Monday, March 3, 2008

Suggestion: End all Wars

Have heard about or read the New York Times story reporting that 1 in 100 American citizens is behind bars? If you don't live under a rock, of course you have.

Every talking head on TV has mentioned it, every blog I have come across has posted a least a link to the story, my professors are talking about it, even my boss mentioned it during the daily reminders meeting.

How astonishing! What a high number? I can't believe it.

Not really.

It is sad, yes. But it is not surprising.

What has been brushed under the rug are the truly sad statics that the story reported:

1 in 36 Hispanic adults is locked up.

1 in 15 Black adults; 1 in 9 Black male adults between the ages 20 and 34 is behind bars.

Since the declaration of the War on Drugs in the 1970's the incarceration rate of minorities has gone through the roof compared to that of whites...

In Dance County -- one of Wisconsin's 72 counties that contains the state capital, Madison and is also the home of the University of Wisconsin-- minorities are incarcerated on drug related charges at a rate of 97 to 1 compared with whites in the county.

How is the war on drugs working out? Just about as well as the war on terror? How about the war on poverty? Does our nation always need a War? Is it a matter of chest pounding? Or an issue of white supremacy? Since every war declared since 1960's has disproportionately disenfranchised persons of color. Is declaring war on something the only way politicians believe they can be elected?

Here is a response found on The D'Alliance, to the NY Times report that really brought home the main points of my observations, frustrations, and suggestions. I'll allow them to articulate them further.

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