Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the all-in-one-wp-security-and-firewall domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/wp_mjgj8c/racefiles.com/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6114
Eugene Jarecki On Small Victories In The Drug War And What it Will Take to End It | Race Files
Categories
Blog

Eugene Jarecki On Small Victories In The Drug War And What it Will Take to End It

Eugene Jarecki, director of Freakonomics and now The House I Live In a must-see documentary about the origins and impact of the war on drugs shares his thoughts about the drug war and how to end it in this terrific interview with ChangeLab friend, The Nation and GritTV’s Laura Flanders talks here about the drug war and what it will take to end it.

Jarecki challenges us to personalize drug enforcement. I found myself asking the question, if I found a joint on an 18 year old in my life, would I call the police, have them arrested and thrown into prison? Obviously not. Yet this is what we are doing daily to young people who are randomly stopped and frisked by police. When small amounts of drugs like marijuana are found on them, they are often arrested, prosecuted and incarcerated. For the rest of their lives, they must live with the memories and stigma of prison, and a criminal record that will label them as second class citizens, and all for something many of us consider a mere youthful phase.

Watch the interview, see the movie, take action.

[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/E3nAwPgmjGw”]

 

Avatar photo

By Scot Nakagawa

Scot Nakagawa is a political strategist and writer who has spent more than four decades exploring questions of structural racism, white supremacy, and social justice. Scot’s primary work has been in the fight against authoritarianism, white nationalism, and Christian nationalism. Currently, Scot is co-lead of the 22nd Century Initiative, a project to build the field of resistance to authoritarianism in the U.S.

Scot is a past Alston/Bannerman Fellow, an Open Society Foundations Fellow, and a recipient of the Association of Asian American Studies Community Leader Award. His writings have been included in Race, Gender, and Class in the United States: An Integrated Study, 9th Edition,  and Killing Trayvons: An Anthology of American Violence.

Scot's political essays, briefings, and other educational media can be found at his newsletter, We Fight the Right at scotnakagawa@substack.com. He is a sought after public speaker and educator who provides consultation on campaign and communications strategy, and fundraising.

One reply on “Eugene Jarecki On Small Victories In The Drug War And What it Will Take to End It”

I’ve also heard an ex-cop who said the war on drugs is like squeezing a balloon. When you attack one location of drug dealers the drugs move to another location.

Comments are closed.