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From our friends at the American Civil Liberties Union today:
Balance the Budget and Our Priorities.
Dear ACLU Friend:
Something is out of balance. And I’m not just talking about the state budget. I’m talking about our priorities. And the scales of justice.
As we watch the state budget crisis deepen, one of the most wasteful and harmful policies of our state government — felony sentences for simple drug possession — remains in place. Which leads Californians to ask their legislators the question: Are you high?
A few weeks ago, we wrote to you about this issue. Many of you responded by contacting the Governor and your legislators. I thank you.
As the budget crisis intensifies even further, we are stepping things up.
I’m writing to ask you to urge Gov. Brown to include in his May revise budget simple sentencing reforms that would save California taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars annually:
- Make possession of a small amount of drugs for personal use a misdemeanor instead of a felony. Keeping 9,000 people locked up on that charge is costing taxpayers like you and me $450 million per year.
- Make low level non-violent property offenses — like vandalism or forgery — a misdemeanor instead of a felony.
You may have heard about the Governor’s realignment plan. These two reforms will make the realignment plan less costly while promoting public safety and increasing fairness in sentencing.
I also want you to know of the other steps we are taking to make sure these solutions are part of the debate. We have just:
- Partnered with the Drug Policy Alliance and the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights to commission and release a poll that shows that 72% of California voters support reducing drug possession from a felony to a misdemeanor.
- Launched a billboard campaign in Los Angeles and San Francisco to challenge felony sentences for low-level offenses.
- Kicked off a statewide tour to mobilize community groups and students, enlist local government leaders and inform editorial boards.
At this juncture in California’s history, we cannot, in good conscience, waste dollars that would be better invested in drug treatment, social services, public schools and universities.
Let’s balance the scales of justice — and our priorities — as we balance the budget.
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Thank you for all that you do,
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Can someone tell me why is that woman blindfolded?….. was she kidnapped by terrorists?
O’ I see, she must be Latina holding big stick in her hand so she will do the pinada……. right?
I hope that Brown will consider doing this, but his track record over the past 10 years suggests he will not. He opposed prop 66 calling California Democrats with questionable facts, which would have reformed 3x to secure his election to Attorney General.
Why would anyone expect that he would go against the elements like the Prison Guard Union to support this common sense idea.
And yes under vasious propositions we passed Vandalism, Joyriding ( Driving someones car with their permission to somewhere you did not say you were going ),and many other things many would not consider felonies are just that in California and quialfy for sentence enhancements up to life imprisonment for some otherwise minor offenses.
Just so, make sure to contact Brown, Steinberg and Perez with the links on this post – these folks sometimes do the right thing if enough of their voters demand it.
I have a better chance of winning the jackpot on the Mega Millions than seeing Brown supporting this pretty sensible proposal. Regardless, I signed onto the petition awhile back since I am on the Drug Policy Alliance’s mailing list. I don’t know why both major political parties feel the need to out-Arpaio one another when it comes to the issue of criminal justice, but they do every year and nothing significant gets done in the area of prison reform, drug policy reform, et al. despite a lot of hot air about “reform.” There was marijuana being knocked down to a simple $100 infraction by the Governator. Probably done after pictures surfaced of him toking while filming “Pumping Iron” in the 70s.
While I believe that drug possession should be absolutely decriminalized, this is a step in the right direction. The monies that can be saved from prosecuting and incarcerating low level drug offenses could be used in investing in real drug education taught by scientists and experts in the addiction field and not the likes of Roscoe P. Coltrane and his deputy Enos. Furthermore, it would make law enforcement’s job a lot easier to pursue real criminals like bank robbers, rapists and other high crimes that directly harm other people. Simple possession harms no one except maybe the person who may be abusing the drug. But isn’t it assinine to assume that a person who possesses a drug is automatically going to abuse it? If that was the case, then could we also assume that anyone who buys beer is set to go on a week long bender?
Ron Paul best described the stupidity of the Drug War in last night’s Republican debate. If we legalized any drug (cocaine, marijuana, heroin, et al.) how many people would automatically go out and use the drug. Those that are using the said drugs would be using them anyway regardless of their legality. “Oh no, I need the government to protect me. I don’t want to do heroin so I need for them to pass these laws.” It was probably one of the two most intelligent things said in that debate last night (the other was Gary Johnson’s explanation of his support for marijuana legalization).
Even so, Guy Fawkes, the least you can do is fill out the form. They should be swamped by these faxes.
My name is already in triplicate on this issue. ACLU, DPA and Families Against Mandatory Minimums have already sent me the same petition on this very issue. I’m sure I’ll get something from the Interfaith Drug Policy Intiaitive and the California Council of Churches IMPACT very soon in my email box.
Don’t underestimate those of us in the drug policy activist community. After all, we (Drug Policy Alliance, Americans for Safe Access, MPP, SSDP and NORML) helped Kamala Harris beat Steve Cooley in the AG race even though Kamala didn’t bother to acknowledge our massive GOTV efforts for her (acutally they were votes against Cooley). We’re very effective in a stealthy sort of way when it comes to getting our message out and rallying people to get behind a cause.
“While I believe that drug possession should be absolutely decriminalized”
Is the right to carry “Date Rape Drug” a basic human right?
Define “simple drug possession ”
Is anthrax a simple drug possession?
Possessing a drug and committing an actual criminal act are two different things. If one commits a crime upon another person against their will using a date rape drug, then yes that crime should be prosecuted because now that person is harming someone else. However, when it comes to possession, whether it be a drug or a set of car keys, what crime is exactly being committed by possessing the said drug?
Your hyperbolic and paranoid assumptions that people are going to commit more crimes because they possess drugs is the exact reason why this Drug War has gotten out of hand. The Drug War has created more paranoia among our society while curtailing the civil liberties of innocent people and is costing us billions of dollars in prosecutorial and incarceration costs. Besides, if I have a keg of beer in my car, does that automatically mean I’m going to drive under the influence of alcohol? In your eyes cook, you’d would probably assume that I must be guilty and need to prove my innocence even though all I have in my car is a keg of beer. What a great advocate of civil liberties you must be!
After all, it’s about protecting the children right? As a parent, I would dare say that drug prohibition has done more harm to children and families than actual possession and use. But we don’t want to talk about that, do we? No, we’d rather law enforcement and our government indoctrinate our children with lies in the public schools about drugs and encourage them to rat out their parents to Barney Fife by keeping such failed programs like D.A.R.E. and the equally idiotic “Red Ribbon Week” in tact. So much for “traditional family values.”
Since you seem to be “concerned” about date rape drugs and anthrax, I don’t see you showing any concern about the 30,000 deaths of men, women and children in Mexico as a result of their Drug War against the drug cartels which is being financed with our tax dollars. You know, that other forgotten war that even the most strident of anti-war activists fail to list? Even the citizens there are standing up and saying there’s got to be a better way than prohibition and calling for their Drug War to end. But I’m sure you along with the Republicans and Democrats think that is money well spent. I’m also sure you think that law enforcement targeting ethnic minority populations, the majority of drug possession offenders, is OK too. Got to get that cheap labor to keep the likes of Wackenhut in business, don’t we?
To life a line from Al Gore, that’s “an inconvenient truth” that neither the Republicans or the Democrats want to acknowledge. The War on Drugs is a war that cannot be won.
Everything got out of hand in this fascistic country.
In following case Larry Gilbert type prosecutor is charging “6-Year Old Charged with Sexual Assault for Consensual Doctor Play”
http://www.inmalafide.com/blog/2011/05/04/6-year-old-charged-with-sexual-assault-for-consensual-doctor-play/
Sick!, Sick!…. Americans and sad part is that this sexually sick people are protected by society (like in this blog) so they can keep denormalizing modern society.