The recent arrest and conviction of an
active member of the United States House of Representatives for cocaine
possession forced me think about how flawed drug laws and their enforcement is
in America. The most hypocritical part of this sad scenario is the fact that an
elected official was using cocaine while at the same time supporting
legislation to demand food stamp recipients submit to random drug tests in
order to get benefits. This Politco article outlines what this sitting member
of Congress voted to do for those Americans of are food stamp recipients. http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/trey-radel-arrest-food-stamps-100138.html
There is not a doubt in my mind that if
I got caught purchasing 3.5 grams of cocaine worth $250 from an undercover
agent, there is no way in hell that my punishment would be a $250 fine and one
year of probation, while getting to keep my job. If someone who looks like me
got caught with something that looks like drug paraphernalia, the same benefit
of the doubt would not be given. No favoritism or back door deals, or slaps on
the wrist for the average Joe, but a sitting member of Congress gets to blame
his cocaine use on alcohol abuse and keep representing the people of Florida
like nothing ever happened. Imagine if you can for a moment, that your
neighbor or co-worker was arrested for cocaine possession, and got to keep
their job. Taking a leave of absence is unacceptable and calling a press
conference after 10 pm is not what I call would accountability. His actions
should force legislation that would require every elected official to submit
to random drug tests because after all; they are government
employees who are being paid with tax-payer dollars. If drug tests are
good for food stamp and welfare recipients, they should also be good for those
voting in favor of these requirements.
I am sympathetic towards people who
have drug and alcohol addiction, but I have very little compassion for people
like this Congressman who has spent their careers victimizing and demonizing
their fellow citizen. I wonder if the Tea Party is going to cancel his
membership because of his hypocrisy? I wonder if the same people on right wing
talk radio and the news channel that claims to be “fair and balanced” will call
for their Tea Party brother to step down like they did when a sitting
Congressman sent pictures of his “package” all over the internet. Of
course they won’t because all of that Tea Party, patriotic, family values,
limited government, conservative mumbo jumbo rhetoric is nothing more
than propoghanda.
Did he have ulterior motives when he
cosponsored H.R. 1695, which would give judges more flexibility on sentencing
in cases involving mandatory minimums? While I support abolishing mandatory
sentencing, sitting members of Congress who are voting to change laws should
not be doing so under the influence of cocaine. I’m sure there are many of you
out there who know someone who has been arrested, or is currently serving time
behind bars for drug possession. What kind of message does this slap on the
wrist send to people currently serving time for committing similar or less
harsh crimes? The statistics prove that there is a huge disparity the in sentencing
laws that are harsher on crack users than cocaine users and a person’s
ethnicity has everything to do with it.
Take the Challenge:
Will you stand with me and reach out to
these young people by sending them this letter along with one of following three
books for them to read? 1. This Isis Paper; The Keys to the Colors by
Dr. Frances Cress Welsing. 2. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in
the Age of Colorblindness by Melissa Alexander. 3. Letters to an
Incarcerated Brother by Hill Harper. As they return to society, they need
to know we have not given up on them and we want them to be productive members
of society and our community. I have drafted an example of a short letter
intended for young men and women who are currently incarcerated. Feel free to
copy or modify it as you see fit.
“Dear Young Brother or Sister,
You might not know who I am and I might
not know who you are, but I want you to know that there are people out here who
still love and care about your physical and mental health while you are
incarcerated. Not all of us have given up on you and when the time comes
for you to make the transition back to life outside the walls of jail or
prison, I hope and pray that something you read in one of these books will
encourage you to help another brother or sister avoid going down the wrong
path. This Isis Paper; The Keys to the Colors by Dr. Frances Cress
Welsing, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
by Melissa Alexander, or Letters to an Incarcerated Brother by
Hill Harper are examples of books filled with educational information
that will force you to think about some of the following things:
1. Why respecting your fellow man
is important.
2. Breaks down the system of
racism, white supremacy.
3. Explores the hidden meanings
of terminology and symbols.
4. Helps you understand who are
you as an African American?
5. Why the system wants you to
remain incarcerated.
Please accept this book as a seed from
me to you and I pray that you will allow the words to inspire you to be a
better man or woman, better husbands and wives to your spouse, and better
parents to your children. I have no doubt that this book will be a blessing
to your mind, body, & soul.
God Bless,
Your Name”
Originally published by Steve Maynor Jr. on November 21, 2013
via Blogger.com
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