Return to current topic
Topic for
9/9/96:		 A recent investigative series appearing in the San Jose Mercury uncovered a CIA-supported Nicaraguan Contra program financed by the introduction of large amounts of "crack" cocaine into the Compton and South Central Los Angeles communities in the mid-1980s.

Should the federal government establish a strategy to address the devastation its actions have precipitated in these areas in the same way it currently does for victims in areas damaged by hurricanes?



Name: Shauna Barry-Scott
Email: daretodream@earthlink.net
Response: Original post date was Sept. 1996: Current date Oct. 1997......Can someone please explain to me why we still have heard no official response from the CIA in reference to their "self-investigation" concerning the well documented and as of yet undisputed revelations printed by the San Jose Mercury News Aug. 1996 ? . Didn't one of the last hearings or meetings which aired on C-Span last fall promise Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and the American public in general that there so-called "investigation" into the matter would take "six" weeks ?. Someone please bring me up to date if I missed their response ! ? ...... Why is all this time being wasted on this foolishness concerning political fundraising? Both parties have participated equally in questionable fundraising, and quite frankly I could give less than a d___ about it. Can someone please demand that our government be forced to the forefront and come clean with the open and honest truth about what they have done to the black community with the scourge of illicit drugs?. We have to demand the immediate declassification of all the top-secret documentation that obviously holds the key to the truth, the answers to all of our questions . Yours Truly, A Sister In The Struggle; Shauna - Ohio.


Name: Avery Johnson
Email: ajohnson@heald.edu
Response: I am so glad that the story came out and the way some people responded to it. I leave in Oakland and it seems like it was an eye opener for a lot of dead people and and city seems to be more calmer. I look back at the city I was raised in and it had little to no affect, Baltimore is still crazy if not crazier than when I left in 1989. Maybe if the route of the drugs coming in was through East Coast as it is supposed to have been coming through the West Coast, maybe they would wake up some too. I would never go home again to live with so many dead people.


Name:
Email:
Response: What is so sad is --- we knew it all along!


Name: Shanette Walker
Email:
Response: It's chilling to see how insidious the 'powers that be' are, isn't it? Yes we should demand a program to help reestablish the community. Copies of the article should be sent to everyone in prison for peddling drugs. This should be discussed in schools, home and at church. While it would be beneficial to receive funds to help repair the damage, we are going to have to start from scratch.


Name: Another Omega Man
Email: rljack@ark.ship.edu
Response: "Certainly there are those that are sick that we must make whole, but aren't there those who are whole that we must make sick ?"
This excerpt from "Of mice and men" is clearly representative of the insidious madness that dwells in the soul of a very sick society. No, it is not shocking that the disease has spread to all parts of the body. But, it is something that requires a response. It is not enough, as one sister said in her commentary above, to just receive an admittance of guilt from an organization with a long history of enacted oppressive ideologies. The Black community can never get back the years lost to drugs, crime, and other associated side effects of an illness that has run rampid. The very least a responsible government could do in a situation like this is to offer rehabilitation to those victims, to clean up those neighborhoods, and attempt to restore some sense of decency and self-pride. These may appear to be crumbs from the "Master's table," but they would at least inform a nation of marginalized persons that certain activities are intolerable.
For years, conscious African Americans have known that our community would find it difficult to finance the aircraft to import cocaine and other foreign drugs into our communities. We have known that there is a community of persons associated with organizations and concepts like the trilateral commission and the new world order had a vested interest in the destruction of the Black community. These things are not new. What is new is that a public media outlet has cited a major governmental arm (CIA) with charges of purposeful, and malicious exploitation/destruction of an African American community in LA. An investigation has already been called by Maxine Waters, however it would take a government that refuses hypocrisy, believes in the "pledge allegiance" and the constitution, ensures equality, justice, and freedom. That may be too much to ask of our government. We'll see. Meanwhile, brothers and sisters, stop reacting so much, and proact, anticipate, and move our community forward. Let's hibernate if we must, for hibernation is "a covert preparation for an overt action." Peace & God Bless !


Name: april crump
Email: april_crump@nt.com
Response: No one should be surprised by this sudden news. Look at the society we live in today. I would not put anything past anyone. It is sad that this is not the first time this issue has been looked into, Senator Boxer called for an investigation of the hush hush Frogman arrest as well. That was the 80's and it has been burried ever since. It is a crime that none of this is even being aired on local news or radio. Not even the so called "Real" news like CNN or CSPAN are even talking about it. It took BET to air a program last night for Nightline to even get the guts to mention it. I am going to alert my local radio station to bein airing information on this, so that everyone knows and that this does not get burried again. We must demand that something be done and that measures be taken. At this point, I would settle for a "Yes we are responsible" from CIA head Deutch. Although the government owes our communities for what it has done to us, I know that they will make no effort to compensate us, it will be a miracle for them to even admit that they have done this to us. Some will say that people sold these drugs of their own free will. Although this is true, this was calculated as a two for one. We would support their war, and kill us off at the same time. Things like this have been going on for years, but the government never takes action until it begins to affect communities outside of our own. I have read the entire three part series in the San Jose Mercury, and in reading this I found two topics that alarm me the most. One that the CIA actually was quoted saying that by them selling the black community these drugs, "The end justifies the means" also that in this supposed day and age of "equality" that two innocent black men can still be arrested "just because" I myself have never seen two men disturb the peace to such a degree that they needed to be arrested. Dick Gregory is a veteran activist, and I am sure by now he knows the boundaries of protest. Most importantly what I am saying in all of this, is for no one to be surprised about anything. Everyone please stay aware of what is going on around you. I am not saying to hate, but we must always be aware of what is around us. People can be like animals, and only the stong survive. Always educate yourself, and don't worry about what someone isn't giving you. Everything you gain in this world you have to do for yourself. Never put your trust in the Government or in people, you have to take a stand for yourself, and be your own leader. Don't just sit there and let things happen to you by ignoring the obvious. I mean get real, where is it that people think they are living? If you stay aware from the beginging, you won't have to worry about being surprised, hurt and angry in the end.


Name: Elaine in Dallas
Email:
Response: You know my "informed" brothers & sisters have always pointed to a conspiracy in our community. However, I naively dismissed the idea. My goodness it is frightening to see that they were unfortunately right. Yes, I believe the government owes our community. Do I think the government will actually do something about it? NO! I don't know about the rest of the nation but this is not being discussed much in the Dallas press.


Name: yvonne payne
Email: ycpayne@radix.net
Response: I think that we as a people should now try to clean up our communties and not depend on the government.I think deep down in our soul we knew this was happening in our communties,but turned our heads. Now that it's in theopen we can no longer hide. we must repair the damage to our people and communties.


Name: DD
Email:
Response: I am not at all surprised by this information. In the early 80's I had the unfortunate opportunity of living in the Bahamas on the Island of Bimini and witnessing first hand the premeditated raping of the hearts and souls of our African American youth as well as the Bahamians. Our government was blatantly allowing hundreds of kilos of cocaine into the Miami area via Bimini on a daily basis.
The truly sad part is - we are allowing it. Our young people who are willingly selling drugs are falling for the trap.
Every time anyone of us engages in social activity in actuality supports their efforts to destroy us. I truly pray that all of us reach inside and ask God to change our hearts so that we care about each other, every child, every young man and woman as though they all were our own, sisters, brothers, mothers and fathers. That's the only way we can beat them.


Name: Jeremy dos Santos
Email: cmelo@kitimat.sno.net
Response: good evening, Mr.Charles Murphy is absolutly right, Min.Farrakhan has been speaking on this for years. I am a caucasian Muslim(by faith) from N.Western Canada and I have been studying the teachings of the Hon.Elijah Muhammad for years and have found what he taught to be the absolute truth. Please, open your ears and open your minds to the words Min.Farrakhan speaks. If Min.Farrakhan was speaking lies and false-truths, the scholars,scientists,relious leaders,politicians and theologians would stand up point out where he was wrong, would they not? But, you have never seen a theological,religious or historical debate between Min.Farrakhan and the learned of this world.You will never see it! Min.Farrakhan would tear them and their lies to pieces with his Sword of Truth(his tongue).Ask yourself,why don't they ever challenge what he teaches? The media called the Hon.Elijah Muhammad a crackpot and a conman, they also call Min.Farrakhan a hater,a bigot,a sexist and a racist among other childish names to keep you from asking the all-important question;Is he telling the truth,or not? I challenge you,for YOUR own benefit to give the teachings of The Hon.Elijah Muhammad a fair trial in your mind.Please,be honest with yourself and accept who you are.I pray that Allah will bless you in your studies. PEACE


Name: Ryan Lloyd Pitterson
Email: rp005c@uhura.cc.rochester.edu
Response: The Mercury article definitely provided concrete proof not just of a drug conspiracy, but to the overall sentiment in government that black people in this country are worthless.
Historically, every society that has incurred the wrath of the United States has received some form of reparation or the other. Whether it be the Nazis through the Marshall Plan, the Japanese, the Serbs or the Soviets, America has always sought to rebuld those whom they once worked to destroy. Even the Native Americans, almost wiped out by genocide, have recieved nindependent land ownership. So by that thinking, I am defnitely for Blacks receiving reparation for the damage done by the CIA's drug conspiracy. This is yet another atrocious blemish on the face on this country that hopefully will be noticed for once. Brothers and Sisters, I urge you to write to your local politicians, print media and whomveer will listen. Whatver you feel is the path to empowerment, use it to the fullest. I PRAISE AFRO-Americ@ for this excellent service to the black community. I just found this site today, and never knew of the Mercury story. It's funny though, this morning I heard David brinkley mention a "alleged conspiracy with the CIA" for less than ten seconds today on his progrma which was all about drugs! The struggle goes on.
Peace.


Name: Terry Jones
Email:
Response: No, we don't need low interest loans for material devastation, we should be demanding that they not only leave Affirmative Action alone, they should also review they're decision about Welfare. I hardens me to see once again the pain and devastation that this government has caused my community. No one else has suffered more then those that didn't have anything in the first place. The article in the San Jose Mercury should be read by all. I will never look down upon my brothers or sisters in trouble again but rather think that they were caught up in something much bigger than themselves, the United States Government. This is what our community needs: cold hard cash to pump back into those cities, towns and neighborhoods that suffered the most drug related crimes. Reduce the sentences of those convicted of using crack as well as those who sold it because we now know that they were setup in the beginning. Re-Educate those very individuals and their families. Provide "Jobs" to those communities that were targetted. It seems to me that we've been asking for this all along but now there is proof that the CIA and the Reagan Administration caredless about us in the first place. And now he can't even remember his name. They talk about Bosnia, they talk about the holocaust but what about the fact that our genocide has never stopped. What is also importtant is that each of us takes it upon ourselves to educate our families and friends but most importantly the young people who need to see what our odds for survival have been and still continue to be. They don't need to go astray because it would have been by design that they failed !!!!


Name: Arthur from Perth
Email: awilson@iinet.net.au
Response: Yes, if it is true that is the least that could be done. However, this problem is rooted deeper then just a strategy to resolve a terrible situation.
If the report is true, a crime has been committed and those responsible should be judged in a court of law. Nothing less. Once again if the story is true, I'm sure a mother and father lost a son or daughter and someone is guilty of murder. What is the price. I hope the story is not true. If it is there is a very expensive price to pay.


Name: gerald brown
Email: gerald@eee.org
Response: Let's just be careful of the headfake. That stuff happened 10 years ago. What is going on right now that we can't afford to wait ten years to hear about? An investigation is warranted, but we need to be on the lookout for current covert actions. Let us not get so consumed with getting to the bottom of that one that we fail to notice the contemporary signs of abuse and neglect.


Name: Charles Murphy
Email: cmurphy@airmail.net
Response: The San Jose revelation should not at all astonish us. Minister Louis Farrakhan has been saying that all along.
My question is, now that this is public knowledge what are we going to do about all those young folks of ours behind bars for drug related crimes? We have a great responsibility ahead of us.


Name: Gene
Email: ap065@osfn.rhilinet.gov
Response: Yes, I think reparations should be made. An incredible amount of damage has been done to the Black Community by the crack epidemic. I'm sad to say that I agree with 'rasta'. There will be no disaster aid forthcoming from this or any other administration! The CIA has had a long history of waging destabilization campaigns against those who they consider enemies of the status quo. The crack epidemic certainly destabilized Black communities all over this country and allowed them to also strengthen the media's image of Blacks as drug crazed, criminals, etc. When waging war, they obviously will stop at nothing. Over the labor day weekend, a military conference was held in DC. One of the major topics on the agenda: "Media manipulation, perception management and psychological operations". Think about it, folks.


Name: benjamin hassel
Email: bhassel@ix.netcom.com
Response: This is old new,for me at least. This was know by many of us street people in 1983. There are other things going on that many would not believe. This man wants us dead. and will do anything short of out and out murder. If they can kill us off then they will bring in all those from south of the border.Got news for them---we are a strong and smart people and time is on our side. Birthrate +2.5%. his -2.5% Remember when there was only Jesse Owns and Joe Louis and a lady named Willma. our fore=fathers and mothers faced much greater odds. And won. I am 74 years old and has just finished building a pentium 166 piece by piece. Have no fear Ben is Here.


Name: black girl
Email: cbuckner@Phoneix.kent.edu
Response: The first that I heard of this , I thought of my young brothers and sisters living in this crippled world. I'm a 23 year old female living a world were everyone is fighting. No words of truth will every be heard. We must learn to fight peaceful and speak with will educated minds. We can do anything and no one can stop us. NO ONE!!


Name: Michael Atkinson
Email: matkinso@sprintmail.com
Response: Yes, If what you say is true the government should do exactly that. This is worst than bombing japan and they gave them money for restoration.


Name: Moyosafi Ajabu
Email:
Response: what strikes me is that there seems to be concrete proof of what some of our brothers and sisters have been saying for a long time that others of us denied. those who have told this truth long before this artcile were rediculed and labeled as paranoid. whites were quick to exclaim that blacks are always talkin bout a conspiracy that doesn't exist. i wonder what they would say now.


Name: Brenda Morrison
Email: morrison_brenda@amat.com
Response: Yes, the Government should give reparations to ALL African-Americans. They have and are killing our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and babies. I've read the San Jose Mercury News article from beginning to end and cried. I've made several copies and sent them to those I know and those I don't know in hopes that this will anger all americans to the point where we can unite with one another and demand the government take action. I want those responsible for the devastation of americans to be held responsible for their actions and pay the highest price allowed. Please urge your readers to send letters to the House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich stating they are supporting Congresswoman Maxine Waters' resolution and demand investigations, and hearings. Also demand a special committee be set-up to conduct these hearings. LET'S TAKE A STAND NOW!!!


Name: George Lambert
Email: rasta@voicenet.com
Response: When wagering War on your enemy .One does not go back and heal the wond