June 30th, 2021 IRC Meeting: Difference between revisions

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Prohibition Has Never Worked
Prohibition Has Never Worked


US drug policy has relied on prohibition for over fifty years, aiming for the unrealistic goal of a drug-free society. Plants with a low risk of addiction remain prohibited while more dangerous substances, such as alcohol, tobacco, and opioid painkillers, are socially accepted. Authoritarians claim these laws keep us safe from the criminal element when in fact they allow those cartels to thrive in the first place, all while imprisioning the most people out of any country on earth. Drug laws do not keep us safe.
US drug policy has relied on prohibition for over fifty years, aiming for the unrealistic goal of a drug-free society. Plants with a low risk of addiction remain prohibited while more dangerous substances, such as alcohol, tobacco, and opioid painkillers, are socially accepted. Authoritarians claim these laws keep us safe from the criminal element when in fact they allow those cartels to thrive in the first place, all while imprisoning the most people out of any country on earth. Drug laws do not keep us safe.


Furthermore, drug policy has been used as an extention of the slave state, visiting violence and misery upon racialized populations. It has given police nearly unlimited powers to detain and arrest, and eroded our Constitutional right to freedom from search and seizure. Rather, the legal doctrine of "asset foreiture", the legal right of the government to steal property without cause, has provided a perverse financial incentive for police to shake down their communities like petty muggers.
Furthermore, drug policy has been used as an extension of the slave state, visiting violence and misery upon racialized populations. It has given police nearly unlimited powers to detain and arrest, and eroded our Constitutional right to freedom from search and seizure. Rather, the legal doctrine of "asset forfeiture", the legal right of the government to steal property without cause, has provided a perverse financial incentive for police to shake down their communities like petty muggers.


These policies have failed to put a dent in the real human cost of black market narcotics, and have entrapped poor populations in a cycle of exploitation at both the hands of traffickers and law enforcement gangs. They are maintained solely to provide prison labor. Prohibition is broken by design.  
These policies have failed to put a dent in the real human cost of black market narcotics, and have entrapped poor populations in a cycle of exploitation at both the hands of traffickers and law enforcement gangs. They are maintained solely to provide prison labor. Prohibition is broken by design.  
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We encourage a total re-examination of recreational substances in order to fully examine their actual impact on society. Drug policy must be based on sound research.
We encourage a total re-examination of recreational substances in order to fully examine their actual impact on society. Drug policy must be based on sound research.


We fully encourage the legalization of traditional psychedelics and ethenogens, especially for therapeutic use. For too long drug policy has been a cudgel of repression against indigenous beliefs. That must stop immediately!
We fully encourage the legalization of traditional psychedelics and entheogens, especially for therapeutic use. For too long drug policy has been a cudgel of repression against indigenous beliefs. That must stop immediately!


Regulation, Help and Guidance instead of Punishment
Regulation, Help and Guidance instead of Punishment
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Next Pirate Moot will be July 24th, 4-6pm.


Voted to skip a pirate news recording on Independence Day. Will have one the Sunday after.
Voted to skip a pirate news recording on Independence Day. Will have one the Sunday after.

Latest revision as of 15:22, 3 July 2021

Review

Decisions/Endorsements

Endorse the July 4th Anti-Imperialist Picnic

Details at https://www.facebook.com/events/1158985261236235

Platform

Planks: https://github.com/masspirates/planks

Drug policy: https://etherpad.pp-international.net/p/MAPPDrugPolicy

Projects

Outreach

Leader: Malt

  • Next Pirate Moot: June 26th, 4-6pm
  • Setup local video meetups by region with people who said they were interested in organizing a local chapter
  • Organize candidate trainings

Video Newsletter/Podcast

Leader: Joseph

  • Pirate news recording scheduled for Sundays, 7pm with go-live at 7:30pm. Unless changed

Trans Advocacy Telethon

Boston Pride Festival

Leader: jokeefe

While in-person events, including outdoor events, are on hold until COVID-19 numbers go down, we should plan for our table at the Boston Pride Festival. Festival is on hold, likely for the year.

Tasks:

  • setup signup sheet
  • Announce
  • Need to purchase insurance
  • Need volunteer sign up form
  • Tie to an activity, mapping the CCTV cameras in Boston or along the Pride parade route?

Other To Do

  • Application to PPI

Upcoming On-line Events

  • Sat., 6/26, ?pm, Pirate Moot, on-line

Participants

  • jokeefe: James O’Keefe, Somerville
  • malt: sam capradae, worcester

Observers

  • davidd
  • hvxgr
  • Mikaela
  • slerman

Summary

Endorsed the July 4th Anti-Imperialist Picnic

Adopted drug policy:

 


Prohibition Has Never Worked

US drug policy has relied on prohibition for over fifty years, aiming for the unrealistic goal of a drug-free society. Plants with a low risk of addiction remain prohibited while more dangerous substances, such as alcohol, tobacco, and opioid painkillers, are socially accepted. Authoritarians claim these laws keep us safe from the criminal element when in fact they allow those cartels to thrive in the first place, all while imprisoning the most people out of any country on earth. Drug laws do not keep us safe.

Furthermore, drug policy has been used as an extension of the slave state, visiting violence and misery upon racialized populations. It has given police nearly unlimited powers to detain and arrest, and eroded our Constitutional right to freedom from search and seizure. Rather, the legal doctrine of "asset forfeiture", the legal right of the government to steal property without cause, has provided a perverse financial incentive for police to shake down their communities like petty muggers.

These policies have failed to put a dent in the real human cost of black market narcotics, and have entrapped poor populations in a cycle of exploitation at both the hands of traffickers and law enforcement gangs. They are maintained solely to provide prison labor. Prohibition is broken by design. 

Legalization

The Massachusetts Pirate Party supports a repression-free drug policy and demands an end to failed prohibition. The Pirate Party rejects attempts to control what an adult does with their body, freedom means the ability to choose to indulge or abstain without carceral pressure. Learning from Portugal's success with decriminalization, the Pirate Party will replace the current system with legalization and regulated distribution.

We encourage a total re-examination of recreational substances in order to fully examine their actual impact on society. Drug policy must be based on sound research.

We fully encourage the legalization of traditional psychedelics and entheogens, especially for therapeutic use. For too long drug policy has been a cudgel of repression against indigenous beliefs. That must stop immediately!

Regulation, Help and Guidance instead of Punishment

Imprisoning addicts does not cure them. Addiction is a disease arising from cramped, unlivable social conditions, meaning the only "cure" for addiction is to ensure everyone has access to safe, comfortable housing. We encourage community-first intervention methods over traumatic imprisonment, public funds used to incarcerate must be redirected into the development of walkable neighborhoods, public parks, affordable housing, and single payer healthcare. Additionally, we support needle exchange programs in order to prevent disease transmission.

People suffering from addiction must be provided the space and resources to build themselves a life free from addiction. Unfortunately, American society is built to encourage addiction. Atomized, isolated suburban communities have the highest rates of addiction because a car-based lifestyle erodes personal connections. A community-centric solution must involve building livable communities.

Research and Medicine

The Pirate Party supports research on currently illegal substances to identify beneficial therapies. Blocking scientific work based solely on dogmatic arguments is no longer acceptable. Patients must not be hindered in their free choice of treatment. Well-trained, responsible physicians and informed patients should have the full responsibility for choosing the substances used for treatment. The dangers of all used substances, including both "natural" cures along with pharmaceutical medicines, must be fully disclosed.

Protection of Minors

The Pirate Party explicitly supports only sensible and necessary laws or regulations for the protection of minors. An open, objective treatment of the topic in the form of comprehensive public education is the only way to equip young people to survive life outside the home. Lying to children, rather than teaching them the truth, simply undermines their faith in all authority. 

The largest exposure risk to children comes from the adults in their lives who use. These adults should be cognizant of the lessons they are sending to the children in their lives. A culture of responsible use must be maintained in order to exist as part of a responsible society.

Freedom from Persuasion

America must move to severely restrict the advertising powers of prescription drugs. Policies that control the distribution of alcohol ads should be expanded to include recreational cannabis and other doctor-approved treatments. They must also be updated to include limitations on internet-based advertisements, as current regulation only covers print, radio, and television. The largest single factor contributing to the opioid epidemic was advertisements and sales representatives employed by Purdue Pharma and the Mercer family. The biggest drug dealers in society aren't street-level pushers, but the medical-industrial machine seeking wealth.

  

Next Pirate Moot will be July 24th, 4-6pm.

Voted to skip a pirate news recording on Independence Day. Will have one the Sunday after.

Minutes

 


[9:03pm] jokeefe: Agenda: https://masspirates.org/wiki/June_30th,_2021_IRC_Meeting
[9:03pm] jokeefe: ids
[9:03pm] jokeefe: What’s the update on the nurses’ strike?
[9:03pm] jokeefe: James O’Keefe, Somerville
[9:03pm] malt: sam capradae, worcester
[9:04pm] malt: so i got some info that the police have installed cameras opposite the street they're protesting on, and have denied records requests related to the installation
[9:04pm] malt: someone asked if that's something we could help advise on, the appeals/records req portion of this fight
[9:05pm] jokeefe: I can put them in touch with people who can. Email me their contact info and a summary of what has occurred so far
[9:06pm] malt: ok!
[9:08pm] jokeefe: Decisions/Endorsements
[9:08pm] jokeefe: Endorse the July 4th Anti-Imperialist Picnic?
[9:08pm] jokeefe: Details at https://www.facebook.com/events/1158985261236235
[9:08pm] malt: I like it!
[9:10pm] jokeefe: All in favor of endorsing?
[9:11pm] jokeefe: aye
[9:11pm] malt: AYE!
[9:11pm] jokeefe: any opposed?
[9:13pm] jokeefe: motion passes. Will notify them and include in the next email announcement
[9:14pm] jokeefe: Platform drug policy - https://etherpad.pp-international.net/p/MAPPDrugPolicy
[9:14pm] jokeefe: Final review?
[9:16pm] malt: reading now
[9:19pm] jokeefe: “sober society” ?
[9:22pm] malt: not sure how else to phrase that
[9:23pm] jokeefe: society?
[9:23pm] jokeefe: responsible society?
[9:24pm] malt: i guess i was thinking, like
[9:24pm] malt: you can't be drunk in the grocery store
[9:26pm] jokeefe: ok
[9:27pm] jokeefe: Any other changes?
[9:30pm] malt: i think i'm set
[9:31pm] jokeefe: All in favor of approving https://etherpad.pp-international.net/p/MAPPDrugPolicy ?
[9:32pm] malt: aye!
[9:32pm] jokeefe: aye
[9:32pm] jokeefe: Any opposed?
[9:33pm] jokeefe: Policy approved. Will post.
[9:34pm] jokeefe: Outreach
[9:34pm] jokeefe: When should we do the next moot?
[9:35pm] jokeefe: July 31st?
[9:36pm] malt: I'll be out of town then
[9:36pm] malt: i think i'm still free the weekend before?
[9:36pm] jokeefe: 24th?
[9:36pm] jokeefe: That is fine.
[9:36pm] jokeefe: Democracy meeting is the 17th
[9:37pm] jokeefe: 24th, 4-6pm?
[9:37pm] malt: okay
[9:38pm] jokeefe: great. will create sign up form
[9:39pm] jokeefe: notes from the previous meeting are at https://masspirates.org/wiki/June_26th,_2021_Community_Organizing_Discussion
[9:39pm] jokeefe: Video Newsletter/Podcast
[9:39pm] jokeefe: This Sunday work?
[9:40pm] jokeefe: or not since it is independence day
[9:40pm] malt: i will be at the lake!
[9:40pm] malt: yeah i'm camping
[9:40pm] jokeefe: Let’s skip it then
[9:40pm] malt: i could phone it in from the dock
[9:40pm] malt: yeah sounds fun
[9:40pm] jokeefe: we can plan ot meet the following Sunday
[9:41pm] jokeefe: That is all I have
[9:41pm] malt: i am wrapping up the email backchannel
[9:41pm] malt: rumsfeld is dead
[9:42pm] malt: can we issue the statement Fuck Donald Rumsfeld?
[9:42pm] jokeefe: Feel free to write one
[9:43pm] malt: i'll send it to the email list
[9:43pm] jokeefe: thanks!
[9:43pm] jokeefe: shall we adjourn then?