POLITICS, DRUGS AND RACE

Power and greed go together like hand and glove. People who become
rich do not stay rich unless they establish a foundation of power.
Those who gain power solidify that power through the lust for wealth.
There have been a few common folk come to the White House but none
have ever left without being wealthy and powerful. It goes together
because "He, who has the gold, makes the rules".

As the world evolved into one big theater, many nations, empires and
super tribes began to convert their power that was gained through
military prowess into a political format via vehicles of exploitation.
A violent nation or empire would control its conquered subjects via
front governments and psychological techniques.

The British were the first to find that by infecting a large
population with drug addiction you can control their very being. How
else could a nation the size of the British Isles control a mighty
China? The Brits imported opium into the populace of this extremely
large geography and, thus, maintained control of its economy. Politics
using drugs to control a targeted population turned out to be very
effective.

After World War II, the United States found itself in a very awesome
position. It had just led a victorious fight against two military
powers and became the "leader of the world". This was power beyond
belief and what was a nation less than 200 years old to do? Our
political apparatus found a vehicle. It created the Central
Intelligence Agency, CIA, to assist our new found military might and
influence throughout the world. This later got mixed up in internal
matters. As Black America decided to fight for equal rights and full
citizenship, the power structure saw this as a serious threat to a
nation controlled by those who saw White Supremacy as a state of
security and a means to maintain power (money).

It is no coincidence that shortly after the CIA was formed drugs were
imported into the streets of Black communities. This activity created
a power of its own. Through friends like the Mafia, as illustrated in
the movie "The Godfather", the political apparatus pointed drugs to
Black communities and any community bordering them. It was the same
format that the Brits used on China. The Geo Politic using the ills
and profits of drugs towards a distinct class of people that they
desired to manipulate. Oh, don't be naive. This is real!

This sick reality has manifested itself into something quite
overwhelming. There are two distinct divisions used in this social
political apparatus here in the United States. There is the Military
Industrial Complex and the Prison Industrial Complex. The Geo Politic
uses the Military Industrial Complex to import massive quantities of
drugs without fear of exposure or retribution.

This complex reaps much profit for the individuals involved and also
ensures that war, the mechanism for revenue, will continue here and
there throughout the world.

It was brilliantly documented in the recent film, American Gangster,
that the biggest purveyor of drug importation during the 1960's and
1970's (Vietnam War) was the CIA and the American military itself.
Wherever there is conflict involving the CIA and the military there
appears to be vast drug importation. A better example is Afghanistan.
When the Taliban controlled this nation opium farming was completely
wiped out. Not a gram of opium, i.e. heroin, was exported from this
nation.

Today, after we invaded the nation and ran the Taliban out, this
nation now exports over 80 percent of the world opium supply. It
becomes quite clear doesn't it? Who is getting the big profits? Let me
say this: Most of the big bucks are being laundered on Wall Street.

The other apparatus is the ever-growing Prison Industrial Complex. The
sick practice of importing drugs into Black communities and then
arresting and prosecuting its population has become seriously big - in
profits and damage. Today, half of all imprisoned people (nearly 1.5
million people -mostly Black) are there for involvement in nonviolent
drug activity. The Geo Politic brings it in through military and
intelligence agencies and then punishes those who were targeted for
its use and damage. This judicial system that slants punishment
towards Blacks; sets up slave labor through prison industries;
cripples the economy of these targeted communities; lessens their
liberties through criminal records and job opportunity reduction is
one big control mechanism using Politics, Drugs and Race as its modus
operandi.

How do we fight it? It can be simple if we can leverage what political
clout we have. Legalize drugs!! That would take the profit and vast
revenue out of it. That would also bring transparency into the game.
The Netherlands have legalized drugs and, to the surprise of all, this
nation has a drug addiction rate that is 60% less than that of the
United States and no one is in prison. Let's legalize drugs and upset
this wicked game.

Alford is the co-founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of
Commerce.