Tag Archives: Drug War

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Pedro Abramovay – Avaaz.org


 
 
 
 
Dear friends,

For decades, Latin American leaders have followed US orders to pursue a failed drug war that has seen criminal gangs destroy countries and communities across our region. But now, Latin American leaders are for the first time proposing a new approach to implement policies that actually work. They are meeting in 24 hours and they need our urgent support to stay strong — sign the urgent petition now:

Sign the petition

Our continent is bleeding at the hands of organized criminals and drug traffickers, destroying thousands of lives every year. All because the US has forced Latin American governments to carry out failed drug policies that only reward the criminal gangs behind the drug trade.

Now, for the first time in history, Latin American leaders are pushing for a new approach that could finally deliver results. In 24 hours, Guatemala will bring together the Heads of State of the region to push for a new proposal that gives countries freedom to buck the failed doctrine and adopt drug policies like those that have worked successfully in Europe.

It’s urgent — high level officials have told us that for the leaders to stand up to the US, they need to see a groundswell of public support in the next few hours to change the failed status quo. Click below to sign the urgent petition and share with everyone — when we reach 100,000 our voices will be personally delivered to the Guatemalan commission that is leading the summit. Join in:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/for_the_first_time_in_history_usa/?biEWLbb&v=25425

For decades we have seen governments ignore all the experts’ advice and all the scientific evidence that has proven the failure of the War on Drugs. They have feared voters will throw them out of office if they support alternative approaches, as they will appear “weak on crime”. Now, for the first time, science and politics have a chance to walk together and help shut the door on an age of suffering. The Organization of American States (OAS) is the first international organization that has laid out real alternatives like supporting new, peaceful, effective approaches in each country instead of using international law to repress innovation. And, for the first time a group of Heads of State want to act on that expert advice.

Momentum for change is building and now is the time to act: Guatemala, Colombia and other countries in the region want reform; and opinion polls show that citizens know the current approach is a catastrophe. Uruguay is developing a smart plan to regulate cannabis and here at home, two states have already voted to legalize and regulate it. And while countries that have experimented with regulation-based policies have seen significant reductions in drug-related crime, addiction and deaths, the lobbies that have fiercely defended the status quo, including military, law enforcement, and prison departments whose budgets are at stake, are losing ground in the debate.

From the streets of Chicago to the streets of Bogota, families across our region are scarred by the wounds of failure, and this is our chance to try success! The Guatemalan President wants to get all the American states to agree to experimentation this week, and those at the negotiating table have told us if we come out in force to say yes to change, we can push back on stalling from fearful countries.

Let’s ensure our continent, that has suffered most deeply, leads the world to review and reform failed international drug laws. We have just hours before the meeting — sign now and share with everyone — let’s help our leaders take this crucial step to save lives and restore hope:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/for_the_first_time_in_history_usa/?biEWLbb&v=25425

When politicians take a stand against failed orthodoxies in the face of political risk, as Guatemalan leaders are doing now, and the people don’t rally behind them, they go down in flames. But when mass movements rise up to support them, that’s how history gets made. Let’s make history in Guatemala.

With hope and determination,

Pedro, Maria Paz, Alice, Ricken, Laura, Bissan and the whole Avaaz team

PS – Many Avaaz campaigns are started by members of our community! Start yours now and win on any issue – local, national or global: http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/start_a_petition/?bgMYedb&v=23917

MORE INFORMATION:

OAS chief calls for drug violence debate (AlJazeera)
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/05/2013525124830563273.html

OAS Secretary General Presents Report on the Drug Problem in the Americas (OAS)
http://www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_release.asp?sCodigo=E-194/13

The Drug Problem in the Americas (OAS Analytical Report)
http://www.oas.org/documents/eng/press/Introduction_and_Analytical_Report.pdf

Numbers Tell of Failure in Drug War (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/04/business/in-rethinking-the-war-on-drugs-start-with-the-numbers.html?pagewanted=all

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Why I’m in Ames, Iowa …Judd Legum


As you may know, ThinkProgress has been hitting the road to ask tough questions and bring you the unvarnished truth from around the country.

For example, when Paul Ryan was booed by his constituents in Milton, Wisconsin, for defending his plan to privatize Medicare, the traditional media was nowhere to be found. But ThinkProgress was there to capture it all on tape. The clip was played dozens of times on national TV, and hundreds of thousands of people watched the video online.

Overall, our reporters have traveled to 20 states, interviewing nine presidential candidates and 56 members of Congress. We are making an impact and shaping the debate.

But this kind of on-the-ground reporting isn’t cheap. We need to raise $20,000 in the next week to keep our efforts going strong.

Can you pitch in $4 right now?    www.thinkprogress.org

This week, I’m in Iowa to cover the Tea Party Bus Tour — organized by a radical group advocating a return to the gold standard. Several GOP presidential candidates are scheduled to participate.

We’ll be visiting Ames, Iowa Falls, Webster City, Oskaloosa, Creston, and Council Bluffs. With your support, we’ll be able to keep this show on the road and keep holding the right wing accountable.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any comments or questions.

Best,
Judd Legum
Founder, ThinkProgress.org

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The World’s Most Senseless War … Alice Jay – Avaaz.org


In days, we could finally see the beginning of the end of the ‘war on drugs’. This expensive war has completely failed to curb the plague of drug addiction, while costing countless lives, devastating communities, and funneling trillions of dollars into violent organized crime networks.

Experts all agree that the most sensible policy is to regulate, but politicians are afraid to touch the issue. In days, a global commission including former heads of state and foreign policy chiefs of the UN, EU, US, Brazil, Mexico and more will break the taboo and publicly call for new approaches including decriminalization and regulation of drugs.

This could be a once-in-a-generation tipping-point moment — if enough of us call for an end to this madness. Politicians say they understand that the war on drugs has failed, but claim the public isn’t ready for an alternative. Let’s show them we not only accept a sane and humane policy — we demand it. Click below to sign the petition and share with everyone –if we reach 1 million voices, it will be personally delivered to world leaders by the global commission:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/end_the_war_on_drugs/?cl=1081433951&v=9209

For 50 years current drug policies have failed everyone, everywhere but public debate is stuck in the mud of fear and misinformation. Everyone, even the UN Office on Drugs and Crime which is responsible for enforcing this approach agrees — deploying militaries and police to burn drug farms, hunting down traffickers, and imprisoning dealers and addicts – is an expensive mistake. And with massive human cost — from Afghanistan, to Mexico, to the USA the illegal drug trade is destroying countries around the world, while addiction, overdose deaths, and HIV/AIDS infections continue to rise.

Meanwhile, countries with less-harsh enforcement — like Switzerland, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Australia — have not seen the explosion in drug use that proponents of the drug war have darkly predicted. Instead, they have seen significant reductions in drug-related crime, addiction and deaths, and are able to focus squarely on dismantling criminal empires.

Powerful lobbies still stand in the way of change, including military, law enforcement, and prison departments whose budgets are at stake. And politicians fear that voters will throw them out of office if they support alternative approaches, as they will appear weak on law and order. But many former drugs Ministers and Heads of State have come out in favour of reform since leaving office, and polls show that citizens across the world know the current approach is a catastrophe. Momentum is gathering towards new improved policies, particularly in regions that are ravaged by the drug trade.

If we can create a worldwide outcry in the next few days to support the bold calls of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, we can overpower the stale excuses for the status quo. Our voices hold the key to change — Sign the petition and spread the word  http://www.avaaz.org/en/end_the_war_on_drugs/?cl=1081433951&v=9209

We have a chance to enter the closing chapter of this brutal ‘war’ that has destroyed millions of lives. Global public opinion will determine if this catastrophic policy is stopped or if politicians shy away from reform. Let’s rally urgently to push our hesitating leaders from doubt and fear, over the edge, and into reason.

With hope and determination,

Alice, Laura, Ricken, Maria Paz, Shibayan and the whole Avaaz team