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| Groups Show Concern on Anti-Drug Bid |
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Posted by FoM on September 06, 2001 at 17:26:32 PT By Jennifer Hoyt, Associated Press Writer Source: Associated Press 
A coalition of civil rights and health groups expressed concern Thursday that President Bush's choice to lead the nation's fight against drugs would sacrifice prevention and rehabilitation programs in favor of punishing users. The Coalition for Compassionate Leadership on Drug Policy also criticized John Walters for denying that young black men are disproportionately jailed on drug charges and for opposing reforms to mandatory minimum sentencing requirements. The coalition does not endorse or oppose nominees, but individual members spoke harshly about Walters, promising serious opposition if he does not soften his views. "It's truly disturbing to have our nation's nominee for the top drug policy spot be a throwback to a more intolerant and reactionary way of thinking," said Vincent Schiraldi of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice. White House spokeswoman Anne Womack defended Walters as a "respected and experienced leader in drug policy" who would oversee a balanced drug control program. "The White House is committed to a balanced approach toward the problem of drug abuse in the United States, with emphasis both on demand reduction and prevention," she said. Hilary Shelton, director of the Washington bureau of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said the groups have taken their concerns to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "I believe you'll see many more of the organizations that are members of the coalition taking stronger positions" after Walters' confirmation hearing before the Judiciary Committee next Tuesday, Shelton said. Several organizations, including the Justice Policy Institute, are sending a letter asking senators to vote against Walters' nomination. The letter says, "His views on race and crime make him unfit for a position that requires sensitivity to racial fairness." "If the prototypical drug prisoner in America were a white, middle-class kid from the suburbs, Mr. Walters would be calling for a national state of emergency to be declared," said Schiraldi. "I'm not really waiting to hear the song and dance in front of the Senate." David Carle, spokesman for Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said he was "not aware of any senator on the committee who has made up his or her mind about the nomination yet." Walters, a protege of former drug policy director William Bennett, has been called a hard-liner in the drug fight, favoring tough law enforcement measures and being skeptical of treatment programs and other efforts to reduce demand. On the Net: Senate Judiciary Committee: http://judiciary.senate.gov/ Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice: http://www.cjcj.org Coalition for Compassionate Leadership on Drug Policy: http://www.ccldp.org Newshawk: Nicholas Thimmesch II Related Articles: A Debatable War on Drugs A Quagmire for Our Time - American Prospect Bush Nominates Drug-Policy Chief Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #3 posted by FoM on September 06, 2001 at 19:03:10 PT |
| It sounds good but when they don't want to deal with it thaey say I'm for more studies. We have plenty of studies. That's what I think. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by Imprint on September 06, 2001 at 18:47:01 PT |
| This is a little off topic with the above article but below is the response I received from Congressmen Mike Honda here in San Jose, CA. Any opinions on how I should answer this guy? Is it me or does the third paragraph read strange? I’m not totally sure he is for or against medical marijuana. It seems like he is sees the benefits but doesn’t have any plans to do anything about it. <> Dear John: Thank you for contacting me regarding the medical uses of marijuana. I respect the opinions of my constituents and always appreciate hearing your concerns. There are two federal agencies that control the use of drugs in our country. These are the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The FDA manages the research that ensures that a drug to be used in the United States is safe and effective. The policies outline standards for testing the efficiency of a drug, administering a drug, and constituting an unsafe drug. The DEA is responsible for enforcing drug laws. Generally speaking, these agencies I support sound, sensible policies concerning marijuana. From what I currently know, it appears that the benefits patients receive from the medical use or marijuana outweigh the adverse consequences from broader use. While I am supportive of the medical uses of marijuana, I do believe Once again, thank you for contacting me on this important and timely issue. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by Rock-N-Roller on September 06, 2001 at 18:00:14 PT |
| Get up, Stand up, Stand up for your right. In order to bring more media attention to this tragedy we need to make a lot of noise. We need the likes of Gary Johnson, Jessie Ventura, and Normal to attend the funerals and deliver the eulogies. We need to have thousands of people, attend the services, just like the police and firemen do. If this could happen the media cannot completley ignore this. If we get more media attention it can possibly help to educate the ones who need it. E-Mail Gary Johnson's office, and Normal, lets try to get them there. This will show to the nation and the families of those who died, that the efforts of these modern day patriots will not be in vain. To sit and do nothing is what the opposition would like to see. They would love to just see it go away. I will make several posts of this comment. Do not be angry or surprised if you see this again. I will post it in other places to get more attention. I like the idea of the movie thing that people are talking about. E-Mail Hollywood also. Get up, Stand up, Stand up for your right. [ Post Comment ] |
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