Monday, July 2, 2012

Obama and crack cocaine

Check out the president's nose in this picture that illustrated one of the articles dealing with my subject below....After I printed this here, I noticed that the plaque on the painting behind him reads as if his nose is growing.......I'd say that's fairly appropriate for our Pinnochio in Chief!?   Sorry, but I thought that was funny!   Now to the point of my post regarding the president and crack cocaine:

The words in italics below are from an article from EDUCATION NEWS:  
Valerie Jarrett makes unreported remarks in meeting with media:
President Obama’s top aide, Valerie Jarrett, reportedly boasted to the black community that the administration sharply reduced the sentencing disparity for possession of crack cocaine instead of powder.

Jarrett made the remarks at a meeting of black journalists and columnists last weekend clearly aimed at Obama’s re-election efforts. Mainstream media outlets covering the event did not report on her comments regarding crack cocaine.

On Saturday, Jarrett engaged in a wide-ranging interview session with a group of journalists at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in New Orleans.

The Root, a website owned by the Washington Post aimed at the black community, reprinted a blog report by the Maynard Institute’s Richard Prince on Jarrett’s appearance at the convention. (Z: You'll want to read that in its entirety)


Prince reported that at the meeting Jarrett outlined “what she considered the Obama administration’s successes.”    Continued Prince: “Among them funding for historically black colleges and universities; health care reform, which she said will disproportionately help African-Americans; and reducing disparities between penalties for possession of crack and for powdered cocaine.”  

Before anyone starts in how The Root must be a Conservative rag, please know it's a Black-focused paper owned by The Washington Post.   I have to salute this venue for having admitted that, after Jarrett's talk, "Some rolled their eyes. "Why not just send a [campaign] video?" one said. "That was out of line," said another afterward." I particularly honor THE ROOT because most outlets completely overlooked the part about cocaine.  Another media cover-up of something Americans should hear.  Is this really a good thing for the Black community or is it actually true racism at its core?

z

65 comments:

Joe said...

It is good for votes from the black community, and that's all that matters to them.

Ducky's here said...

Media cover up of what?

The disproportionate differences in sentencing has been an explicit issue for some time. It was a campaign issue and it was mentioned in the SOTU.

The fringe right suddenly becomes aware of something that has been common knowledge and it's a media cover up?

Joe said...

Ducky: "The disproportionate differences in sentencing,..."

How about the disproportionate differences in perping?

Ducky's here said...

Perping?

Maybe we should just TREYVON all of them, eh Joe?

Fact remains that the disparity between crack and powdered cocaine convictions has been an issue for some time and to pull this ridiculous canard time and time again that the mainstream won't cover it is simply an indication of how uniformed the right wing is.

Anonymous said...

picky picky picky

Unknown said...

Didn't obama give a medal of honor to a dope addict like Bob Dylan! And didn't he pal up with another good Communist terrorist friend (Bill Ayers & Co) Are these the people who have changed our lives for the better?
And we wonder why morals and values are on the decline in this country.
The answer my friend is blowin in the wind! !

Ducky's here said...

Dylan changed my life for the better.

Bob said...

Ducky: Please elucidate the finer points of crack cocaine and powder cocaine for me. You seem to know a bit about that culture. Also, clue me as to the racial ramifications of these drugs. What does disproportionate sentencing have to do with race?

"Dylan changed my life for the better." - Hilarious!

Lisa said...

Hmm I wonder where there is the most drug and gang violence,selling powder cocaine or selling crack cocaine?
Maybe Ducky can help me out with that.

Speedy G said...

Rich people who can afford powder cocain get lighter sentences because they can afford to hire better lawyers than poor people that can only afford cheaper crack cocain.

Big deal.

It just goes to show that the legal system works EXACTLY as advertised. If bad lawyers performed as well as expensive lawyers with regards to sentencing, who the 'f would ever hire them?

Speedy G said...

It isn't fair duckman, but then NOTHING ever is.

Z said...

Joe, that's all.

Ducky, that's not known by the general public, but good try. Absolutely not.
Also, imagine her mentioning this to blacks as if it's THEIR issue only!
Dylan? Good for you...that explains a lot.

Ivan, that is exactly where the answer is. My GOD, 'blowin in the wind' deserves huge accolades?

Bob..it gets funnier by the day, doesn't it.

Lisa, I doubt it.

I simply can't imagine some people seeing that this is racist....we're beginning to see who the real racists are.
Valerie Jarrett goes to a Black crowd and touts THAT as one of Obama's best deals for THEM?

The crowd was too smart and, as my post says, were ticked off at the campaign speech.

And she gets protected by liberals here...as usual

Anonymous said...

Do crackheads vote? Was she saying that because so many of you are crack addicts, the Prez is trying to to do you a favor. Now they can spend less time in jail and more time getting high. What a guy our president is!

Silverfiddle said...

If he really wanted to help the black community (and the rest of us), he could end his economically destructive policies that drive up unemployment.

* I love that picture. Thanks for posting it!

Anonymous said...

I must have missed that!

Ezzee Does it said...

Th­e disrespect (and outright racism) that the cry baby Republicans (and their ill-willed punditry) have shown here for our President is nothing short of appalling! I you stupid people have any evidence show me some!!!!! . Otherwise, if you want to criticize a public figure, do it with some class and honesty..

Isn't it interesting how quickly a white person plays the race card as soon as things don't go your way as it didn't in the Supreme Courts decisions.
This whole topic is just ridiculous, and if this isn't just political posturing, these people are either racist or just plain stupid. Probably both..He's a black,so he must be a dope addict, this is Idiocy at it's finest.
I don't have anything else to say about this. This is a dumb subject, as this blogger always is..This whole thing sickens me.

Lisa said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lisa said...

..He's a black,so he must be a dope addict,


That's pretty much what Valerie Jarrret is saying.

The left plays the race card all the time. We don't want universal health care so we must be racist,it has nothing to do with the fact we can't afford it and we know how it will end up. 4 hour trips to the nearest doctor if they will even see you when they start having to see so many patients due to the lack of doctors we will have.
Liberals race card is maxed out just like dear leader did with America's credit card.
Sounds like there is racism here only it's racism against Americans.

Anonymous said...

FROM Z at her work computer:

Darth, GEE, I thought everybody knew that :-)

SF...glad you mentioned the picture; I posted it then laughed my head off when I saw how it looked..perfect, isn't it.

EEzZee...my goodness. And you don't see racism in a woman telling black journalists who should be treated with more dignity than that, that one of the 3 things Obama's done is lessen the penalty for coke? Well, okay....
By the way, I have often said it gives me no pleasure to say what I must say at this blog about a sitting president, believe me...particularly about a black president, believe it or not. What high hopes we could have experienced with his presidency; what unity we might have had. Instead, his AG has called white AMerica racist, he's demeaned half of this country for not agreeing with him and he's been the least transparent president ever.
I wish this were different...
This white person "plays the race card?" shame on you.

LISA>..VOILA! That is exactly what Ms Jarrett was saying. Even the crowd was turned off. But we're racists for exposing it. :-)

Anonymous said...

Bob...exactly. THanks for the comment.
Hey, The Eagles..perfect!
:)

Anonymous said...

OOps...that Anonymous is ZZZZZ

Ezzee Does it said...

I always admire any man or woman who has the guts to calls it like they see it. And that's why I admire Al Sharpton. he calls it as he sees it, and he's not afraid of the consequences.
Barack Obama is going to have that quality when he matures a bit.

The Debonair Dudes World said...

That's very interesting Mr. Ezzee. But in my very humble opinion, and based on my knowledge thru the years living in New York City, Al Sharpton would be out of a job if there was no more racism. Do you ever see "Rev" Al defend a white person when a black person says or does something racist towards them? Naw, of course not, that never happened and it never will happen.

Always On Watch said...

Crack cocaine is the CURSE of so many in the black community (and elsewhere too but not to the same extent that I know of).

I read somewhere long ago that crack cocaine is the most addictive substance on the planet. I don't know if that's true.

Powder cocaine is somehow different, but I can't remember what I read about that difference.

I've heard the crack pipe referred to as "the devil's pipe." In fact, one cousin of mine who used powder for a while -- Stupid, stupid, stupid! -- and went cold turkey on her own and never looked back (Still clean after some 20 years) said, "I never that devil's pipe in her house. Powder is a different story."

Maybe the difference is something neurological? I'll have to do research on that as I'm clearly no expert on this topic.

As for the different sentencing that was in place, I'm not sure that I understand why the difference (except what Speedy G mentioned about powder users hiring lawyers).

Jan said...

"I don't have anything else to say about this. This is a dumb subject, as this blogger always is..This whole thing sickens me."

Well, EzzZee...get a grip, why don't you?

Blogger Z is not dumb, and neither are the subjects she chooses to blog about. If it makes you sick, maybe it's because you simply don't recognize the truth when you are confronted with it.

If you can't see how racist Jarrett's remarks were, then you really can't see anything else that is racist, either...unless, of course, a white person says something that you interpret that way.

"I always admire any man or woman who has the guts to calls it like they see it. And that's why I admire Al Sharpton. he calls it as he sees it, and he's not afraid of the consequences. Barack Obama is going to have that quality when he matures a bit."

Then you should have admiration for Z, and her blog.

And, having a President with the maturity of Al Sharpton is not an awful lot to look forward to, is it?

Besides, I think you just disrespected our President. :)

"Life is hard. It's even harder when you're stupid."
~John Wayne~

Anonymous said...

FROM Z at work:

EZ...I admire that, too....however, you'd better be careful what you wish for when it comes to Obama; were Obama one to 'call it as he REALLY sees it,' Americans would finally wake up to the fact that he doesn't think our country's exceptional, that he's desirous of hoisting Socialism Lite on us, that he's been a HUGE racial divider instead of unifier, that he's borrowed our economy into deep trouble, etc....No, if he told it as he truly saw it, he'd be ousted tomorrow.

DEB Dude..part of me gets a kick out of Sharpton, Rangel, etc...believe it or not. Contrary to Obama, I think they BELIEVE what they say sometimes!!
But you are so right....they've never stood up for a white person hurt in ANY way by a minority of any kind. Sad....and I think that says a LOT.

AOW...but the point isn't the drug (thanks for that info, by the way...I've also heard addiction to crack is quick and deadly...there are supposedly housewives in middle AMerican who literally don't leave their basements....just doing the drug and staying out of it...!)

It struck me so odd that Jarrett would use this sentence thing as one of Obama's greatest accomplishments to black journalist.. thankfully, they seem to have seen through it, according to the write-ups.

Anonymous said...

FROM Z:

Just read your comment; thanks so much. I guess one COULD say "I call it as I see it" but we ALL do.
The problem with the left is that if they KNEW what we were hearing (thankfully, at conservatives blogs with facts, stats, quotes, etc.) they'd "SEE IT", too

I really appreciate your supportxx

Anonymous said...

Z:

You know, I wish there wasn't so much acrimony here sometimes...I know I come out pitching with my viewpoint and facts...then Ducky comes out pitching to discredit, then everybody takes sides!

Sounds like CONGRESS :)

Always On Watch said...

Speaking of acrimony, this past week our Congress debated the definition of...




Wait for it.






Wait a little more.







Here it comes....


A CATFISH!

Ducky's here said...

z, I will point out that you aren't much of a judge of what is known outside the Glenn Beck community.

The issue of sentencing disparity for cocaine distribution and primarily possession has been around for some time.

Now maybe you can explain to me why we should absorb the expense of putting someone away for 10 years for carrying crack weight when powdered cocaine gets a much lighter sentence. Hint: THE LADIES WHO LUNCH really start the pearl clutching when scary, scary crack is mentioned.

I maintain that the fact you didn't know this has been an ongoing issue indicates why the fringe right desperately needs to expand their news sources if they wish to be considered informed.

Ducky's here said...

Meaning of a catfish? Farmed versus wild?

Excellent topic.

Anonymous said...

FROM Z:

AOW: what?

Ducky...well, there ya go! I think the only people who need to be scared of crack are those who're doing it, but...whatever you say!

Not sure why you bring up Glenn Beck so much here...do YOU watch him? I actually don't....
But...I do admire him and am glad to have heard he's expanding his audience again fairly quickly. People simply need to hear ALL SIDES and I know that's not a liberal thing in the media or in schools, but conservatives do champion that.

That I didn't know this is an ongoing issue shows that it's not an issue .

I'll just say it again: For this to be one of Obama's three great claims to his administration according to his esteemed Valerie Jarrett is bad no matter how one looks at it.

Truly ugly comment there..insulting, angry and unkind. I hope you have some peace today. Maybe you can go smoke some crack, that ought to do it.

Anonymous said...

FROM Z:

Ducky, you remind me of Hazel Motes.
Start Googling (then say you didn't have to).

Ducky's here said...

z, you think I have to Google, Hazel Motes?

Remember, I actually have a classical education.

Anonymous said...

Of COURSE, Ducky :-)

z

Anonymous said...

Speedy, I honestly didn't think you had a blog under this name....just went and looked;

I want to highly recommend it to anybody particularly interested in Venezuelan politics...Speedy knows.

Z

Anonymous said...

FROM Z:

EzzZee...I just saw your comment at Joe's and learned you're black. I'm happy to have you here and hope that you, I, and my readers can come to common ground from time to time.

I think you'll be surprised to see that most of us believe in the Black community and are tired of the condescenion displayed by, for example, the Jarrett remarks to Black journalists I highlighted today in my post....We ALL wanted a president, black OR white, who'd represent us all and some of us don't feel he's done that.

The Jarrett remark infers racism ...imagine a white member of Obama's administration going to the Black journalists and telling them one of the three accomplishments of Obama's tenure is reduction in penalty for cocaine? My gosh. Think about the media outrage had that happened.
Welcome to Geeez.

Speedy G said...

Speedy, I honestly didn't think you had a blog under this name....just went and looked

Unlike the duck, I am not a blogging Roma. I know what it means to have and hold "property" and how much work it takes to keep up that property's value.

Bob said...

Ducky said:"Now maybe you can explain to me why we should absorb the expense of putting someone away for 10 years for carrying crack weight when powdered cocaine gets a much lighter sentence"

I can see how you arrived at that conclusion, Ducky, but I don;t agree. Making the penalties the same for using either addicting drug is not solving any problem. It is simplistic thinking.

The solution is to decriminalize the use of these drugs, and concentrate on helping people.

We can still throw dealers in jail, but I don't think it is right to put users in jail. Heck, they have ruined their lives, anyway.

I am going to back down on my comment to EzzZee about just saying, no. There are many people out there who are not physically able to say no.

Let's stop kidding and criminalizing ourselves and just legalize the use. Control it, but make it legal without supervision.

Anonymous said...

why don't yo tell them about larry sinclair

Ducky's here said...

Well, I would tend to agree, Bob. Decriminalization for simple possession makes too much sense to happen.

While we're waiting for America to come to its senses the sentencing injustice should be changed. The ridiculous crack sentences do more harm than good.
Conservatives often forget that sooner or later these guys get out of jail and they're upset. You can make a couple bucks appearing on the "Maury" show but it's bleak and they're battle tested.

Anonymous said...

FROM Z:

Speedy...you're right. And we didn't build blogs and tend to them every day to have leftwingers insults, criticism and lies here...and then we get slammed after giving them the space to vent? Nuts.
I'd not spend my time interfering at liberal blogs if my life depended on it, but I don't have the ridiculous hubris to consider that all leftwingers know nothing and I know it all.


BOB..it does seem lame to put useres in jail...you're right. I don't know what the solution is. Dealers, yes, they have to..but if it was legalized, they wouldn't exist.
At THanksgiving dinner, I met a young man who's working to 'legitimize' medical marijuana...we talked a LONG time after dinner and we agreed that saying marijuana stores where only the sick are to buy it lose their legitimacy when the different pots are called things like PINK LADY'S SLIPPER, right? Probably "#93487 for asthma" might be better?!! He convinced me of a lot of things I hadn't considered about particularly medical marijuana.

anon...I don't know who larry sinclair is...maybe 'yo' can enlighten us.

am banning Anon posters when I get home, I think.

Anonymous said...

Ducky, the Maury show is still on but I guess you knew that...I didn't until the other morning while channel surfing. His show appears to be only young women with babies who don't know who the father is and 3 men who MIGHT be the "father" are there...fighting, tears, nauseating displays from people who coarsen and cheapen society...those POOR children.
I guess they're a bunch of conservatives up there...right?

As for jail...gee, we're sorry they are 'upset' when getting out of prison; with the gyms and food and libraries, etc., you'd have thought it's better than home.
I guess Conservatives just don't understand that :-) (sarc)

Anonymous said...

"Meaning of a catfish?"

I've always compared a catfish to a lawyer...One is a scum sucking bottom feeder and the other is a fish.

Anonymous said...

"I actually have a classical education."

How interesting...I guess you could translate all those frat house names too? Anyone you can converse in Latin with lately?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
KP said...

No matter how strong your agruemnt there is no reason to act like a bully or a chauvinist to make a point.

Z said...

Imp, really...can you picture Ducky in a frat house? :-)
There are still guys who have fun and carouse and are pretty darned bright....I think that's a little low brow for the Ducky!

Z said...

KP...I just wish the level of animosity was lessened...
it's at all the blogs, but I'm not loving it here anymore.
Tempted to go on Moderation for a while again.

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Ahhhhhhhh.....I found something "classical"
for the Duck:

Since he's a keyboard artiste...he'd appreciate this..

Have a look everyone.



http://tinyurl.com/89slorp

Speedy G said...

I'd not spend my time interfering at liberal blogs if my life depended on it, but I don't have the ridiculous hubris to consider that all leftwingers know nothing and I know it all.

That hubris must be the results of their classical Marxist educations....

Kid said...

WashPo is most certainly one of the most if not The most libtard rag if the MSM.

Cocaine? I dunno, I like the stuff. It makes me feel like I can go through life accomplishing Jack and not only deserve a Nobel prize for it but be given the keys to what was once the greatest country in the world and run the thing into the ground and be known as a 'very cool president' doing it. What would be Cooler!

Ducky's here said...

@z -- can you picture Ducky in a frat house? :-)

-----

No, but I dated Mrs. Wormer.

"Let me tell you 'bout some friends of mine..."

Trekkie4Ever said...

That picture is hilarious!! The truth is in that picture. "Pinnochio in Chief" very fitting.

Since it is only directed at the Black community I would see it as racism. And it's just not the Black communities.

Ducky's here said...

Leticia, are you boycotting Oreos?

Anonymous said...

Z,
I got in late on this. The disparity is quite simple. The fear of street crime is very real. The disintegration of the inner cities is directly linked to drugs and crack was a cancer that tore cities apart throughout the 80s and 90s. The cities have yet to recover. Chicago for example is a battleground. BTW, Chicago had one of the strictest gun laws in the country until it was overturned.

That's exactly why Holder's Fast and Furious is an egregious situation. I often talk to my students about the escalation of violence I saw in my police career. My best evidence is I started my career carrying a revolver that held six rounds. On my belt I carried 12 more.

At the end of my career I carried a 10mm semiautomatic pistol that held 18 rounds and carried to additional magazines holding 17 rounds each. And we were still grossly outgunned.

Z said...

Imp, I wasn't a huge fan of Borge's and this doesn't do it for me, either, but it IS clever and I see your point!

Kid, EXCELLENT :-) REALLY well said!

Ducky, I have no idea who a Mrs. WOrmer is but I hope you did date somebody in college.

"Oreos"? What's your point, Ducky, and WHY is it always you who sound so racist??

Leticia, thanks for enjoying the pic as much as I did...just cracked me up!

Law and Order...outgunned with that much on? whew. And, of course, yours are the only hands tied by laws and liberals hoping the cops look bad. What a heartbreaking thing for all the good cops who do their best and see rulings against them...or the thick gloves of a law that seems to side with the perps so often.
And, of course, the bad cops ruin it for all of the good ones.

I used to say "Thanks" or "stay safe" to copes from time to time in a restaurant or in the store, etc....I don't anymore much because I got such untrusting looks in response. They must hear an awful lot of bad stuff.....things have changed for police, that's for sure.

By the way, at the high school I'm associated with, the English, gov't and theology prof told me today that he's going to have kids start political blogs in which they'll cite left or right articles and tear them apart with facts, existing law, etc. He wants to acquaint them with all sides. I felt so sad again that the great conservative teachers (and he is an AMAZING teacher)
are so fair and want to teach kids to THINK and we know that most on the left indoctrinate...I admire our side but we're losing ground.
Obviously, the common sense approach he'll be making them aware of should win out and they'll veer at least slightly right, but....

Ducky's here said...

z, I can't believe you never saw ANIMAL HOUSE

Anonymous said...

Z,
"Wormser" is a reference to one of the great movies "Animal House."
I admire that he's going to allow them to blog. A worthy goal to make students use their knowledge to critically look at all sides.

I think as you do, if they see all sides they'll make a good choice. At least this teacher is doing his job and trying to help students be thoughful citizens.

Ducky's here said...

Law and Order, why not carry a mini-gun. That should solve the drug problem.

Keep beating your head against the wall.

Z said...

I never saw Animal House ... I'm not fond of that kind of movie.

Law and Order; I wish you and my teacher friend could meet and talk...he's simply amazing.

KP said...

Animal House: I know a couple of the guys in that movie very well. Unfortunately, it's not far removed from reality of the day.

It was entirely filmed at the U of Oregon. Funny, because the dean of the school had earlier denied filming at another campus he wroked at of the movie "The Graduate" due to vulgarity.

Anonymous said...

tell them about larry sinclair

Anonymous said...

Z,
My hope is there are alot more teachers of this kind than get the publicity. I'd love to meet and talk to a fellow traveler.

Ducky,
Unlike the BO and the AG, I didn't have the luxury of picking which laws I was going to enforce. I was merely stating the problem as my experience informed me.

Z said...

I hope so, too, my dear Law & Order..!!