if slavery actually became legal in America, would other countries do anything?

DrizztLink posted...

Try thinking that thought all the way to the end, sport.

I already have. Make your point please instead of just talking down to me. I can't read your mind.

BiggCoolDaddy posted...

I already have.

Are you entirely sure about that?

BiggCoolDaddy posted...

You feel like criminals got a bad rap and a lot of them don't deserve to be locked up.

This is not what I'm saying at all. Criminals should face a suitable punishment for the crime they have committed, but they should also be treated humanely and have a path towards redemption other than being released and told "Goodbye".

BiggCoolDaddy posted...

Let me address a point you keep making. Being in prison for smoking weed. That is a misdemeanor.

Depends on the state. Where I'm from, 1 oz is a felony. In some places it becomes a felony if you're caught more than once.

Umbreon posted...

Depends on the state. Where I'm from, 1 oz is a felony. In some places it becomes a felony if you're caught more than once.

Dang, my state sells felonies for less than $100. My few weeks of distraction is someone else's life altering substance.

They didn't when it was widespread, so there's no reason to think they would try to stop it now.

DrizztLink posted...

Are you entirely sure about that?

Still waiting for you to make your point and explain what I'm missing.

Umbreon posted...

This is not what I'm saying at all. Criminals should face a suitable punishment for the crime they have committed, but they should also be treated humanely and have a path towards redemption other than being released and told "Goodbye".

I agree. Some states have work centers that take in prisoners to live while they find a job. It's an excellent program.

Depends on the state. Where I'm from, 1 oz is a felony. In some places it becomes a felony if you're caught more than once.

That's because one ounce is seen as a large amount so you might be distributing. As we said, smoking it or minor possession isn't a felony. You're right though, in some states it's still totally illegal, which is laughable.

BiggCoolDaddy posted...

Still waiting for you to make your point and explain what I'm missing.

If it is openly acceptable to discriminate against ex-cons in housing and employment, the recidivism rate due to lack of legal housing and employment woooooooooouuuuuuuuuuld...?

DrizztLink posted...

If it is openly acceptable to discriminate against ex-cons in housing and employment, the recidivism rate due to lack of legal housing and employment woooooooooouuuuuuuuuuld...?

Would increase because those people don't have hope for a better future. Yes I get it. I'm not being as adversarial as some in here are acting.

I diverge from you guys because there's a sense that, these criminals continuing to make bad choices is anyone's fault but their own. Like yea, the odds are stacked against you after you commit a felony. That doesn't mean you just give up and continue to destroy your life. That makes no sense at all.

Some people also act like there aren't resources for these people, which isn't true. I think this is the third time I've brought up accountability for ones own actions, it's one of the first things they teach in rehab for example. These aren't children, they are adults, and ftr some are extremely dangerous. Some people are desperate but some people are fuckin evil.

You guys have all this sympathy for the criminal which I understand. I have more sympathy for the countless victims of these people. The parents of the young man who was murdered, the husband of the woman who was raped, etc.

"You should have thought about that before!" isn't really helpful or productive. Yeah, people fucked up. No one is claiming they aren't responsible for their actions. We're simply explaining that perma fucking someone over isn't pushing them towards redemption.

"But what about the rapists and murderers?!"

Yeah, again, no one is talking about those people. Except you. THOSE criminals need to stay locked up, but the lesser criminals shouldn't be place in the same bracket if they're willing to improve their behavior.

Some people make mistakes. Some people are truly desperate. For some reason you seem to want to place those people with the genuinely monstrous.

And people with that mentality is why prison slave labor is tolerated in this country. Because you've decided that they "deserve" it. You've decided that ex-cons should be treated like they're still convicts.

You want to reduce crime? Focus on why people resort to crime and address that. Again , not talking about rapists and murderers.

You want to make sure a criminal doesn't regress back to crime? Help them pick up the pieces of their life. Make sure they're in a situation that fosters rehabilitation.

Or keep throwing them to the wolves and scratch your head over why the teen who got busted for drugs turns into a monster because their choices were either join a gang or get shanked.

We're a "Christian nation", apparently.

Umbreon posted...

"You should have thought about that before!" isn't really helpful or productive. Yeah, people fucked up. No one is claiming they aren't responsible for their actions. We're simply explaining that perma fucking someone over isn't pushing them towards redemption.

I have said several times the USA needs more rehabilitation.

"But what about the rapists and murderers?!"

Yeah, again, no one is talking about those people. Except you. THOSE criminals need to stay locked up, but the lesser criminals shouldn't be place in the same bracket if they're willing to improve their behavior.

Sure.

Some people make mistakes. Some people are truly desperate. For some reason you seem to want to place those people with the genuinely monstrous.

I truly don't see how I am doing that, Umbreon. Maybe you are assuming because everytime we talk I agree with most of what you say.

And people with that mentality is why prison slave labor is tolerated in this country. Because you've decided that they "deserve" it. You've decided that ex-cons should be treated like they're still convicts.

I disagree because I didn't say that. I actually pointed out they were legal to discriminate against because I think it is unfair. The president has felonies. It's 2025.

You want to reduce crime? Focus on why people resort to crime and address that. Again , not talking about rapists and murderers.

You want to make sure a criminal doesn't regress back to crime? Help them pick up the pieces of their life. Make sure they're in a situation that fosters rehabilitation.

Or keep throwing them to the wolves and scratch your head over why the teen who got busted for drugs turns into a monster because their choices were either join a gang or get shanked.

We're a "Christian nation", apparently.

Yea. Some states need to catch up and stop treating people like animals.

And yes there are resources for ex-cons, but not all states are equal in that regard. I admit I am not certain where each state stands in that regard. I can't imagine the "tough on crime" (If you're poor) states having the best resources though.

And remember, it's profitable for prisons if ex-cons fall back into old habits. Thus, it's profitable for these rehabilitation resources to be limited or underfunded.

But brutally punishing criminals gets you more political points than rehabilitating them.

I don't disagree, especially since we clarified that the Real monstrous people aren't the topic. Because they will lie, cheat, steal, and farm empathy while doing heinous shit.

As to your point. Inmate reintegration is extremely important. The program we talked about earlier, kind of a center before release. They have food and board but they pay rent and set up their future.

Every state should offer this as part of sentencing. You can't just kick a criminal out on his ass with $300 bucks to his name and hope for the best. You need to teach them some cognitive restructuring exercises.

Our leaders are failing us in education. They are failing us in prison and the lack of positive reform; instead they actively choose exploitation. Treasonous. They are failing us with the economy and shipping out our jerbs. Now AI is coming. It's a perfect storm.

Well, China has been enslaving, forcibly sterilizing, and butchering Uyghurs to steal their organs for years now and absolutely no one has done anything about it, so....