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bthornsy t1_ivtab8g wrote

Reply to comment by mrsdex1 in I Love Democracy by lovelykittenman

I just read through your links and what you claim happens and what seems to be happening are steeped in two different realities.

For those who don’t wanna read it, the dude that owns OR 66 dispensaries has another business that trains service dogs for veterans with PTSD at no cost to them. Inmates learn how to train them and not only gain a pretty cool skill, but in my opinion, if you’re in prison, would you rather hang out with dogs all day or other inmates, some potentially dangerous?

Is unpaid prison labor wrong? Fuck yes. Does this beat stamping license plates and digging ditches? Fuck yes.

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mrsdex1 t1_ivtb57p wrote

You realize 5 states literally just voted to end slaverly completely on November 8th.

I'm sorry, as a former cannabis felon I don't have the spoons to explain that slavery in all forms is bad. Laws are created to fill prisons with people convicted of non-violent/victimless crimes.

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bthornsy t1_ivtbja1 wrote

Dude I’m not disagreeing with you that all slavery is bad, and when that issue hits our ballot I will certainly vote in favor of ending it.

Assuming a NO vote would have won on our ballot for Amendment 3 this time… Would that have stopped prison labor?

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mrsdex1 t1_ivtglqi wrote

The recreational industry licenses where literally just handed to literal prison camp owners.

The language itself states the purpose is to remove cannabis from the Black Market. Hint, prohibition didn't work, whatever he industry owners have planned won't work either but it's gonna suck for anyone caught up in the system.

Those people where just given the power, money, and influence to ensure it never hits the MO ballot. Part of the campaign messaging was shaming legacy/black market growers, they aren't hiding what they are doing.

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Saltpork545 t1_ivu3zqm wrote

No, they didn't vote to 'end slavery'. They voted to remove slavery from their state constitutions. Those state laws were enulled by the 14th amendment.

The idea that this has modern implications is nonsensical. This is a procedural vote that's basically feel good. As long as the 14th amendment is a thing states can't make new state level laws about actual slavery.

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Pegacorn21 t1_ivu63rh wrote

Involuntary labor (slavery by another name) is still a valid form of punishment in many jurisdictions. Some prisoners are forced to work whether they want to or not, and they're not paid for that work. Four of the states in question removed that option from their constitutions. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/voters-in-4-states-reject-slavery-involuntary-servitude-as-punishment-for-crime The fifth state actually rejected their amendment due to language issues, but are planning on bringing it up again in the future.

So no, it's not just a feel good vote, it does have practical implications for prisoners. As the PBS article I linked mentions it's a bit more nuanced than, "This immediately ends all forced prison labor", but it lays the groundwork for challenges.

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SharksForArms t1_ivukynx wrote

13th amendment considers prison labor to be a form of slavery and explicitly allows it. Those states outlawed said forced prison labor, which according to the constitution, is actual slavery.

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mrsdex1 t1_ivu5pis wrote

Slaverly is allowed for punishment of a crime, 13th Amendment.

No state is required to allow/participate in slavery. The feds are not allowed to step in and stop it.

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