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In September 2012 Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), a group of law enforcement professionals opposed to the war on drugs, of which I am a member of the board of directors, joined the Mexican poet Javier Sicilia and the Caravan for Peace with Justice and Dignity on its 6,000 mile journey across the United States. This journey highlighted the impact about the collateral consequences of our drug policy across the border. Prohibition has resulted in over 100,000 drug-related deaths since 2006 in Mexico alone. As an immigrant from Mexico I am overwhelmed by the staggering loss of lives in a country and a people that I love.
Drug policy reform in large measure has been fueled by the horrific consequences of our failed emphasis on drug enforcement throughout the years. This emphasis on the criminalization of drug users has fueled human rights violations and violence across the world. I have often shared my personal story of my brother’s death. My grief turned into rage turned into activism. My body of work in drug policy reform has helped to ameliorate the pain I still feel vividly each day. But it’s not just my own pain that I feel but also the untold number of lives that are lost every day due to drug prohibition.
My heart broke when I traveled on the first leg of the journey and met relatives of the many victims that have died as a direct result of drug prohibition, including Javier Sicilia, who lost his son, who shared their collective grief with us, further inspiring us not to give up until we end the failed drug war. This journey was captured and resulted in the upcoming release of our documentary With Justice and Dignity: A Caravan for Peace.
On my birthday, as a way to honor my brother and the victims of the drug war, my husband and I are hosting a fundraiser for LEAP where we are premiering the film. You can help end drug prohibition by supporting LEAP with a direct donation or by attending our premiere. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite. Vern Nelson will be playing piano before and after. For any questions please contact Diane Goldstein directly at diane.goldstein@leap.cc.
Ill be at the party Diane. My B-day was yesterday. I would like to share an experience and a solution with you: At the Dem convention a few weeks ago in Anaheim, i was physically sickened and appalled by AG Kamala Harris’ comments at the convention to delegates. In her speech she called for and end to the failed rug war policies that has resulted in California building 18 new prisons and only one university in the past 20 years. AG Harris is a primary instigator and offender of those very same drug war tactics. Thus I was made physically ill and had to bite my tongue lest aI shout out her crimes to the masses.
To that end, I suggest a new rubric to which we view the reparations to be made in our policies by seeking the new standard as how quickly and thoroughly the AG DA LEO’s et al make reparations and reverse the damages done by a system that is inherently inhumane and counter productive.
Seek not good will by promising to end the abuse f power and violation of human rights as a means for political promotion;
Instead, seek to make amends and reparations in reversing the damages done to those who have been affected and inflicted by this paradigm of insanity.
*Daddy used to say: “Son, you are pushing stuff against the tide!” He didn’t say “Stuff”…but that being said. Let’s truly look at the facts. More than several states have legalized Marijuana for both medical and recreational use. The society is changing from the 1969 paradigm of “Just say no!”. The reality however is that abuses will continue both in the Medical Marijuana Dispensaries, Organized Crime, Big Pharma and Individual producers. Grandaddy, made homemade beer and wine during prohibition……so nothing much has changed since the 1920’s. The BATF wears different gear than the Treasury Agents of old……but until the Federal Law is abridged or trhown out completely……everyone is still in harms way that utilizes any illegal drugs or too many prescription drugs. The ambivalent law is a dangerous thing. Kamala is right in saying……it starts with a good AG who only prosecutes the “Bag Guys”. However, that becomes a judgment call which can change quickly depending on the AG involved. Kamala will make a good Senator and we are voting for her. Let’s just hope we can find another good AG to replace her. Perhaps Loretta should try for that slot.
Retired cop uses Twitter to accuse Baltimore police of brutality and corruption
BY NANCY DILLON NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
“So here we go,” the ex-detective and U.S. Marine, 35, wrote to his thousands of followers. “I’m going to start Tweeting the things I’ve seen & participated in, in policing that is corrupt, intentional or not.”
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/retired-accuses-baltimore-police-brutality-article-1.2270122
This the most informative, honest sounding, interview Ive ever read or seen.
Published on Jul 8, 2015
Michael A. Wood, Jr. is a retired Baltimore police officer and veteran of the USMC. He recently made the news for publicly speaking out against police brutality and has become a proponent of a new era of policing.
2 hours 26 minutes
Another crooked councilmember taken down in SA.Five more and a city manager to go. This what happens when we let government interefere with the natural co-op system. Everybody wants a piece.
Time to REPEAL BB!
Yep. Sal, Sal, Sal… http://voiceofoc.org/2015/07/santa-ana-councilman-peddling-himself-as-a-pot-shop-consultant/
And he was my favorite of that unprepossessing bunch.
Oh God. Haven’t read it yet. I’m prepared to amend that to Egads. Tell me that he doesn’t mean to do this IN SANTA ANA ITSELF, right?