Since we started this project, one overwhelming issue has boiled to the top. There are people out there who have judged my little brother as just another junkie overdose.
This post is for you.
Cal was not a junkie. He was actually far from it. Cal was a brilliant, glowing, pure-hearted young man with the potential to truly transform the world with love.
"Whether or not humans are inherently selfish is up for debate. But we know that negative actions and behaviors from one person tends to set off a chain reaction and create more negative behavior from others- same is true for altruism."
This was Cal's pro-active exploration of humanity and society every day. He was constantly online challenging political ideals and speaking up for a better future. Not just for Americans. Literally for all of humanity.
He wasn't afraid of stigma like most people are. No, he dove deep into the foundations of anarchism, socialism, human rights, and political theory. He wasn't afraid to explore an idea simply because of society's "branding" of that topic. All Cal cared about was love, fairness, and a healthy world.
Is this rare? You tell me. Do you know any 20-year-olds who are, on a daily basis, passionately exploring humanity's past and present for ideas that could transform our world into a place of unity, efficiency, and shared intellect?
Please, for the love of all that is good and right in this world, don't be so quick to judge Cal as a junkie. He was far from it. He was a young man who most likely didn't know what he was buying, tried it once and it killed him. This could've happened to you that one time you tried experimenting. Or that one time you drank way too much and slept on your back.
The reason we have a prominent, ever-increasing drug problem on earth is because we disconnect from the problem itself. We don't understand it so we're scared of it. We give it a label and lock it away for twenty-five to life. We dehumanize people because it's easier than trying to understand. We can't imagine losing our brother, sister, son or daughter from something so senseless as a drug overdose. Not me. Not my family. It can't happen.
Until it does.
"Cause Of Death" is a documentary we are making which investigates the death of my little brother, Cal, and takes a deep dive into the world of synthetic opioids.