I'm a LIBERTARIAN because I oppose the PRISON STATE

[mixedview]

I'm not a pot smoking Republican, white or rich.

I'm a social liberal/fiscal conservative - like Howard Dean or Bill Clinton.

I'm more of a liberal than I am a conservative. I grew up a liberal state - NY - where even the Republicans are reasonable.

I left the Dems and became an independent because I oppose the nanny state mentailty, that everything has to be regulated and the "bad" people (usually men) need to be thrown into the prison system for any little thing, or even for "pre-emptive" reasons (like suspected domestic violence, even when there's no proof).

It is far too easy to arrest people, even innocent people.

Once someone is thrown in jail - no matter how short a time - it is very easy to fall down the dark hole of the system for good. It is very easy to get into a fight, beaten, raped, or many other bad things - and then you get more time, and a record, and society looks down on you, then it's easy to get arrested again for any little thing, and so on...

So when you are innocent - does the state punish the false accuser.. does the state reimburse you for your pain ? When you are thrown in jail for something harmless like marijuana possession, and are abused in jail - does that punishment fit the crime ?

Everytime politicians start talking about making all of these laws against victimless, non-violent, and "pre-emptive" crimes, I want you to think about all of the people who usually wind up paying the price - they are not the upper or middle class, but the marginalized: mostly poor, mostly male, mostly young, mostly minority, many mentally ill, many homeless, many unemployed. They are thrown into a cage and treated like sub-human garbage, while politicans and voters smile smugly from their "safe" perch in society.

Once upon a time liberals did stand for prisoners' rights and the rights of the accused, but they have become no better on this issue than the conservatives, and in fact, both seem to be in a competition to lock up the most people.

Libertarian ("small l") minded invididuals across the political spectrum are the only hope we have to prevent a prison state. They are the only ones with a strong moral core on this issue, and issues like it.

[mixedview]

1. kick /nt

[toddaa]

2. What government truly excels at

Killing foreigners and incarcerating citizens. Everything else is just a variation on that theme.

[wli]

3. there is worse than Abu Ghraib for US citizens n/t