The Candidate For Change....Changing His Mind
Josh Harding
February 09, 2008
If ever someone was qualified to judge the terrible damage being done by the War on Drugs, in particular how the Drug War is prosecuted against the African-American community, it should be a civil rights lawyer.
So why does Barack Obama seem to be back-tracking on an issue where real change is needed?
In 2004, Senator Obama told a group of college students that we need to "decriminalize our marijuana laws." The 2008 version has changed tune, however, and does not support eliminating criminal penalties for marijuana use, although Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor says too many first-time non-violent users are getting sent to prison.
By refusing to decriminalize drug usage, however, the assault on our Constitutional rights, the racial disparities in arrests and convictions, and the needless violence triggered by the War on Drugs will just go on and on.
Right now, African-Americans account for 14% of marijuana users and about one-third of the arrests (1). In general, African-Americans make up only 13% of the nation's monthly drug users, but have 35% of the arrests for drug possession, 55% of the convictions for drug possession, and 74% of the prison sentences for drug possession (2).
Isn't there something wrong with this picture?
As egregious as that is, the violence triggered by the Drug War is truly sickening. Reason magazine's Radley Balko has done a marvelous job documenting case after case on his website of the continued "isolated incidents" that keep showing up in this ill-begotten war. A civil rights lawyer should be shouting from the rooftops about the continued Constitutional plundering that drug warriors are allowed to perpetrate under the guise of "law enforcement" and "morality." What's more immoral, drug usage, or the execution of the Drug War and the collateral damage caused? I'd say just ask Tarika Wilson, Kenneth Jamar, Kathryn Johnston, and Daniel Castillo, but only one of them is still around to tell their story.
While Obama's website talks about rehabilitation, job training, and counseling (all fine goals), absolutely nothing is said about the paramilitary tactics used over and over by the drug warriors that result in lost rights and lost lives. This is the real crisis caused by the War on Drugs. This is where real reform, real CHANGE, needs to take place.
Alas, it appears Senator Obama will sit this one out.
1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/03/AR2005050301638.html
2. http://www.drugpolicy.org/library/factsheets/effectivenes/index.cfm
So why does Barack Obama seem to be back-tracking on an issue where real change is needed?
In 2004, Senator Obama told a group of college students that we need to "decriminalize our marijuana laws." The 2008 version has changed tune, however, and does not support eliminating criminal penalties for marijuana use, although Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor says too many first-time non-violent users are getting sent to prison.
By refusing to decriminalize drug usage, however, the assault on our Constitutional rights, the racial disparities in arrests and convictions, and the needless violence triggered by the War on Drugs will just go on and on.
Right now, African-Americans account for 14% of marijuana users and about one-third of the arrests (1). In general, African-Americans make up only 13% of the nation's monthly drug users, but have 35% of the arrests for drug possession, 55% of the convictions for drug possession, and 74% of the prison sentences for drug possession (2).
Isn't there something wrong with this picture?
As egregious as that is, the violence triggered by the Drug War is truly sickening. Reason magazine's Radley Balko has done a marvelous job documenting case after case on his website of the continued "isolated incidents" that keep showing up in this ill-begotten war. A civil rights lawyer should be shouting from the rooftops about the continued Constitutional plundering that drug warriors are allowed to perpetrate under the guise of "law enforcement" and "morality." What's more immoral, drug usage, or the execution of the Drug War and the collateral damage caused? I'd say just ask Tarika Wilson, Kenneth Jamar, Kathryn Johnston, and Daniel Castillo, but only one of them is still around to tell their story.
While Obama's website talks about rehabilitation, job training, and counseling (all fine goals), absolutely nothing is said about the paramilitary tactics used over and over by the drug warriors that result in lost rights and lost lives. This is the real crisis caused by the War on Drugs. This is where real reform, real CHANGE, needs to take place.
Alas, it appears Senator Obama will sit this one out.
1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/03/AR2005050301638.html
2. http://www.drugpolicy.org/library/factsheets/effectivenes/index.cfm
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