On Prop 1 and involuntary treatment

One communist's view

I recently attended a panel on Prop 1 at a California based virtual conference. The conference was about supervising peer workers in the mental health field. I am both a supervisor of peers and a peer myself. And of course in NYC, the current mayor is trying to do similar things.

I can say that the peer movement as a movement is generally against laws like Prop 1 and involuntary treatment and I tend to agree there. They call for more community based services and particularly, more community based services that are run by peers. I work in such programs, working to help individuals with a mental health diagnosis to find employment or education, that can actually be very positive socially for people dealing with a mental health challenge.

As a communist, I would also point to how harmful drug use was dealt with in China and historically in socialist countries in general. China had a huge opium problem and was able to resolve it successfully in the time when Mao was alive. They did so by providing rehabilitation to the drug users without criminalizing them and also helping them to find housing and work. They also tied the sobriety of the drug users to the success of the revolution as a whole. There is a compulsary nature to solving these issues, however, it should be clear that the communist resolution was non punitive and non carceral. The communists also cut off the supply of opium by going after the big drug lords who were dealt with in a more harsh manner.

Basically, I think as communists it is our job to expose the bankruptcy of this system, how it causes the problems of homelessness and drug use epidemics. It is not necessarily our work to solve these issues under capitalism.

At the same time to the extent we can meet peoples needs, I do think we want to promote non coercive, non carceral solutions to the homelessness and drug use problems in the places where we can affect such solutions. Recognizing that both now and under socialism, these are problems and contradictions among the people, and should be handled in those non-punitive ways.

Anyway, that's my take on the Prop 1 like laws.