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Drug
War
Chronicle
Needs
Your
Support
in
2005
1/28/05
https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle-old/372/2005support.shtml
Dear Drug War Chronicle
devotee:
Thanks to your enthusiasm,
Drug
War Chronicle has completed 7 ½ years of publishing -- 372 issues,
nearly 4,800 articles -- and we now move into 2005 and another year of
hopeful, distressing, interesting, ridiculous and dangerous developments
in drug policy and its impact on our communities and world. From
mandatory minimum sentencing, to pain doctor prosecutions, police ignoring
state medical marijuana laws, Afghanistan's drug war, major court rulings,
ongoing chronicling of the consequences of prohibition, the latest hair-brained
drug warrior idea, David Borden's editorials, This Week's Corrupt Cops
Stories, coverage of the drug policy reform movement, to leading drug warriors
like drug czar John Walters and congressman Mark Souder and the usually
bad things they say and do, Drug War Chronicle will be there to
provide you with the detailed story behind the story.
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Drug War Chronicle is
more than a good read, but a tool used by individuals and organizations
to inform and empower their own work. Following are some of our testimonials:
Media:
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"…[Drug War Chronicle] is
absolutely the best way to keep abreast of the issue. It's just a phenomenal
resource – full of interesting stories and links." – a reporter at the
Los Angeles Times
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"I've covered the drug story
for years, in many places and on many levels…Your coverage of the drug
scene has been a vital resource for us. You provide a continuous flow of
information that isn't available from any other media source." – a producer
of documentaries for HBO
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"I thought you'd like to
know that I follow your bulletins religiously for the simple reason that
the Canadian press says little about drugs. So when you have drug news,
it has very often not been reported here. I flag items for my editor –
we've had a number of stories that started that way. In fact, Pastrana's
call for a world conference was a recent example of just that. So, your
work, based on my experience, is helping making waves even when you don't
realize it." – a prominent reporter in Canada.
Activists:
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"I use [Drug War Chronicle]
as a source for information I disseminate to the… chapter… local members
use the information in conversations and more formal talks about drug policy,
as well as in letters to the editor." – the coordinator of a local chapter
of a national organization
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"Your newsletter has been
an invaluable source of information to us as far as keeping up to date
on all of the latest issues surrounding addiction and drug policy. I read
every issue as thoroughly as I can, and reprint and pass along many articles
to my colleagues and associates. I also have used [Drug War Chronicle]
in my monthly meetings and also in Patient run support groups." – head
of a state chapter of a national addiction-related advocacy organization
Policymakers:
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After we ran a story in June
2003 about the cancellation of a NORML/SSDP fundraiser in Billings, MT,
following a threat by DEA agents to prosecute club owners under the controversial
"RAVE Act," our story was forwarded by a constituent of a member of Congress
to one of her staffers, who then contacted us for information. The staffer
is working on monitoring the Act to prevent abuses, and subscribed to our
list.
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A prominent agency head in
South America wrote: "Our work is well known in Brazil and I serve on government
committees as well as present at most of the conferences here. [Drug War
Chronicle] has been a major source of information and has helped shape
our treatment programs as well as influenced many policies and conferences,
where the only other sources have been the official USG and UN policies."
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This year's Chronicle coverage
owes much thanks to a generous $40,000 grant provided late last year by
the Educational Foundation of America. However, the Chronicle's total
expenses last year came to approximately $67,000, and we're anticipating
a similar budget for it this year. With a sixth of the grant having
gone to 2004, that leaves us needing to generate roughly half of that amount,
or $33,500, from other sources. We had hoped to be able to raise
and set this money aside last year. But frankly, the presidential
election campaigns, which were the most expensive in history, hit our fundraising
like a ton of bricks. The numbers tell the story: During the
first half of 2004, donations under $500 in size to DRCNet totaled $40,374.
During the second half of 2004, they came to only $21,095, slightly over
half as much. Additional member donations for the Chronicle so far
have come to about $1,500, which brings the need down to $32,000, and other
donations have come in to support our lobbying work, an excellent start
in 2005, but only a start.
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If we don't raise that $32,000
from members like you... to be honest, we'll squeak by, but the money will
then have to come out of our other programs. And since DRCNet is
not just a reporting organization, but an activist one as well, that will
mean less work done for drug policy reform on Capitol Hill and out in the
grassroots trenches. To make 2005 an activist year fostering change,
we are asking you to donate to support Drug War Chronicle or to
make a pledge to donate at some specified time this year. Please
click
here to make a one-time donation to Drug War Chronicle, or click
here to donate monthly. Or, send
us an e-mail to let us know how much you are pledging and for when.
As a special encouragement,
we are offering a special new incentive: Donate $40 or more once, or $10
or more per month, and receive a complimentary copy of "Under The Influence:
The Disinformation Guide to Drugs," edited by Preston Peet, an engaging
collection of 49 essays about the drug war, including two by Drug War Chronicle's
own Phil Smith. Click
here to read the Drug War Chronicle review of "Under The Influence."
When Ecuadoran former
army colonel Lucio Gutierrez gave an interview to Chronicle editor
Phil Smith at an anti-Plan Colombia conference, he didn't expect it to
come back to haunt him when three years later as President of Ecuador he
tried to deny attending that conference and opposing Plan Colombia. But
El Universo, one of Ecuador's largest daily papers, found the interview
online. The article ran on the front page – click
here to read it online (in Spanish). |
Contributions to DRCNet Foundation
to support Drug War Chronicle are tax-deductible. (If you select
a gift item, the portion of your donation that you can deduct is reduced
by the item's retail price.) Contributions to the Drug Reform Coordination
Network supporting our lobbying work are not-deductible. If you want
to make a donation in this category, please visit our main
donation page instead. The address for checks or money orders is P.O.
Box 18402, Washington, DC 20036; contact us for information if you wish
to make a donation of stock.
Again, please click
here to support Drug War Chronicle, and thank you. As
the book title suggests, the drug war is sustained in part by a torrent
of disinformation. And disinformation can only be countered by...
valid information... hence Drug War Chronicle. Please feel
free to write or call if you have any questions, and stay tuned for a challenging
but hopefully successful year in drug policy reform!
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