i was recently incarcerated for what i consider civil disobedience. it was a drug-related offense. i am a vagrant, and i travel a lot, by whatever means necessary. I was sleeping in san francisco’s golden gate park when the police picked me up. I was extradited back to Illinois, the site of my “crime.” I did 3 months in the penitentiary, and I was just released last Monday. I have no home address, especially not in Illinois, that I could have used for parole. So they sent me to a homeless shelter. Now I’m stuck in the suburbs. In fact, a really really boring suburb. Everyone here is rich and conservative. I’ve been trying hard to find friends just by walking around on the sidewalks, but rich people don’t go outside. Even if there are cool people or at least people who smoke pot, they stay home most of the time, and drive everywhere they go. I’m not used to this. I’m a city girl. I’m very very lonely and bored. I have no hookups. I don’t have a problem asking strangers on the street, but there’s really no one to ask. What makes things worse is that I have a 10PM curfew at the shelter. I would just leave and sleep in a squatt or a tent or motel rooms or whatever the fuck, but the shelter would then call my parole officer. I’ve only been out five days, and I’m already tempted to just go on the lam. I’ve been a fugitive before, and it wasn’t that bad. A certain sort of freedom come with it. But it’d be really foolish of me to run now. I only have a year of parole, and then I’ll finally be out of the system. If I run, I’ll eventually get caught (unless anyone knows somebody who makes fake ID?!) and then I’ll have to do a lot more time. Any advice? Where do cool people hang out in st charles, illinios? Should I go to the mall? Or should I just take a train to Chicago? I know I can meet people there, but I won’t be able to see them much unless they let me move in with them and I transfer my parole there. I have a friend in California with whom I can live, but I’m not allowed to leave the state for a year. What should I do?!?!?!
Stay right where you are until you're free and clear of the system. after that uncle sam could give a shit where you choose to go or reside. but If you choose to run you'll be forever a wanted fugitive and subject to future jail time. BTW: The military is desperate these days for new recruits and probably wouldn’t hold your previous incarceration against you if you chose to sign up. Hotwater
no, they leave st charles. they move to chicago or out of state. but by "cool," i guess i actually mean "tolerable, because there's no one better to talk to." seriously, everyone here is a right-wing christian. and not just a regular christian, the kind of christian that wants to make everyone else be a christian with them. they look at my messy hair and think i'm gonna rob them or something. tomorrow, i'm taking a train to chicago, just to sit on the sidewalk there and hang out, because this atmosphere is really getting me down and making me want to do something stupid.
Actually... I don't know the details of this person's case, but consider this: If you walked up to a police station, lit a joint, and peacefully accepted the consequences, that WOULD be civil disobedience. After all, the criminalization of Marijuana, a naturally-occuring plant, is certainly an unjust law.
Smoke a joint and write about it! Send it to the newspaper! Write a book! Publish a column... Arrange a motivational speaking on it and charge people for your advice. Design your own t-shirt (or even a clothing line) expressing how you feel and sell it to people. Last, ye shall find a yob? Whatever you do... do not smoke coke! A lot of people like girls like they like their scotch. Aged twelve years and mixed with coke. Good thing this is not something that you need to worry about. Scotch is disgusting.
