Tackling racial disparity in prisonBlacks convicted of drug crimes at much higher rate The Post and Courier
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Kemone was only 15 with $40 in his pockets when he started dealing drugs. A fast learner, he flipped that cash to make about $1,000 in less than two weeks. He went from being a straight-A student to studying the drug game. Kemone got really good at it after a while. He drove fancy cars and flaunted designer garb. He owned his own nightclub. He was the man. But after 10 years, making his money illegally inevitability caught up with Kemone, a black man locked up in the state's prison system, serving 7 years on two counts of distributing crack cocaine and two counts of distribution near a school. His last name is being withheld at the request of authorities, to protect his victims. Across the nation, most prisoners convicted on drug charges have the same skin color as Kemone, according to a new report by a Washington-based think tank that pushes for alternatives to incarceration for social problems. The report, released last week by the Justice Policy Institute, says there is a nationwide trend showing markedly more blacks than whites being imprisoned for drug crimes. Specifically, the nonprofit found that 97 percent of the nation's largest counties locked up blacks at higher rates than whites for drug charges. Charleston County lines up with the rest of the country. The report's findingsThe Justice Policy Institute concluded the following from its report, titled "The Vortex: The Concentrated Racial Impact of Drug Imprisonment and the Characteristics of Punitive Counties:" -- While tens of millions of people use illicit drugs, prison and policing responses to drug behavior have a concentrated impact on a subset of the population. -- In 2002, there were 19.5 million illicit drug users, 1.5 million drug arrests, and 175,000 people admitted to prison for a drug offense. -- Of those 175,000 people, more than half were black, despite the fact that blacks make up less than 13 percent of the country's population. -- While blacks and whites use and sell drugs at similar rates, blacks are 10 times more likely than whites to be imprisoned for drug offenses nationwide. -- In Charleston County, blacks are sent to prison for drug offenses at 24 times the rate of white people, which is larger than disparities found in Richland, Greenville and Spartanburg counties. -- There is no relationship between the rates at which people are sent to prison for drug offenses and the rates at which people use drugs in those counties. -- Higher county drug prison admission rates were associated with how much was spent on policing and the judicial system, higher poverty and unemployment rates, and the proportion of the county's population that is black. The county has the largest racial disparity in the state for imprisoning more blacks than whites for drug crimes, the report shows. The study found that blacks here are sent to prison for drug offenses at 24 times the rate of whites, which is larger than disparities found in Richland, Greenville and Spartanburg counties. For every 100,000 people living in Charleston County in 2002, of those imprisoned for drug offenses, about 255 were black whereas only about 11 were white. "That's pretty significant," said La-Wanda Johnson, deputy communications director for the Justice Policy Institute. Johnson said blacks and whites appear to sell and use drugs at similar rates but that law enforcement could be concentrated in black communities nationwide. Perhaps blacks who buy and sell drugs in open-air urban markets are more visible to police, Johnson said, whereas those who handle drugs in the privacy of their homes are less likely to be caught. The report argues that the main thrusts driving disparate rates of imprisonment aren't related to the prevalence of drug use in a county. But disparities are more often seen in counties with large black populations, high poverty and unemployment rates and where a great deal of money is spent on law enforcement and the judicial system. Researchers also reported other factors might play a role, such as unequal policing practices, differences in how persons are treated in court and lack of drug treatment availability for some groups. What could be causing the disparity locally is complex and multifaceted. Focus on high-visibility street crime Charleston County Sheriff Al Cannon said his office, like most police departments across the country, focuses on street crimes, because he said those types of offenses seem to cause the most grief for residents. Cannon said they often respond to calls about drug activity on street corners and have learned to spot suspicious individuals buying or selling illegal drugs regardless of what they look like. "I know that from a policing standpoint, we're not making decisions on how and where we're going to police based on race," he said. "I know that." But as residents push for more patrolling and ask for law enforcement to crack down on high-crime neighborhoods, poorer communities that could be predominately black sometimes become focal points. The reality, Cannon said, is that they rarely are dispatched to break up cocaine or prescription drug parties in high-rent districts. That frustrates the sheriff. "We'd love that," he said. "But we don't get those calls." Heath Hoffmann, director of the Crime, Law and Society program at the College of Charleston, said perhaps it is easier for police to surveil the streets than keep tabs on what happens behind closed doors. "If you're on the street corner dealing drugs versus dealing drugs out of your home, you're more likely to get caught on the street corner," Hoffmann said. "You can't really blame cops for that." Kemone conceded that his peers could easily be picked up by police for flaunting their riches. "They target us young black folks, because we're real flashy," he said. "I was a real flashy guy." Kemone said he lived his life the way popular culture taught him to. Now, as he passes each day behind bars, he said it wasn't worth it. More than race Charleston County Chief Public Defender Ashley Pennington said sometimes individual cops do carry grudges in arrests, but for the most part, he doesn't see racial prejudices at the prosecution level. "I can't say that race is not a factor, but I don't think that it's that simple," Pennington said. For example, repeat offenders are subject to tougher sentences, noted Pennington, who is an advocate for alternatives to incarceration. Pennington said there are known disparities, however, about how cocaine and crack cocaine offenses are punished differently through mandatory minimums for drug crimes. Cocaine is a potent powder that is inhaled. Crack cocaine, which is smoked, is less potent but is more widespread. Federal laws are stricter for crack cocaine offenses. Pennington said blacks are more often charged with those types of drug crimes, though he said "crack cocaine proliferates in the white community as well." 'Instill the virtue of work' About 24,000 inmates are being held in South Carolina's prison system. Data collected by the state Department of Corrections in late June shows 20 percent of inmates were imprisoned primarily for a dangerous drug crime. Of those criminals, 3,741 are black. Only 876 are white. The Rev. Joseph Darby, a former probation counselor for more than a decade, said he is convinced there are "latent prejudices that still come into play sometimes in the judicial process." That, along with other factors, such as a lack of adequate legal representation because of financial constraints or some criminals seeing drug trafficking as their only means of support, is why Darby said he wasn't surprised to learn that Charleston had such a high disparity in its imprisonment rate. The solution? "We need to help with some of the young people to instill the virtue of work," Darby said, adding that young people also need access to better training and more jobs that pay adequate wages. Pennington said society as a whole should build momentum to help redirect former criminals and reduce recidivism. This summer, Kemone learned carpentry skills and more through a program called Lowcountry Civic Justice Corps, a new initiative aimed at helping rehabilitate offenders through job training, mentoring and community service. Kemone said he lacked discipline when he was younger, especially after his grandmother died, but the program taught him that hard work is what pays off. He doesn't want to let his wife and five kids down, he said. "I learned that you can make it without selling drugs. You can work hard and do the right thing and still support your family," said Kemone, who is still imprisoned at the Coastal Pre-Release Center in North Charleston. He'll share his new outlook on life with a parole board in January. Reach Tenisha Waldo at 937-5744 or twaldo@postandcourier.com. |
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Posted by professional_blk_woman on December 9, 2007 at 3:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have an idea. Why dont we go ahead and legalize drugs. Sell it in the local walmarts & drug stores. Mark up the price, tax the hell out of it, and let the addicts and dope fiends buy to their little heart's content. If you weren't using drugs before and understand the dangers, you sure arent going to buy it just because they're selling it at the local Walmart. Hey...they could even lock it in a case like they do for pregnancy tests and condoms (couldnt be glass, of course! Wouldnt this put all of the drug dealers out of commission? Then the cops wouldnt have to worry about this type of "street crime", and the racial disparity in prisons will be taken care of. The Black people wont have to sell on the streets anymore, and the White people wont have to hide behind closed doors. They can just be high & out of their minds legally!
Posted by Mayor on December 9, 2007 at 6:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The disparity is whites don't get caught as often as blacks, because we don't do it on the streets. I'll guarantee you there are more white drug abusers than black. Whites buy and use, not too much selling going on. Harpo is an ignorant racist pig, and I hope he snorts PCP once before he goes to Daniel Carver Heaven.
Posted by Hey_U_Guys on December 9, 2007 at 6:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm so sick of reading these "racial disparity" articles...
Posted by Diamondhead on December 9, 2007 at 8:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
One of the things I found in life is that when your disciplining a child about their bad behavior, the child will always defect the issue from them to another person as the cause of their bad behavior. I tell the child not to worry about their siblings or other kids, worry about your own problem and how to correct it. I’ll worry about the other kids.
LaWanda Johnson of the Justice Policy Institute should be more concern about the black family and the problems in the black community than this disparity between black and white. To me that is smoking mirrors and junk science, but on the other hand maybe her pay check depends on disparity.
Posted by Diamondhead on December 9, 2007 at 8:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Another problem I have with this article,if a white drug dealer was dealing out of his home in a middle class neighborhood there would be an unusual amount of traffic going in and out of the house. This drug traffic would bring the most unsavory characters into the neighborhood. This would also arouse the curiosity from the neighbors especially if there’s children around. Believe me I be calling the police faster than a New York minute if there was a drug dealer in my neighborhood.
It's called the neighborhood watch.
Posted by majorjohnson on December 9, 2007 at 9:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
White users are more likely to have jobs...they aren't standing around on corners passing baggies through car windows, and drugs aren't their only source of income. Legalizing drugs would affect few of them, as anyone who wants to smoke a joint or snort coke can easily find and buy it right now. It would remove the profit factor though, which would mean the people standing on corners selling drugs would have to find jobs if they wanted to eat. Consider that marijuana is a weed that will grow anywhere from your back yard to your living room, yet costs $150 an ounce due to the drug war. Coca is a weed, poppies are flowers. Despite the drug war they are readily available and because of the drug war they have huge profit margins. We learned from alcohol prohibition that all it did was create more crime and misery at higher cost to society, but for some reason we refuse to learn that lesson from drug prohibition.
Posted by Cid95 on December 9, 2007 at 9:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope the P&C addresses the racial disparity among NBA players and top hip hop musicians.
Equal opportunities does not equate to equal results.
Posted by havesense on December 9, 2007 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
First let me say I'm white. Second, I'll say that I grew up in black neighborhoods my entire childhood up until I was 21. I think these "racial disparity" columns are ridiculous. Of course the people doing it in the streets (i.e visibily) are going to be the ones who go to jail for it. If I get drunk at home, I fall asleep; if I get drunk in the street I go to jail for public intoxication - it's not rocket science!
Blacks are of course going to be 2,3,4 or whatever to 1 imprisoned because there's a whoooole lot more selling drugs than white - period! And that's coming from someone who's rang up statistics for the opposing end.
"Johnson said blacks and whites appear to sell and use drugs at similar rates but that law enforcement could be concentrated in black communities nationwide,"
That statement above is by far wrong. I'd almost say it's an all out lie. Yea, I believe white & black folks might use drugs about the same but there isn't anyway in Hell that white folks sell it as much. Most of the white drug problem comes from marijuana (middle class Americans, etc.). I can recall 100's of instances where I know people that bought drugs (other than marijuana) and maybe 10-15 out of the 100 bought them from a white guy!! Don't get me wrong, we're all friends / high school buddies, etc. but the white kids (young adults) have the money (& always have had money) to buy the drugs & the blacks (& really poor white kids) have dreams of making money, and get taught about selling them to do so - I know this first hand.
Regarding imprisonment, of course the ones (white or black) doing it in the open are going to go to jail more often. Poor white people & blacks are by far the biggest offenders / folks in jail. In addition, middle-to-upper class (either race) can usually hire lawyers, pay bonds and etc. to get out of the trouble anyway.
It's a never ending cycle...you can't change it either because if you do the system becomes unfair due to race and that's racism either way you look at it. The ones that are more careful will wind up in jail less than the ones who aren't - PERIOD!
Posted by southerner on December 9, 2007 at 10:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lighten up: I have the solution--- every time a black is arrested, arrest a white. I too am getting sick of this racial crap. Stop giving them free housing,food and welfare and make them go to work.
Posted by Reader on December 9, 2007 at 11:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
According to the article, "Johnson said blacks and whites appear to sell and use drugs at similar rates."
That one statement is the entire foundation for this article. If drug use is not the same between the races, then nothing else in this article is either surprising or troubling.
Rather than all of the statistics about the supposed problem, I'd like to have seen something about the source for this baseline belief. I'm surprised that the paper did not devote a single sentence to proving the accuracy of this statement. Where did this belief come from?
Posted by professional_blk_woman on December 9, 2007 at 11:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Southerner, please respect the rest of us and take off your white hood when you enter the room. Your statement, "Stop giving them free housing, food and welfare and make them go to work." was completely racist and out of line. Do you have a job that you'd like to give "them"? Would you like to teach "them" how to compete in a job market that doesnt cater towards "them" that have come from generations and generations of poverty? Until society as a whole understands why it isnt coincidence that most offenders come from the poorest neighborhoods (which consist of mostly black families), and the social issues as to why these families remain in generational poverty, things will never change. Go and do some community service. I think it will change your opinion of "them" and help you to realize that many of "them" are people who work every day and are just trying to get themselves and their children out of "the hood" so they can have a brighter future. Walk a mile in their shoes. Remember to be greatful for what you have and where you've come from. Dont be so hasty to judge others. But for the grace of God, it could have been YOU!
Posted by preachlove on December 9, 2007 at 12:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Southerner: May I have my free housing, food and welfare you're talking about. My 9-5 is killing me; plus, I'm trying to get another 8 hour job to help my daughter when she starts college next year. I'll be sure to look out for all the free stuff. Ya hear me talkin' to ya Southerner; I'ma waitin' and also laughing at how intelligent you are. No wonder people like George Bush are in office.
Posted by JonWithnal on December 9, 2007 at 12:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Reminds me of a report from The Onion from '02: Drugs Now Legal If User Is Employed - read the full text here: http://www.theonion.com/content/news/dru...
Posted by professional_blk_woman on December 9, 2007 at 1:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Preachlove, I agree! Since Southerner likes to make broad generalizations, s/he needs to point us in the direction of the handout line for the professional black folks, because through today, I havent been able to get a DANG thing for free. I go to work every day, pay my mortgage on time, have never committed a crime, have a daughter that was recruited and accepted in to Academic Magnet, am a member of the PTA, and own my own business. I live in an afluent, racially mixed neighborhood, have never sold drugs on a corner, and I dont collect a welfare check. Does that mean I miss out on my space in the handout line because I am not a part of the "them" that Southerner so often refers to? Pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaseeeee!!!!! I may not fit your stereotype, Southerner, but I'm still black!!!
Posted by preachlove on December 9, 2007 at 1:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Another racially charged article to rile up the backwoods good ole' shack folk like Southerner and Harpo so they can spout their all knowing intelligence and racist rhetoric.
There are many factors involved at play here. As a few posters have mentioned, and I agree, if you sell drugs on the corner, sooner or later you're going to get caught. If you're at one of Thomas Ravenel's coke parties snorting a line, you probably won't. Better yet, if you do happen to get caught, and have the ability to hire a good lawyer like Andy Savage, etc., your sentence will probably be on the light side. Simple facts.
And let's not forget, as Southerner and Harpo clearly exhibit, racism is alive and well here in South Carolina. Only blacks are on welfare and only blacks sell drugs.
Posted by preachlove on December 9, 2007 at 1:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Professional_blk_woman - That's because it doesn't matter what blacks acheive, people like Southerner will only see the what the limited little pea brains they have will allow them seep out and that's their racist inclinations which were no doubt instilled in them by family and friends and passed down through the generations. I'm glad that we both choose to be bigger than people like them and contribute something greater to the State of South Carolina.
Posted by mac0cm4 on December 9, 2007 at 1:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'd have to say that it's not so much a disparity if it reflects the demographics of the region. If the demographic makeup was reversed, then I'm sure there'd be more Caucasians in prison.
But as is typical, everyone else is expected to solve the problem of those who can't be responsible adults.
Posted by preachlove on December 9, 2007 at 2:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The_Mouth_of_the_South - have you ever lived in a predominately black community? I doubt you have. I have and when there was a problem in my community the POLICE WERE CALLED. Everybody DOES NOT LOOK THE OTHER WAY! Maybe there are certain communities, where people look the other way, but don't lump all black communities into one category; there are many thoughtout this land. The ignorance of some of you is just non-stop. I cooperate with police, and my dad is a retired police officer, so was one of my friend's dad, who is also a retired police officer. They knew what was going on in our neighborhood. Get your facts straight before you generalize.
Posted by justme2 on December 9, 2007 at 2:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Southerner wrote:
I have the solution--- every time a black is arrested, arrest a white. I too am getting sick of this racial crap. Stop giving them free housing,food and welfare and make them go to work.
Southerner, arent't you adding to the Racial disparity comments by the above comment you wrote? If you are so sick of it, why the comment?
Posted by preachlove on December 9, 2007 at 3:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
cvs - While I don't care for all the racial discussions and not just dealing the with article/issue at hand, here's my perpective on the issue.
If there were no racial comments, I would really be concerned. Did we just reach paradise or something? That would be great, but in this real world of ours, there will always be whites hating blacks and blacks hating whites. I just surmise it to the way it is - as long as people can keep us divided and better yet make a few $$$ of it, why bother.
I would much rather know that a percentage of the population hates me, than not. I would definitely like to know that a percentage of the population will not treat me fairly, be it in a business, restuarant, at a bank or on the job just because of the color of my skin.
I am glad that some of these racists always manage to stick their foot in their mouth and let the whole world know who they are. And, it's all the better to know who these racists are when they have the ability to effect outcomes and policy.
Lastly, I am glad to be able to post here, because before civil rights, I would probably have been lynched just for voicing my opinion. I choose to judge people on the content of their character and not based on the color of their skin, which are words from my hero Martin Luther King, Jr. I teach my kids to that effect as well.
Posted by burton on December 9, 2007 at 5:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
As I always say, life is about choices and consequences. You choose to sell/use drugs, then you have to pay the consequences like Kemone did. I am glad to see that he has learned from his mistake and is in the process of turning his life around. I wish him luck.
I'm an African American male that lives in the hood. I try to be a positive example to the young men in the neighborhood but I can do but so much. Selling drugs is the easy way out. I have been blessed to travel around the world. A person has more opportunities here in the U.S. than any other country in the world.
I'm sick and tired of the excuses that my people make! Our ancestors should be turning over in their graves because of the state of black america today! They survived being taken from their homeland, The Middle Passage, Slavery, Black Codes, Jim Crow laws, etc. and still made it. What are we going through today that compares to any of that?
I'm tired of all these stories about blacks that are making bad choices. I challenge the Post & Courier to print more stories of blacks that are working hard and are positive influences in their communities.
Posted by ChrisPia on December 9, 2007 at 7:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Those street crimes bring an abundance of violence.In Order for the Police to Combat crime they must drive around the areas where violent crime is rampant...It is mostly impoverished areas across the country.Most Of these areas are not mixed races. They differ in all parts of the country and in jail systems depending on the community make-up. Criminals are criminals no matter what race.The Problem is poverty and the easy money made selling drugs. The Kids today don't realize that jail or death is their future..
Posted by preachlove on December 9, 2007 at 8:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Burton - Well said. The PC will not print many stories of positive blacks because of people like Harpo and Southerner who relish any negativity about blacks, but fail to comment on stories like the one about the "white lawyer" that just got caught coked out of his mind and possesion of cocaine. They don't ever comment on the horrible stories committed by whites. They constantly show their racist attitudes.
Posted by professional_blk_woman on December 9, 2007 at 10:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
professional_blk_woman says to everyone:
ignore the children---------) southerner & harpo
Posted by southerner on December 10, 2007 at 11:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If I went to an interview for a job with my pants down to my knee's, speaking a language that could not be understood, with god knows what kind of knots my hair was tied into and freshly graduated from the sixth grade. What kind of job do you think I would get? See, you say I should spend sometime doing community service, well what has happened to the parents? Are they not suppose to teach their offspring's to live in a law abiding society,to work towards bettering themselves and to contribute to the society that they live in rather then turning it into a "HOOD". Because you are poor is not an excuse for you to not better yourself, because you are poor is not a reason to live in filth, because you are poor is not a reason to talk like you are to lazy to open your mouth. I voiced my OPINION if you don't like it sorry about that, if the shoe fits then wear it and I really believe that "The truth hurts" If you consider me a racist for stating the truth, so be it. But remember it is you who need to help your people, you say you are educated, how much help have you provided to them, can you go to sleep at night knowing you did something that will help your people rise above all of this.?
Posted by eyfigueroa on December 10, 2007 at 2:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
HEY MOUTH: "These scum bags are simply giving racists the ammunition they desperately need to maintain their views." You ought to know... "But remember it is you who need to help your people, you say you are educated, how much help have you provided to them, can you go to sleep at night knowing you did something that will help your people rise above all of this.?" You kidding me right?!?!?!? We live in an area where the demographics support the numbers of black in prison. Far more blacks sell drugs on the street than whites. Those who FLASH their illegal activities will catch the attention of law enforcement. It’s just that simple.
Posted by eyfigueroa on December 10, 2007 at 2:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Havesense: “Most of the white drug problem comes from marijuana (middle class Americans, etc.).” You couldn’t more mistaken. You are posting statistics based on your personal opinions.
Here are REAL STATS: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drug...
*DEA arrests based on race/drug FY 2004
Powder coke white 4648 black 2273
Crack white 695 black 3161
Marijuana white 4573 black 1017
Meth white 5367 black 141
Opiates white 1398 black 833
*There were a total of 1,376,792 state and local arrests for drug abuse violations in the United States during 2006. Of these drug abuse violation arrests, 63.6% of those arrested were white, 35.1% were black, 0.7% were Asian or Pacific Islander, and 0.6% were American Indian or Alaskan Native.9
*The 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that the highest rate of current (past month) illicit drug use was among American Indian/Alaska Natives (13.7%), followed by blacks/African Americans (9.8%), persons reporting two or more races (8.9%), whites (8.5%), Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islanders (7.5%), and Hispanics (6.9%). The lowest rate of current illicit drug use was among Asians (3.6%).2
REMEMBER THIS IS A SURVEY WHERE PEOPLE HARDLY TELL THE TRUTH!!!
*Drug use by High School Students FY 2005
Drug Use..............White....Black...Hispanic...Other
Lifetime marijuana.....38.0% - 40.7% - 42.6% - 30.6%
Current marijuana......20.3 - 20.4 - 23.0 - 13.9
Lifetime cocaine.......7.7 - 2.3 - 12.2 - 7.7
Current cocaine........3.2 - 1.5 - 6.1 - 3.1
Lifetime inhalant......13.4 - 6.8 - 13.0 - 12.8
Lifetime heroin........2.2 - 1.5 - 3.6 - 2.4
Lifetime meth..........6.5 - 1.7 - 8.8 - 6.4
Lifetime Ecstasy.......5.8 - 3.9 - 9.6 - 8.0
Lifetime illegal steroid..4.2 - 2.4 - 3.9 - 5.6
Marijuana before age 13..7.7 - 9.1 - 12.5 - 8.2
Posted by preachlove on December 10, 2007 at 2:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Southerner; Harpo - Ya just don't get it. First, Southerner: I am member of the Boys and Girls club and when I can I help out. My dad formed an organization to help juveniles. WE ARE DOING! The truth doesn't hurt, because I know the truth. You are trying to portray ALL blacks as thugs and pants to their knees fools. I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DO THAT.
harpo - I am a bigger and better person than you'll ever be. "I believe preachlove is actually a PC racist in this forum who dumps on the non-PC folks". PC racist who dumps on non-PC folks. Care to explain? I can assure you that I don't look or act nasty. I will not sink to your level of immaturity and ignorance. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck; it's duck. And from your posts and Southerner's postS, lumping all blacks in one bag, you have informed everyone on this board that you're RACIST. I can sleep very well at night knowing I'm not racist. Don't get your shorts in a tizzy because I have pointed out that your are. I know the truth doesn't hurt you, because RACISTS DON'T REALLY CARE THAT THEY ARE RACISTS.
Posted by Test2007 on December 10, 2007 at 3:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeah, I LOVE the racial disparity articles too (NOT!!!). Thanks eyfigueroa for the stats. People have their own ideas on what a drug dealer/user looks like but I have learned a few things in this life and one of them is don't judge a book by its cover.
PS: thanks for mentioning stats on huffing.
No one mentioned prescription drug abuse. I don't know about SC but in Southwestern Virginia, oxycontin is all the rave!
Posted by preachlove on December 10, 2007 at 4:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Southerner: I don't hear you? You implied that blacks weren't doing anything to help themselves. Will you respond to what I posted? You can't because you truly don't know what blacks are doing to help their communities. You continually generalize because it makes you feel better to degrade a whole race of people and that makes you a RACIST.
And Harpo - if you didn't make unintelligent and ignorant statements, the shoe wouldn't fit you as a RACIST and I would not be calling you ONE.
Posted by ChrisPia on December 10, 2007 at 5:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Once,again it depends on the makeup of the area of the criminals.Its Not a racial problem Its a criminal problem..Thanks eyfigueroa for the stats.