From Jack And Jill Politics
To Sign A Petition To Change The Crack Vs. Cocaine Sentencing Guidelines Click Here
Every year, thousands of people are put away for long prison terms because of arcane and racist sentencing laws. They punish people caught with crack cocaine — who are often Black and poor — 100 times more harshly than those caught with powder cocaine. These laws have broken up families while doing nothing to make our communities safer, and they’re part of the reason 1 in 15 Black adults is behind bars.
Last week, the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee had a chance to advance a bill to eliminate the disparity. Instead, they chose to reduce it—with no good reason other than to please “moderate” Democrats and Republicans. And President Obama, who for years has championed ending the disparity, is supporting the bill — apparently because it’s bipartisan. It’s shameful.
Can you take a moment to sign our letter to President Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi demanding they show leadership and push for the House version of the bill, which would eliminate the sentencing disparity? It only takes a moment:
Today’s unfair sentencing laws treat five grams of crack cocaine the same as 500 grams of powder cocaine — a disparity of 100-to-1. Under the Senate Judiciary Committee’s plan, the laws would change to make 28 grams of crack trigger the same sentence as 500 grams of powder.As one journalist put it, the proposal would “make the law one-fifth as racist as it used to be.”
To Sign A Petition To Change The Crack Vs. Cocaine Sentencing Guidelines Click Here
Here’s what New York defense attorney Gary G. Becker told the Sentencing Law and Policy blog:
The Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote to “reduce” the crack cocaine/powder cocaine punishment disparity from 100:1 to 20:1 is a scandalous, racist, and politically motivated act. In view of the near-unanimous consensus that there is no justifiable basis for punishing crack cocaine more harshly than powder cocaine, and that the 100:1 ratio was both arbitrary and irrational — even [the] DOJ called for elimination of the disparity — the Senate Judiciary Committee settles on an equally unsupportable, irrational, and arbitrary punishment scheme, one that will disproportionately affect minorities, destroy families, and promote disrespect for the law.
Attorney General Eric Holder said last week, “There is no law enforcement or sentencing rationale for the current disparity between crack and cocaine powder offenses, and I have strongly supported eliminating it to ensure our sentencing laws are tough, predictable and fair.” Yet he went on to give his stamp of approval to the Senate’s 20:1 bill and urged Congress to approve it so it can be signed into law.
There is no disagreement that the current sentencing approach pulls non-violent drug offenders out of their communities for unreasonable lengths of time. And most of the committee members, who unanimously supported this plan, acknowledge that the disparity disproportionately affects Black communities.
This is politics at its worst. It’s legislation that harms communities instead of helping them — a direct result of political horse-trading that throws the most vulnerable among us under the bus.
Thankfully, there’s a bill in the House that would completely eliminate the sentencing disparity. But if some Senators have their way and are able to quickly send their bill to the House, this diluted compromise could override the House’s bill — our only remaining chance at real reform.
Allowing that to happen would be disastrous. It will mean more broken families and more unequal justice. It will mean that instead of seizing an opportunity to help our communities, Congress and President Obama have decided to write a scaled-back form of discrimination into our laws.
Can you take a moment to tell President Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to fight for passage of the House version of the bill? And when you do, please ask your family and friends to do the same:
To Sign A Petition To Change The Crack Vs. Cocaine Sentencing Guidelines Click Here
at 6:16 pm
Leave the law as it stand. The last thing our community need is another crack cocoaine epicdemic, and if some fool want go to jail for crack. Than powering his stuff up or smoking marjiuana. Both drugs with less time on them. Well, let him or her be a fool. We do not need to return to mid 80’s and earlier 90’s. Let the law stand as it is. $10 dollars is dollars. Fool.
at 1:21 am
Uhhhh.. If daup’s done, then how can he have more to say in the future????
(Juuust kiiiddiiiing………….sheesh)
LOL
at 10:37 am
@Casey
I’ve been reading your columns for the last couple of months. Your thought process is so basic, simplistic and idealistic. I have asked you numerous times how old you were and you have not answered. Why? Your age is relevant because I don’t see any real world wisdom in your columns. Wisdom one get’s from people who have a lot of life experiences nor do I see any depth of intellectual thought that comes from a young FREE thinker. The only thing I have seen is a bunch of ultra liberal talking points. It’s not your opinions, it’s the lack of a depth and understanding of an issue that you express in your opinion articles. I’m really disappointed that this is the #1 black NEWS website and this is the best that they can put out in daily opinion pieces. It’s insulting. I fell like I’m reading a 15 minute high school essay on an issue. I’m done. I will have more to say in the future.
at 10:33 am
@Casey
Can you please address the residual effects of, this highly addictive drug, crack cocaine? All of these “poor unfairly treated non violent offenders”. Give me a break. How are they getting the money to buy the crack? Casey, have you thought about that? What are the residual effects of crack cocaine? Let me give you a few; More baby momma’s, crack babies, baby momma’s leaving their kids alone to go and get high (for days), baby momma’s selling their little girls and boys into prostitution, kids stealing from their parents and families, increased amounts of homeless families and young adults, increased petty crime in the community by crack heads to fund their addiction, ie house break-ins, car break-ins, shop lifting ect…. Don’t give me that well if they are caught for those crimes bs…. There are not enough police to catch every crime a petty criminal commits. For every crime a criminal gets convicted of he or she probably has committed at least 10 or more additional crimes.
at 11:02 pm
Jahz. Give me a break. A rock has a mere fraction of the active substance of cocaine. Yet, it has the potency to produce a much more profound effect upon the user.
The issue of legality is not the substance, who possesses the substance nor the amount of the substance.
It’s what the substance does…..
Here. Maybe this will help you. If I get caught with 900lbs of fertilizer and diesel oil and you get caught with 9lbs of uranium oxide, are you going to get life in prison just because you’re black?
LOL
at 11:01 pm
Jahz. Give me a break. A rock has a mere fraction of the active substance of cocaine. Yet, it has the potency to produce a much more profound effect upon the user.
The issue of legality is not the substance, who possesses the substance nor the amount of the substance.
It’s what the substance does…..
Here. Maybe this will help you. If I get caught with 900lbs of fertilizer and diesel oil and y
at 6:28 am
wow really? Hey here is a thought.. Don’t do crack or sell crack dum asses and you won’t have to worry bout getting caught. Dum asses..seriously?? A petition? Get real
at 5:08 am
I’d sign it but I’d be concerned, like Van Jones, it would come back to haunt me. The weight, street value and schedule type should determine punishment. Back in the 80’s a gram of coke cost 100. WHat’s crack cost? 10 or 20 dollars? That’s 5 years for 100 bucks or 50,000. I’d agree the sentencing law is based on race and class. There’s no justification for it. XL_611….
at 8:14 pm
Whadda ya sayin mz_nana……..It worked for you?
LMAO
at 7:35 pm
@XL_611
can you do me a favor?
on the nexx high temp degree day
go get you some sun! no sunscreen just pure radiant sun you should try it
at 6:21 pm
Quote from a Congressional report at http://www.ussc.gov/CRACK/CHAP8.HTM
“in particular, the three primary methods of administering cocaine are snorting, smoking, and injection (see Chapter 2). One can snort or inject powder cocaine or easily convert it to a smokable form; however, for the most part, those who smoke cocaine use crack cocaine.Although one can smoke “freebase” powder cocaine, the dangers inherent in such an activity, as a result of the substance’s great flammability, and the availability of a “safe” smokable alternative, in crack, have rendered freebasing to be an unpopular and impractical method of administration. Moreover, the availability of a smokable alternative in crack has made an “intense” form of cocaine more accessible to juveniles. No matter the route of administration, use of cocaine produces the same type of physiological and psychotropic effects. The intensity and duration of these effects, however, differ significantly based on the method of administration; and it is the intensity and duration of the physiological and psychotropic effects that determine the likelihood of dependency and abuse. Specifically, the greater the amount of cocaine absorbed and the faster it is absorbed, the greater the intensity and the shorter the duration of the psychotropic effects. The greater the intensity of these effects and the shorter their duration, the greater the likelihood cocaine use will lead to dependence and abuse. ”
See ya!
LOL
at 4:58 pm
Casey, I hear and agree with you wholeheartedly. I think you need to be a bit more open minded when you write though. Just a suggestion, but most people either write to push their agenda or inspire thought. I get the feeling that your main goal is too push an agenda. I know you say you’re not really a Dem or Liberal, but do you realize, you have written close to 10 negative articles on RP (I realize a lot of those were in response to negative feedback from us) and NONE on BHO? I mean come on my man, you can’t tell me that BHO is doing no wrong, with respect to his policies. And me personally, I’m not even on it like, what he is or isn’t doing for black people, because I knew going in he would be short on that, but Casey, this dude has some REAL serious policies that will hurt everyday working people. You falsely believe that he will only raise taxes on the top 5%, but keep in mind, deficit spending is a TAX. CAP and TRade is a TAX. A little known fact about his proclaimed 1.5 Trillion dollar deficit he expects to run this year. That number is contingent on whether the Cap and TRade bill passes. If it doesn’t, then it will be 2Trillion. And the people who can least afford more taxes, will be the ones asked to bear the brunt of it. I’m just asking for some balance, unless you don’t want to come off as one who is attacking a “black” president.
at 3:20 pm
You can’t be serious,All this do is gives Drug Dealers Incentives to sell more Drugs,i don’t think there’s One Urban Community that hasn’t been effected by Crack and The Livin’ Hell it Creates,I say scr*w the bill let the Drug Cartel sell the sh*t Elsewhere,the current law probably was pass by people who never have step a foot into the hood and could careless about the people in it,the law was probably passed without any consideration.
at 3:12 pm
So more blacks go to jail then whites an Obama a fool man for that forget the cop called Obama.Obama is the head police what can you expect he aint down with blacks only if it benefit him in some slick way.Not that I care because I aint vote for the fool anyway because I know what time it is black people today got their own mind its called every man for themselves.But Im not saying a black shouldn’t go to jail if its the law.
at 3:02 pm
There is absolutely no doc**ented proof that crack is more potent or addictive than cocaine. Crack is actually a mix of cocaine and baking soda which makes the drug more diluted. How could the pure form of the drug be less addictive than a watered down version, it makes no sense. People should not be punished because they don’t have the means to afford high purity cocaine and instead turn to a cheaper version, crack. However this is a good way to further stomp on poor people and minorities while helping rich white drug addicts continue their trend. This is part of the reason the prison system is overcrowded. Who writes the laws poor people or rich people? Its pretty evident the people writing the laws prefer the recreational use of cocaine as opposed to crack because they can afford it. Why would they wanna send their own kids and family to jail for the same amount of time as minorities? f your constitutional guidelines and laws
at 2:49 pm
just in case anyone forgot black law makers pushed hard for these laws and now that they have hurt blacks the most they want to up and change the laws now.
at 2:44 pm
Crack is a far more potent and addictive substance than cocaine. This is well known. Therefore, it is more dangerous and therefore, the punishment should be greater.
What you people seem to be saying is blacks have a right to use crack and will thus refuse to stop using crack and therefore should not be punished along the perfectly legal and constitutional guidelines being used.
You also seem to be saying that it’s worth paying any price to use such drugs, including jail sentences, addiction and even death.
None of which seem to deter people from using the stuff.
I think it thus becomes obvious people who use such drugs don’t care about themselves and others and need to be locked up, due to the simple fact they refuse to give up destructive behaviors.
Shrug ;-0
at 1:37 pm
no clue on the censorship..not sure why anyone would want to stop people from reading our blogs..the only comments i’ve ever deleted were spam and a couple n-words (i’m amazed that you can’t write doc**ent but can do any variation on the n-word as possible) i’ll see whats up with member services
I will say this about the comments…a number of mainstream sites and even white supremacist sites link here and say look at the crazy black people commenting…i’m all for letting people express their ideas in the comments section n matter how crazy i might think they are but if we could focus more on discussion and less on insults (myslef included) i think this site could really be a great place to discuss argue and develop ideas
Obama and Eric Holder have already pledged to reduce the discreptancy and petitiions like this lead to the Rockerfeller Drug laws being endedso i wouldn’t be so cynical
at 1:33 pm
If you have any crack in 2010 u need to be locked up. For one pushing that bulls**t and second either being dumb enough to use it. Heres a thought lets lower the amount of coke u need on u to get a 5 yr bid. Can we focus on some other way to end racism!
at 1:05 pm
Casey, I too agree with you that this disparity is indeed racist. But there is something we need to consider. Do you really believe this WASN’T intentional when this disparity in the law was proposed and enacted? Back in the 90’s, the Prison Industrial Complex was looked upon as business opportunities for corporations. Not only did they provide direct and residual employment for the localities where these new prisons were built, but it also provided a source for cheap and abundant labor for companies to maximize profits. 21st Century plantations. I’m not knocking your (or who ever idea this is) effort, but do you really think a simple petition will reverse this policy? About the best you can hope for is that they raise the sentencing for powder cocaine, to a level where it’s 1:1 with crack, but doesn’t that still leave the problem, unsolved? Isn’t the real problem the lack of opportunities available, that makes young men choose this “career” path without hesitation? Nancy Pelosi is a strong proponent for population control and this seems like just another component of a grand scheme. We need to stop trying to appeal to the kindness of hard and coldhearted people, because we have clear evidence, there is no kindness there. This is the nature of these people, and not learned behavior that you can somehow reverse. MLK found that out the hard way, and paid for that with his life.
Another Issue I have, what is up with the CENSORSHIP being displayed here? I know one member of BP who has been effectively shut out of the blog reading and replying process. That’s a problem, no?
at 12:22 pm
Filling out this petition has been the most effective instrument for fighting racism that I have personally witnessed on this site. Hopefully more people sign it so we can get this prejudiced law changed. Although I do not use drugs I support the legalization of all drugs. However I view the equal punishment for crack and cocaine as a postive step in making some progress.
at 12:17 pm
OK
I agree wholeheartedly
but adversely
will this open up A wider gaping wound that already exist within Black America?
How many more Nlggers(xcuse me this time) will want 2 spread GENOCIDE within they OWN community? 2 they own MOMMA, AUNT?
I guess the highly touted nlgger phenomenom of that LOWLIFE Azz MOVIE SCARFACE gone really be the buzz when all a nlgger find out he has 2 get a slap on the wrist for having a controlled substance on him?
Is this really the SUBCONTEXT of keeping this Genocidal Chemical Warfare within the constraints of the Black Community ALIVE?