By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog
I’m glad Cory Booker (D-Twitter) spent MLK Day doing something other than slinging platitudes like most of the political world, Save Jerseyans. That’s what he does most days; I guess holidays are when he breaks out of the box?
He seized upon the opportunity to double-down on one of his pet issues; I just wish he would’ve been a little more accurate in his analysis:
“What makes matters worse is that our criminal justice system is producing disproportionately damaging impacts on minorities and minority communities. For example, there is no difference in drug usage between blacks and whites yet blacks in America are almost four times more likely to be arrested for drug use.”
Okay – I’m mystified. Why?
There is NO evidence supporting the Senator’s usage claim. None.
NRO’s Roger Clegg looked at the data last year and came across a tragic statistic: in the black community (averaging all age cohorts) drug use presents itself “at a rate 23 percent higher than the general population.” Open a newspaper or drive through a side street in Camden or Newark for all the evidence you’ll need. It’s a human rights disaster playing out every single day right here on our own soil.
Are the results of the ‘War on Drugs’ worthy of scrutiny? You bet. There are too many crimes in America, and our prisons often excel only at producing better criminals. We need a fresh approach to the problem, a position that’s gaining bipartisan traction.
And do our urban neighborhoods need help? Definitely; however, the only victimization going on is the subtle bigotry of bad liberal policies. A good start? It’d be nice to see Democrats put their money with their mouths are and back meaningful school choice options in the neighborhoods were our children are preyed upon by drug dealers.
But is there any hard evidence, at all, that the ‘War on Drugs’ itself is motivated by racism? Nope, no matter how many times Sen. Booker and his allies repeat the claim. It’s needless embellishment in support of their cause (at best) and counterproductive race-baiting (at worst).
Just sayin’…
So let’s stop lying about reality to score points and start helping people! Okay?
