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There's an argument that in minority neighborhoods the police focus on enforcing rules against petty crime while not spending much time on harder to solve violent crime. Being stopped and searched can feel like harassment.
Marijuana possesion rarely if ever results in a lengthy jail sentence, but can be a misdemeanor and leave an arrest record which can make it harder to be employed
The problem is that quality of life offenders, such as subway fare beaters or squeegee-men are also likely to be violent offenders. They start with a disrespect for the law and go on to other things.
O.M.G. Just like how weed is a gateway drug! Lets double down on our war on drugs!
Do you think that because you consider blacks subhuman; people who cannot live in a civilized society?
Maybe you just don't understand what Bernie was saying.
White guy gets stopped for an ounce of weed: punishment is a fine and parole.
Black guy gets stopped for an ounce of weed: punishment is three years in jail.
Maybe that makes sense to you...
No first time offender is getting three years jail time for weed. Let's get real here. In fact, how many times do we see kids with a three or four page rap sheet? Obviously you can't compile a long rap sheet inside the jail.
The problem with that is that black-on-black crime would explode. Any hope of economic development and jobs in minority areas would evaporate.
Ultimately I see that "solution" as defaulting on the underclass. Bernie, let's be serious. Marijuana convictions are not the real problem; it's that marijuana is the reduced plea for other crimes. Gang violence is the problem.
Decent, law-abiding African-Americans in the projects and other poor neighborhoods definitely want more policing so they and their kids can feel safe. No question. Of course, they want the police to obey the law, but that's a totally separate issue.
Is Bernie pandering or was this always his position? I don't know.
Lots of preconceived notions and weird assumptions on this thread.
The War on "Drugs"-the costliest war in American history- needs to be ended NOW. That is the bottom line, and I have no time for anyone that would disagree with that. This is a war that is solely fought in minority communities-not in white neighborhoods, even though drug usage rates and drug dealing rates are equal among all demographics. This is what Bernie is referring to.
We waste BILLIONs on for-profit prisons-THAT LOBBY FOR MORE LAWS and stricter sentencing when we could spend a fraction of the cost on treatment for drug users. It's disgusting really-every non-violent drug offender needs to be released.
This has been "The New Jim Crow"-We have more prisoners than even China.
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