CAPTAIN'S BLOG
Our justice system is broken.
It is broken for so many reasons - it is founded in racist structures designed to keep slaves, it is a clearly imperfect and failing solution to the problem of the monopoly on violence, it fails to consider the advancement of firearms and is at odds with the ever more apparent need for the populace to arm itself in the event their government is no longer an entity working for the people. And that is not at all an exhaustive list. But one of the key, fundamental problems with our justice system right now is that it operates on the assumption that free will is not an illusion. It assumes that, at almost any one point in time, one could have done otherwise. It sounds easy, like sure, anyone could do otherwise - have a drink of water or don't, stay in or don't, be slutty or don't, whatever you appear to wish. But what you appear to wish is out of your control. This is the illusion - this is the part that we struggle with throughout our own lives - but is also especially what we struggle with when it comes to other people and their behaviour and "choices". Looking closely at the behaviours we see in others and ourselves reveals the "almostness" of the firmness of our belief in free will - crimes of passion are the easy example here. But they are tangential to my point. The justice system operates on the assumption that it is possible for it to exist as a deterrent to crime. Or the fact that it exists will prevent people from doing the things they prevent people from doing. And sure, it deters maybe even quite a bit of casually foolish decisions - the odd impulse to speed recklessly, stealing something you don't need, vandalising something for no reason - but it fails to deter the determined. And their determination comes from all kinds of things, including mental health, but it all boils down to the same thing: Necessity. Their brain chemistry demands it. This can be seen everywhere - it explains why people steal food - and other things, including entertainment, and why people try drugs they know are dangerous and addictive. Drugs are the answer to an unpleasant existence. The degree of unpleasantness, it seems, influences the choice in drug. This is why treating drug addiction as a crime is so utterly senseless. First of all, it immediately and usually permanently makes their life worse, only exacerbating the need for drugs. It also leads to a massive number of people imprisoned for just trying to survive, and given a militarized police force, a massive number of unjustified brutality and death of people who need our help. And of course, now the more ignorant public say foolish things about a man who was killed by police utterly unjustly. And unless I name him, you won't know who I'm talking about. Because there are so many. No matter what any of these people may have done, they did not deserve to die. Even if they have killed other people, they did not deserve to die. Because that is another cruel twist of the justice systems reliance on free will - even those who hurt other people are people who are in need of help, not punishment. It is true that there probably will be exceptions - even in recent history (like that's different from any other time), both convicted and non - people who are beyond reaching, but I think that is a virtue of ignorance of the brain and effective treatments of people, especially at a younger age. It is a rare person indeed - despite what my heart may think - who never resists or feels the guilt of hurting another. So even the worst people in the world deserve our compassion, and help. Again, not what the heart tends to think. So maybe we do need someone to protect us from the exceedingly rare circumstance that a healthy and reality-driven health and safety system would still allow. And perhaps police would be that force. But that represents a tiny fraction of the type of crime that is dealt with by the police right now. And still, the idea that one would assault or even kill someone ought to be something that never happens. The illusion of free will gives us a framework for valuing the lives, understanding the actions, and guiding the morality of people - and thus the course of its justice. This doesn't mean that we're all automatons - but the deeper meanings of free will are not the purpose of this post. Neuroplasticity is a powerful force - hence the importance of reaching people who are vulnerable to violence early, and ensuring that every person in society has what they need to be happy, whatever that may be, and regardless of their social class. The fact that our society does not do that, and is failing worse at those things more than ever, is why we see riots and violence in America and Canada and solidarity riots in the rest of the world. North American society routinely fails minorities of all kinds. As a trans woman, I know this. But black people in the US and Canada know it better than I do. And first nations in both countries know it better than I do too. However, while I have your attention, I would like to point out that this handily disproves JK Rowling and other TERF's beliefs on trans people. We have no more free will in determining our gender than someone can choose their sexual preferences. Our brains are the way they are, and thus we are the way we are. Ultimately, this post is about how BLACK LIVES MATTER. But I wanted to mention trans people as well. So I dedicate this post to the memory of Tony McDade, Riah Milton, and Dominique Fells. Rest in Power.
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I've been healing.
Really actively focusing on healing. At therapy we talk a lot about Jessica. While I do sometimes say that Natalia killed her, it's more true that she's just... in hiding. In the Castle Keep, she sits on her throne, going between crying and screaming. It's a boring existence. It's boring having her in there, only really able to contribute sniping comments to my day to day life. Draining my energy away with her tears, with her explanations, with her reasons, with her questions. Every now and then an epiphany is brought to her. "Natalia was a pretty shitty partner" was a recent one. She gave more time and effort communicating with Freya than she did with me - they'd go for a walk and talk for an hour or two, and they'd come back, with clear heads. I had hardly seen anyone try like that with Freya - it was heartening, it was comforting, it was utterly misleading. I expected the same effort, and I did not get it. Questions were asked, partially or unsatisfactorily answered, and then never brought up again. Our time together was cut shorter and shorter. Instead of getting an opportunity to explain myself, I was cut off, never to be contacted again. Her friends refuse to talk to me. I have her dead-eyed, emotionless explanation, and the word "disgusted". That's it. It hurts, it makes me sad, blah blah blah. It's weak, and it's cowardly, and it's not very punk. In a world where no one cares about anyone, it's punk as fuck to care about the wellbeing of others and the impact you have on them. I think she has cast me as a crazy, borderline abusive ex girlfriend, thus making it acceptable to just block me out. Unfortunately this is something that really triggers me so I'm my reactions only serve to help her. But what am I to do? Trying to process things internally does nothing. I've been struggling for OVER A YEAR NOW and it's fucking stupid. Over someone who used me so boldly? How could I have loved someone so much who valued me so little? It's embarassing. And now I have a new ex - Alyx. But at least, I have no reason to hate her. It's nice to just be sad, instead of also angry. |
AuthorChristina Hitchens is a trans female writer living in BC, Canada. She loves computers, animals, and a good argument. Archives
March 2022
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