this post was submitted on 18 Jan 2024
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[–] [email protected] 305 points 10 months ago (4 children)

Meanwhile, Trump’s a free man, goose stepping around in his fucking lift shoes, with 91 Federal charges against him. This country is so backwards.

[–] [email protected] 128 points 10 months ago (16 children)

Kind of makes you want to stop obeying laws, doesn’t it?

[–] stoly 61 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I once mentioned to my father that most people are likely felons without realizing it because everyone will have violated a whole slew of laws they are unaware of or that are obscure/unenforced. He, being a conservative, became angry with me.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I can probably come up with a dozen felonies and goodness knows how many misdemeanors I’ve committed in my life, and I’m definitely not a menace to society.

None of these are violent or sexual in nature.

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 10 months ago

I’m a commoner and I haven’t lobbied any lawmakers, so the law still applies to me

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[–] rayyy 67 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Don't forget he pardoned supreme liar and felon Roger Stone who went on to plotting assassinations.

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[–] I_Fart_Glitter 125 points 10 months ago (3 children)

It's a flower that makes people happy and hungry. God fucking damn it. There is no fucking reason to destroy people's lives over this.

[–] [email protected] 63 points 10 months ago (3 children)

Two reason: Conservatism and Christianity.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (4 children)

Reminds me of the Ballarat Bandit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-gBErW4aoY

To put it short, he was a guy who led federal officers on a chase through the desert. They didn't know who he was, but he was stealing from travelers passing through. It wasn't far from some US government facilities, and this being not long after 9/11, they're super worried he's a terrorist.

Spoiler: he was a Canadian who started growing weed to help his wife's medical issues. He apparently made some primo bud and started selling it. Naturally, he got caught and was thrown in jail. When he got out, he moved out to the desert and tried to survive on his own.

Jail changed him. He became more paranoid and detached from his family, friends, and society. He wasn't the least bit dangerous until they threw him in prison.

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[–] Illuminostro 22 points 10 months ago

There's one very good reason, according to authoritarians: slave labor. 'Murica.

[–] Vorticity 123 points 10 months ago (7 children)

I don’t understand how 40 years of prison for a non-violent crime isn’t considered to be both “cruel” and “unusual”. It is objectively cruel. I certainly hope that it is also unusual. I certainly hope that there aren’t many more like him, imprisoned for decades for what amounts to personal-use levels of pot. 5.5 lbs of pot when you include the stem and roots isn’t that much and certainly sounds like a personal supply to me.

[–] [email protected] 66 points 10 months ago (2 children)

These people are kept in jail to be used in labor. It’s not about being cruel. It’s about making money in the cheapest way possible. Since Alabama is a hellhole with no workforce they turn to modern day slavery.

[–] Maggoty 24 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Oh it's both. It's definitely both, the cruelty and the slave labor, which is cruel in and of itself as well.

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 10 months ago (10 children)

It is the most cruel people in the world that hide behind a law book and the pretense of being fair and worse even: past cases.

But since you first have to study for a decade, then kiss ass for a decade or two before even beginning to qualify for 'JUDGE' it is not more as normal you will have lost ALL BONDS WITH REGULAR SOCIETY.

If you think 15$+tax+tip is fine for a glass of wine with lunch on a daily basis; you are NOTTTTTTT qualified to speak for the benefit of society : in contrary!

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[–] iamericandre 119 points 10 months ago (9 children)

Fuck Alabama and its bullshit ass laws

[–] CaptainSpaceman 21 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Alabama actually has medical cannabis now, maybe soon?

[–] stevedidWHAT 24 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (5 children)

Alabama has plenty of problems outside of being able to smoke weed or not

For example choosing to imprison older people to what is effectively a life sentence for a non violent charge

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[–] superduperenigma 116 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (10 children)

Life sentence for growing some pot. Meanwhile the Jan 6th insurrectionists are getting maybe 2 years, or if you're a card carrying proud boy terrorist you might be looking at up to 20 years.

[–] Jerb322 64 points 10 months ago (5 children)

Some guy beat someone so bad they need 24hr supervision, and he got 7 years. Cops get of with paid vacation for shooting or running over: dogs, unarmed adults and children, flash bang babies, drunk driving, beating their SO, planting drugs on innocent people. Did I miss anything?

War on drugs, no, it's a war on personal freedoms.

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[–] FlyingSquid 102 points 10 months ago (3 children)

Try to overthrow the government- 18 months. Grow plants- life sentence.

America (for the time being), fuck yeah!

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[–] [email protected] 78 points 10 months ago (2 children)

This stuff just makes my blood boil. Those 3 assholes on the parole board are complete sociopaths. There's absolutely no justice here.

[–] stoly 20 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

It's actually a requirement I think.

In WA during lockdown, they requested compassionate release of someone who was paralyzed on half his body and confined to a chair. The DOC decided that he was a threat to society and needed to be kept in the COVID greenhouse.

[–] [email protected] 59 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (5 children)

That law provides several different levels of trafficking, and Hotchkiss was convicted under the lowest level – having between 2.2 lbs and 100lbs. That weight includes all parts of the plant, root and stem and all.

40 years, jesus fucking CHRIST.

[–] glimse 36 points 10 months ago (5 children)

I'm 6400km tall if you include the earth under my feet

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[–] HonoraryMancunian 29 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Who, actually, believes society is better off for caging this man??

[–] [email protected] 20 points 10 months ago (2 children)

no one. but a great many people like that it happened

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 10 months ago

An old pot grower's adage goes something like: if the sentencing minimum is for between 1-99 plants, you might as well grow 99.

People like Bud serve as the real life example for this kind of saying sadly.

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[–] BlackNo1 47 points 10 months ago

usa fucking sucksssss especially the south

[–] unreasonabro 42 points 10 months ago

shitty country to live in

[–] m13 41 points 10 months ago

The United States is a fascist hellhole.

[–] scottywh 34 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Alabama has an incredible climate for growing outdoor Cannabis, too...

It should literally be everywhere there.

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[–] [email protected] 32 points 10 months ago

Dude should try to overthrow the government and attack some police officers, he'll be back home in 2 to 5 years

[–] FlavoredButtHair 25 points 10 months ago

Remember come election time who is responsible for this. Just like actions, elections have consequences.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 10 months ago (4 children)

The age of consent in Alabama is 16.

Let's not act like we were expecting much from alabama.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 10 months ago (7 children)

It's 16 in Minnesota and 17 in New York, but 18 in North Dakota. Let's not act like a higher age of consent is directly tied to progressive policies.

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[–] Globeparasite 20 points 10 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 16 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Didn't return your grocery cart? Straight to jail.

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[–] thecookingsenpai 18 points 10 months ago

Thats what you get when you dare to do gardening

[–] [email protected] 16 points 10 months ago (2 children)

What could the parole board's justification for denial possibly be? I don't see any risk from this guy, unless there's something more nefarious than 2.2 lbm of pot going on.

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[–] BigTrout75 16 points 10 months ago (3 children)

Pretty messed up. Let this poor guy go. On the bright side, does free healthcare and free room and board?

[–] TheDoctorDonna 17 points 10 months ago

Free healthcare in that the prison doctor or nurse will refuse to diagnose him with anything until he's on his death bed and then give him comfort release so they don't have to take care of him?

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