Cronkite Slams Drug War!

**Mystic Power** · Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2004 11:59 am Post subject: Cronkite Slams Drug War!

From CCNEWZ:

TOP US BROADCASTER SLAMS WAR ON DRUGS

"The war against drugs is a failure and needs reform", former CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite writes in his syndicated column. He argues that the anti-drug crusade is targeting the wrong people, costing billions and devastating families. In his column Cronkite charges, "Much of the nation, in one way or another, is victimized by this failure - including, most notably, the innocents, whose exposure to drugs is greater than ever." Instead of concentrating on drug kingpins, America's drug laws are wrecking families by imprisoning small offenders, often for lengthy sentences dictated by mandatory sentence laws, Cronkite writes. He cites figures compiled by Drug Policy Alliance, an organization that says it is fighting to inject sanity into anti-drug policies and help those "caught in the terrible web of addiction."

Among the group's findings:

More than 500,000 people are imprisoned, most for minor offenses such as possession of small amounts of marijuana and at the staggering cost of more than $10 billion annually. Moreover, federal, state and local drugcontrol budgets last year came to almost $40 billion.

Included among the prisoners jailed for minor offenses are thousands of women, many with young children left without motherly care.

About 80 percent of female inmates are serving time for drug offenses, and women with the least culpability often get the harshest sentences.

College students caught in possession of very small amounts of illegal substances are denied student loans.

Non-violent first offenders, male and female, caught with only small amounts of an illegal drug frequently are given prison sentences of five to 10 years or more, sometimes getting sentences greater that those given to convicted drug lords.

Cronkite cites the shocking case of Californian Kimba Smith, "who probably knew a few things but was so terrified of her abusive boyfriend that she refused to testify against him." She got a 24-year sentence.

http://www.ccnewz.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow Your Bliss
Ben
_________________
"We are the Ones we have been waiting for."
~Hopi Elder ~

"In Lak'ech"
~ Ancient Mayan: "I am another YOU." ~

Pepper · Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:29 pm Post subject:

Great article from a respected man! They are also rotating an Amsterdam THC Ministry banner, wow that's excellent. Very Happy

_________________
We will succeed unless we quit.

**Mystic Power** · Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2004 5:10 pm Post subject:

indicaspice · Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 12:05 am Post subject:

Wonder how long it will take for him to get his knuckles rapped over that? It's wonderful that they are doing this but don't think for one minute those that call the shots will let them get away with it for any lenght of time.
_________________

What worries you masters you.

Haddon W. Robinson

**Fyrefly1** · Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 12:49 am Post subject:

Well, he's now a very old man and been retired for a number of years so he can actually play the age card and probably get away with it.
_________________
Fyrefly1
"All truth passes through three stages: first it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third it is accepted as self-evident."
Arthur Schopenhauer, 19th Century Philosopher

**Mystic Power** · Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 9:17 am Post subject:

80%+ of major media in the U.S. are owned by about 6 corporations, so actually, it's really remarkable when some truth makes it through the barriers...but it does happen from time to time and I rejoice in it when it does.

And it happens with greater frequency, which is encouraging.

ABC Primetime has, twice, done a very truthful expose of the bogus drug war.

NBC Dateline did a very sympathetic piece on Ed Rosenthal. It was powerful.

Montel just devoted an entire show to the Medicinal Cannabis issue. It was very good, and Montel's audience are just the folks who need to hear it.

MSNBC's Dan Abrams just endorsed the Alaska Cannabis Legalization choice on the Nov 2 ballot.

Jay Leno just mentioned the U.S. Marijuana Party in his monologue last week.

All of this would have been unheard of even 10 years ago. Take heart.

We have love and truth. The drug warriors have a fantastic budget, but their entire agenda is based on lies.

Support for the Viet Nam war did not begin to wane until TV cameras showed the body bags and everyone in America knew someone who'd lost a loved one...

Now, we're in a time when everyone knows someone who has been harmed by the drug war.

Every day, our side gains strength. Every day, their side loses support.

Every stride forward we make, as cannabists, can be seen as simultaneously ahead of it's time, yet, long over-due.

These THC Ministries are growing and we are becoming a much needed voice for spiritual cannabists.

We have each other, and THC Ministers are travelling and meeting one another. We are a ministry and we are, also, an extended family and, together, we shall do great things.

Follow Your Bliss,
Ben
_________________
"We are the Ones we have been waiting for."
~Hopi Elder ~

"In Lak'ech"
~ Ancient Mayan: "I am another YOU." ~

Rev. Chazman · Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 9:50 am Post subject:

Great news. A lot of people still listen to this man. Its good to see this happen. Glad you posted this.

Peace
_________________
I praise good thoughts, good words, and good deeds and those that are to be thought, spoken, and done. I do accept all good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. I do renounce all evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds. ---Avesta: Yasna
---------------------------------------------------
Future Servant of Cannatopia ©2004 - ∞ Rev. Chazman all rights reserved

jethro · Cannabis Sacrament Minister Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 44

Yeah, I am alot more fearful of the homeland FBI, DEA terrorists, than some skinny, uneducated man with an AK47 thousands of miles away. Rolling Eyes

go Walt go...............