Obama Wants to Reduce Sentences for Crack Users
I’m not kidding:
The Obama administration joined a federal judge Wednesday in urging Congress to end a racial disparity by equalizing prison sentences for dealing and using crack versus powdered cocaine.
Yes, the only ones who continue to harp on race are the Democrats; leading to the entitlement, hand-out mentality of so many specific demographics and groups. Maybe Obama is just partial to crack since it was a drug he used to partake in along with cocaine…
“Jails are loaded with people who look like me,” U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, an African-American, told a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing.
I wonder why Reggie? Crack is a cheap version of Coke and it is sold in poorer communities which include inner cities and it is a fact that many inner city communities consist of minorities. Have you ever been to a rehab Reggie? I hate to burst your bubble but there are plenty of poor white males and females who also use crack because they can’t afford cocaine. It’s also a fact that those who partake in crack commit other crimes, more so than a cocaine user, typically bought and used by those who are middle or upper middle class. Cocaine is also used on an occasional level by various people. Cocaine and crack are both addictive but crack tends to be more addictive and harder to kick than cocaine.
Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer said the administration believes Congress’ goal “should be to completely eliminate the disparity” between the two forms of cocaine. “A growing number of citizens view it as fundamentally unfair,” Breuer testified.
What’s unfair is not understanding what else is going on behind these sentences and how these sentences came to be longer than those of cocaine in the first place. I am inclined to believe that the history and trends of those arrested for crack were repeat offenders and also had more than one criminal offense on their record.
Durbin said more than 81 percent of those convicted for crack offenses in 2007 were African-American, although only about 25 percent of crack cocaine users are African Americans.
I will repeat what I said above, a lot of crack use is in the inner cities and unfortunately, the African-American community heavily populates inner cities. I would like to find out the race of the dealers who sell crack to these parts of the city. I am almost positive you will find more black on black crime. So how is this racist? Crime rates of inner cities, which are heavily Democrat, mind you, consistently have the highest crime rates and have larger minority populations. Most of the crime that occurs in Baltimore is black on black crime, gang crime, drug crime etc. Many of these criminals and drug offenders have wrap sheets a mile long. This isn’t a racist thing – this is a failed policy thing. The black community has been suckered into believing that Democrats care and that their policies work, but their war on poverty, welfare, etc. has damaged the minority community and hurt their nuclear families. Crack isn’t racist as he stipulates above since only 25% of crack users are black so why would you think that sentences would also be racist? I would say check their records and see what other crimes they have committed and then let me know who and what is racist.
“This administration believes our criminal laws should be tough, smart, fair,” Breuer said, but also should “promote public trust and confidence in the criminal justice system.”
If the Administration is really concerned about being fair then why not make the cocaine sentences just as long as the crack sentences to shut everyone up. It would be worse to lessen sentences of those who use drugs and most likely have a problem than risk putting them back on the street to engage in more criminal activity sooner. Many prisons have great rehabilitation programs and NA and AA meetings that are brought into the jail or detention centers. Any addict or alcoholic knows that the only way a person can ever change their behavior is by wanting to change themselves and be willing enough to follow 12 simple steps. This is typical liberal enabling which only hinders recovery and help for those addicted to government, to drugs, etc. It’s the same concept and I wish that people would just realize that…
The Obama administration is also seeking to increase drug treatment, as well as rehabilitation programs for felons after they’re released from prison.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge advocate for rehab programs, but these programs will be paid for by the taxpayers, and if you know any addicts or alcoholics, they cannot be forced to change if they are not ready. This is my concern – there are many repeat offenders that come right out of jail because they still aren’t quite ready to change nor have they completely hit “rock bottom.” They have been away from everyday life for so long (going from prison to rehab) they don’t know what to do with themselves if they go back to their home towns or cities. It is always recommended to go to half-way homes immediately after rehabilitation, but even so, the real world can cause major setbacks for those who aren’t ready to completely change their lives.
I also want to point out that other drugs such as heroin and crystal meth are used more in poorer white communities, but does this get mentioned anywhere in this article – what are the sentences for those drugs?
Maybe Obama should go back to smoking the Hope Bong:
