Pubdate: Sat, 02 Feb 2002
Source: Arizona Daily Star (AZ)
Copyright: 2002 Pulitzer Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.azstarnet.com/star/today/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/23
Author: James Beattie

RACIST DRUG POLICY

George W. Bush's daughter was arrested for alcohol possession, and Gov. Jeb 
Bush's daughter was just arrested for prescription drug fraud.

Both of these hard-nosed Republican politicians are at the forefront of the 
war on drugs and are among the first to recommend harsh sentences for drug 
offenses, resulting in the incarceration of thousands of good people for 
drug "crimes."

But will the Florida governor's daughter spend a day in prison with other 
drug offenders?

Of course she won't, which points to the blatant dishonesty behind the 
government's hard-nosed, anti-drug policy. It's aimed at the poor and 
people of color and is nothing more than another form of racism and class 
warfare.

Almost every week, a new prison is built in this country. Most house 
street-level drug dealers and other petty criminals, while most white- 
collar and corporate crime is ignored, in spite of the cost to society of 
almost 50 times what street-level crime costs.

The bulk of the cost to build these prisons falls on those of average- or 
below-average means, while corporations profit from prison construction and 
from using prison labor.

When will the average person realize that Republicans and conservative 
Democrats serve only the interests of the rich and the corporate world?

James Beattie,  Internet business owner
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