Monday, July 12, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
NAACP - To Advance or Not Advance? - That's the question.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is one of the oldest civil rights organizations in the United States; practically a household name. It was founded in 1909; A time when a black person was "free" but not truly free; a time when segregation was still considered the norm. A time of prominent leaders like W.E.B. DuBois and Mary McLeod Bethune.
Throughout their 101 tenure, they have supported issues like Media Diversity, Education, Civic Engagement, Health Programs, Social Justice and now the legalization of marijuana. Yes marijuana...
According to a CNN article that I read last night, the NAACP believes that legalizing marijuana is a civil rights issue. The California State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, led by President Alice Huffman, recently announced its "unconditional endorsement" for Proposition 19, a legislative initiative on the November ballot that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in California. President Huffman's reasoning behind it is because African-Amercians are disproportiantely affected by marijuana being illegal which makes legalizing it a civil rights issue.
A California study concluded even though Blacks and Latinos make up less than 44% of the state's population, combined they account for 56% of the arrests that are made for the possession of marijuana. Therefore this study has concluded that arrests are "racially-based."
This started out as a facebook status for me, but I felt so strongly about it that I decided to blog. Facebook wasn't enough space for me. In my opinion the NAACP is selling the black community short, by support legislation like this; making people believe that its okay to do drugs. I understand that they want to bring civil justice and rights to under represented communities/ethnic groups, but legalizing marijuana is not the way to go.
Out of allllll of the civil rights issues facing our black community today, why this one? How about they support a better drug awareness program since so many blacks are getting arrested for possession of marijuana. The unemployment rate is so high; even higher for black people. How about they support a job placement program; something that will actually benefit the black community long-term. I mean don't get me wrong I'm judging anyone who smokes weed. Its your life, live it how you want to. But for the NAACP, an organization that I thought gave black people a voice, to openly support an issues like this really shocks me!
The NAACP is supposed to be working to "advance" black people not keep us down. How can you advance if you're losing brain cells? It sounds funny, but I'm so serious. How can you advance if you cant even pass a drug test? Since the NAACP wants to talk about studies lets talk about it. Studies prove that marijuana is a gateway drug which leads to more serious drug use. The only thing that it will do is bring more violence into black communities and kill our black people.
Other people argue that making marijuana legal will "bring tax dollars to the community." Let's be real. We all know that the black communities where people smoke the most weed will never see a dollar of that money. This is just another way to keep a race down and make money while doing so. I sound a little militant, but this is truly what I feel. Take it how you want to.
The decision on Proposition 19 will be made in California in November.
Throughout their 101 tenure, they have supported issues like Media Diversity, Education, Civic Engagement, Health Programs, Social Justice and now the legalization of marijuana. Yes marijuana...
According to a CNN article that I read last night, the NAACP believes that legalizing marijuana is a civil rights issue. The California State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, led by President Alice Huffman, recently announced its "unconditional endorsement" for Proposition 19, a legislative initiative on the November ballot that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in California. President Huffman's reasoning behind it is because African-Amercians are disproportiantely affected by marijuana being illegal which makes legalizing it a civil rights issue.
A California study concluded even though Blacks and Latinos make up less than 44% of the state's population, combined they account for 56% of the arrests that are made for the possession of marijuana. Therefore this study has concluded that arrests are "racially-based."
This started out as a facebook status for me, but I felt so strongly about it that I decided to blog. Facebook wasn't enough space for me. In my opinion the NAACP is selling the black community short, by support legislation like this; making people believe that its okay to do drugs. I understand that they want to bring civil justice and rights to under represented communities/ethnic groups, but legalizing marijuana is not the way to go.
Out of allllll of the civil rights issues facing our black community today, why this one? How about they support a better drug awareness program since so many blacks are getting arrested for possession of marijuana. The unemployment rate is so high; even higher for black people. How about they support a job placement program; something that will actually benefit the black community long-term. I mean don't get me wrong I'm judging anyone who smokes weed. Its your life, live it how you want to. But for the NAACP, an organization that I thought gave black people a voice, to openly support an issues like this really shocks me!
The NAACP is supposed to be working to "advance" black people not keep us down. How can you advance if you're losing brain cells? It sounds funny, but I'm so serious. How can you advance if you cant even pass a drug test? Since the NAACP wants to talk about studies lets talk about it. Studies prove that marijuana is a gateway drug which leads to more serious drug use. The only thing that it will do is bring more violence into black communities and kill our black people.
Other people argue that making marijuana legal will "bring tax dollars to the community." Let's be real. We all know that the black communities where people smoke the most weed will never see a dollar of that money. This is just another way to keep a race down and make money while doing so. I sound a little militant, but this is truly what I feel. Take it how you want to.
The decision on Proposition 19 will be made in California in November.
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