June 20,1990 The Portland Observer Page 5
C 7.
HFRA OPINION
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Drugs and the "White Devil” Theory
By Ullysses Tucker, Jr.
By Vickie Huges
I recently read an article titled,
“ Drugs and the ‘White Devil’ The­
ory” by Howard Kurtz (Washington
Post-1990). The article stated that many
blacks believe that white higher offi­
cials are allowing drugs to enter and
destroy our black communities. There
is no way that we can ever prove this
belief. It is true that drugs are being
brought into the country and are reach­
ing our black communities but we
cannot ignore the fact that the drugs
are reaching other communities as
well. We are all aware of the fact that
drugs have affected many people, not
just blacks. There are several statis­
tics to back up this fact
If whites were plotting to use
drugs as a way to eliminate and de­
stroy us, why would they allow so
many of their own to get caught up in
the destruction? I’m sure that they
can think of better ways to destroy us
without killing off their own. Many
of us feel that whites own and control
this country. If whites have that much
power over us, wouldn’t it be easier
for them to ship us to Africa if they are
thinking up ways to get rid of us?
In my opinion, the Drugs and the
‘White Devil’ Theory is ridiculous.
To sell, buy, or use drugs is a matter of
personal choice. You either want to
get involved with drugs or you don’t
If drugs are within reach, you can de­
cide to resist temptations or accept it.
No one can force you to do anything
you don’t want to do.
If we are going to blame whites
for the drug problems in our commu­
nities, how are we going to explain
the black drug dealers who are selling
drugs to those in our black communi­
ties? Are we going to say that whites
are making them do this? The true
issue here is choice, not power! As
referenced in Howard Kurtz’s article,
drugs are a major problem in many
cities run by black politicians, with
black police chiefs. If whites are
trying to destroy us, these prominent
black figures should be able to stop
them. After all, they are in powerful
positions.
Let us not ignore the fact that drugs
are present in white communities a lso .
I know this to be true as a result of
personal observation. I attended a pre­
dominantly white high school located
in a community comprised of numer­
ous white professionals making middle
and upper income. Drugs were rampant
and easily accessible in the schools and
community for those who chose to
indulge. It was in this community that I
became aware of the fact that the drug
problems in this country are not a black
or white issue, but instead a worldwide
issue. Drugs are everywhere!
In reference to the "White Devil’
Theory, Benjamin L. Hooks, executive
director of the NAACP, says, ‘‘It’s simply
the anguished cry of people who really
don’t understand how it got started in
the first place and why it’s out of con­
trol.” I believe that we as a people are
blaming whites for the deterioration of
our communities because we have not
come up with any other logical expla­
nation that would help us to understand
what is happening. Let’s not “ pass the
buck.” Whites are not the only ones
bringing drugs into this country . Many
minority groups, including our own
people are infiltrating the country with
drugs also.
It is useless to try to put all of the
blame on others. That’s the easy way
out! Why not redirect our thoughts to
the solutions of the destruction of our
neighborhoods rather than the hypothe­
sized causes of the problems. The ques­
tion should not be how did these drugs
get into our communities, but rather,
how do we as a people keep them out or
if they get into our communities what
can we do to help people resist them.
Although drugs have become a prob­
lem among all nationalities, let’s focus
on the low income black neighborhoods
for a moment. Many of the people liv­
ing in these neighborhoods have low
self-esteem, believe that they are sup­
posed to stay poor, and decide to sell or
use drugs as the easy way out of their
misery. We must unite as a people and
communicate to the poor black com­
munities that there are other ways, out,
other avenues to gel out of this predica­
ment.
I feel that the first step we must
take is to motivate our people to want to
be the best that they can be. I grew up in
a black middle class family environ­
ment. Some say that I had it easy. I feel
that no matter how ‘ ‘easy ’ ’ a person has
it while growing up, he/she may not be
successful in life without the inner
motivation to want to succeed. I do
believe that many of my peers who are
products of ‘ ‘black middle class’ ’ fami­
lies had it too easy. Parents of these
children gave them everything. Now,
some of these children have fallen by
the wayside because they never devel­
oped the motivation to succeed on their
own. Things were handed to them on a
silver platter; they had it too easy. On
the other hand. I’ve seen so many indi­
viduals some out of poor black commu­
nities with inner motivation and high
self-esteem who have gone on to be­
come bankers, plumbers, lawyers, elec­
tricians, doctors, janitors, educators (and
the list goes on). These individuals
developed the attitude that they wanted
to do better than their parents did. They
wanted to get out of the slumps they
were in because they did not want to
spend their entire lives this way. So see,
there is hope for those in low income
black communities.
We must teach our people how to
get a proper education, how to seek
avenues for financial aid, how to find a
good job, and how to feel good about
themselves. As my dad, who is an ele­
mentary school principal, once said,
“ Every child can learn. Hc/she must
have the proper environment to do so.”
We are that environment! We must do
what we can to foster learning and self­
esteem. We must keep our people off
drugs, off welfare, out of gangs, and off
the streets. It is up to us to help our
people. We owe it to our communities.
Stop blaming others for the destruction
of our people and let’s get busy!
WANT TO BUY
YOUR OWN HOME?
M O VE SIX
SPACES FORWARD
sens that blacks and other minorities
have "zero intelligence” and are easily
led to slaughter like sheep. Give me a
break! Simply because drugs run ram­
pant in the black community, does that
mean that an individual has to partici­
pate in the
lifestlye by sell­
ing the various
products or the
abuse? Have
we as black
people lost our
aptitude to de­
termine what is
right and what
is wrong? I give
us more credit
than that or
should I ?
Drug sales in
the black com­
munity isase-
rious form of
co m m erce
and means of
em ploym ent
mistake th a t a
for many. The
perpetrated by
majority of drugs in this coun­
money is fast
the white race or
try is being deposited in the
and the risks
the federal gov­
are very high.
black and Hispanic and lower-
ernment. Need­
If you live by
less to say, I am
income neighborhoods across
the sword, you
not that paranoid
the country ..
shall perish by
or hold that
it. It is no
o p in io n .
wonder so many blacks are dying in
Granted, “ die white (or devil as he is
drug related deaths or victimized by
called by some) man” or the federal
violent acts associated with this life­
government may be powerful or aware
style. In fact, 98% of all blacks killed
of the routes taken by drug traffickers,
in 1989 were killed by other black people
but whatever happened to individual
and 43% of the total prison population
or personal choice?
are black. While some may be unjustly
Three weeks ago, Town Hall pro­
imprisoned, many are there because of
ducer Frank Mungeam passed me a
violent acts and crimes. Regardless of
copyrighted Washington Post story pub­
race, if you do the crime, you should do
lished in the San Francisco Chronicle
the time. No one is above the law. Sure,
entided, “ Drugs and the ‘White Devil’
there are some situations that provoke
Theory” by Howard Kurtz. The story
speculation as to whether the federal
suggested that there is a conscious ef­
government is sincere about eliminat­
fort by the white establishment to sys­
ing drugs from America, but then I
tematically eliminate blacks and other
remember that we live in a system that
minorities by allowing drugs to flow
promotes net-profit-not human needs.
freely through those specific commu­
Frankly, not suggesting that is is right,
nities. Drug abuse was labeled as a
drugs are big business and the only way
modem day form of genocide without
to decrease sales in this particular busi­
any concrete evidence to support his
ness is to decrease consumption. Of the
claim, this theory, in my opinion, as-
. . the epidemic of drugs and
violence in the black community stems
from a calculated attempt by whites to
foster black self destruction . ,
-Louis Farrakhan; Nation of Islam
“ I think it is no mistake that a major­
ity of drugs in this
country is being
deposited in the
black and His­
panic and lower-
income neigh­
borhoods across
the country . . . "
Film
M aker
Spike Lee
T here
is
c o n s id e ra b le
s p e c u la tio n
(am ong some
black leaders)
that the drug epi­
demic destroy­
ing the fabric of
the black com­
munity is pur­
posely being
" I think it is no
ESSENCE PUBLISHER
NAMED TO
TRANSAFRICA BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
$8 billion designated by the Bush Ad­
ministration to combat the "W ar On
Drugs” , 73% has been targeted to­
wards law enforcement Furthermore,
is this indicative of the administra­
tions attitude towards prevention or a
problem that is perceived as a black
problem? We all know that more whites
use more drugs than black people (USA
Today). Again, there are many things
that I could dwell on and blame the
“ white m an’ for. Things like poverty,
the staggering youth unemployment
rate, and a host of other injustices. It’s
so easy to blame other people for what
is wrong in our lives.
At some point, we as black people
must be accountable for our actions,
attitudes, and state of existence as a
race. We have all (at some point) been
exposed to crime, drugs, violence, and
probably made a choice as to whether
we wanted the lifestlye or not. Some
people decide that they want more out
of life than selling drugs, living in
poverty, or participating in decadent
criminal activities. I made a choice to
be someone. I am a firm believer that
a person can be and can achieve any
objective they set out to accomplish.
It’s a matter of hard work, patience,
and faith. A person’s environment can
shape their perception, but they do not
have to be a product of those circum-
stances-be it a climate plagued by
crime, drugs, or moral decay. It’s up to
the individual as to how they want to
live.
The United States government is
responsible for passing a large num­
ber of laws, legislation, and regula­
tions to run this nation. However, the
government can not legislate self-es­
teem, racial pride, values, morals, and
a persons desire to be someone. Re­
gardless of whether you think that
black people (or other minorities) are
being systematically eliminated eco­
nomically, through drugs, the crimi­
nal justice system, or by whatever
means necessary, one may give the
federal government or the “ white
devil” credit for -- you are still re­
sponsible for your individual choices
and self.
BECOME
COM PUTER
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Magazine and Chief Executive of
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just been named to the TransAfrica
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held in Washington, D.C. this past
weekend.
TransAfrica, America’s only African-
American lobby that monitors United
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Music Hall in New York City.
This year, ESSENCE celebrates its
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fastest-growing magazines in the
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anteed monthly circulation of 850,000
and a readership of more than 4 mil­
lion. Its parent company, Essence
Communications, Inc. (ECI), includes
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marketed to Black consumers, and
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