Reefer Madness Deja Vu. All Over Again.
There is an interesting story doing the media rounds these days concerning a Saskatchewan student, marijuana, and institutionalized fascism, particularly in our education system on matters of free speech.
Here is the gist of the tale, courtesy one "Mike on Crime", whom I just randomly selected from a quick google of the case:
If you don't want to take the time to read it, here in a nutshell is what happened:
Some wiseacre kid decided to do a bit of research on the effects of marijuana versus alcohol. No doubt knowing already what every adult, excepting the uptight squares of Wawota, has known since his or her first toke, he then took this newly acquired information to school to free the minds of his classmates from the tyranny of ignorance. Some goody twoshoes girl (of course) ratted him out to the principal who completely freaked out and pulled a Guantanamo on the kid's ass. So, naturally, the kid calls up the local Marijuana Party(ers) (who ya gonna call? Dope Busted) and before you can yell, "School's Out!", there's a protest, a lockdown, and the RCMP - never to be caught looking stupid - arrive, no doubt hoping to brutalize a few hippie potheads.
Instead, nothing much happened and everybody went home.
BUT, in the meantime and for good fascist measure, the kid was suspended for talking up the virtues of marijuana and was therefore unable to write his exams - which means he'll graduate from grade 10 with 60-sumpthin' instead of 80-something. Luckily, Mom's a teacher, so he'll probably catch a break on that one and get a chance to write them in the fall. (Real life lesson alert: Do not do this sort of thing if your Mom is actually a drug dealer.) Although I have no idea, really, whether that will happen or not. Anyway, it doesn't matter because, as I tell my kids over and over and over, "Nothing really does".
It's true, too. Adults are completely full of shit when they tell kids stuff is important. It almost never is. Especially school-related stuff. In fact, I bet I'd be better off - financially, socially, emotionally - if I'd never even gone to university. Maybe the kid, Kyle or Cody or Tyler (whatever his name is), will stay in China where he is now - learning Mandarin or some damn thing and teaching Engrish as a second language - and lead a free speech movement that will free the Chinese people from the bonds of Communism AND Western businessmen before their environment is completely destroyed.
I mean, surely his experiences in Wawota, Saskatchewan have taught him SOMETHING.
Personally, I'm not sure why every one of his defenders is falling all over themselves making sure everybody understands the kid was just TALKING about marijuana, not actually SMOKING it. Now, that makes me wonder. Why wasn't he smoking it? What's wrong with the kid? Is he just some kind of... agitator? Because if that's what this is all about - attention - well, young man, you can just hightail it off to China and seek attention there and see what that gets you. Maybe 50 years. That otta learn ya, ya little brat. Gettin' everybody all worked up and you're not even demanding the right to smoke dope - legally?
For shame.
Er, that would be the right to smoke dop legally when you're sixteen, by the way - the recommended age of majority according to an indepth report on the subject done by the Senate, right here in Canada, a few years ago.
Geez Louise. You know, just when you think we've come a long way, baby - shit like this happens and we're back PRE that Senate report. As if it had never happened. In fact, I wonder if that's where Kyle got his information? Certainly it is an excellent resource on the matter.
Hm... Senators of Canada? I believe there's an almost of age agitator in Wawota, Saskatchewan who needs a little backup.
Now that's a junket to which I would happily lend my tax support.
