The drug war is a cultural inquisition

[Radic]

greetnz

the war on drugs was started by racism and and continues to be supported by racism as we speak

heres the proof

hail Joseph Collum

The “war on drugs†is a destructive policy for everyone, but the effect it has had on the black community has been particularly devastating.

 

Today, on the last day of Black History Month, please consider the damage that the “war on drugs†has inflicted on the black community. Award-winning investigative journalist, author and LEAP member Joseph Collum

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb82/LEAP_photo/smallblackdragon.jpg?t=1298924861

explores the pervasive problem of racial profiling in his book, The Black Dragon: Racial Profiling Exposed. The Black Dragon is now available to LEAP supporters. For a contribution of $30 or more, you will receive a copy of the book, and for a contribution of $50 or more, you will receive a copy signed by the author. Quantities are limited, so please make your contribution today. LEAP Board Chair Jack Cole recently wrote a review of The Black Dragon, calling it:

 

“…a book that should be read by every person who is concerned about the role of justice in our society. As a retired lieutenant with 26 years’ service in the New Jersey State Police, I can attest to the facts that Joseph Collum has so clearly and compellingly described in irrefutable detail. Racial profiling was not just practiced by individual errant troopers. It was pervasive throughout the organization.â€

 

A recent analysis of arrests in New York City showed that 50,383 people were arrested for marijuana possession last year, making it the leading cause of arrest - even though New York State decriminalized marijuana possession back in 1977. 86% of those arrested were black or Latino. Sadly, given what we know about drug prohibition, that statistic is anything but unusual. Nationally, black drug offenders are eight times more likely to serve time for nonviolent drug offenses than white drug offenders.

 

Meanwhile, drug prohibition has made selling drugs a viable alternative to legitimate employment for many young black Americans in poor and working class neighborhoods. This is a “path of least resistance†that too many fall into. Drug prohibition has led to a dismal high school dropout rate in impoverished inner city areas because becoming a drug dealer is easy, profitable and doesn’t require a diploma. Drug prohibition has destroyed countless black families as prison has become a norm and violence permeates inner city neighborhoods.

 

By purchasing The Black Dragon: Racial Profiling Exposed at this link, you support LEAP and our ability to get speakers in front of audiences to speak out against injustice and explain the need for a system of legalization and regulation.

 

Thank you so much,

 

 

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb82/LEAP_photo/Neillsig.jpg?t=1285167574

Major Neill Franklin—Retired

Executive Director

 

Your donation puts LEAP speakers in front of audiences. To support LEAP's work by making a contribution, please click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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want more

a bit earlier Jan 2008

US OH: PUB LTE: Nation's Drug War Is Based on Race

 

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URL: www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n000/a004.html

Newshawk: www.drugwarfacts.org

Votes: 0

Pubdate: Tue, 15 Jan 2008

Source: Lima News (OH)

Copyright: 2008 Freedom Newspapers Inc.

Contact: letters@limanews.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Website: www.limanews.com

Details: www.mapinc.org/media/990

Author: Robert Sharpe

 

NATION'S DRUG WAR IS BASED ON RACE

 

The drug war has been waged in a racist manner since its inception. The Harrison Narcotics Act of 1914 was preceded by a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment. Opium was identified with Chinese laborers, marijuana with Mexicans and cocaine with African-Americans. Racial profiling continues to be the norm, despite similar rates of drug use for minorities and whites. Support for the drug war would end overnight if whites were incarcerated for drugs at the same rate as minorities. The drug war is a cultural inquisition, not a public health campaign.

 

Prison cells are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents. It's time to declare peace in the failed drug war and begin treating all substance abuse, legal or otherwise, as the public health problem it is. Thanks to public education efforts, tobacco use has declined considerably in recent years. Mandatory minimum prison sentences, civil asset forfeiture, random drug testing and racial profiling are not the most cost-effective means of discouraging unhealthy choices. Drug abuse is bad, but the drug war is worse.

 

ROBERT SHARPE, Washington, D.C.

http://www.earthreggae.com/yard/components/com_kunena/template/default_ex/images/english/emoticons/respect.gif

Robert Sharpe is a policy analyst with Common Sense for Drug Policy, in Washington, D.C

 

LEAP are sending two speakers to mardigrass this year to talk to the local and federal cops

cant wait to meet and greet them.,.,.,,.,.

they came to oz once before but missed mardigrass due to bad timming.,

but they did speak to the qld law society, ABC tv, the nsw cops union, and some pollies in cambera

forward ever

free all drugs

free the people

free the land

[Frazz]

this race angle maybe relevant to america but i dont believe it is the case in Australia

there 7 hotlinks in your post Radic that go directly to LEAP donation page its hard not to be left with the impression this is spam with some decoration?

 

[Radic]

greetnz frazz

its is copied from an email from LEAP

i hear you bro

 

its hard not to be left with the impression this is spam with some decoration?

true

donations of support

takes a better cop to admit

the so called drug laws are a failure

i feel to support these people

they are going the right way

 

this race angle maybe relevant to america but i dont believe it is the case in Australia

thats your opinion and i raspect dat

it is not my opinion

 

 

however this is about racial profiling,.,.,

check it

racial profiling is cop jargon,,..

 

their language for treatment and record of people ina racist manor

ask any local cop what racial profiling is and they will know because they use that terminology

and they know it is wrong too so they wont like you throwing in their face

it takes a very brave person to take on the corruption in the police force

that why i say we need to support LEAP

sorrie if it comes a cross as spam

at least its for the cause

stronger together

froward ever

free cannabis

[demistify]

I think yr point is well made Frazz ... all the same, altho I 'm not weed political Radic's issue is easy for me to resonate with. like, I empathise with the situation of blacks and hispanics simply because I am discriminated against for my lifestyle and my tolerance of 'drugs' ... which is where the discrimination issue begins ... in observable difference between one cultural group and another, even if both cultural groups are white skinned!

 

and we DO see this in Oz. indigenous kids are given a hard time just for being indigenous. they don't even have to be dealing!

 

and in Sydney 'persons of middle-eastern extraction' are often supposed to be linked to organised crime ... whether they are or not.

 

I think that tales of discrimination cannot be told too often because the situation world wide in this regard is inhuman.

 

collectively, we have ALL got to get back to the garden ... Peace

[Frazz]

it takes a very brave person to take on the corruption in the police force

that why i say we need to support LEAP

 

fair enuf Rad, you have elaborated on some points which are really pertinent, in particular the web corruption of within NSW & Vic. police

i mention those two forces 'cause i know 1st hand of the Brotherhood Behind the Badge

it is an unfair blot on law & order within Aust. even though its in the minority it stains all LEO

of course its no coincidence that nearly all corruption within police forces is only possible because of the Prohibition of drugs, as that is where the big money is

 

and yes i concede LEAP is doing a mighty job in pushing hard on the de-criminalisation front

so they do deserve our support

 

[Radic]

greetnz demistify

who feels it

knows it

I think that tales of discrimination cannot be told too often because the situation world wide in this regard is inhuman.

seen

there will never be peace with out justice

pay day will come

 

irey frazz

LEAP is doing a mighty job in pushing hard on the de-criminalisation front

so they do deserve our support

way better then de-criminalisation

they are very clear that they are pushing for full legalisation of all drugs

there two cops right here in oz that have come out and even started the Australian LEAP branch

you gotta love dat eh????

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition continues to expand. Although we are already an international organization, we are in the process of forming several official branch affiliates, and we thought you would be interested to know that we now have a LEAP branch in Australia. Please read the message below from LEAP Australia's organizers. If you are interested in becoming more involved on a local level, please contact them here.

 

Thank you,

 

Kristin Daley

Director of Outreach and Web Communications

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

http://www.opposingviews.com/attachments/0008/2354/LEAP_Badge-Shadow.jpg?1282851473Dear All,

 

Firstly I would like to introduce ourselves. My name is Greg Denham and I am a former member of both Victoria and Queensland state police services. My colleagues are John McGeary, another former member of Victoria Police and Paul Cubitt, currently working with a state corrections service in Australia.

 

The three of us have decided to start an Australian affiliation of the US based organisation know as LEAP – Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. We are writing to you to inform you of this decision and ask that you join with us in the development of LEAP Australia.

 

We made the decision to start LEAP Australia because we firmly believe that current illicit drug policies are failing both at the local, national and international levels.

 

Whilst the community debate on illicit drugs has been somewhat stifled in Australia over the past decade, there is a growing band of vocal opponents to the current policy of prohibition and the ‘war on drugs’ approach both here and internationally. We have heard senior police, former judges, politicians and lawyers question the policies that are leading our courts and gaols to overflow with drug-dependent people.

 

In addition to the misery caused to individuals by prohibition, criminal networks are growing larger and more pervasive with the money gained from illicit drug production. This money is being used to fund turf wars, buy and sell people, purchase weapons, and to corrupt police and other public officials.

 

We believe that there is an urgent need locally to reinvigorate the debate about illicit drug policy with an emphasis on removing the policy of prohibition, decriminalising drug use and implementing evidence-based drug programs such as prescribed heroin and injecting facilities.

 

Our goal is to develop LEAP Australia into a robust organisation that is willing to challenge current illicit drug policies, debate openly those that claim that the current system is working and promote evidence-based approaches to reduce drug related harm.

 

We are in the process of becoming a registered organisation and we would like people to nominate for office bearer positions. Alternately, if you are interested in what we are seeking to achieve and willing to become involved in the development of LEAP Australia please forward your expression of interest to our email address below. We would like to have one board member from each State or Territory.

 

This is an excellent opportunity to be part of a ‘grass roots’ organisation that can change the lives of those effected by drug dependency, and reduce the number of silent victims - their families and those that have crimes committed against them to support their addiction.

 

Best wishes,

 

Greg Denham - Paul Cubitt - John McGeary

 

Email: stopprohibition@gmail.com

hail John McGeary

here is some background

 

 

John McGeary

Senior Constable (retired) Victoria Police

"Through LEAP, I hope to break down the barriers between licit and illicit drugs so that all drug treatment is viewed as the same."

 

John McGeary is a retired Senior Constable who believes regulation and control, through legalization, will be a better way of dealing with drug issues than drug prohibition. There are, according to John, six primary reasons why we need change and his long career of lecturing enables him to explain them clearly. He believes less harm would accrue in a regulated marketplace while extensive publicity and education on the negative effects of drugs, as is currently done with tobacco, would make drug use less attractive for disaffected young people. Of all the drugs, he sees alcohol as the most problematic.

 

John knew from his 30 years as a policeman that he wanted to help young people. For several years before retirement, he was a Police Youth Officer working proactively with youth and their welfare workers. His duties included lecturing on drug education in the secondary schools, so when Senior Constable McGeary retired in 1999, he began study for a degree in the field.

 

John did his National Service with the Australian Army in the Royal Australian Army Provost Corps - the Military Police and served the last twenty of his service at Bacchus Marsh in Melbourne's outer west. He ran for State Parliament in 2000. Though not elected, he achieved the largest swing in votes to the Liberal Party in the 4th safest Labor seat in Victoria. Though McGeary chose to not run for other political offices, he authored a report to the Party detailing the benefits of decriminalizing heroin use which met with support from Party members and former associates of his in the police department.

 

In 2001 he joined MacKillop Family Services caring for young people in residential care. Soon, he moved to DASWest, the drug & alcohol department of Western Health, as a drug and alcohol clinician responding to heroin overdoses. His interest in the legalization of drugs escalated when he began to specialize in drug and alcohol treatment following completion of his Graduate Diploma in Substance Abuse Studies. John continues his work at DASWest as an outreach worker offering treatment options to users, particularly the homeless and others unable to access these vital services. Until recently, John also worked with youth for the Shire of Melton reaching out to young people on weekend nights. Lecturing on binge drinking was among his numerous other duties.

 

The eldest of six children, John resides in Melton with his wife Lesley where he owns and operates a local restaurant.

 

forward ever

free all drugs

free all the people

free the land

[Radic]

greetnz

bout

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition has been formed in Australia and we are seeking people to become supporters and be active in drug law reform.

Positions

1. The War on Drugs has failed
2. We need a supportive policy environment for controled and regulated access to currently illicit substances
3. We need more evidence based programs that reduce harm such as needle exchange, injecting facilities and prescribed heroin

http://www.causes.co...australia/about

LEAPAustralia now has facebook

if you want to support check it

LEAP Australia

Posted by Greg Denham at 9:40pm on February 20th, 2011 I would like to inform you of the formation of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) Australia.

 

LEAP Australia will be affiliated with LEAP USA, however it will have its own executive group, board of advisers and strategic direction.

 

The mission of LEAP Australia is to bring an end to drug prohibition and the 'war on drugs' approach to drug law enforcement and promote a supportive legal and policy environment for regulated and controlled access to all drugs. LEAP Australia will also advocate for evidence-informed and cost effective policies and practices that seek to reduce the risks and harms from drug use.

 

If you, or someone you know, wishes to support LEAP Australia, they can be contacted at: stopprohibition@gmail.com or visit www.leapaustralia.org/

Support the cause. Be counted:

yes i gotta love dat

forward ever

free drugs

free people

free land

Edited March 9, 2011 by Radic

[Up.the.reapers(;]

yu no alot of shit bout that aii ahaha

[Tsigle]

I have to agree that cannabis being illegal in Australia was not started by racism. Rather we were just sucking up to the US as we still are in at least some way.