Total Safety

10/03/2024

Survivors of violence. Acid attack.
One of the acid attack survivors, Laxmi Agarwal, said, "I am not a victim; I am a survivor. The man who attacked me will cover his face; I won't."
I watched almost all the stories from the project "We Are Witnesses: Chicago." The one I want to talk about is the story of Karli Butler. Why did I choose this topic? Once, I heard a person's statement that in a particular situation, if it ever happened to this person, they would use acid to make a statement and prove something. It is scary to hear, and this type of thing scars your memory forever.
Karli Butler was young, beautiful, and innocent when she became a victim of an acid attack. She did not cause this attack; it was possibly due to her at that time boyfriend's affairs on the streets of Chicago, leading unhappy people send someone and attack her. Karli Butler's story is very heartbreaking and, at the same time, inspiring, like the story of Laxmi Agarwal. Some survivors of "corrosive" attacks are becoming advocates for people hurt in similar attacks and bringing their positivity to life by cheering up others.
Survivors of acid attacks are usually unable to continue their everyday lives; they must undergo multiple medical procedures and social and psychological difficulties in life, or they can die. Acid attacks primarily aimed at faces and medical effects can severely damage skin, eyelids, in some cases underlying bones and create respiratory problems for life. (Wikimedia, 2024)
The statistics on acid assault globally show that around 80% of attack victims are women, and most of these attacks are committed by men in domestic violence situations. ASTI (Acid Survivors Trust International) is a non-profit organization that works to end the corrosive violence globally and is trying to ensure that survivors of acid attacks live with dignity and with no fear. They also provide and train businesses that produce, store, and distribute corrosives locally or globally with their Prevent Programme. (ASTI, 2024)
The inspiring part of this story is that Karli says she forgave her abuser and hopes to move on with life. You can understand something but not forgive; you can forgive but not forget. In these cases, the victim will always remember what happened to her, daily looking in the mirror.
How can the criminal justice system improve its support for victims like Karli? Understanding the psychological impact on the victims and valid reasons and ways of crimes can help to provide better support to communities and influence policies and changes that can prevent this type of crime.

References.
The Marshall Project. (2019, September 11). We are witnesses. The Marshall Project. https://www.themarshallproject.org/we-are-witnesses/
Wikimedia Foundation. (2024, October 1). Acid attack. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_attack
A.S.T.I: About Us. A.S.T.i | About Us. (n.d.). https://www.asti.org.uk/about-us
Malik, T. (2021, June 15). 5 inspirational quotes by acid attack survivor laxmi agarwal that will change the way you look at life. HerZindagi English.
https://www.herzindagi.com/inspiration/laxmi-agarwal-acid-attack-survivor-inspirational-quotes-article-177685

10/03/2024

Is it a good idea to legalize Ma*****na on Federal Level?
We had to discuss this topic for one of the classes, and here is my intake.
Where is Ma*****na Legal? A Guide to Ma*****na Legalization.

For this discussion, I chose a topic that has bothered me for several years. I was a person entirely against the legalization of Ma*****na. Still, now I think it might be a good idea to get licensed in the production of Ma*****na since it's legal in the state. What changed? Probably the review of this topic within years and the favorable things I read about it.
The article provides an overview of the legal status of Ma*****na in the United States. It has a list of approved states with their requirements and laws about Ma*****na and its components, such as THC, in addition to information on which states approve medicinal or recreational drugs. The article also provides information about the conflict between states and the Federal government about Ma*****na, criminal convictions for use/distribution, how it affects the criminal justice system and the economic impact on those states.
The authors aim primarily to clarify information for people interested in this topic. The target audience is anyone affected by this law and any possible changes in the federal government's regulations. However, some of the sentences I read do not approve of legalization. In addition, the article has several pictures mocking Democrats and President Biden and their intentions to legalize Ma*****na on the Federal Level.
This article is helpful as it has narrowed into short paragraphs of information per state and their recreational and medical drug laws.
On the other hand, working with CDL drivers and the DOT/FMCSA regulations daily, I can say that legalization in states and criminal offences on the same topic on the federal level is very difficult for people in the transportation industry. The ODAPC (Office of Drug & Alcohol Policy & Compliance) issued several statements only in the past 8 years about the use of Ma*****na, THC, and CBD products. They clearly state that any changes or guidelines from the Department of Justice will not change the Department of Transportation regulations and drug testing program and will continue to consider Ma*****na as a Schedule I drug. This mess between local government decisions and federal laws is destroying some driver's lives. Due to a lack of proper knowledge or understanding of the difference between local and federal authorities, many drivers, especially those with newly obtained commercial licenses, fail to pass the drug tests and must go through a Substance Abuse Program and be on the hook of constant re-testing under direct supervision for up to 5 years.
This article provides information about the complicated relationship between state and federal government laws on Ma*****na legalization. The newspaper USNEWS.COM belongs to a previously Democratic party supporter, Morty Zuckerman, who now likes to criticize Democrats and seems to support Republicans more nowadays.
References.
Elliott Davis Jr., Claire Hansen and Horus Alas. (2024, April 30). Where is ma*****na legal? A guide to ma*****na legalization. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/where-is-ma*****na-legal-a-guide-to-ma*****na-legalization
U.S. Department of Transportation. (2020, February 20). Dot CBD notice. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOT/bulletins/27bd19f
U.S. Department of Transportation. (2019, November 19). Dot “medical ma*****na” notice. U.S. Department of Transportation. https://www.transportation.gov/odapc/medical-ma*****na-notice

08/22/2024

06/12/2024

https://www.freightcaviar.com/cdl-downgrades-loom-for-163k-truckers-what-you-need-to-know/

163,318 truckers risk losing their CDLs when the FMCSA's new Clearinghouse rule takes effect in November. Here's what it means and how it impacts the industry.

04/12/2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zWlipkedyw

Slogans don't make you safe. Platitudes won't save you at trial. Watch as we explore the challenge of developing defensible drivers' manuals and policies.

12/12/2023

New Illinois law changes

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed more than 150 laws that go into effect next year, many on January 1st, 2024. One of the new laws will allow noncitizens to become police …

12/05/2023

A motorist's dash cam captured a dramatic close call for a man on foot caused by a stalled pickup on a foggy bridge in Vancouver