Think About This and Do You Own Research!

By Clint

Since the introduction of Black People to the shores of North America they have been subjected to a virtual cornucopia of ways to deny us the ability to play this game on an even playing field. The days when the “Powers That Be” can be overt with their tactics are long gone. Today, they have developed sophisticated means to bring about, not only the same results, but better and more desired results.

Unfortunately Black folks have not kept pace with the ever-changing landscape of racism. We have unwittingly assisted the “Powers That Be” with their perceived obligation to keep us from ever realizing that very elusive even playing field. We have not learned from our past experiences and continue to fall prey to their devious ploys to hold us down.

The latest and most dangerous tool they are using is Drugs. I am not referring to the consumption of drugs: that in itself does not pose a problem, because drugs used in moderation are less harmful than the alcohol or the other drug, cigarettes. It is the illegal aspect of drugs that is promising to be the undoing of our future. Nothing in the past can come close to the current problems we have faced.

Most people don’t realize that the illegalization of Marijuana and Cocaine didn’t come about because of their abuse and damage to society. To the contrary both were used very successfully in this country until 1914. Cocaine was given to dock workers in New Orleans, by the dock owners, so the Black workers could work long hours without taking breaks for eating. Marijuana was used for rope throughout the country. Both drugs were made illegal because White men said Black men were taking these drugs and raping White women. If you don’t believe me research the material yourself from 1914 in New Orleans, La.

There was no sound reason to make drugs illegal. Racist has been opportunist and very seldom fail to miss a chance to impede the progress of Black folks in America. If only they had known the outcome of how the illegalization of drugs would devastate the Black community they would have made drugs illegal sooner.

The illegalization of drugs has brought a plague to the youth of our Black community. Drugs have to be distributed, so the method evolved has been the development of gangs. This is to be expected if one simply examines what happened when prohibition came into being in the 1920’s. The same internal warfare that gripped and threatened the community then, exists today. However the political consequences today dwarf those of the 1920’s. Back then America believed in second chances. Someone could stop their wayward ways and rehabilitate him or herself by getting an education and job to support their families.

With the rate of Black incarceration today, and projection into the future, most Black youth will be denied jobs based simply on their having been labeled “FELONS”. There are more black men in prison then there is in college. More Black women are in college then Black men and they hold more professional jobs too. Because of this disturbing trend you see an increase in multiracial children. Women in general tend to seek out men in position of power. Black men are losing their role in the Black family. There is nothing on the radar screen that will change this pattern of Black incarceration anytime soon. It is no coincidence that 85% to 90% of Black men in jail are in for drug related crimes. The consequence of this Black incarceration is “they don’t lest FELONS vote.”

The simple solution to this problem of Black incarceration is the legalizing of most drugs. The results will be astonishing to say the least. The most radical change would be the elimination of gangs. If there is no need for a distribution network, gangs will not have an appeal to our youth. The killings in the neighborhood would almost vanish and people could claim their neighborhoods again. I can hear the hues and cries about how the legalization of drugs will devastate the lives of families and corrupt the community. I say to those who profess that theory that you don’t know your history. The same argument was given about the lifting of prohibition. Prohibition didn’t work then and drug prohibition does not work today. The same thing happened back then that’s happening to us now. Why do you think prohibition was repealed?

Prohibition invented Al Capone, Bugs Moran, Frank Nitti and the need for organize crime. People who championed prohibition went on newsreels and radio to say they were wrong in backing prohibition. They recognized the consequences of prohibition outweighed the benefits. The truth of the matter is prohibition didn’t work anyway. Just like now alcohol was readily available then as drugs are readily available now. White folks are instinctual when it comes to removing plagues that prey on their society. The current drug plague only affects the Black community so they are willing to sit back and nurse it along. Black lawmakers are too timid to speak on this matter. They would rather attend the thousands of funerals for kids of all ages and speak on how horrible these gangs are and then do nothing about the problem. If things keep on going the way they are going, Black politicians will be the losers.

The truth of the matter is since the illegalization of Cocaine in 1914 and marijuana shortly after, the law has not worked. In fact, when it served the interest of the U.S. government, they participated in the distribution of drugs. Remember the contras in Nicaragua? There are more drugs available today as the result of a failed drug war that has been going on in this country for over 90 years. If drugs were made legal the rise in usage would be minimal. There is nothing to stop people from getting them now anyway. The billions of dollars spent on this failed drug war could be wisely spent elsewhere on drug prevention programs. Many of these programs could reach our kids in schools and prevent many of them from ever trying drugs, alcohol or tobacco. It’s ironic that while we are spending our tax dollars to fight this so-called drug war, we can’t help those people who are trying to get off drugs. The backlog of spaces available for those seeking treatment for their addiction is 2 or 3 years in some cases. This is a joke. The only thing drug laws seem to accomplish is to facilitate the killing of people around the world, fostering of conditions that make people prisoners in their own homes because they are afraid to go into the streets. So many lives are being destroyed and America has become the world capital for people in prison.

I hope we will someday soon realistically look at this problem. The U.S. Supreme recently ruled that what two consenting adults do in the privacy of their homes was nobody’s business. I believe the same should apply to anyone that wants to smoke a joint or sniff cocaine in the privacy of their home. Marijuana and cocaine should be regulated the same way alcohol is regulated. And I firmly believe that all the workplace rules that apply to alcohol should apply to drugs. If we fail to act we have doomed our kids and our future to that of an exploited and second class existence. Our kids will never realize their fullest potential with the aura of prison felonious labels being their legacy.