply legalizing drugs, and abolishing "public order" laws.
When it comes to "public order," the U.S. Department of Justice describes public order offenses as so:
Public order offenses:
include weapons, drunk driving, escape/flight to avoid prosecution, court offenses, obstruction, commercialized vice, morals and decency charges, liquor law violations, and other public-order offenses.
Hmmmmm.... Think about it. All of that money going to control "morals and decency" when we could be giving it to starving and homeless children and families. Besides, since this group of offenses includes weapon offenses, some of the money saved by eliminating drug, prostitution, moral and decency, etc laws could go to more gun control which would result in even a LOWER crime rate. Which means-- even LOWER TAXES. See? If I were running the country, your taxes would have been cut a bunch of times by now.
Speaking of the morals and decency thing, whose place is it to determine if what "Bob from down the street" is doing sexually is immoral or not. That should be up to him to run his own life. I think allowing people to run their own life and keeping government out of it should also include getting rid of the liquor laws which would again result in a lower crime rate, which leads to fewer court cases, etc, you know the rest.
Back to my original point--
do you know that the majority of the 192 people killed by taser guns used by police were in trouble for drug related charges? Hmmmm.... so getting rid of prohibition would result in lower taxes, and less deaths caused by cops! See? Makes sense don't it?
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