California and Social Construction

I found the Schneider/Ingram article on Social Construction pertinent to many of the issues that surround us today. I was particularly interested in the negative or deviant groups. How could they shake off their unpopular stigma? By what method could these groups avoid punishment by the government, despite their powerless status? One group that is currently in the spotlight is California pot-smokers. Weed undoubtedly is viewed by the mass public as a horrible/immoral substance that should not be consumed. However, this conception may slowly be changing.

The article plays on the idea that the political advantages of punishing the powerless, deviant groups far outweigh any disadvantages. The public likes to see miscreants being reprimanded and when government officials do just that, their popularity increases. Given the current economic situation, some people propose marijuana legalization as a way to gain additional revenue via taxes and it can reduce the people affected by the criminal-justice system, which will reduce government costs in the form of imprisonment. While we will have to wait and see how Proposition 19 works out, it is evident that this negatively viewed group is gaining beneficial policy even though it is not a powerful group.

I do not know if this one example is universally applicable and I doubt that it is, but it does show one way that a deviant, powerless group can gain benefits. By drawing on economic appeals and depicting that it is in the government's best interest to legalize marijuana, California pot smokers may get policy in their favor. Even if Proposition 19 fails, it is not all bad news. California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger already signed a bill that reduced possession of an ounce of weed from a misdemeanor to an infraction, equal to a parking ticket.

The negative perception may be dropped as Schneider said when, "prohibited behaviors spread to more powerful and more positively constructed groups." In this case some lawmakers may overlook any potential "immoral" aspect of marijuana and see the economic gain.