Dr. Frank in Michigan June 24,25,28; seminars for patients, physicians in Oakland, California new location TBA
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These comments from Sarah Palin last week are continuing to generate discussion:
"If we're talking about pot, I'm not for the legalization of pot, because I think that would just encourage our young people to think that it was OK to go ahead and use it and I'm not an advocate for that.
However, I think we need to prioritize our law enforcement efforts. And if somebody is going to smoke a joint in their house and not do anybody else any harm, then perhaps there are other things our cops should be looking at to engage in and clean up some of the other problems we have in society that are appropriate for law enforcement to do and not concentrate on such a, relatively speaking, minimal problem that we have in the country."
Basically, while Sarah Palin's position on this issue, as on many others, is semi-deliberately incoherent, it is in this case a semi-deliberate incoherence that has proven to be effective policy in many countries, and I'm not even sure it's the wrong stance on the issue.
For many Democrats in Albany, it was a landmark achievement: the long-sought overhaul of New Yorkâs strict Rockefeller-era drug laws, repealing mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenders that critics said disproportionately and unfairly fell on blacks and Latinos.
But that legislative victory last year has emerged as a litmus test in the increasingly bitter five-way Democratic primary battle for attorney general.
â¦
"The reforms resonate powerfully in the African-American community," said David S. Birdsell, dean of the School of Public Affairs at Baruch College. "It is also a signature piece of progressive legislation for an increasingly large part of the Democratic primary base. It's a litmus test for progressive voters and an appeal to a group that was disproportionately harmed by the old laws." [NYT]
Dear friends, You and I are well-trained to refuse certain police requests. But when I was approached by Columbia, MO Police Chief Ken Burton the other month, I was happy to consent. Within weeks, a new report was released showing that in 2009 black motorists in Columbia were 127% more likely to be stopped than white motorists. At a public forum hosted by NAACP and other groups concerned about racial profiling, Chief Burton put 10 Rules to work. The Columbia Daily Tribune editorialized in favor of the event, specifically citing 10 Rules. State NAACP President Mary Ratliff called the video "a powerful teaching tool for both sides" and urged its wide distribution. This is quite a coming-together. Ratliff has been critical of police in their confrontations with black people, and police have defended themselves in standoffs typically without a mutually agreeable resolution. The video gives both sides a way to communicate outside the context of a traumatic incident and might help subjects avoid trouble with the police. The police department deserves credit for taking action to bridge the understanding gap, and Ratliff deserves similar credit for responding positively. This is a big deal, and I commend both parties. Letâs follow Chief Burton and Mary Ratliff's lead! If you or someone you know has a friendly relationship with your local police chief, why not give them a 10 Rules DVD and a copy of the Daily Tribune editorial? (Enter coupon code "10RULES4COPS" to get $5.00 off your DVD order between now and July 7.) Letâs create hundreds of police-led screenings across the country! Sincerely, Steve   P.S. If you support this public education work, please consider making a small or large tax-deductible donation online. You may also send a check donation (made out to Flex Your Rights) to P.O. Box 21497, Washington, DC 20009. |
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Dear Friends of the Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative:
We are excited to pass along this action alert from a coalition of organizations we are a part of pushing for national criminal justice reform. We are working on lots of important projects and will update you soon about our progress. In the meantime, please take action today and tell Senate Leadership to pass the National Criminal Justice Commission Act!
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TODAY is National Call-In Day:Â Tell Senate Leadership to pass the National Criminal Justice Commission Act!
BACKGROUND INFO:
In 2009, Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) and 15 bipartisan cosponsors introduced the National Criminal Justice Commission Act, S. 714, legislation that would create a bipartisan Commission to review and identify effective criminal justice policies and make recommendations for reform. The Senate Judiciary Committee has reviewed and favorably passed the bill and it is now awaiting passage out of the United States Senate. Please help us urge Senate Leadership to prioritize and pass this important legislation as soon as possible!
ACTION NEEDED:
Please call the following Senators today to ask them to prioritize and support Senate passage of the National Criminal Justice Commission Act, S. 714, as soon as possible:
--Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), 202-224-3542
--Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), 202-224-3135
--Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D-IL), 202-224-9447
MESSAGE:
I am calling to ask the Senator to prioritize and support immediate Senate passage of S. 714, the National Criminal Justice Commission Act, because:
--Having a transparent and bipartisan Commission review and identify effective criminal justice policies would increase public safety.
--The increase in incarceration over the past twenty years has stretched the system beyond its limits. These high costs to taxpayers are unsustainable, especially during these times of economic downturn.
--The proposed commission would conduct a comprehensive national review - not audits of individual state systems - and would issue recommendations - not mandates - for consideration.
Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions. Thank you for making these important calls!
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