"We are called to speak for the weak, for the voiceless, for victims of our nation and for those it calls enemy.... --ML King "Beyond Vietnam" (Courtesy of Gooserock)
JUST SAY NO...to the War on Drugs"
Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, calls for an end to the "War on Drugs," in The War on Drugs Has Failed, So Let's Shut it Down, saying if he started a business and it was clearly failing he would shut it down. Why are we persisting with a failed programs that is devastating innocent American lives? As acclaimed filmmaker Eugene Jarecki's latest video shows, the war on drugs has failed in every way possible. Trying to wage the war on drugs has costs the U.S. $1 trillion, with another $51 billion adding to the tally each year. This has resulted in 45 million drug related arrests, with the U.S. now jailing 2.3 million prisoners -- more people than anyone else on the planet. What has all this accomplished? "Rates of addiction remain unchanged, overdose deaths are at an all-time high and drugs cost less than ever before." While attitudes and opinions on drug reform are dramatically shifting in the U.S. and across the world, more needs to be done. I echo Eugene's call for U.S. citizens to urge Congress to advance the Smarter Sentencing Act. This could help put an end to racial profiling, mass incarceration, shattered communities and failed policy. The Smarter Sentencing Act will save the U.S. billions of dollars, which could be spent on helping people overcome drug dependencies. It will also ease dangerous overcrowding in prisons by reducing sentences for non-violent drug offenders. It's time to speak out. It's time to adopt and experiment with new approaches. It's time to ask governments around the world to study the evidence and look at the harm being done by outdated drug laws. Most importantly, it's time to start thinking about and treating drug problems as a health issue, not a criminal issue. The "war on drugs" is really a "war on American drug users" which has become so destructive to our citizens, their families, and communities, that this program is causing vastly more harm to our people than any drugs could ever do. We should be putting these resources to much better use with counseling, social services, and mental health services for those that have problems. Let the rest live productive lives as ordinary citizens. This is a public health and mental health problem not a law enforcement and military problem. Why do we try to solve all our social problems with guns, military solutions and wars? Have we learned nothing in the last 60 years? Why do we ask why we have so much violence in our society, when we have perpetrated a violent war against our own citizens for over four decades, now, for no valid reasons that can be supported by facts, and which shows no progress what-so-ever in reducing illegal drug use? Let's stop inflicting violence on ourselves, and people who at most need social service and mental health support. Stop the "War on American Drug Users" now! Just say no! President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder deserve credit for supporting sentencing reform, but they are also putting many of us who have supported them in an awkward position by continuing to support DEA Director Michele Leonhart, who should have been fired long ago, and supporting the policies that continue to perpetrate this horrible war that the American people do not support. President Obama should just freeze the budget for the entire building she works in until she's gone. Put armed guards around it and tell she can't come inside. Hell, freeze the budget for the whole DEA, until she resigns, as this agency does more harm to the American people than good, as far as I can see. Leonhart must go now! President Obama also needs to get serious about a ramp-up pf his proposed clemency plan for non-violent drug offenders from less than the couple hundred to one thousand that may qualify for the currently excessively stringent standards. He needs to aim to be pardoning upwards to the over 100,000 non-violent federal drug prisoners, and Holder and Obama needs to order the DOJ and DEA to stop putting people into these prison faster than we can get them out. It is totally insane and hypocritical to imagine we can seriously address problems of poverty, unemployment, and inequality when we are ripping parents from their roles a family providers, and putting them in jail. One third of African American males has some "relationship" with our criminal justice system, mostly on account of racist selective enforcement of our drug laws. Once some one as an arrest record giving pretty speeches about how much we oppose unemployment is bullshit. If Presidents Obama, Clinton, or Bush had been in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and got arrested they would not have been eligible for any federal aid including college loans or Pell Grants. It's time they take greater leadership on this issues for the millions of others who were not so lucky, but that we as a society are only too eager to leave behind on this insane battlefield of our own making. Please click here to send a automatic leaders to your Senators and Rep supporting the Sentencing Reform Act, which is a small step, but in the right direction. We need much bolder action than this PDQ. Too many innocent lives are being destroyed by federal and state government policies for us to continue to look the other way. * LETTER TO CONGRESS * JUST SAY NO...to the War on Drugs. Tell Congress to pass the bipartisan SMARTER SENTENCING ACT.
Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, calls for an end to the "War on Drugs," in The War on Drugs Has Failed, So Let's Shut it Down, saying if he started a business and it was clearly failing he would shut it down. Why are we persisting with a failed programs that is devastating innocent American lives?
As acclaimed filmmaker Eugene Jarecki's latest video shows, the war on drugs has failed in every way possible. Trying to wage the war on drugs has costs the U.S. $1 trillion, with another $51 billion adding to the tally each year. This has resulted in 45 million drug related arrests, with the U.S. now jailing 2.3 million prisoners -- more people than anyone else on the planet. What has all this accomplished? "Rates of addiction remain unchanged, overdose deaths are at an all-time high and drugs cost less than ever before." While attitudes and opinions on drug reform are dramatically shifting in the U.S. and across the world, more needs to be done. I echo Eugene's call for U.S. citizens to urge Congress to advance the Smarter Sentencing Act. This could help put an end to racial profiling, mass incarceration, shattered communities and failed policy. The Smarter Sentencing Act will save the U.S. billions of dollars, which could be spent on helping people overcome drug dependencies. It will also ease dangerous overcrowding in prisons by reducing sentences for non-violent drug offenders. It's time to speak out. It's time to adopt and experiment with new approaches. It's time to ask governments around the world to study the evidence and look at the harm being done by outdated drug laws. Most importantly, it's time to start thinking about and treating drug problems as a health issue, not a criminal issue.
As acclaimed filmmaker Eugene Jarecki's latest video shows, the war on drugs has failed in every way possible. Trying to wage the war on drugs has costs the U.S. $1 trillion, with another $51 billion adding to the tally each year. This has resulted in 45 million drug related arrests, with the U.S. now jailing 2.3 million prisoners -- more people than anyone else on the planet. What has all this accomplished? "Rates of addiction remain unchanged, overdose deaths are at an all-time high and drugs cost less than ever before."
While attitudes and opinions on drug reform are dramatically shifting in the U.S. and across the world, more needs to be done. I echo Eugene's call for U.S. citizens to urge Congress to advance the Smarter Sentencing Act. This could help put an end to racial profiling, mass incarceration, shattered communities and failed policy. The Smarter Sentencing Act will save the U.S. billions of dollars, which could be spent on helping people overcome drug dependencies. It will also ease dangerous overcrowding in prisons by reducing sentences for non-violent drug offenders.
It's time to speak out. It's time to adopt and experiment with new approaches. It's time to ask governments around the world to study the evidence and look at the harm being done by outdated drug laws. Most importantly, it's time to start thinking about and treating drug problems as a health issue, not a criminal issue.
The "war on drugs" is really a "war on American drug users" which has become so destructive to our citizens, their families, and communities, that this program is causing vastly more harm to our people than any drugs could ever do.
We should be putting these resources to much better use with counseling, social services, and mental health services for those that have problems. Let the rest live productive lives as ordinary citizens. This is a public health and mental health problem not a law enforcement and military problem.
Why do we try to solve all our social problems with guns, military solutions and wars? Have we learned nothing in the last 60 years?
Why do we ask why we have so much violence in our society, when we have perpetrated a violent war against our own citizens for over four decades, now, for no valid reasons that can be supported by facts, and which shows no progress what-so-ever in reducing illegal drug use?
Let's stop inflicting violence on ourselves, and people who at most need social service and mental health support.
Stop the "War on American Drug Users" now!
Just say no!
President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder deserve credit for supporting sentencing reform, but they are also putting many of us who have supported them in an awkward position by continuing to support DEA Director Michele Leonhart, who should have been fired long ago, and supporting the policies that continue to perpetrate this horrible war that the American people do not support.
President Obama should just freeze the budget for the entire building she works in until she's gone. Put armed guards around it and tell she can't come inside. Hell, freeze the budget for the whole DEA, until she resigns, as this agency does more harm to the American people than good, as far as I can see. Leonhart must go now!
President Obama also needs to get serious about a ramp-up pf his proposed clemency plan for non-violent drug offenders from less than the couple hundred to one thousand that may qualify for the currently excessively stringent standards. He needs to aim to be pardoning upwards to the over 100,000 non-violent federal drug prisoners, and Holder and Obama needs to order the DOJ and DEA to stop putting people into these prison faster than we can get them out.
It is totally insane and hypocritical to imagine we can seriously address problems of poverty, unemployment, and inequality when we are ripping parents from their roles a family providers, and putting them in jail. One third of African American males has some "relationship" with our criminal justice system, mostly on account of racist selective enforcement of our drug laws. Once some one as an arrest record giving pretty speeches about how much we oppose unemployment is bullshit.
If Presidents Obama, Clinton, or Bush had been in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and got arrested they would not have been eligible for any federal aid including college loans or Pell Grants. It's time they take greater leadership on this issues for the millions of others who were not so lucky, but that we as a society are only too eager to leave behind on this insane battlefield of our own making.
Please click here to send a automatic leaders to your Senators and Rep supporting the Sentencing Reform Act, which is a small step, but in the right direction. We need much bolder action than this PDQ. Too many innocent lives are being destroyed by federal and state government policies for us to continue to look the other way.
* LETTER TO CONGRESS * JUST SAY NO...to the War on Drugs.
Tell Congress to pass the bipartisan SMARTER SENTENCING ACT.
2:13 PM PT: It is not wise nor fair to put loyal Democrats in this untenable position where we squander our credibility and integrity by pretending the problem is a recalcitrant DEA Director Michele Leonhart, Bush hangover appointment, as many of us have done so far. This proposition is no longer tenable as it is clear she is carrying out administration policy, and Eric Holder and the President barely make even minor symbolic gestures to restrain her draconian more aggressive enforcement even after she testifies in Congress against their support for sentencing reform proposals.
And we are mowing down new Americans with our cruel and destructive "system of justice" every day that passes. When we get to September and Democratic consultants recommend we need to mobilize our base, especially young people and minorities with GOTV efforts, in order to keep the Senate, don't be surprised if some of these young people spit in our faces. We've had six years to make real substantial progress on issues that are important to them. Handing out last minute bumper stickers that say "Vote for Democrats because we're better" will not mean shit (sorry but I am really cheesed off,) if we continue to act just as badly and stupidly as Republicans, or worse, in our blind support for this insane, cruel, and self-destructive "War on American Drugs Users."