Ok.....this entry is going to be tough for me. I think the topic is touchy, I think that no-one has an open mind about it (Read my blog about being open-minded to understand my definition)
http://mattpearson.blogspot.com/2011/04/open-minded.html
but in honor of 420 being yesterday I think this is probably a good time to do it.
The legalization if Marijuana. It's a never ending conversation, and very rarely are either sides willing to give to the others. Today I want to address the topic. Not of whether or not Marijuana is bad, but whether or not our government should legalize it. I think I'm gonna frame this discussion around arguments that have been presented to me. And you know what, before I started writing this I said I wouldn't because I didn't want even more people arguing with me about it, but if after having read this have this this irresistible urge to, instead of internalizing what I have to say and using it in the future, make this into an ugly argument of everyone versus me. So be it.
I also want to say that is entry is not so much for people who already know where they stand on the issue of legalizing Marijuana, it's for the people that are so indifferent, that when it finally comes time to vote, they're gonna vote for it. So here' goes something.....
CAUTION: Extreme use of hyperbole and exaggeration may occur to make a point and scare people into agreeing with me. Other effects may be extreme anger, disappointment, confusion, or laughter if you're high right now and have no idea what's going on. lol
People are going to do it anyway, we may as well tax it: Yep. People are going to do it anyway. People are going to smoke pot, people are gonna snort coke, people are going to smuggle underage girls across countries for prostitution. We may as well tax it. This is the most disgustingly passive aggressive reason I can think of. My kids are gonnna drink anyway, may as well let them do it at home at the age of 12. There are my tangents. Allow them the resonate before you continue into the rest of this. People are going to do it? I don't smoke pot. All of my cousins, family, most of my friends do it, so why not me? Cause it's illegal. That's why I don't smoke pot, because it's illegal. Not because I think it's daaaaangerous and scary. Not because I think it's going to have terrible harmful effects on me. I don't smoke pot because smoking pot is illegal. And you know what, I could find hundreds of thousands of kids that don't smoke pot because it's illegal. And as long we pot is illegal, those hundreds of thousands of kids will continue to not smoke pot, they will continue to be productive members of society. (Oh whoops I said that kids that smoke pot aren't productive members of society. Not what I meant....) On the issue of taxing it. Ya you know what, we do have a problem with out economy. Are the pot smokers really prepared to start paying taxes for their weed. Cause u know what? I really am not ready for that whine.
It's gonna help people with cancer: Ok ya, this is one I agree with. I don't know any of the science behind it, and I'm not gonna bother doing the research, but on surface level if you wanna tell me that something in pot helps with cancer then yes, we should hone that. However if it cured cancer, wouldn't it be legal? Maybe not... But yes, if we wanna legalize thc pills or something for cancer patients so they can get help for their cancer. Let's do it! But That does not mean Joe blow down the street needs to be smoking a bowl. Honestly that has nothing to do with Joe. But I hope when they decide to use thc pills to cure cancer, but not for everyone else, I sure hope Joe Blow comes out to vote. I really do. I'm gonna steal this from Chelsea, "just because Vicadin is legal, doesn't mean just anyone gets to use it" lol
Alcohol is legal, why not pot? It's better for us anyway: Ya. It probably is. Again I don't care to go do all the research on the effects of Marijuana, the CONSTANT reminders of it by the smokers are all I need. But here we go. Alcohol is legal why not pot? Really? We have one drug, so why not two? Why not every drug be legalized? We have some guns legal. Why not all of them? May as well. Having sex with someone is legal. Why not with animals. Ya'll how many times does two wrongs don't make a right have to be said to make sense? That argument simply doesn't work cause it's inherently pointless, I'm sorry. Should they switch out pot with alcohol? Sure make it happen. I don't care. I don't want even more drugs to be legal though soooo.
It's not hurting anybody: Ok. So this is why we should legalize it. Because nobody is getting hurt? (Disclaimer: Most of these examples could also apply to alcohol, I realize this, but we're talking about legalizing something that is currently not legal) No person is going to get in a car after smoking at crash it? No child is going to emotionally scared by their deadbeat pot smoking dad? Drugs are bad yall. They do effect our decision making, they do effect our actions. Yes we choose to do them. Yes it is a choice, but we're talking about something that's ILLEGAL. Meaning right now, it shouldn't even be a choice.
We're wasting jail space with repeat offenders of this nonviolent crime: You know what, I completely agree. Is legalizing it the answer? We should legalize trespassing, loitering, reckless endangerment. The fact of the matter is, these people KNOW they are committing a crime. They KNOW it. That's the problem. If you KNOW you are breaking the law over and over then STOP complaining when you get arrested. I don't get why that is so complicated. Repeat offenders are dumb, I'm sorry. And ya they should go to jail for it. For BREAKING THE LAW. So here's the rebuttle, MATT the point is that if it wasn't against the law these people wouldn't be in jail. You're right. They wouldn't. And if child molestation wasn't against the law, child molesters wouldn't be in jail. but MATT we have the choice to legalize marijuana.
But I don't want it to be legal. Yep, after all of that my plain and simple point is that i don't WANT it to be illegal.
Want
A very simple concept that we are allowed to enjoy as Americans. Speaking our opinion and Democracy. What do the people want? If America wanted Marijuana to be legal, wouldn't it be?
I know my entry is god-awfully long, but I want to tell you guys my real reason for not wanting pot to be legal. A reason that really only applies to me.
For those who know me, I grew up around a LOT of marijuana. I won't get into specifics, but it was very readily available to me from a very young age. I was that self conscious shy fat kid with a fear of standing up for anything. Peer pressure was very much on top of me for a very long time, and it was quite inescapable. A lot of my family and friends lived very questionable lifestyles and did things that they now regret, or are doing things that they will regret in 20+ years (hopefully they will have grown up by then).
So why, why did I never smoke pot?
Why was I the ONE kid in my family that never smoked pot?
What was the solid foundation that helped me in the struggle when I was constantly being offered?
It was illegal.
I never had to smoke pot because it was illegal. I could could stand firm when I said, "No, I won't smoke it because it's illegal." And I'm eternally grateful that the law helped me through those very important developmental years.
And if ONE kid can use the fact that Marijuana is illegal as a way of reassuring themself that it's ok to be uncool. Then I VOW to help that kid keep it illegal.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
It's Over (part 2)
I decided I needed to write more on the subject of the last post, because I wanted to tangent off about Friday night campfire, without taking away from the effect of the last post. But before reading this post, I think it's a good idea to read the last one if you haven't yet.
http://mattpearson.blogspot.com/2011/04/its-over.html
It's important lead up to this.
For those who don't know what Friday night campfire is (and no words could really do it justice but I'm going to try) it comes at the end of the week at summer camp. It is the last time that we really have interaction with these scouts that we've been teaching for about a week, and have basically adopted as our little brothers. We get to meet their families, we give them our last goodbye hugs, there are some tears (I'm a pansy), we exchange emails and pretend like our relationship will continue past camp.
But camp is camp. The dynamic is impossible to reenact. The work, the epic fun, the growth of mind body and soul. All of this is packed up into one week at a time, and then (for us staff members) flashed before our eyes 5 times over the summer at the end of every Friday.
We sing our final campfire song, shoulder to shoulder, embracing this family that, for some of us, is closer than our own. And as the song ends, as we gaze out into the crowd searching and hoping that that scout, your newest little brother, hasn't already left. That he's gonna run up and give you one more hug before he leaves back into that scary world that you helped him forget about for that week.
All around us is this chaotic rush of appreciation as the crowd swarms the staff members, the outgoing kids leaping on the backs of their favorite counselors, and the quiet ones tapping you on the shoulder, Bye Ampy! see you next year!?
Of course buddy, and I'd better see you too
And as the scouts are slowly dwindling we look to each other. Hold back those tears, you're a man :). And MAN i'm gonna miss you and this week too.
As some camp staff walks away, dreading the inevitable miles of paper work soon to follow on this evening, there are those immobilized few.
The few that refuse to remove their gaze from the campfire.
The few that hope that if they don't close their eyes that the fire will never die out.That they can live in this moment forever.
But, eventually, the fire will die out. And next year they'll build a brand new fire with fresh new logs..
Those old Friday Night Campfires, they may not have all of the same pieces anymore, but the memory and warmth of it's flame: That's forever.
http://mattpearson.blogspot.com/2011/04/its-over.html
It's important lead up to this.
For those who don't know what Friday night campfire is (and no words could really do it justice but I'm going to try) it comes at the end of the week at summer camp. It is the last time that we really have interaction with these scouts that we've been teaching for about a week, and have basically adopted as our little brothers. We get to meet their families, we give them our last goodbye hugs, there are some tears (I'm a pansy), we exchange emails and pretend like our relationship will continue past camp.
But camp is camp. The dynamic is impossible to reenact. The work, the epic fun, the growth of mind body and soul. All of this is packed up into one week at a time, and then (for us staff members) flashed before our eyes 5 times over the summer at the end of every Friday.
We sing our final campfire song, shoulder to shoulder, embracing this family that, for some of us, is closer than our own. And as the song ends, as we gaze out into the crowd searching and hoping that that scout, your newest little brother, hasn't already left. That he's gonna run up and give you one more hug before he leaves back into that scary world that you helped him forget about for that week.
All around us is this chaotic rush of appreciation as the crowd swarms the staff members, the outgoing kids leaping on the backs of their favorite counselors, and the quiet ones tapping you on the shoulder, Bye Ampy! see you next year!?
Of course buddy, and I'd better see you too
And as the scouts are slowly dwindling we look to each other. Hold back those tears, you're a man :). And MAN i'm gonna miss you and this week too.
As some camp staff walks away, dreading the inevitable miles of paper work soon to follow on this evening, there are those immobilized few.
The few that refuse to remove their gaze from the campfire.
The few that hope that if they don't close their eyes that the fire will never die out.That they can live in this moment forever.
But, eventually, the fire will die out. And next year they'll build a brand new fire with fresh new logs..
Those old Friday Night Campfires, they may not have all of the same pieces anymore, but the memory and warmth of it's flame: That's forever.
Monday, April 18, 2011
It's Over
Some of you may know, but most won't, that History day in Arkansas happens on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas, and since I am the secretaries assistant, I got to spend this last Saturday working History Day. Well I got to work mostly with a professor, Dr. Ramsey, who is in charge of History Day for the entire state.
Dr. Ramsey isn't a particularly congenial woman, nor is she in the slightest bit perky. We actually very rarely have any kind of interaction except for when she's asking me to make copies, even though her office is a foot from my desk.
Three days before History Day she had to go to the hospital for emergency surgery.
The moment she was released from the Hospital she was back in the office instead of going home for rest.
(I promise this story is going somewhere)
That entire day she was smiling, and noticeably brimming with excitement. This day that everyone in the office talked about as if it were DDay and she was starting to get pumped up for it.
Well the entire day ended up being a blur, constantly being asked to run errands and fix things, from seven thirty in the morning to five in the afternoon.
At three oclock we had the awards ceremony. She did her announcements, shook the hands of the winners, and it was over.
After the awards, and after she addressed the winners I walked up to her ready to be told how to take everything down. As I approached her, I noticed that she was not there
.
She was staring off farther than the naked eye could find.......
but I knew where she was looking
I've seen that stare many times before, I've seen that place that she was looking many times before.
It's that place that culminates after a year of hard work, anticipation, fear, excitement, love, hate, sweat, tears, and for her even surgery.
It's that look that you're gonna miss this SO much.
That being retired and not being able to participate in this is going to break your heart a little EVERY day.
That you don't get to see those great people that have worked with you every year, ANY more.
That you will never make as much of an impact as you have for this moment.
She was staring into the Friday night Campfire.
So I walked away and let her have her moment.
I sure am going to miss camp this year...........:/
Dr. Ramsey isn't a particularly congenial woman, nor is she in the slightest bit perky. We actually very rarely have any kind of interaction except for when she's asking me to make copies, even though her office is a foot from my desk.
Three days before History Day she had to go to the hospital for emergency surgery.
The moment she was released from the Hospital she was back in the office instead of going home for rest.
(I promise this story is going somewhere)
That entire day she was smiling, and noticeably brimming with excitement. This day that everyone in the office talked about as if it were DDay and she was starting to get pumped up for it.
Well the entire day ended up being a blur, constantly being asked to run errands and fix things, from seven thirty in the morning to five in the afternoon.
At three oclock we had the awards ceremony. She did her announcements, shook the hands of the winners, and it was over.
After the awards, and after she addressed the winners I walked up to her ready to be told how to take everything down. As I approached her, I noticed that she was not there
.
She was staring off farther than the naked eye could find.......
but I knew where she was looking
I've seen that stare many times before, I've seen that place that she was looking many times before.
It's that place that culminates after a year of hard work, anticipation, fear, excitement, love, hate, sweat, tears, and for her even surgery.
It's that look that you're gonna miss this SO much.
That being retired and not being able to participate in this is going to break your heart a little EVERY day.
That you don't get to see those great people that have worked with you every year, ANY more.
That you will never make as much of an impact as you have for this moment.
She was staring into the Friday night Campfire.
So I walked away and let her have her moment.
I sure am going to miss camp this year...........:/
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Morning Revelations
Leave it to those darn Jehovah's witnesses to give me a revelation this morning.
I'm about to leave for class this morning, T.I. blaring from my phone in my back pocket when I hear a light knock at the door.
Darnit, I gotta GO buddy.
But I opened it anyway. Who's there to greet me? A man in a suit with a bible and a pamphlet.
Oh my T.I. please keep your language to a minimum for a moment.
I quickly grabbed for my back pocket as the man smiled. Shut down my favorite rapper and smiled back at the man.
He wanted to tell me about their service on April 17th. Thanks for the packet. And he went on his way.
I walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth (I promise Ashley ;)) when I started to think, Oh MAN I'm happy my door doesn't still have the words "Happy Chanakuh BITCHES" written on it. That would have been embarrassing and I would have had to explain myself.
But why did I leave that poster up so long? Why did it take Ashley taking it down?
Obviously that poster is offensive, but my international tent mate made it. For the camp Christmas party. Which was definitely one of my favorite parties that I've thrown. So what if it was offensive. It was a great memory. Something that that guy could never understand.
Wow.....(yes I literally said WOW out loud at that moment in the morning when I had that revelation)
So here I go. Reforming a belief that I thought was pretty solid. Ole Miss has the Rebel Flag, The Washington Redskins have a Native American symbol. While I still believe that these things are wrong, and I still believe that these things are offensive. The people that defend them, and I don't mean those people that don't really care. I mean those people that defend those symbols because of what they mean to them. Because of the history behind these symbols and the experiences of their past with these symbols. I don't defend these symbols, but I do, now, respect the people that defend their memories.
Food for thought.
I'm about to leave for class this morning, T.I. blaring from my phone in my back pocket when I hear a light knock at the door.
Darnit, I gotta GO buddy.
But I opened it anyway. Who's there to greet me? A man in a suit with a bible and a pamphlet.
Oh my T.I. please keep your language to a minimum for a moment.
I quickly grabbed for my back pocket as the man smiled. Shut down my favorite rapper and smiled back at the man.
He wanted to tell me about their service on April 17th. Thanks for the packet. And he went on his way.
I walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth (I promise Ashley ;)) when I started to think, Oh MAN I'm happy my door doesn't still have the words "Happy Chanakuh BITCHES" written on it. That would have been embarrassing and I would have had to explain myself.
But why did I leave that poster up so long? Why did it take Ashley taking it down?
Obviously that poster is offensive, but my international tent mate made it. For the camp Christmas party. Which was definitely one of my favorite parties that I've thrown. So what if it was offensive. It was a great memory. Something that that guy could never understand.
Wow.....(yes I literally said WOW out loud at that moment in the morning when I had that revelation)
So here I go. Reforming a belief that I thought was pretty solid. Ole Miss has the Rebel Flag, The Washington Redskins have a Native American symbol. While I still believe that these things are wrong, and I still believe that these things are offensive. The people that defend them, and I don't mean those people that don't really care. I mean those people that defend those symbols because of what they mean to them. Because of the history behind these symbols and the experiences of their past with these symbols. I don't defend these symbols, but I do, now, respect the people that defend their memories.
Food for thought.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Open Minded
Open Minded. What does that even mean?
When people say "he's close minded" it tends to mean, "he disagrees with me." But that's not closed minded, that's just someone that disagrees with you.
Or someone is closed minded means they hold conservative beliefs. That's a really common way I see it used. If someone holds beliefs that were created hundreds/thousands of years ago, well they must just be closed minded. Examples: Pro-Life, Against Marijuana, anti-Gay marriage. These people tend to be defined at closed minded. With no consideration on how they came to those decisions.
But a person who is pro gay marriage (myself) can absolutely be considered closed minded, and I think we lose touch with that idea.
A closed minded person is someone that does NOT care what you think. Or what anyone thinks, they know what they "know" and that's it. And let me just say that there are certain topics that I'm closed minded about. {GASP} I think gays should have equal rights. I think Marijuana should remain illegal. Those are things that I don't see my mind changing about anytime soon.
Yes I know being closed minded is considered a terrible thing. So a student in class raised the question, well what is the difference between being closed minded and having strong convictions? Well I think that's an excellent question. We respect people with strong convictions. Right?
I don't know. What I do know is that anyone that holds a set number of beliefs today, and in ten years haven't changed how they feel about any of those topics. That person has failed. Failed at hearing the other side, failed at questioning themselves, failed at being open minded.
Do you have to change your mind on everything to be open-minded? I don't think so. Is it ok to have a million great arguments for why your side is best? Of course. Are there a million reasons for why the other side is best? Yes. There always will be. Could one of those reasons be enough to change your mind? Not if you don't bother to hear it.
Life is way to long to have already made up our minds by the time we're twenty.
Just sayin
When people say "he's close minded" it tends to mean, "he disagrees with me." But that's not closed minded, that's just someone that disagrees with you.
Or someone is closed minded means they hold conservative beliefs. That's a really common way I see it used. If someone holds beliefs that were created hundreds/thousands of years ago, well they must just be closed minded. Examples: Pro-Life, Against Marijuana, anti-Gay marriage. These people tend to be defined at closed minded. With no consideration on how they came to those decisions.
But a person who is pro gay marriage (myself) can absolutely be considered closed minded, and I think we lose touch with that idea.
A closed minded person is someone that does NOT care what you think. Or what anyone thinks, they know what they "know" and that's it. And let me just say that there are certain topics that I'm closed minded about. {GASP} I think gays should have equal rights. I think Marijuana should remain illegal. Those are things that I don't see my mind changing about anytime soon.
Yes I know being closed minded is considered a terrible thing. So a student in class raised the question, well what is the difference between being closed minded and having strong convictions? Well I think that's an excellent question. We respect people with strong convictions. Right?
I don't know. What I do know is that anyone that holds a set number of beliefs today, and in ten years haven't changed how they feel about any of those topics. That person has failed. Failed at hearing the other side, failed at questioning themselves, failed at being open minded.
Do you have to change your mind on everything to be open-minded? I don't think so. Is it ok to have a million great arguments for why your side is best? Of course. Are there a million reasons for why the other side is best? Yes. There always will be. Could one of those reasons be enough to change your mind? Not if you don't bother to hear it.
Life is way to long to have already made up our minds by the time we're twenty.
Just sayin
Friday, April 1, 2011
Dreamers
Staring out the window
hand resting on the pane
so little separates so much
but really who's to blame
I let this pane stand in my way
as I slowly suffocate
fresh air less than an inch away
could I appreciate
all that the world could offer me
if I climbed out on a limb
right out this window I could go
I'd do it simply on a whim
But would I fall right from that branch
to that unforgiving ground
would people stand and criticize me
would no one make a sound
They could whisper that I'm crazy
that I must have lost my mind
how could I dare to break the norm
to skip my daily grind
Or will that one child see me
staring out the window too
my actions speaking louder than words
and he'd watch me follow through
Maybe he'll climb out on that branch
and make it to the edge
and see the sight we're meant to see
when we make our pledge
we're promised life and liberty
one point seems valued less
we forget the most important part
the pursuit of happiness
we forget we have to chase it
or else it'd be a gift
and it's the people who have given up
who tend to cause the rift
between the robots and the dreamers
they rarely intertwine
pick a side of the fence
and don't you cross the line
Most choose to be a robot
no emotion means no pain
but me, I'll keep on dreaming
out of my foggy window pane
hand resting on the pane
so little separates so much
but really who's to blame
I let this pane stand in my way
as I slowly suffocate
fresh air less than an inch away
could I appreciate
all that the world could offer me
if I climbed out on a limb
right out this window I could go
I'd do it simply on a whim
But would I fall right from that branch
to that unforgiving ground
would people stand and criticize me
would no one make a sound
They could whisper that I'm crazy
that I must have lost my mind
how could I dare to break the norm
to skip my daily grind
Or will that one child see me
staring out the window too
my actions speaking louder than words
and he'd watch me follow through
Maybe he'll climb out on that branch
and make it to the edge
and see the sight we're meant to see
when we make our pledge
we're promised life and liberty
one point seems valued less
we forget the most important part
the pursuit of happiness
we forget we have to chase it
or else it'd be a gift
and it's the people who have given up
who tend to cause the rift
between the robots and the dreamers
they rarely intertwine
pick a side of the fence
and don't you cross the line
Most choose to be a robot
no emotion means no pain
but me, I'll keep on dreaming
out of my foggy window pane
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