Monthly Archives: March 2017

John Wayne: Stalin’s Target – The Liberty Conservative

Posted: March 17, 2017 at 7:51 am

Asked once toward the end of his life about what he was proudest of, liberal activist and actor Paul Newman cited his appearance on Nixons enemies list. The flip side to this occurred with conservative actor John Wayne making it onto Stalins enemies list, with much more lethal consequences than anything Nixon had at his disposal.

According to those close to Wayne, Stalin ordered Wayne liquidated after learning of the outspoken conservative actors popularity and anticommunist beliefs from a Russian film-maker who visited New York in 1949.

Wayne was informed of these plots by the FBI in the early 1950s. Told by the Bureau that KGB assassins were in Hollywood tasked by Stalin with killing him, Wayne, true to cinematic form, informed the FBI to let him handle it.

According to his screen writer Jimmy Grant, Wayne plotted to capture the assassins and stage a mock-execution on the beach to scare them. Rumors held that this did not take place and that the would-be assassins were turned by the FBI.

More plots were hatched, and Wayne continued to shun FBI protection. Instead, he ran his own intelligence unit composed of his stuntmen who worked undercover in communist groups to learn of Soviet plots to kill the actor.

After a failed attempt while Wayne was on location in Mexico in 1953, Nikita Kruschev, who became Soviet premiere after Stalins death, canceled the operations.

Other communist dictators, however, took up Stalins baton. Wayne told a journalist that Chinese communist dictator Mao Tse Tung put a bounty on him and that an enemy sniper tried to earn it by trying to kill the actor on Waynes visit to American troops in Vietnam.

Wayne earned Stalins wrath, both on-screen and in real life. In Big Jim McClain (1951), Wayne busted up an anticommunist cell intent on releasing germ warfare into the United States, and championed Americas melting pot as the best defense against a communist invasion; by contrast, it was the communist spies who were racist (Wayne decked one of them for using a racial slur against blacks).

In Hollywood, Wayne took it upon himself to fight industry communists who were engaging in their own blacklist against anticommunist screenwriters. A chairman of the Hollywood anticommunist group, The Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals, Wayne helped expose industry Stalinists.

Wayne fervently supported U.S efforts in Korea and Vietnam, advocating with the latter, the bombing of Hanoi.

As with Newman, whose anti-Vietnam activism brought him to theattention of the paranoid Richard Nixon, Wayne also not only earned the wrath of Stalin but when the time came to deal with it, he wanted to fight them on his own.

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Eyes and minds opened by SIUE Student Government’s Tunnel of Oppression – RiverBender.com

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EDWARDSVILLE - Eyes and minds were opened as Southern Illinois University Edwardsville community members walked through Student Governments Tunnel of Oppression on Tuesday, March 14. The maze of impactful experiences demonstrated issues people face at home and globally.

More than 400 people walked through the Tunnel of Oppression, which included topics encompassing immigration, same-sex marriage, womens rights, mental health, international injustices and more.

These topics are relevant and these things actually happen to our students, said Carmen Connors, a senior in the SIUE School of Business and external affairs officer for Student Government. Right as you enter the tunnel you have three screens that feature testimonials from different students who have been affected by topics that people will then go and experience throughout the tunnel.

Sometimes you get caught up in your school work, graduating and getting a job, and you kind of forget whats going on in the real world when it comes to diversity and inclusion, and for certain groups that are oppressed, added Taylor Bodine, a senior in the School of Business and marketing and communications officer for Student Government. Even if you may not fall into any of those categories, its important to educate yourself.

The goal of the event was to raise awareness of these important topics, and allow individuals to walk in another persons shoes to gain a greater understanding of actions they can take to help and be inspired to do a greater good for the people around them.

There are a lot of people in the world going through things that I cant even imagine, but Ive experienced a little bit of that today, said Ricky Rush, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, after walking through the tunnel. I realize that for some people its not easy to let strangers know their experiences, so this was a way for me to show my support and hear their stories, and hopefully that will make me a better person in the long run.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose to shape a changing world. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi Rivers rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of more than 14,000.

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The Hijab’s Progression To Symbol Of Political Oppression – Forbes

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Forbes
The Hijab's Progression To Symbol Of Political Oppression
Forbes
Now, hijab was a symbol of government oppression and tyranny. Unfortunately, this is how the people of Iran are likely to see it today. The Iranian population is comprised largely of young people under the age of 35, a very progressive, pro-Western ...

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Talk of poverty’s oppression, hope dominates as Tulsans address Congressional hearing – Tulsa World

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Invoking chapter 58 of the Book of Isaiah, Don Millican spoke Thursday to a congressional committee on behalf of the George Kaiser Family Foundation on the importance of funding early childhood programs, particularly those targeted to low-income families.

It tells me all of my religious practices are worthless if I do not break the yoke of oppression. In my opinion, there is no greater yoke of oppression than that laid upon a child born in generational poverty a child who did not choose the circumstances of his or her birth, said Millican, chief financial officer of Kaiser-Francis Oil Co. and board member for Tulsa Educare.

Tulsa represented two of the four positions on the panel before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, which is led by Rep. Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma. The subcommittee is responsible for making decisions on allocations to its designated agencies.

Also featured were Steven Dow, executive director of the Community Action Project of Tulsa, which administers the local federal Head Start grant; actress Jennifer Garner, representing Save the Children; and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, professor of child development and education at Columbia University.

Cole excused himself after about 30 minutes in order to attend a meeting of the appropriations committee. When making introductions of the panelists, Cole referred to Millican and Dow as friends of his.

I sort of packed the panel a little, but I knew youd like these people, Cole told the committee members.

In Millicans remarks, he described how Oklahoma developed a program of grants for high-quality child-care centers in which the state chipped in $10 million matched by $15 million in private donations.

We believe this committee should consider a similar structure for federal grants, he said. The value of public-private partnerships is somewhat obvious as government dollars are stretched further through private philanthropy, but we further believe these partnerships add an element of local accountability as donors expect a return on their philanthropic investment and the reporting to prove it.

As a businessman, I also understand there are times we must do more with less.

Millican recommended strengthening the re-compete process for Head Start grants and encouraging more federal dollars go to programs serving children age infant to 3.

Its always hard re-allocating funds, Millican said. By being good stewards of these resources, it means requiring poor agencies to lose funds and strong agencies to gain, and these re-allocations should happen even across state borders. We owe this to the children and to the taxpayers to remove poor performers and reward excellence.

Garner, known for her roles on TV shows such as Alias and in films including The Dallas Buyers Club and 13 Going on 30, is a trustee for Save the Children. She also makes home visits on behalf of the program to speak for those in poverty.

Also, her mother grew up on a farm in Locust Grove as one of 10 children before going to college and moving with her husband to West Virginia, where Garner was raised. She describes herself as one generation and one holler away from poverty, and knew many friends facing hardships while growing up.

I couldnt stand up for them back then, but I can stand up for them now, Garner testified. Poverty is silent. Go into those homes and listen for the sounds of adult conversation. There is none. Listen for children laughing or crying. Poverty is silent.

Garner said federal grants used by Save the Children allow for home visits to teach mothers how to connect with their babies and toddlers. While it may seem instinctual or common sense for a parent to read, talk, laugh or play with a child, some parents deprived of those basic comforts as children never learn how to pass them on.

A child who is not touched, spoken to or read to in his or her life will not fully recover. Neglect is every bit as harmful as abuse, Garner said. I never look at these people and say How could you. I say, But there but for the grace of God go I. We can intervene in these childrens lives to make a difference.

Dow outlined lessons learned through Tulsas development as a national model for early childhood programs. Those include hiring and retaining teachers by paying the same as local public schools, partnering with existing state and local programs to leverage federal resources, having strong kindergarten and early elementary programs to build on the foundation and offering social programs to meet family needs of housing and nutrition.

He stressed there is no silver bullet for intervening in poverty and that all the elements including the role of the federal government play together for the best results.

With more federal funding, we can help stimulate state, local and private investment to help millions of children and families to reach their full potential, Dow said.

Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Michigan asked about the concern of losing religious liberty in raising children when government offers early childhood programs, saying some people argue government is the oppressor playing off Millicans opening statement. A panelist noted the federal child care development block grant can go to faith-based groups.

Millican said Oklahoma had no counties in the last presidential election that voted for the Democratic candidate.

We are a very conservative state. We are a very religious-focused state, and this kind of early childhood emphasis is done in Oklahoma, Millican said. There is recognition that these children who are in poverty are not going to have a lot of options. They really dont have the religious kind of preschool options to have the kind of training they need to have the social, emotional language skills they require to have a chance in life. This kind of focus is not for the broad population in Oklahoma. This is for a specific need ... In this case, its poverty that is the oppressor.

Several committee members mentioned the budget recommendation released by President Donald Trump earlier this week included an 18 percent cut to Health and Human Services programs, referring to it as heart-breaking and budget dust.

It is Congress who puts together the budget. We are the ones who decide through hearings and so forth and testimony on whether programs are actually being successful or not, said Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, who was filling in for Cole.

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Kenyans are still oppressed by archaic colonial laws | News24 – News24

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Some Kenyan laws still in use were designed by colonialists to control the people. Shutterstock Mercy Muendo, Mount Kenya University

Its been 54 years since Kenya got her independence and yet there are still a number of archaic, colonial and discriminatory laws on the statute books. From archival research I have done its clear that these laws are used to exploit, frustrate and intimidate Kenyans by restricting their right to movement, association and the use of private property.

They also make it difficult for ordinary Kenyans to make a living by imposing steep permit fees on informal businesses.

These laws were inherited from the colonial British government and used to be within the purview of local government municipalities under the Local Government Act. This act was repealed when municipalities were replaced by counties after the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution.

Currently, these laws are contained in county rules and regulations, criminalising a good number of activities, including making any kind of noise on the streets, committing acts contrary to public decency, washing, repairing or dismantling any vehicle in non-designated areas (unless in an emergency) and loitering aimlessly at night.

The colonial laws served a central purpose segregation. Africans and Asians could be prosecuted for doing anything that the white settlers deemed to be a breach of public order, public health or security.

Many of these archaic laws also restrict citizens use of shared or public space. Some of them grant the police powers to arrest offenders without warrant, and to prosecute them under the Penal Code.

Offences like the ones mentioned above are classified as petty crimes that can attract fines and prison terms.

Some have argued that these laws are being abused because they restrict freedom of movement and the right to a fair hearing.

A few of them also hinder the growth of the economy. For example, hawking without a permit is against the law. To get a permit, traders must pay steep fees to various government authorities. This requirement is a deterrent to trade and infringes on the social economic rights of citizens.

Another example is the law that makes it a crime to loiter at night. This law was initially put on the books to deter people from soliciting for sexual favours, or visiting unlicensed establishments. It has however become a means for state agents to harass anyone walking on the streets at night.

The laws can be traced back to legal ordinances that were passed by the colonial government between 1923 and 1934.

The 1925 Vagrancy (Amendment) Ordinance restricted movement of Africans after 6pm, especially if they did not have a registered address.

Post-independence, the ordinance became the Vagrancy Act, which was repealed in 1997. The Vagrancy Act inspired the Public Order Act, which restricts movement of Africans during the day, but only in the special circumstances that are outlined in the Public Security (Control of Movement) Regulations.

The Witchcraft Ordinance of 1925, which formed the basis for the Witchcraft Act, outlawed any practices that were deemed uncivilised by colonial standards. The provisions of the Act are ambiguous and a clear definition of witchcraft is not given. This has made it easy for authorities to prosecute a wide range of cultural practices under the banner of witchcraft.

The idea behind most of the targeted legislation enacted by the colonialists was to separate whites from people of other races, including Asians. For example, in 1929 settlers in the white suburbs of Muthaiga in Nairobi raised an objection when the Governor announced plans to merge their suburban township with greater Nairobi.

That would have meant that they would have had to mingle with locals from Eastleigh and other native townships, which were mostly black. As a caveat to joining the greater Nairobi Township, the Muthaiga Township committee developed standard rules and regulations to govern small townships.

These rules and regulations were applied to other administrative townships such as Mombasa and Eldoret.

White townships would only join larger municipalities if the Muthaiga rules applied across the board.

The Muthaiga rules allowed white townships to control and police public space, which was a clever way to restrict the presence and movement of Asians and Africans in the suburbs.

Variations of these rules remain on the books to date. The current Nairobi county rules and regulations require residents to pay different rates to the county administration depending on their location.

In addition, the county rules demand that dog owners must be licensed, a requirement that limits the number of city dwellers who can own dogs. This rule can be read as discriminatory because the vast majority of lower-income earners now find themselves unable to keep a dog in the city. Indeed, discrimination was the basis of the colonial legal framework.

Strictly speaking, these discriminatory rules and regulations were unlawful because they were not grounded in statutory or common law. Indeed, they were quasi-criminal and would have been unacceptable in Great Britain.

Ironically, because such rules and regulations didnt exist in Great Britain, criminal charges could not be brought against white settlers for enforcing them.

To curtail freedom of movement and enjoyment of public space by non-whites the settlers created categories of persons known as vagrants, vagabonds, barbarians, savages and Asians.

These were the persons targeted by the loitering, noisemaking, defilement of public space, defacing of property, and anti-hawking laws. The penalty for these offences was imprisonment.

Anyone found loitering, anyone who was homeless or found in the wrong abode, making noise on the wrong streets, sleeping in public or hawking superstitious material or paraphernalia would be detained after trial.

Police had the powers to arrest and detain offenders in a concentration camp, detention or rehabilitation centre, or prison without a warrant.

This is the same legal framework that was inherited by the independence government and the very same one that has been passed down to the county governments.

The Public Order Act allows police powers to arrest without warrant anyone found in a public gathering, meeting or procession which is likely to breach the peace or cause public disorder. This is the current position under sections 5 and 8 of the Act.

This law, which was used by the colonial government to deter or disband uprisings or rebellions, has been regularly abused in independent Kenya.

At the end of the day Kenyans must ask themselves why successive governments have allowed the oppression of citizens to continue by allowing colonial laws to remain on the books.

Mercy Muendo, Lecturer, Information Technology and the Law, Mount Kenya University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

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Urban Dictionary: war on drugs

Posted: at 7:50 am

A century-long attempt by the American government to suppress the recreational use of narcotics, based for the bulk of its history upon racial prejudice. The first major piece of federal legislation (the Harrison Act) was passed in 1914, chiefly justified by a fear of east-asian opium. In the subsequent years, marijuana became the primary focus of drug warriors as its use was increasingly associated with Mexican immigrants and the (black-dominated) jazz scene. Correlating drug use with inner-city crime, Richard Nixon (and later Ronald Reagan) explicitly declared war on drug use in the US, and allocated massive spending increases to the associated federal bureaus. While the rhetoric used by George Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush was less harsh, no effort has been made in the past twenty years to rein in federal spending on the drug war; over that span the media spotlight was shifted from inner-city crack abuse to inner-city heroin abuse to youth ecstasy use to rural methamphetamine use in the hopes of maintaining hysteria.

The war on drugs has focused primarily upon two weakly-related goals: the reduction of domestic demand for drugs based upon punitive measures (that is, jail time) and the reduction of foreign supply through crop eradication and the interception of drug shipments (the end goal being to raise US prices by lowering supply). As is borne out by the US government's own data, both strategies are crippled by deep logical flaws.

The first flaw concerns the economics of black markets: rendering a product illegal does little to raise the cost of its production, but does much to raise its price. Profits soar, creating a massive incentive for new players to enter the business at all levels. Because drugs are cheap and easy to produce, farmers in poor areas can make better money and grow larger crops than they can with fruits and vegetables. Because drugs are cheap and easy to sell, dealers in poor areas can make more than they can working a minimum wage job. The profitability of the drug trade poses another problem as well: any time a major figure is arrested or killed, another person, or worse, several persons, are available to replace them, doing nothing to stem the trade but increasing its violence.

The second flaw is inherent to the logic of the drug warriors' attempts to restrict supply: In an ordinary market, prices vary consistently with supply, but the illegality of drugs creates a price floor: At high levels of supply prices are artificially held high by the mere fact that drugs are illegal. Until a certain threshold of drug interception is reached (roughly 70-80% of incoming shipments) prices will be more or less constant. The US currently estimates it finds 10% of the drugs entering the country.

The drug war does nothing to prevent addiction or lower prices: the National Survey on Drug Use and Health has shown an increase in addiction rates over the past thirty years, and a sharp drop in prices. The only success, such as it is, has been a drop in the casual (infrequent and non-dangerous) use of marijuana.

There are of course many disastrous social consequences to the War on Drugs, but they are too many and too depressing to discuss here.

"We do know this, that more people die every year as a result of the war against drugs than die from what we call, generically, overdosing." - William F. Buckley, Jr.

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History’s 2017 Documentary Slate To Examine War On Drugs, Cool Cars, Immigration & Superheroes – Deadline

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History has given a greenlight to more than 100 hours of original, premium documentary limited series and specials to premiere in 2017, including programs examiningAmericas costly War on Drugs, immigration, cars, terrorism and the mythology of superheroes.

The initial slate of programming announced today by Jana Bennett, President and General Manager of History, focuses largely on significant moments and people who have impacted world and modern U.S. history.

Whether its a story from our distant past or a contemporary event that will shape our collective future, Historys robust new slate of documentary events will take viewers straight to the heart of epic events that shaped where we are and what we are today, said Bennett.The networks increased focus on documentary programming, collaborating with some of the best storytellers in the genre, along with our commitment to sustainable, premium non-fiction and scripted series, will continue to drive the ongoing success of the History brand.

The 100-plus hours of planned documentaries representsan increased investment in such programming to complement the networks non-fiction and scripted series strategy, History says.

Here is the initial line-up of Historys2017 doc slate announced today, along with the networks program descriptions:

Americas War on Drugs Americas War on Drugs has cost the nation $1 trillion, thousands of lives, and has not curbed the runaway profits of the international drug business. For the last 50 years, both the vilification and the celebration of recreational drugs has had incredible impact on our collective culture. This 8 hour mini-series will explore the strange revelations of the profit machine of the drug business, and the impact of the longest war in our nations history on our lives.

Americas War on Drugs is produced by Talos Films. Julian P. Hobbs, Elli Hakami and Anthony Lapp are Executive Producers for Talos. Michael Stiller is Executive Producer for History.

America: Journey of the Brave Every era begins with the human will to move. Between 1820, when proper record keeping began, and 2014, over 80 million people migrated to the US. During the Great Potato Famine, 1.5 million Irish departed for the shores of America. The Russian Empire saw 1.5 million Jews immigrate to the US from 1881-1914. In America: Journey of the Brave, Historyuncovers the great forces that set mankind in motion. Anchored by high-end graphics and based on research that pieces together the patterns of migration over 70,000 years, this two-part, four-hour special will emphasize the massive movements of people that have occurred since the Industrial Revolution.

America: Journey of the Brave is produced by Nutopia. Jane Root is Executive Producer for Nutopia. Michael Stiller is Executive Producer for History.

The Cars that Made America (working title) The epic stories of the iconic names behind the iconic cars that shaped America. The automobile steered America at every turn throughout modern history, but the world has not heard all the stories of those behind the wheel men like Henry Ford, Walter Chrysler, the Dodge Brothers, William Durant, Lee Iacocca and John DeLorean. In three two-hour installments, Historylooks under the hood to reveal the winners who rose to fame and fortune and the losers who crashed and burned on the race to glory. From the birth of the American engine at the turn of the 20th Century through the Muscle Car era of the 1970s, the automotive industrys shadowy legends are replete with titans and devils, genius and failure with one constant: the automobile has influenced us at every turn.

The Cars that Made Americais produced by Magilla Entertainment. Matthew Ostrom, Laura Palumbo Johnson and Jason Fox are Executive Producers for Magilla. Sean Boyle, Stephen Mintz and Russ McCarroll are Executive Producers forHistory.

Superheroes Decoded (working title) Superheroes Decoded reveals how the origin stories of our most iconic superheroes are the building blocks of a uniquely American mythology. This special 2-night, four-hour event is equal parts fan film and informed documentary, mixing clips from present-day blockbuster films with vintage comic book artwork and historical archival to tell the surprising story of the modern era through the lens of our fictional heroes. The program features heroes and villains from both Marvel and DC side by side, as well as commentary from creators, artists, filmmakers, famous fans, and the stars who bring these characters to life on TV and film. Well see how the rise of the superhero parallels Americas rise as a superpower in the 20th century, and how both stories continue to evolve into the future.

Superheroes Decoded is produced by Warrior Poets. Morgan Spurlock and Jeremy Chilnick are Executive Producers and Josh Mensch is Co-Executive Producer for Warrior Poets. Kristen Burns and Russ McCarroll are Executive Producers for History.

How the 90s Changed the World (working title) The fall of the Berlin Wall and the attack on the Twin Towers. A four-hour series of deep investigations explores the critical events that shaped the worldview of those who came of age during that time. Event by event, we see a generation impacted and influenced by an unprecedented era that straddled the end of a century and the beginning of an unimaginable new world. Ultimately, the series reveals the depths to which our near history directly shapes our present. Throughout the series, a chorus of extraordinary individuals born between the late 1960s and early 1980s contextualizes the times and provides a diverse, varied, and complete first person perspective on a generations journey through its formative years.

How the 90s Changed the World is produced RadicalMedia and directed by Paul Bozymowski. Dave Sirulnick, Jon Kamen and Justin Wilkes are Executive Producers for RadicalMedia. Zach Behr is Executive Producer for History.

Age of Terror (working title) September 12th, 2001 was the dawn of a new age: The Age of Terror. The U.S. entered into war with an elusive new enemy: terrorism. It is a war that has lasted sixteen long years, taken tens of thousands of lives, and shifted the global landscape. Despite the enormous efforts to thwart our enemies, today terror is more prevalent than ever. It casts a dark shadow of fear over everything we do. It is the backdrop of our lives. How did this happen? And are we trapped in a war without end? Age of Terror, in two two-hour installments, seeks to answer these questions and more. Probing the historical roots of the conflict, it reveals how this war evolved, and how weve fought back. It provides context on todays brand of terror, on how it has re-shaped our world, and what the future may bring.

Age of Terror is produced by Pulse Films. Fred Grinstein and Gretchen Eisele are Executive Producers for Pulse Films. Kristen Burns and Russ McCarroll are Executive Producers for History.

The programming announced today joins Frontiersmen, the previously announced 8-hour series about iconic pioneers such as Daniel Boone, Lewis & Clark, Tecumseh, Davy Crocket and Andrew Jackson from the post-revolutionary war colonies through the California Gold Rush. Frontiersmen is produced by Appian Way Productions and Stephen David Entertainment. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson, Michael Hampton and Phillip Watson are executive producers for Appian Way Productions. Stephen David is the executive producer for Stephen David Entertainment. Kristen Burns and Russ McCarroll are Executive Producers for History.

A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights for all of the above programs.

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Jeff Sessions ‘appears intent on taking us back to the 1980s’ and the ‘War on Drugs’ – AOL

Posted: at 7:50 am

Attorney General Jeff Sessions vowed on Wednesday to ramp up enforcement of drug crimes to combat what he says is a nationwide increase in violent crime, a move some experts say channels the "drug war" era of the 1980s.

Sessions delivered a speech to law enforcement officers in Richmond, Virginia, where he touted the effectiveness of Project Exile, a two-decade old program that enforced mandatory minimum sentences on felons caught carrying firearms.

"All of us who work in law enforcement want to keep people safe," Sessions said, according to prepared remarks. "That is the heart of our jobs; it is what drives us every day. So we are all disturbed to learn that violent crime is on the rise in America, especially in our cities."

RELATED: Marijuana laws by state

51 PHOTOS

Marijuana legalization laws by state

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Alabama: Medical use only, otherwise possession is a felony

(Photo: Dennis Macdonald via Getty Images)

Alaska: Marijuana legalized for medical and recreational use

(Photo: Zoonar/N.Okhitin via Getty Images)

Arizona: Marijuana legalized for medical use

(Photo:Mikel Ortega via Getty Images)

Arkansas:Medical use only

(Photo: Getty Images)

California: Legal for medical and recreational use

(Photo: Dorling Kindersleyvia Getty Images)

Colorado: Legalfor medical and recreational use

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Connecticut: Decriminalized andlegalized for medical use

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Delaware: Decriminalized

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Florida: Medical use only

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Georgia: Medical use only

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Hawaii: Medical use only

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Idaho: Not legal

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Illinois: Decriminalized

(Photo: VisionsofAmerica/Joe Sohm)

Indiana: Not legal

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Iowa: Medical use only

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Kansas: Not legal

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Kentucky: Not legal

(Photo: Dorling Kindersley via Getty Images)

Louisiana: Medical use only

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Maine: Legal for medical and recreational use

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Maryland: Decriminalized

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Massachusetts: Legal

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Michigan: Medical use only

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Minnesota: Decriminalized

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Mississippi: Decriminalized on first offense

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Missouri: Not legal

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Montana: Medical use only

(Photo:Dennis Macdonald via Getty Images)

Nebraska: Decriminalized on first offense only

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Nevada: Legal

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New Hampshire: Medical use only

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New Jersey: Medical use only

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New Mexico: Medical use only

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New York: Decriminalized unless in public view

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North Carolina: Decriminalized

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North Dakota: Medical use only

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Ohio: Decriminalized

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Oklahoma: Medical use only

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Oregon: Legal for medical and recreational use

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Pennsylvania: Medical use only

(Photo: Henryk Sadura via Getty Images)

Rhode Island: Decriminalized

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South Carolina: Not legal

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South Dakota: Not legal

(Photo:Dave and Les Jacobs via Getty Images)

Tennessee:Medical use only

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Texas: Medical use only, decriminalized in Houston and Dallas

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Utah: Not legal

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Vermont: Decriminalized

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Virginia: Not legal

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Washington: Legal for medical and recreational use

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Jeff Sessions 'appears intent on taking us back to the 1980s' and the 'War on Drugs' - AOL

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The war on drugs is a horrible metaphor for a nation’s response to … – The Hill (blog)

Posted: at 7:50 am

A one-time hawk in the war on drugs of 20 years ago, I am now a conscientious objector and believe its time to drop the old trappings of war language and metaphor for federal policy and response that strategically embraces new information; the disease model of addiction; and the smart data that tells us incarceration doesnt save money; solve health problems; not stem loss of life, potential and community.

In my one claim to celebrity fame, I was listed among the hawks in a 1997 Rolling Stone article of Whos Who in the War on Drugs. At the time, I was the founding president of Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) and a principal architect of then new legislation known as the Drug-Free Communities Act (DFCA), introduced by Rep. Rob PortmanRob PortmanThe war on drugs is a horrible metaphor for a nations response to addiction Trump trade nominee says he supports 'America first' policy Overnight Finance: Budget ref caught in ObamaCare crossfire | Treasury chief urges Congress to raise debt limit | McConnell says tax reform unlikely by August MORE and Rep. Sander Levin.

We had a public-health problem, and many prevention- and law-enforcement advocates were seeking criminal justice solutions. That made no sense to me, and there was a clear need to fully fund research on marijuana to get the facts.

I was a strong advocate for prevention and treatment and lobbied hard to protect the Safe and Drug-Free Schools education initiatives to keep kids off drugs, a Nancy Reagan funding legacy. In the 1990s, public and private funds were spent to build community anti-drug coalitions and public-service advertising, conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and Drug Free Schools.

This three-legged stool was the main strategy promoted by the Clinton administration under the leadership of Drug Czars Lee Brown and Gen. Barry McCaffrey.

Brown led the campaign to increase funding for treatment of the hard-core drug-user. This focus on treatment, often through Drug Courts, resulted in a dramatic decrease in crime. The Clinton Administrations crime bill created the Office of Community-Oriented Policing and put 100,000 officers on the streets.

By 1999, gun crime was down by 40 percent; overall crime dropped eight years in a row; and the murder rate had dropped 38 percent. Since 1993the rateof violent crime has declined from 79.8 to 23.2victimizationsper 1,000 people.

We look back on that time with some nostalgia. Things appeared to be working, but lost in those favorable crime-rate headlines was the incarceration trend that would cost this country billions of dollars and millions of ruined lives.

In 1992, we incarcerated nearly 900,000 people in state and federal prisons. In 2016, that number had risen to 2.2 million imprisoned, with a total of 6.7 million under court supervision. The United States incarcerates 716 out of every 100,000 people. This year, we will spend $80 billion on incarceration, but those numbers still fail to account for the lost potential and far-reaching social, economic and personal consequences on individuals, families and communities.

While our intentions may have been noble, the outcome was anything but noble. During the George W. Bush and Barack ObamaBarack ObamaUK spy agency denies 'ridiculous' wiretap claim Dem senator: Trump has lost credibility over wiretap claims Obama reportedly spending a month in French Polynesia MORE administrations, the country focused more on treatment and treatment-alternatives to incarceration.

Our thinking about best approaches to substance use and addiction has evolved from an increased awareness about the disease component of addiction and from communities looking for more redemptive approaches to drug use.

It would appear we are about to declare another war on drugs. Attorney General Jeff SessionsJeff SessionsTHE MEMO: GOP breaks from Trump in 'wiretap' furor Overnight Finance: Inside Trump's first budget | Reaction from Congress | Budget panel advances ObamaCare repeal | Debt ceiling returns Overnight Cybersecurity: Trump standing by wiretapping claim | Cyber gets boost in Trump budget | Bad bots on the rise | McDonald's Twitter hack MORE wants to enforce federal marijuana laws and increase enforcement efforts on drug-trafficking. I get the trafficking strategy, but incarceration for marijuana possession and use ignores decades of informed data.

The war on drugs is a horrible metaphor for a nations response to addiction. It has been a war on our own people and our neighborhoods. We have warehoused those afflicted with the disease of addiction in a false detente pivoting on out-of-sight-out-of-mind.

In 1997, we were all trapped by the war on drugs metaphor. Drug use and dependence is a health issue and requires a health response. Health providers are non-combatants, and the impulse to lock people up is a reversal that will continue to cost this country in lives, dollars and compassion.

James E. Copple facilitated President Obamas Task Force on 21st Century Policing and is the Founding President of Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America. He is currently the Principal of Strategic Applications International an international consulting firm working in substance abuse, HIV/AIDS prevention and police reform.

The views of contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.

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Culpable violation of the constitution – VICE News

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An opposition lawmaker in the Philippines has filed an impeachment complaint against controversial President Rodrigo Duterte, accusing him of crimes ranging from abuse of power to running his own death squad when he was mayor of Davao. The president has dismissed the claims, as he looks to ramp up his deadly war on drugs and seeks to silence any dissident voices.

The complaint was filed by lower house representative Gary Alejano, who admitted it would be an uphill battle to impeach the president given support for him in both houses of parliament but said it would give the people of the Philippines a chance to voice their opinion on Duterte.

Alejano said Dutertes actions were a culpable violation of the constitution, engaging in bribery, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes. Responding to the complaint, a spokesman for Duterte said the representative was scraping the bottom of the barrel with this complaint. This isnt the first time Duterte has faced such damning allegations. International rights groups have said his policies and practices amount to human rights abuses.

Duterte has been accused by political opponents and human rights groups of running death squads during his time as mayor of Davao from 1988 to 1998. Last August a former hitman testified before a senate committee that he had been hired to kill alleged criminals and political opponents under Duterte mayorship of Davao.

The impeachment complaint was filed just over a week after Duterte restarted his deadly war on drugs. Dubbed Operation Double Barrel Dutertes aggressive and violent program targeting drug dealers and users was temporarily suspended in February after rogue police officers killed a South Korean businessman.The program hadclaimed the lives of at least 7,000 people since its launch in June 2016., according to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

On March 7, Duterte restarted the operation, with Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa promising the new campaign now called Operation Double Barrel: Reloaded will be less bloody if not bloodless, this time around.

As well as ignoring calls from the international community to stop his bloody campaign, Duterte has also sought to stamp out any opposition voices in his own country.

Last month one of the only politicians to vocally oppose the war on drugs was arrested on bribery charges. Leila de Lima, a senator who led the senates Justice and Human Rights Committee, faces allegations of taking bribes amounting to the equivalent of $100,000 from drug lords during her tenure as justice secretary. Duterte publicly said De Lima should hang herself.

The chances of Duterte suffering the same fate as South Korean President Park Geun-hye did last week are slim. He commands strong support in both houses of Parliament, and for the complaint to move forward, it would require the support of at least a third of the members of the lower chamber which is unlikely to happen. Last week a vote on the revival of the death penalty saw Dutertes block win a commanding victory by 217 to 54.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said: All I can say is, without necessarily associating myself with them in the matter of impeaching [Duterte], my simple message is good luck to them.

Despite Alejanos claim that his complaint would give the public a voice to oppose and fight against the abuses and crimes of the president, Duterte continues to enjoystrong support fromFilipino voters. An opinion poll carried out in December found that 8 out of 10 Filipinos were satisfied with Dutertes war on drugs.

Cover: (Reuters/Erik de Castro)

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