7 motivators on how to live without hurting others
Activists of education and advocacy civic campaign Legalize Belarus shared personal motivators they are driven by. Get inspired!
Photo credits — Karalina Palakova.
Stas Šašok: Don’t be afraid to speak!
Most of the convicted didn’t do harm to anyone. Thousands of people are deprived of their liberty for victimless crimes. While we keep silent, call the convicted “junkies” and turn away from them, young people in correctional facilities keep asking the same question: “What was I imprisoned for?”. Our silence makes others suffer.
Piotr Markiełaŭ: Don’t oversimplify!
It’s easy to say: “I’m against drugs”. But most people don’t even understand the whole point. Such simplification leads to mass violence in the society. To stop this, people have to be informed on psychoactive substances and convinced in the value of freedom of choice. We can demand respect from the government only when we learn to respect others ourselves.
Ksienija Tarasievič: Be responsible!
One of the most important values in people’s lives is liberty. The freedom to decide yourself what to do with your body, life and mind. In reality, freedom is impossible without responsibility. To be responsible one has to possess certain information and realise all pros and cons. Only then a human can be truly free.
Maksim Kavaloŭ: Love thy neighbour!
We don’t need substances to feel happy. I want people to love one another without causing pain. Patients are deprived of safe methods of treatment. Kids who haven’t hurt anyone are imprisoned. Changing the society’s attitude to psychoactive substances won’t make the world a perfect place. However, it’ll make the world more humane.
Michaś Varancoŭ: Don’t be afraid to get burnt!
One can get burnt on fire, but it doesn’t make fire evil. Our civilisation wouldn’t have reached such a level if primitive people had forbidden fire. The situation with psychoactive substances is quite similar. We have to stop fearing this fire, seize it and start making use of it.
Jahor Viniacki: Be strong!
Posters on the streets of Minsk tell us: “Don’t be tempted!”. If people don’t have enough strength to resist their desires, they hand this role over to the government. Liberty demands strength, weakness leads to violence.
Karalina Palakova: Be fair!
A group of people has prohibited using something that grows from the Earth. Even if it’s for relaxation, treating depression or calming pain. It’s much better to search for strength within yourself for mind expansion without using substances. But if anyone decides to experiment with their own health, it’s not a reason for throwing them out of society.
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