by Russell Simmons and Dylan Ratigan
As we celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr, it appears we are a far less prejudiced country than we once were. Individual expressions of racism are less tolerated than ever, we have an African-American president, and African-Americans are increasingly being accepted into executive suites. Yet when we look closer, we find that Greedy Bastards have rebranded racism and made it acceptable again, by calling it “the war on drugs.”
These statistics compiled by New York Times columnist Charles Blow and author Michelle Alexander (author of "The New Jim Crow") are mind-blowing.
- Since 1971, there have been more than 40 million arrests for drug-related offenses. Even though blacks and whites have similar levels of drug use, blacks are ten times as likely to be incarcerated for drug crimes.
- ·"There are more blacks under correctional control today -- in prison or jail, on probation or parole -- than were enslaved in 1850, a decade before the Civil War began."
- "As of 2004, more African American men were disenfranchised (due to felon disenfranchisement laws) than in 1870, the year the Fifteenth Amendment was ratified prohibiting laws that explicitly deny the right to vote on the basis of race."
- In 2005, 4 out of 5 drug arrests were for possession not trafficking, and 80% of the increase in drug arrests in the 1990s was for marijuana.
- There are 50,000 arrests for low-level pot possession a year in New York City, representing one out of every seven cases that turn up in criminal courts. Most of these arrested are black and Hispanic men.
Civil Rights leader Ben Chavis and Russell Simmons explain why African-Americans are ten times more likely to be incarcerated for drug crimes.
Why is this happening, when personal prejudice is so much less common, medicinal marijuana initiatives routinely pass around the country, and illicit drug use is accepted enough that Steve Jobs could praise psychedelic drugs as key to his creative success at Apple?
The modern drug war in politics can be traced back to political operative named Clifford White, an advisor to Barry Goldwater, who recognized that there were votes to be had in the backlash against the civil rights movement. From the 1970s to the 1990s, the war on drugs became convenient code for politicians who wanted to appeal to certain working class white voters with coded racist appeals. President Reagan used this political support to escalate the war on drugs.
A federal law passed in 1986 allowed law enforcement agencies to seize drug money, and use it to supplement their budgets. Grabbing cash connected to drugs meant that police departments could buy more tools and training. Like the fee-for-service model in medicine, that pays doctors for performing procedures, not for making people healthier, the “forfeiture laws” effectively pay the police departments for making busts – not for reducing the drug trade.
In fact, if the war on drugs was ever won, it would be a financial disaster for law enforcement. There's so much dirty money funding law enforcement agencies that now, according to NPR, some police departments have become "addicted to drug money."
The second significant institutional incentive is of more recent origin, though it too has its beginnings in the Reagan era - the development of for-profit prison companies and their vast lobbying and political apparatus.
Prisoners now manufacture and assemble products for Microsoft, Starbucks, Victoria's Secret, Boeing, as well as body armor for soldiers and handcuff cases for law enforcement officers. In 2007, taxpayers spent $74 billion on prisons, with the largest percentage increase of prisoners going to for-profit prison companies.
The Justice Policy Institute noted that these companies make more money through longer prison sentences, but you don't need a report from a nonprofit group to know that. Just look at their own investor reports. The Corrections Corporation of America, the largest for-profit prison company in the country, lists as a business risk in its 10K to the SEC "any changes with respect to drugs and controlled substances or illegal immigration could affect the number of persons arrested, convicted, and sentenced, thereby potentially reducing demand for correctional facilities to house them." CCA also told investors it would make less money if there were lower minimum sentences and more eligibility for inmates for early release for good behavior.
Putting people in jail and keeping them there is good for business. So that's what these companies lobby for. According to the Justice Policy Institute, these companies "have contributed $835,514 to federal candidates and over $6 million to state politicians. They have also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on direct lobbying efforts." They are large donors to state-based think tanks like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), who market harsh immigration, drug laws, and prison privatization laws to state level politicians around the country. While the rationale is no longer outright bigotry, the net effect, in terms of stripping millions of blacks of political and economic rights, is the same.
This is the face of racism today. It isn't the racist sheriff in Alabama turning hoses and dogs onto protesters, or the all-white development or country club, but the smooth lobbyist and campaign contributor discussing the efficiency of private prison initiatives or the politician too cowardly to act on decriminalizing marijuana for fear of antagonizing a powerful lobby. It’s racism, Greedy-Bastards-style.
What’s the alternative? David Kennedy, the director of the Center for Crime Prevention and Control at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, has highlighted a very simple common sense approach known as hotspotting. He advocates for sitting down the gang members that perpetrate most of the violence, police, prosecutors, and community leaders to talk about their shared problems and the consequences of crime. Such an approach has dramatically reduced homicide rates in Boston and Chicago, and across the country. Yet these programs and programs like them with proven success in reducing crime are the first to go on the chopping block, because they don't provide the budgetary incentive that forfeiture laws do.
Today, the march for civil rights isn't about convincing Americans that racism is wrong. It is about getting money out of politics, so that the profit from institutional racism is eliminated. The Supreme Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson saying "separate but equal" has been trumped by the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, eliminating all restrictions on corporate cash in politics.
If we are to honor Dr. King, let us make this our generation's cause. It won't be an easy fight, but as he said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice."
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wow wow wow. just for having this segment you've gained a new viewer. educate please educate the public about this evil that is draining our country.
What hasn't been contracted to the private sector? Private prisons are big money makers and they have essentially bought inmates through judges they have bribed to hand out sentences rather than probation. Here's the most reprehensible example: A PA juvenile court judge, Mark Ciavarella, was sentenced to 28-years in a sentencing scandal called "Kids for Cash" where-in he took $1M from a corporation that ran to juvenile dentention centers to sentence to their facilities regardless of how minor the offense.
This is why they dont want obama to win so they can keep us in they money trap
Dylan Ratigan show one of my favorites on MSNBC.. I watch this channel 24/7.. its on my TV.. Love all the NEWS.. and how they keep you updated!!..
Who needs places like super max? I think it's cruel and heartless the way we treat them. If someone is truly so dangerous that they must be locked up 23 out of 24 hours a day in solitary, do them and the tax payer a big favor and let them rest in peace.
I do beleive your math on racism.The cops are the drug dealers now,that bring in millions of dollars to fund their illegal activities.I wonder how much pay prisoners get for manufacture and assemble all these products for communist corperate america? (24 cents/hour?) That's at least a million jobs for law-abiders, maybe billions lost for our economy.When these prisoners are release they must sign, in what I call Slavery papers to work as sub-cops. (I call them slave-cops) And they must answer the cell-phone and do what their told at once,or forfeit their parole. the cops run these people down ragget (over work)
Well for one when did Russell Simmons become my Black Leader..hell I can barely afford the clothe he makes..In fact his clothe is priced for the 1% sold in Black Store but at a DRUG DEALERS PRICE..Does Mr. Simmons know the math on how many crimes have been commited in an attempt to afford his high priced items..that are not priced for the poor and broke..they Priced at the high end for shirts, pants, shoes and hats. It is really funny my the Black community been siffering for years and now wealthy Blacks folk come out to talk about the plight of the poor...Watched AFTER THE ELECTION this issue will just go away and Blacks like Russell will go back to their way of life...
I love and respect Mr. Simmons but I can not call him a BLACK LEADER.. He was a music producer and then a fashion designer..oh he start Def jam comedy other than how does that make him a Leader..why do WHITE PEOPLE pick my Black Leaders because I didn't vote for him, Al Sharpton, Jesse jackson, or Obama...During this MLK jr. Day lets talk fact..Mr. King improved Blacks access to education, improved Blacks position in the work place, he tried to improve our community and our character as a people.. and Lets look at it now since he died and my "So Called Black Leaders" have done..education for Blacks suck and drop out rate is embarrassing, Blacks in the work place that is fine except when Blacks move up in status they few Blacks as a non black would..they come up with solutions absent of understanding the complex issues of black people.
It takes more than to just get up on some TV news show and talk about racism in drug laws..it something different to use all your resources to educate blacks about the full dangers of drugs..Russell Does not speak out and say one word about all the Drug Dealing going on in Hip-Hop..yes I am Black, I am 37yrs old, I listen to rap every day so I think I can say what I am saying..Damn near every artist talks about getting their "Grind On" and "Hustlin"killing a fool over my money and my dope..etc. wouldn't that play a really big part with our drug problems in the HOOD. I didn't try weed until Dr. Dre "The Chronic" came out then snoop, now it is all rappers just about. When do my Brotha Mr. Simmon expect to speak out against that. He didn't fight for POSITIVE BLACK RAP in the late 80's and early 90's..and now look at our music...It does influnce the black community..the way we dress, and talk, and treat eachother, I love you Russell but if the lord bless me with the wealth you have..I would be an angel in people's life..But Sir if you are considered to be one of my Black Leaders can you please begin to do something that will actually change something..we have talked about these issues for over 20 years so when will there be action...Martin Luther King jr. was a man of action..he didn't just go on TV and talked about the issues. He stayed where the help was needed most..he marched and he spoke to his people. All I see is my Black Community going to hell while My "Black Leaders" sit around the pundit table talking about Black Issues with white people.. no offense Dylan Ratigan and after all this there is stillthe hispanic communities that need the same help..certain rural communties need the same help....STOP ALL THE TALKING AND LETS START SOME REAL ACTION....
You know the difference betweenMLK jr. and Russell Simmon, Al Sharpton and other Black leaders? With all this Wall Street Greed and unfairness..Do you know what Martin Luther King jr. would of told the OWS movement.."To Boycott the establishment" when Blacks started Boycotting during the civil rights movement and those buinesses felt the pintch in their pockets change was made...Now what would happen is there was a boycott..maybe Russell would lose money due to some of the stores his clothe is in...You would think they would have study King's tactics so that when a movement of social injustice arises once again they would know how to combat it..but sadly that is not the case.
I wish I had another Black Leader like Martin Luther King just like the Repiblican party wishes for another Regan....
Happy Birthday Martin Luther King jr. Your Presence is Greatly Missed!!!
I applaud this segment and wish more like this would be on the network. We see all the politics and related stories only get a snip-it.
I AM white but the political correctness so disrespected on FOX news loaded with racial subtext and the totally respected on MSNBC is rarely an honest conversation including the founding documents and founders mind set.
This country and government was NOT founded or built on the principal of a populist that had any real control or a belief in god. It contained facades to keep the masses controlled. The scam of the 3 branches. Judicial (who had any experience with legal maters in late 1700s? The whit elite) The Senate (appointed by WHO? White Governors). the House elected by common folk except they had to cone in from their farms on a certain day so who voted? All slave owners got 1 vote for every 5 slaves plus there own.
This country was built, maintained and served by the servant class (owned slaves, indentured servants, cheep migrant labor, child labor, genocide and the list goes on)
There is little change!!