Hey colors...
back in early 1900's it was illegal to drink alcohol, now it's not, and before then it was legal.
when the transitions from legal to illegal was made... a lot of folks unknowingly ended up in jail because 'ignorance of the law is no excuse.'
I tell you this to hopefully demonstrate that not everything is a black and white as we might think. law changes... and it's pretty easy to get caught in the crossfire.
also, as you await your trial... you go to jail. this is prior to trial. this is when you could still be found innocent.
now if it's something like murder... i agree, they deserve the punishment...
but when it's selling a 'water pipe' - like tommy chong did, and the extenuating circumstances are that the FBI literally (according to what I've read) coerced him into selling in a state where selling water pipes is illegal...
the fbi made 30+ calls where tommy's employee said 'NO! it's illegal in that state', then the FBI showed up at his shop telling him... "we just want to purchase here and we'll drive the stuff back to our state".
then after they paid they refused to take the stuff right then...
then after months of threatening calls the FBI insisted that chong's employee ship the goods (that have already been paid for) to them...
(don't get the wrong impression I'm not a supporter of legalization of marijuana/water-pipe-sales, etc... - I just find this story a tragedy)
well, my point is - it can happen to anyone and you don't necessarily have advance knowledge that you are in fact breaking the law.
my fear is that as jails become more and more commercialized and the folks operating the jails are more and more concerned with profits that they will be in the position to influence and change law and land innocent folks like you and I in jail - and once we're there...
back in early 1900's it was illegal to drink alcohol, now it's not, and before then it was legal.
when the transitions from legal to illegal was made... a lot of folks unknowingly ended up in jail because 'ignorance of the law is no excuse.'
I tell you this to hopefully demonstrate that not everything is a black and white as we might think. law changes... and it's pretty easy to get caught in the crossfire.
also, as you await your trial... you go to jail. this is prior to trial. this is when you could still be found innocent.
now if it's something like murder... i agree, they deserve the punishment...
but when it's selling a 'water pipe' - like tommy chong did, and the extenuating circumstances are that the FBI literally (according to what I've read) coerced him into selling in a state where selling water pipes is illegal...
the fbi made 30+ calls where tommy's employee said 'NO! it's illegal in that state', then the FBI showed up at his shop telling him... "we just want to purchase here and we'll drive the stuff back to our state".
then after they paid they refused to take the stuff right then...
then after months of threatening calls the FBI insisted that chong's employee ship the goods (that have already been paid for) to them...
(don't get the wrong impression I'm not a supporter of legalization of marijuana/water-pipe-sales, etc... - I just find this story a tragedy)
well, my point is - it can happen to anyone and you don't necessarily have advance knowledge that you are in fact breaking the law.
my fear is that as jails become more and more commercialized and the folks operating the jails are more and more concerned with profits that they will be in the position to influence and change law and land innocent folks like you and I in jail - and once we're there...
http://www.myspace.com/mrmikevhisonepieceorchestra
