What Can the President Do about Mass Incarceration? A Presidential Expert Explains
After a recent letter to the White House addressing mass incarceration was written by Dr. Boyce Watkins and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, thousands of celebrities, activists, business leaders and scholars got on-board. Public figures, including Jennifer Hudson, LL Cool J, Chris Rock, members of the Congressional Black Caucus and Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton endorsed [...]
Russell Simmons Speaks on Mass Incarceration
When Russell Simmons talks, people tend to listen. And these days the 55-year-old hip-hop impresario has much to say to those who might be his most ardent audience members. Young black and minority men are being jailed for minor drug offenses at a rate at least six times higher than that of whites nabbed for the same [...]
Today Two Congressmen Plan to Introduce Legislation to Overhaul America’s Marijuana Laws
There is a growing movement in to change America’s pot laws, and today two Congressmen, Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-Or.) and Jared Polis (D-Colo.), plan to introduce legislation to establish a tax and regulate plan for marijuana. The Denver Post reports: In states that legalize pot, growers would have to obtain a federal permit. Oversight of marijuana would be [...]
Woman’s Boyfriend Hid Crack in her Attic: She Got Life in Prison without Parole
If you don’t think that the War on Drugs has had a terrible impact on American families, you only need to look at the case of Stephanie George. If your boyfriend is a dope dealer and he hides his crack in your attic without your knowledge, you would expect that the courts would understand. But [...]
Cornel West, Angela Davis and Other Black Scholars Speak Up Against Mass Incarceration
by Dr. Boyce Watkins Angela Davis, Michelle Alexander, Cornel West and Marc Lamont Hill all gathered at the Riverside Baptist Church to call for an end to mass incarceration. The US prison population has grown dramatically over the last three decades, and has had a disproportionate impact on the black American family. Millions of us [...]
Awesome Brother: Former Inmate Gives Opportunities to Help Ex-Offenders Get on their Feet
Lonnie Hunt, a former inmate, hires ex-offenders for his business in Oklahoma. Despite conventional misperception, Hunt believes that former felons work harder than those who have never been to jail. Giving jobs to former inmates is important to the community and Hunt sees this as his chance to give back while making a profit. Corrections [...]
Dr. Boyce Video: Why We Must Support the Inmates in Georgia’s Prison Protest
From Dr. Boyce Watkins: I spoke with Rev. Kenny Glasgow recently about the unspeakable things happening to prison inmates in the state of Georgia. Many of these men are being tortured and beaten nearly to death as a result of a peaceful protest they launched back in 2010. Some of them have been kept in [...]
Dr. Boyce: Valerie Jarrett Says Obama Has “Genuine Love” for the Black Community – How Cute
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, KultureKritic.com This week, White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett appeared at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention in New Orleans. During her appearance, Jarrett reiterated the deep affection and appreciation that President Obama has for the African American community. Jarrett stated that President Obama has “genuine love” for the black [...]
Russell Simmons to Bill O’Reilly: “You Wanna Pick on Somebody, Pick on Me”
Russell Simmons and Dr Boyce Watkins recently co-authored an open letter against mass incarceration and the War on Drugs. The letter went to the Obama Administration and has helped to raise awareness about the devastating impact that the drug war has had on families, especially African Americans. Russell Simmons, writing for GlobalGrind.com, recently wrote an [...]
May 3, 2013No CommentRead More