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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (April 10, 2015)
Street Roots • April 10-16, 2015 Drug policy reform must look to the future, and the past bis past November, a clear majority of Oregonian voters agreed to take formal action on what had been a fairly accepted social norm: That marijuana use shouldn’t be illegal. Its use shouldn’t result in being arrested, serving time and a criminal record. It shouldn’t be used to target minorities. And it shouldn’t Cost anyone their jobs, — their education, their housing or financial security. So we legalized i t Still, the decades of prohibition means thousands of Oregonians are still saddled by past convictions for something the people of this state have deemed unworthy o f punishment. A comprehensive 2013 nationwide study by the American Civil Liberties Union reports that more than 8.2 million marijuana arrests between 2001 and 2010 — the vast majority simply for possessing marijuana. The ACLU study breaks that down to a marijuana bust by cops every 37 seconds. And despite usage rates being relatively the same, the report found that blacks were nearly 4 times more likely to be arrested on marijuana charges than whites. These records — so often accrued as young adults — can be costly for a lifetime. That’s why we support the Fresh Start Oregon campaign by The Bus Project. The campaign supports the proposal by Rep. Lew Frederick to expunge all B EDITORIAL Page 3 Editorial nonviolent marijuana-related convictions now on Oregonian’s records. The reason echoes the mandate from voters back in November: To reduce the barriers to economic opportunity, and approach drug policy with “comprehensive, pragmatic, moral and sensible reform.” Both government and business are lining up to consider how Oregon’s new law will make them money. And it is intended to do just that. But it is an injustice that well-healed interests will soon be reaping profits for what continues to socially and economically oppress so many lower-income families. Opponents of expungement say people should obey the law as it is, and should have done so when marijuana was illegal. And indeed, it is not a simple job to unravel years of bad policy and legal entanglements, but with a legacy of nonviolent offenses, racial injustice and costly incarceration, it is worth the effort necessary to at least set those records straight Fresh Start Oregon is working to galvanize statewide support for this effort and to encourage lawmakers to pass HB 3372. It is important for all of us who supported Measure 91 to follow through and continue with larger social reforms around drug policy. You can learn more at busproject.org, or head over to Twitter and check out #Freshstartoregon. Write in whiten published in our pages, or would like to get involved as a 503-228-5657, joanne@streetroots.org. We ask that all submissions include the author’s name and contact information, Street Roots ? 211 NW Davis St Portland, OR 97209 503-228-5657 ' Fax: 503-227-3117 www.streetroots.org - www.news.streetroots.org Hours: 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Fri,, 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m, Sat., and 7:30-11 a.m. Sun. . Interested in advertising in Street Roots? Contact Israel Bayer at israel@streetroots.org Staff Oregon moves forward while other states bottom out egislation in Kansas this week is looking to ban You may not know it, but that’s exactly what’s those who receive government assistance from happening. After all, in many communities two or spending i t on the movies, swimming pools, more black kids hanging out on a street Corner can be spas, lingerie and tobacco among other things; The considered a gang. The elderly and people law would only allow people receiving benefits to experiencing disabilities are forced to sleep, at their access $25 a day from an ATM in the land of own risk, under bridges and in city parks. Jayhawks. Seriously. The LGBTQ community makes up an estimated 40 More than 65,000 Indiana residents will be dumped percent of all homeless youth — you know, those kids this spring from food stamp rolls we want to run out of town, because they are bad for after a draconian law was passed business. targeting the poor. In Missouri, In a local environment where we target homeless DIRECTOR'S legislators are hoping to ban poor people for activities in public spaces without providing people who receive government adequate housing — we shouldn’t be surprised that aid from buying seafood and legislation arrives at the state level to keep people By Israel Bayer steak. from enjoying steak and seafood, going to the movies That’s, not all. According to the or a spa or swimming. Unfortunately, I don’t think it National Coalition of th e ends there. There is a war on the poor in our country Homeless, 33 cities banned or and the battle outside is raging. restricted feeding the homeless. Houston, a city some In the end, for most government leaders^ both politicos have said is an example of how to work with liberal and conservative, poverty is an issue, that must the homeless, passed legislation forcing any group of be dealt with through political calculations and people feeding the homeless to gain permission from tradeoffs — not with moral obligations; Never mind the city or face a $2,000 fine. that access to housing and a gdbd education People experiencing homelessness and advocates strengthens our community. have been fighting legislation around the country for In Oregon we have the chance to buck national years to simply access public spaces - like sitting or trends and support everyday Oregonians to have an lying on a sidewalk, or having a legal right to rest or opportunity at a betterlife. First, there’s the Right to ie e p on public and private property. Unfortunately, for the poor, there are no athletes or Rest Bill that protects people on the streets from being criminalized for their housing statutes. We also celebrities calling for a boycott of Kansas or Missouri have the opportunity to increase rent assistance because of the war on the poor. To my knowledge we statewide by $10 million and pass an inclusionary have no Fortune 500 companies or business leaders zoning bill that would give local governments greater pressuring local governments asking legislators to opportunities to create affordable housing. There’s reverse their actions when creating laws that also $100 million on the table to support land discriminate against people for not having a home. acquisition and building of critical affordable housing In fact, in many cases these corporations are units statewide. exacerbating poverty with low wages while benefiting Instead of abandoning the poor, we have the chance from tax breaks that do little to support the poor. to support Oregonians to access a better life. It’s not Imagine for a minute if legislators created language nearly enough, but it’s a start. It’s also a far cry from today that banned people of color, the elderly, the humiliating our own neighbors arid punishing people disabled, and members of the LGBTQ community for the. systematic failures of a nation, . . from accessing certain public spaces. H Israel Bayer is the executive director o f , i Street Roots. You can reach h im a t * israel@stfeetropts. o rg o r follow him on Tw itter @israelbayer. Executive Director Israel israel@streetroots.org Managing Editor Joanne Z joanne@streetroois.org Vendor Coordinator Cofe Merkel cole@streetroots.org Operations Director Sarah Beecroft Program Assistant Grace Badik, Jesuit grace@streetroots.org ¡ Volunteer, Development Director Sarah Cloud Development Assistant Ann-Derrick Galliot . . . Reporters Emily Green, Sue Zaiokar, Christen McCurdy, Sarah Hansell, Sam ■ Bouman, Jacques Von tunen, Jared Faben Photographers Diego Diaz, Joe Glode ■ Canvasser Desmond Hardison jjj Beard of Directors Chairman Bruce Anderson Vice-Chairman Brad Taylor Treasurer Heather Stadlck Secretary Amber Bielman' Directors Rich Rodgers, Michael Anderson, Leo Rhodes, Nora Coon, Darren Alexander, Eddie Barbosa, Rachel Langford Volunteers Jan Bayer, Rob Shyrock, Stacey Heath, John Barker, Sarah Hansell, Aaron Von Reyn, Chere Cobb, Audrey Cerchiara, Jade Maniscalco, Anjall Rathore, Eliese Baker, Doug Spangle, Susannah Kamala, Susan Gallagher, Tom Ray, Lee Ko, Dan Jones, Lisa Waldo, James Yu, Sam Bouman, Cherie Vedal If you are interested in volunteering with Street Roots, please submit a volunteer application atstreetroots.org/volunteer. Qr call Volunteer Coordinator Grace Badik for more information at 503-228-5657. Ì
