CreateDebate / ChronicHipie's Waterfall

Who would you vote for?

Sat, 17 May 2008 19:49:43 -0500

Smart is sexy, my vote is Iron Man.

Which Extreme Form of Government is Better?

Sat, 17 May 2008 19:43:32 -0500

Anarchy is characterized by individuals living under no authority, a society free from the relationships of power and dominion. Anarchism as a political ideology was the first ideology. Man before the advent of government was living as a part of nature. Before man was living in Mecca civilizations, or in tribes, the world was a natural anarchist universe, that we lived in without authority. We were free agents acting in accordance with our own needs and wants. Our existence was not characterized by “ can,” or “ cannot,” but rather by the endless possibilities of our own minds.

Which Extreme Form of Government is Better?

Sat, 17 May 2008 19:42:32 -0500

I'm not sure what you're saying

Is Marijuana really a gateway drug?

Sat, 17 May 2008 19:33:50 -0500

The last time I checked ( and it was recently) I saw no studies that showed a statistically significant relationship with marijuana use and various other drug use. Granted, there have been studies on addictive personality disorders and drug use. Those with addictive personality indicators reported use of multiple drugs in an escalating intensity from the point of exposure.

Which U.S. political party best represents Christian values?

Mon, 12 May 2008 18:12:12 -0500

I was not supposing that Dems PRACTICE love for all members of society, only that one could make the case that the ideals of the party are based on universal representation and compassion. There is almost never a direct correlation between the ideals of a group and their actions all of the time.

Which U.S. political party best represents Christian values?

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:56:43 -0500

WOW I don't even know where to start with this one. THEDert: dems want abortion and gay marriage, enough said!!!!?!?!?!?!?! First of all, neither party should be pandering to religious views, that's the reason we divided church and state in the first place. If you had to be pressed to pick a party that falls in line with normative Christian viewpoints then I think the Democrates would be that party. Jesus said " But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)

"Demo's" are in favor of social services, socialized medicine, equality, and more. They are the party of basic human compassion and love for ALL members of society. ( even women that abort and homosexuals)

Skinny vs. Curvy, is the beauty industry and media selling an unreal image?

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:35:25 -0500

There is an epidemic spreading across this country: obesity. And while this problem grows (please pardon the pun) our fascination with emaciated stars and models increases. But is the media and beauty industry selling our mothers, sisters, and daughters an idea that they can never live up to?

I'm a woman with hips and thighs and breasts, I'm very curvy. Often I've felt through out my life that I was somehow inferior because of my weight. That there was less of me to love because there was more of me. Much of this came from beauty magazines, t.v shows and weight loss commercials.

The media tried to sell me an aesthetic and I bought it hook, line, and sinker. Now I know that only about 1% of every 100,000 people born have the natural body type to be a model. And that the average size in the US is a 16. I'm an 11. Why the hell am I blubbering about? Then I realized, I'm not blubbering because I have a realistic body image. The media and beauty industry have distorted my body image. Size 0 models and perfect bodies don't exist in reality. Especially not in the everyday lives of you and me.

And I don't know what you prefer? But more than skinny vs. curvy, I prefer reality instead of fiction.

Skinny vs. Curvy, is the beauty industry and media selling an unreal image?

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:34:49 -0500

There is an epidemic spreading across this country: obesity. And while this problem grows (please pardon the pun) our facination with emaciated stars and models increases. But is the media and beauty industry selling our mothers, sisters, and daughters an idea that they can never live up to?

The media tried to sell me an aestetic and I bought it hook, line, and sinker. Now I know that only about 1% of every 100,000 people born have the natural body type to be a model. And that the average size in the US is a 16. I'm an 11. Why the hell am I blubbering about? Then I realized, I'm not blubbering because I have a realistic body image. The media and beauty industry have distorted my body image. Size 0 models and perfect bodies don't exist in reality. Especially not in the everyday lives of you and me.

And I don't know what you prefer? But more than skinny vs. curvy, I prefer reality instead of fiction.

Drug Abuse: Criminal Problem or Health Problem?

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:44:57 -0500

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who's made this debate such a success! We got mentioned on the CreateDebate blog!

As for class and drugs, there is an obvious connection. The American meritocracy is a lie, so in response to pvt.nobody, the poor never move up. Not even with the help of drug addicted upper-middle class white males. The deck is stacked against them. I would go into more detail but this is a debate on drugs, not on class warfare. HGrey87, my friend, play nice with pvt.nobody.

Back on topic now: Drug laws are specifically crafted to target minorities, HGrey87 is right about the laws concerning crack/cocaine. More affluent white drug users indulge in coke ( a.k.a powdered cocaine) while minorities typically indulge more in crack ( a.k.a. cocaine crystals) and the laws are written to protect the wealthy and white. The same is true of MANY drug laws. Drugs show up across class lines, but arrests for drugs show up more for minorities and the poor. Make of the statistical evidence what you will, maybe you can swing that minorities and the poor live in high population densities which accounts for the higher statistical rates of incarceration, but I don't think so.

Again, thanks everyone for debating your butts off!

Drug Abuse: Criminal Problem or Health Problem?

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:35:03 -0500

It was at one time, illegal for blacks and whites to sit next to each other on a bus. It was at one time, legal to own slaves. It was at one time, illegal for women to vote. Just because a law is on the books, does not mean that it is a law worth respect or compliance. To say, "the law is the law," is a narrow view of the issue.
An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Drug Abuse: Criminal Problem or Health Problem?

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:30:20 -0500

Recent researching into much of what you say, would disagree with you. Specifically you mention " high of stoned," which I assume is in reference to being under the influence of marijuana. So I will cite research specific to marijuana.
CRIME:
Police arrested an estimated 723,627 persons for marijuana violations in 2001, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's annual Uniform Crime Report, released today. The total is the second highest ever recorded by the FBI, and comprises nearly half of all drug arrests in the United States.
Of those charged with marijuana violations, 88.6 percent - some 641,108 Americans - were charged with possession only. The remaining 82,518 individuals were charged with "sale/manufacture," a category that includes all cultivation offenses - even those where the marijuana was being grown for personal or medical use.
The total number of marijuana arrests far exceeds the total number of arrests for all violent crimes combined, including murder, manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault.
"Prisoners sentenced for drug offenses constituted the largest group of Federal inmates (55%) in 2001, down from 60% in 1995 . On September 30, 2001, the date of the latest available data in the Federal Justice Statistics Program, Federal prisons held 78,501 sentenced drug offenders, compared to 52,782 in 1995."
Source: Harrison, Paige M. & Allen J. Beck, PhD, US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Prisoners in 2002 (Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, July 2003), p. 11.
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As a result of increased prosecutions and longer time served in prison, the number of drug offenders in Federal prisons increased more than 12% annually, on average, from 14,976 during 1986 to 68,360 during 1999."
Source: Scalia, John, US Dept. of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Federal Drug Offenders, 1999 with Trends 1984-99 (Washington, DC: US Dept. of Justice, August 2001), p. 7.
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The U.S. nonviolent prisoner population is larger than the combined populations of Wyoming and Alaska.
Source: John Irwin, Ph. D., Vincent Schiraldi, and Jason Ziedenberg, America's One Million Nonviolent Prisoners (Washington, DC: Justice Policy Institute, 1999), pg. 4.
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EFFECT OF MARIJUANA ON FUNCTIONING:
"Overall, it is possible to conclude that cannabis has a measurable effect on psychomotor performance, particularly tracking ability. Its effect on higher cognitive functions, for example divided attention tasks associated with driving, appear not to be as critical. Drivers under the influence of cannabis seem aware that they are impaired, and attempt to compensate for this impairment by reducing the difficulty of the driving task, for example by driving more slowly.
In terms of road safety, it cannot be concluded that driving under the influence of cannabis is not a hazard, as the effects of various aspects of driver performance are unpredictable. However, in comparison with alcohol, the severe effects of alcohol on the higher cognitive processes of driving are likely to make this more of a hazard, particularly at higher blood alcohol levels.”
REFERENCE: B. Sexton et al. 2000. The influence of cannabis on driving: A report prepared for the UK Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Road Safety Division). Crowthorne, Berks: TRL Limited.
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“Marijuana's effects on actual driving performance were assessed in a series of three studies wherein dose-effect relationships were measured in actual driving situations that progressively approached reality.
… THC's effects on road-tracking after doses up to 300 µg/kg never exceeded alcohol's at bacs of 0.08%; and, were in no way unusual compared to many medicinal drugs. Yet, THC's effects differ qualitatively from many other drugs, especially alcohol. Evidence from the present and previous studies strongly suggests that alcohol encourages risky driving whereas THC encourages greater caution, at least in experiments. Another way THC seems to differ qualitatively from many other drugs is that the formers users seem better able to compensate for its adverse effects while driving under the influence.”
REFERENCE: H. Robbe. 1995. Marijuana’s effects on actual driving performance. In: C. Kloeden and A. McLean (Eds) Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety T-95. Adelaide: Australia: HHMRC Road Research Unit, University of Adelaide. Pp. 11-20.
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“This report concerns the effects of marijuana smoking on actual driving performance. … This program of research has shown that marijuana, when taken alone, produces a moderate degree of driving impairment which is related to consumed THC dose. The impairment manifests itself mainly in the ability to maintain a lateral position on the road, but its magnitude is not exceptional in comparison with changes produced by many medicinal drugs and alcohol. Drivers under the influence of marijuana retain insight in their performance and will compensate when they can, for example, by slowing down or increasing effort. As a consequence, THC’s adverse effects on driving performance appear relatively small.”
REFERENCE: W. Hindrik and J. Robbe and J. O’Hanlon. 1993. Marijuana and actual driving performance. Washington, DC: US Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Report No. DOT HS 808 078.
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“For each of 2,500 injured drivers presenting to a hospital, a blood sample was collected for later analysis.
There was a clear relationship between alcohol and culpability. … In contrast, there was no significant increase in culpability for cannabinoids alone. While a relatively large number of injured drivers tested positive for cannabinoids, culpability rates were no higher than those for the drug free group. This is consistent with other findings.”
REFERENCE:
Logan, M.C., Hunter, C.E., Lokan, R.J., White, J.M., & White, M.A. (2000). The Prevalence of Alcohol, Cannabinoids, Benzodiazepines and Stimulants Amongst Injured Drivers and Their Role in Driver Culpability: Part II: The Relationship Between Drug Prevalence and Drug Concentration, and Driver Culpability. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 32, 623-32.
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“Blood samples from 894 patients presenting to two Emergency Departments for treatment of motor vehicle injur[ies] … were tested for alcohol and other drugs.
… Based on alcohol and drug testing of the full range of patients … alcohol is clearly the major drug associated with serious crashes and greater injury. Patients testing positive for illicit drugs (marijuana, opiates, and cocaine), in the absence of alcohol, were in crashes very similar to those of patients with neither alcohol nor drugs. When other relevant variables were considered, these drugs were not associated with more severe crashes or greater injury.”
REFERENCE: P. Waller et al. 1997. Crash characteristics and injuries of victims impaired by alcohol versus illicit drugs. Accident Analysis and Prevention 29: 817-827.
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“Blood specimens were collected from a sample of 1,882 drivers from 7 states, during 14 months in the years 1990 and 1991. The sample comprised operators of passenger cars, trucks, and motorcycles who died within 4 hours of their crash.
… While cannabinoids were detected in 7 percent of the drivers, the psychoactive agent THC was found in only 4 percent. … The THC-only drivers had a responsibility rate below that of the drugfree drivers. … While the difference was not statistically significant, there was no indication that cannabis by itself was a cause of fatal crashes.”
REFERENCE: K. Terhune. 1992. The incidence and role of drugs in fatally injured drivers. Washington, DC: US Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Report No. DOT HS 808 065.
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Drug Abuse: Criminal Problem or Health Problem?

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:13:37 -0500

Rehabilitation efforts would not force a person to quit, but simply make information about addiction and support services more easily available in impoverished areas. I disagree that stricter laws would reduce drug use/abuse at all, in fact it would only serve to put even more people in prison for a longer period of time and divert more policemen from the work of catching more important offenders. We have tried to regulate drug abuse/crime using laws and the results have been disastrous. Rates of substance abuse are high, rates of drug related crime are high, and the ages of first time users continue to drop. Harsher laws would demolish an already broken system, flood prisons with inmates that they do not have space to house, and cost us even more money. In contrast, social services will in the long run be cheaper, produce better results, and take bad politics out of a public health problem. As for punishing people who "do the crime," with substandard prison conditions, that is completely inhumane. People convicted of possession for personal use are put in prison when they pose no threat to society at large. I hardly think making their cages a little more uncomfortable is an appropriate response to non-violent citizens. We are not talking about murders or rapists, we are talking about pot smokers and heroin addicts who's only crime was being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong vice. The difference between you on the corner with a cigarette and the crack addict on the corner with a crack pipe, is the result of lobby pressure dictating civil liberties. We are not allowed to chose what goes into our bodies, if it is classified as someone's subjective version of "sin," and "danger." Where is the crime in that? And how in the world does that merit sub-standard prison conditions?

Drug Abuse: Criminal Problem or Health Problem?

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:15:44 -0500

Undoubtedly, drugs played a role in our evolution as both a species and as societies. Up until the 1900's, many of the illicit drugs of today were used as cures for ailments. Marijuana has over 5000 years of recorded use without a single overdose. While not all of the things we put in our body are good, it's hard to argue with a record like that. Nevertheless, it is the governmental policies that need to be reformed in order to De-criminalize drugs. Drugs themselves do not breed criminality. It is only when we are not given the freedom of choice, that crime follows. The prohibition of alcohol is a perfect example of even law-abiding citizen turning to crime ( moonshine and speakeasy patronage) when their ability to chose was infringed upon. The war on drugs has wasted billions of dollars, countless lives, it has ravaged our ghettos, and punished minorities. This is a war not on drugs, but on the poor. These laws were crafted to put the lower class in prison while turning a blind eye to more important social ills. I urge everyone to write their congressman/woman and voice your opinion on the UN-winnable war on drugs.

Drug Abuse: Criminal Problem or Health Problem?

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:27:35 -0500

Today we treat our non-violent drug users, like we treat violent offenders. Police spend the majority of their time tracking down and arresting users of drugs who have no prior criminal records. While these people may* pose a danger to themselves, they do not pose a danger to the general public. The cost of housing one inmate is 30,000 dollars per year. This money should be "re-invested," in social services for drug abusers and laws that pursue non-violent drug users busted for possession only, should be lifted. This is not an issue of criminality but of health. We do not arrest people at the door to McDonald's or for buying a pack of cigarettes because those are issues of public health NOT criminality. We are locking up peaceful individuals plagued by addiction in cages, when they deserve and need proper medical care.

Hilary Clinton's political strategy to win the nomination has been disgraceful

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:35:22 -0500

It's obvious that as these proceedings go on, Hilary is becoming more and more desperate. Desperation is not a quality I want in a president and certainly not something we should be seeing in the first potential female president of the United States. When a candidate sacrifices all, including her dignity, to achieve her own goals...there is a problem. We should not be embracing someone who obviously is willing to promote herself first and foremost. That attitude does not belong in the office of the President and will almost certainly continue us down the path we are already on.