WHAT CHANGES DO YOU WANT TO SEE FROM THE 2004 ELECTIONS?

The African American community needs to get America's bad habit - "The War
on Drugs" - dropped like a hot potato!

In contrast to the funds our communities need for parity in America, the
U.S. federal government spent $19.18 billion in 2003 on the War on Drugs - a
rate of $600 per second - mostly to the detriment of African Americans.
States and local governments spend another $20 billion each year on the drug
war.

Across America, someone is arrested for drug offenses every 20 seconds.
Almost a quarter million people - a disproportionate number Black - are
expected to be incarcerated for drug law violations in 2004.

White politicians continue to appeal to their main constituents with "get
tough" rhetoric and punitive legislation in service to the War on Drugs. In
reality, Black voters need to check them on that; because in reality, what
they are engaged in is a war on African Americans.

The drug war has failed and African Americans have been its primary
casualties. The impact of drug marketing and drug enforcement continues to
be socially, economically and politically devastating to African American
communities.

Isn't it time to look for less oppressive, less destructive and more
creative and humane solutions to the drug situation? The damage being done
to Black citizens and their children is akin to genocide.

Black voters' demands for cessation of the War on Drugs can only have
positive economic impact on our communities. Currently, illegal drug sales
activity represent the largest source of teenage economic activity in urban
communities. Legalization and regulation of the distribution of some drugs
could provide much-needed entrepreneur opportunities for local citizens.

The U.S. spends nearly $40 billion annually on the drug war, and problems
related to drug abuse continue to worsen. Politicians and government
officials need to be made to acknowledge that drug abuse is a health problem
with broad social and economic consequences. And their political and
legislative activities need to be directed toward solutions that provide
public health, social services and economic development and addict support,
not punishment.

Law enforcement should be at the edges of drug control, not at the center.
It's time for government lawmakers to bring some illegal drugs within the
law by regulating, taxing and controlling them.

Ending the drug war will dramatically reduce street crime, violence and
homicides related to underground drug dealing. Instead of accepting
politicians who still maintain status quo positions, African American voters
must change out the War on Drugs with health-based treatment and
prevention-focused approaches.

Due to the racial injustices caused by the drug war, Black voters supporting
drug policy reform can actually help end one form of racial inequality.
Despite the fact that drug use is more or less consistent across racial
lines, many punitive drug laws are based on beliefs that certain communities
of color commonly abuse certain substances.

There are an estimated 9.9 million whites (72 percent of all users), 2.0
million Blacks (15 percent), and 1.4 million Hispanics (10 percent) who are
current illicit drug users. Yet Blacks constitute 36.8 percent of those
arrested for drug violations and 50 percent of those in federal prison for
drug violations. African Americans comprise almost 58 percent of those in
state prisons for drug felonies; Hispanics account for 20.7 percent.

Estimates place the value of the global trade in illegal drugs at around
$400 billion per year. The illegal drug trade is multi-layered and often
multi-national, with African Americans being at end of the chain of
manufacturers, processors, distributors, wholesalers and retailers.

Most of the profits go to outsiders up the chain, but Black retailers are
the principal victims of the War on Drugs and its racial disparities. At
every stage of the criminal justice system process, people of color are
treated unfairly.

It begins with police focus on our communities and use of racial profiling.
It continues with prosecutorial discretion on how people are charged, or not
charged, and the types of plea agreements that are negotiated. In the end,
it shows itself in sentencing decisions by judges and the application of
post sentencing relief by parole officers.

The United States prison binge has resulted in over a million Black people
being incarcerated. It could be considered, perversely, the nation's largest
public housing project.

These prisoners have no income and usually have young children at home, a
part of some phase of the public welfare system. To reverse this condition,
we need to restore due process, judicial discretion and constitutional
restraints on law enforcement that violate equal protection and due process
of law.

Surely, you'd agree that there's been enough oppression, chains and cages
around Blacks regarding the issue of drugs. Will your vote demand that "it
is time to end this senseless war"?

Visit William Reed's website, www.BlackPressInternational.com.