1A Lesson Plan for “Mate de Coca: Never Say No” by Taras Grescoe (235)

 

Part One. Lexicon

1. cultural hubris: imposing rules and regulations when you’re ignorant of other cultures
2. soroche, mountain sickness, which is best assuaged through coca.
3. The economy of Bolivia is built on Mate de coca and it is given to dignitaries, including the Pope. For the US government to be ignorant of this fact is cultural hubris.
4. Mallku, sacred community service of married couples which involves carrying coca with them at all times and administering comfort to ailing people. Ignorant of this practice, the US government wars against coca. This is an example of cultural hubris. See page 237, bottom.
5. arbitrary drug policy: We say no to this and that drug, but yes to many others with no logic behind what’s legal or illegal. The matter is arbitrary or worse determined by money and profit.
6. Mate de coca, sometimes ingested in tea form. See page 236.
7. Media can stigmatize Mate de coca but celebrate coffee. Both have similar effects on nervous systems. See page 236.
8. The US attempt to rid coca from Latin America is like an invading country trying to wipe out all of America’s coffee, tobacco, and Communion wafers. See page 237, top.
9. What is your definition of insanity? Please see page 237, top. This is not only insane; it’s a waste of US tax money.
10. Two espressos are more potent than one serving of mate de coca. See page 238. This underscores how arbitrary the “war on drugs” is.
11. Salubrious herbs and organic foods in the market place described on pages 239 and 240 are a healthy part of life in Bolivia but in the US government these items are called “drugs.” Absurd. In fact, a common saying in La Paz: “La hoja de coca no es droga”—the coco leaf is not a drug.
12. The War on Drugs is in reality The War on Plants (good essay title)
13. The Rush Limbaugh drug comes from poppies. See page 241.
14. Why are plants so powerful? They cannot move so they must survive by altering chemicals inside themselves. They’re stationary chemistry labs. See page 241.
15. A critical thinker knows that the word “drug” does not pertain to substance but quantity or dosage. In unhealthy dosages, they’re even poisons. In smaller dosages they’re medicines. See page 242 top.
16. Sugar in small quantities boosts energy and is a food. In large quantities in can cause your pancreas to shut down and becomes a poison.
17. Plants were once the domain of pagans and priests. Now they’re the domain of pharmacists, chemists, and medical researchers. See page 244.
18. Plants can be addictive. People who quit drinking coffee or even Diet Coke suffer withdrawals, including irritability, lethargy, fatigue, inability to focus or concentrate, and severe headaches.
19. We often have stereotypes of plant use. For example, we have a stereotype of the marijuana user, as a lazy hippy but that’s a narrow perception.
20. The War on Drugs is doomed to futility because it’s really the War on Plants and how sane is it to attempt to eradicate the world’s harvests?

 

Part Two. Writing assignment, in the way of a sample thesis, based on today’s reading:

 

 

Thesis (mapping statements provided):

 

Taras Grescoe’s essay convincingly shows that the “War on Drugs” is doomed to futility because _____________________________, _____________________________, _________________________________, ________________________________, and ___________________________________.

 

McMahon’s Thesis:

 

Taras Grescoe’s essay convincingly shows that the “War on Drugs” is an absurdity wrought with contradictions, hypocrisy, cultural insensitivity, scientific humbug, and arbitrary notions of what constitutes health and pestilence to society.

 

The mapping components would pertain to “contradictions,” “hypocrisy,” “cultural insensitivity,” scientific humbug,” and “arbitrary notions of what constitutes good health to society” on one hand and “pestilence to society” on the other.