Pubdate: Thu, 04 Apr 2002
Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press (MN)
Copyright: 2002 St. Paul Pioneer Press
Contact:  http://www.pioneerplanet.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/379
Author: Holly Sklar

ONE STRIKE FOR SOME, MANY FOR OTHERS

Barbara Hill's grandson was caught smoking marijuana in the parking lot of 
her Oakland public housing complex. Barbara Bush's granddaughter Noelle was 
arrested a few blocks from the Florida governor's mansion occupied by her 
father, Jeb. Posing as a doctor, Noelle had called in a phony prescription 
for the narcotic Xanax.

The Supreme Court just ruled it's legal for Barbara Hill to be evicted from 
her home of 30 years because of her teen-age grandson's first-time offense. 
Hill and three other elderly public housing residents had challenged the 
federal "one strike and you're out" policy.

The policy promotes evicting families who live in public housing or receive 
rental subsidies if any household member or guest engages in criminal 
activity, alcohol abuse or illegal drug-related activity on or off the 
premises. Tenants must not only be innocent themselves, they must prevent 
wrongdoing by others, even if they know nothing about it. Thousands of 
people have been evicted nationwide, including battered women evicted 
because a crime occurred when their husbands beat them.

There is no law saying politicians' families should be evicted from public 
executive housing if their family members or guests are arrested.

About 14 million Americans have used illegal drugs in the past month, 
mostly marijuana, according to government data. Imagine if everyone they 
lived with or visited could be thrown out of their homes - or lose their 
mortgage interest deduction, which is the government's biggest housing subsidy.

What if the Bush family lived in low-income public housing instead of the 
White House and governor's mansion?

Barbara Bush's granddaughter is a repeat offender who has endangered 
herself and others. According to Florida motor vehicle records reported in 
the press, Noelle Bush has been involved in three car accidents, received 
seven speeding tickets, and been cited for five other traffic violations 
since 1995.

Noelle Bush has been treated for drug addiction in the past. In the real 
world, drug abusers come from all walks of life, and addiction doesn't end 
just because parents or grandparents want it to. It often takes repeat 
treatment. Noelle is lucky her family can afford it.

In the war on drugs that Noelle's father and uncle shape, prevention is 
shortchanged, nonviolent drug offenders can get longer sentences than 
murderers and waiting lists for subsidized drug treatment are hopelessly 
long. Unfortunately, lawmakers don't do unto others what they would have 
others do to them. The powerful live by different rules. For public housing 
residents, double standards mean a grandchild's marijuana joint can mean 
homelessness for the whole family.

Double standards mean that the majority of drug users are white, but the 
majority of drug possession offenders in prison are black and Latino. The 
list of one strike, you're out drug rules for low-income people is growing. 
One strike, you're out of public housing. One strike, goodbye to federal 
college financial aid. One strike, a life sentence of ineligibility for 
welfare.

Lawmakers should pass policies that make sense and laws that fit the crime, 
whether they are committed by members of their own family or another.
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