| December 10, 1999 #127 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Table of Contents
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FEATURE ARTICLE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Human Rights and the American Drug War | ||||||||||||||||||||
By G. Patrick Callahan, Prisoner of the "War on Drugs" and brother of
Nora Callahan Founder of the November Coalition | ||||||||||||||||||||
NOTE: Interestingly, in the wake of the bodies being found in Juarez Mexico this article was written from prison over a year ago by Patrick! | ||||||||||||||||||||
Yet another cost to conducting the war on drugs has recently surfaced:
the "disappearances." While disappearances are not a new phenomenon in
Latin America, what is going on in Mexico is a drug war twist different
than what transpired in Argentina, Chile and other South American
countries in the 1970s. It is different than the disappearances that
occurred in Guatemala and Honduras, too, because it is not a rebel
element or suspected dissident leftist being taken out and tortured,
raped and shot, then buried in a mass grave in some hidden jungle, but
suspected drug dealers, associates and, in many cases, innocent
bystanders. In the Mexican city of Juarez alone nearly three hundred
people have vanished, swept up by Mexican police officers, soldiers and
federal antidrug agents, sometimes accompanied by their American
counterparts in the DEA, never to be heard from again. | ||||||||||||||||||||
In May of 1994, Saul Sanchez, a 35 year old U.S. Navy veteran and his
wife Abigail disappeared while selling microwave communications
equipment to the Mexican federales. Ivan Horacio Castado was last seen
in the hands of Mexican and antinarcotics agents from the U.S. in June
of 1996. Shortly after his family began searching for him, his truck
was seen in a shopping mall with two Mexican and two U.S. antinarcotics
agents aboard. The DEA is apparently taking the place of their CIA
forerunners in the advisory role to state sponsored terror. In Baja
California and Sinaloa, Mexico, over 20 people have vanished after
official arrest and detention. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The United States government backed the coup that removed Salvador
Allende from power in Chile and it backed the military dictatorship
that subsequently took power. A reign of terror ensued against
dissidents, especially those with leftist sympathies. People vanished
by the thousands and rumors circulated of many of them being thrown out
of military cargo planes far out into the Pacific Ocean. The U.S.
government backed the right wing elements in Guatemala and Honduras,
too, with CIA trained, equipped and led death squads running rampant,
killing and disappearing well over 130,000 civilians: men, women,
children. It didn't matter the end justified the means. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Now we have a similar threat rearing its ugly head in Mexico whereby
people are summarily rounded up by a hodgepodge of local, military and
federal police, taken to mysterious detention facilities, and then
never seen again. American policy is pushing this and American agents
are aiding and abetting it. The United States is once again
underwriting murder and once again everyone is looking the other way.
As we increasingly militarize the drug war, we supply helicopter gun
ships to the Mexican government along with massive infusions of
taxpayer dollars, the idea being that it is all right for people of
other countries to bleed and suffer and die for the continuum of drug
war politics, the deadly consequences of self righteous North American
policy makers. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The surprising thing is the silence of the American clergy perhaps
particularly the Catholic church which has seen this horror story
evolve repeatedly, the church apparently endorses this wasteful
enterprise called the war on drugs no matter the cost: the
criminalization of millions of Americans, the devastation to marriages
and families by arrest and overly punitive sentences, the turf and gang
wars, the search and seizure where innocent people are harassed and
sometimes even killed, the endless prison construction that drains
localities of educational funding. And now this, people disappearing in
government custody to prop up demands by the U.S. on Mexico to get
tough. The United States is so besotted with get tough it has lost the
ability to get smart. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Amnesty International, a London based human rights group, issued an
unusually strong letter to President Ernesto Zedillo in October that
the rising number of forced disappearances is leading to a serious
deterioration of Mexico's human rights record; but make no mistake, it
is American pressure which is responsible for these tactics. Amnesty
International needs to make a statement in opposition to this country's
drug war strategy. The militarization of the Mexican antidrug forces is
the latest threat to human rights throughout the region and requires
addressing by all human rights organizations in concert with the
American clergy. | ||||||||||||||||||||
WEEKLY NEWS IN REVIEW (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic News- Policy | ||||||||||||||||||||
A) JUAREZ; | ||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (1-6) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
No other drug news story has attracted more coverage than the Nov. 29
announcement of mass graves in Juarez. Multiple angles and spins have
been explored with little interest in questioning the legitimacy of
the underlying policy. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The CSM reported an event that allegedly triggered the investigation along with interesting details on the breadth of Juarez Cartel activities, while the WSJ suggested there is a lot of hype. | ||||||||||||||||||||
There have been a few calls from ardent hawks to hold the line and
decertification of Mexico has been mentioned. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The profound emptiness of the rhetoric mouthed by policy leaders from both nations is revealed by reading the News Hour transcript. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thankfully, the LAT, at least, published Eric Sterling's no-nonsense
analysis of the real meaning of Juarez. | ||||||||||||||||||||
(1) MEXICO: A LOOK INSIDE A GIANT DRUG CARTEL (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
A Bicontinental Investigation Is Leading To Arrests And Searches For
More Victims Of The Powerful Juarez Cartel. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The disappearance of a US Drug Enforcement Administration operative
may have pushed officials to aggressively search for more victims of
the Juarez cartel's drug wars, observers here say. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Although US officials have not confirmed the agent is missing, the
Mexican press is reporting the DEA agent - one of four officials
assigned to the US Consulate in Juarez - had a car equipped with a
tracking device that led investigators to a shed on one of the ranches
being searched. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
The geographic spread of investigation sites - from Los Angeles and El
Paso, Texas; to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico; Mexico City; Buenos Aires; and
Santiago, Chile - is a measure of the reach of a drug-trafficking gang
once powerful enough to count on its payroll Mexico's equivalent of US
drug czar Gen. Barry McCaffrey. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(2) DISTRUST ON DRUGS MARS U.S. MEXICO TIES (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
'Mass Grave' Dispute Stirs Emotions on Both Sides; Are Estimates Inflated? | ||||||||||||||||||||
The discovery of a clandestine cemetery for what may be victims of drug
violence in the wild west border city of Ciudad Juarez, has exposed the
mutual distrust and suspicion that lie at the heart of Mexican U.S.
relations whenever illicit drugs are the issue. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
But after I've days of digging and probing with sophisticated FBI
electronic equipment that had been used to find mass graves in Kosovo,
searchers have found the remains of only six people. U.S. officials fear
that if few bodies turn up, anti American sentiment in Mexico could swell,
allowing nationalist leaning politicians to claim that the U.S. had
slandered their country with visions of killing Fields. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Some politicians are already taking that tack. "They are using a few facts to construct a myth, " says Adolfo Aguilar Zinser, an independent senator. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(3) EDITORIAL: DON'T GIVE UP ON THE DRUG WAR (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
The revelation of grave sites in Mexico near El Paso, Texas, casts a new
and bloody light on the drug war. So far, the FBI and Mexican investigators
have found six bodies, but expect to ND more of what they suspect are
victims of drug lords. | ||||||||||||||||||||
These must be added to the "war's" many other casualties - Drug
Enforcement Agency agents, Colombian and Mexican military - as well as the
lives ruined in this country. With such a high toll and the sad fact that
drugs are still around, it has become quite fashionable to say that the
"war on drugs" has been lost or that it is unwinnable. That may be the
party line. | ||||||||||||||||||||
It's also very wrong. | ||||||||||||||||||||
In fact, recent studies indicate that - though continued vigilance is essential - substantial success has been achieved in the war on drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(4) MEXICO DECERTIFICATION TO BE MULLED (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
WASHINGTON (AP) - The discovery of bodies of suspected drug-cartel victims
on an arid Mexican ranch may have reverberations 2,000 miles away when
Congress debates in March whether Mexico is a cooperating ally in the war
on narcotics. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(5) PBS TRANSCRIPT: MEXICO MURDERS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
After this background report, Ray Suarez talks to U.S. Drug Czar Barry
McCaffrey and Mexico's attorney general about the drug war efforts
between their two countries . | ||||||||||||||||||||
RAY SUAREZ: Just a few years ago, Juarez was the headquarters for one
of Mexico's largest and most violent drug cartels. Law enforcement
officials believe the Juarez cartel was responsible for shipping tons
of Colombian cocaine and marijuana from Mexico | ||||||||||||||||||||
600 Mexican soldiers have secured the area as work goes on Some of the soldiers wear ski masks to protect their identity from drug lords. A team of 65 FBI agents and forensic experts based in El Paso are assisting in the investigation. such a large group of American officials on Mexican territory has stirred resentment there. ..Jorge Madrazo and FBI Director Louis Freeh toured one of the ranches Friday. Both men denied that FBI participation infringed on Mexican sovereignty. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
LOUIS FREEH: The FBI, of course, has no jurisdiction. We are neither
carrying out any law enforcement function or conducting any investigation
under our own authority | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
BARRY MCCAFFREY: There's an enormous threat to Mexico. Violence and
corruption. Thank God we've got Louis Freeh and the FBI, the Drug
Enforcement Administration, the border patrol, federal agencies that are
equipped and trained to do this kind of work. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
JORGE MADRAZO CUELLAR: I think that our relationship is working. It's actually really very good between the FBI and the PGR - the DEA and the PGR, the Customs officials and my office - the attorney general institution. I think that we have recovered a lot of confidence. We are doing a very good job . I think that the results are very good. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
BARRY MC MCCAFFREY: There's two pieces we're working. One, we've got to
cooperate with Mexico. There's 100 million of them, they're our second
biggest trading partner. we have to reduce the number of Americans
consuming these drugs. There's four million of us who are chronically
addicted. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
JORGE MADRAZO CUELLAR: I think that we have an important understanding
of what is happening with drug trafficking. I think that most Mexicans
understand that we have to fight against consumption but also against
production and distribution of drugs. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(6) OPED: LEGALIZE DRUGS OR EXPECT MORE MASS GRAVES (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Mass graves in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, which may be Filled with as many as
100 victims of the Juarez drug cartel, are very shocking, but not
surprising. Even if these suspected graves are not found, the credibility
of this scale of violence and corruption-in which the Mexican military and
police may be involved-suggests some important lessons. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Violence is inevitable in a prohibited business such as the drug trade. In
legal businesses, no matter how profitable or large, even the most bitter
disputes can be resolved nonviolently. When a business is outlawed,
convicts cannot be resolved in the courts. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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B) Other Policy News | ||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (7) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Everyone should read this informative essay recalling the genesis of Prohibition and its startling- but ignored- parallels with today's folly. | ||||||||||||||||||||
(7) A TOAST TO THE END OF PROHIBITION (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Danville | ||||||||||||||||||||
DEC. 5 is the anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition -- once known As
"the Noble Experiment" and one of the most alarming examples of the law of
unintended consequences in U.S. history. As we continue our war on drugs,
the saga of our earlier war on alcohol is a reminder of what can go wrong
when good intentions become matters of legislation. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (8) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
The LAT chose to emphasize policy failures in summarizing the updated
Eisenhower Commission report. It's interesting to compare this version
to that of the Washington Post (COMMENT & article 12) | ||||||||||||||||||||
(8) DEEP TROUBLE SEEN AMID PLENTY (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Update On Landmark Crime Study Says Rosy Economy Masks Persistent
Violence | ||||||||||||||||||||
Three decades after a landmark study described crime and poverty as
tearing away at the nation's fabric, a sobering update released
yesterday concludes that the United States has moved backward in
fighting these ills and remains ''a society in deep trouble'' because
of misguided policies. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
''Prisons have become our nation's substitute for effective policies on
crime, drugs, mental illness, housing, poverty and employment of the
hardest to employ,'' the report said. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (9) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
A series from Eastern Oregon with counterpoint from Portland
emphasizes a reality national pundits prefer to ignore in their bogus
claims of drug war success: the world-wide heroin glut is also being
experienced right here in the US. | ||||||||||||||||||||
(9) HEROIN IS HERE (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Overdose Deaths Rising | ||||||||||||||||||||
Heroin in Lane County? Hold on. Heroin is a big-city drug, the last
resort of the most down and out junkies of Harlem or Houston. Druggies
in bucolic Lane County stick to marijuana, methamphetamine or cocaine,
right? | ||||||||||||||||||||
Not any more. As Eric Mortenson's revealing stories show, heroin has
made significant inroads in Eugene-Springfield and the surrounding
area. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (10) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
An announcement from Congressman Tom Campbell (R) San Jose, likely opponent of Diane Feinstein in 2000, virtually guarantees that drug policy issues will receive national exposure in a high profile race. | ||||||||||||||||||||
CAMPBELL ADVOCATES SALES TAX, NOT FLAT TAX | ||||||||||||||||||||
(10) HE SAYS GIVING DRUGS TO ADDICTS COULD CURB CRIME (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
WALNUT CREEK - Rep. Tom Campbell, the leading Republican candidate for
U.S. Senate, on Monday said he backs government distribution of
illegal drugs to addicts as a way to curb crime, and called for
replacing the federal income tax system with a national sales tax of 20
percent. | ||||||||||||||||||||
In a meeting with Contra Costa Times editors and reporters, the
congressman from Campbell asked, ``Why not take those who are already
addicted and give them the drug?'' | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Campbell's support of both controversial proposals is not new, but now that he is a candidate for U.S. Senate, it is getting more scrutiny. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Law Enforcement & Prisons | ||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (11-13) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
As more crime statistics are accumulated, it appears that the recent rate of decrease in violent crime may be growing even steeper. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Although not everyone is convinced that we should relax; not to worry:
Rudy Giuliani and friends are working on projects to keep jails full
of non-violent prisoners. | ||||||||||||||||||||
(11) EDITORIAL: MANY FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO DECLINE IN CRIME (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
ALTHOUGH Republicans quite correctly point out that the nation's crime
rate is still well above its lowest rates, it is difficult not to be
encouraged by the news that serious crime in this country dropped 10
percent in the first half of 1999. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The FBI released preliminary data from its national crime survey
Sunday, and even the experts were surprised. | ||||||||||||||||||||
"This is astounding," said James Alan Fox, professor of criminal
justice at Northeastern University and a frequent commentator on
national crime trends. "No one could have predicted the drops would
have been this deep." | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Whatever the reason, the news is certainly welcome. It is ironic,
however, that while the nation's crime rate has declined for most of
this decade, spending on new jails and prisons has shot up again and
again. At a time when there is less and less crime, we are building
more and more prisons and spending more and more money on warehousing
inmates than ever before in the nation's history. | ||||||||||||||||||||
What is wrong with this picture? -- | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(12) OVERALL VIOLENCE IS UP SINCE '60S, STUDY REPORTS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
WASHINGTON - Rosy assessments of the nation's declining crime rate
wrongly focus on short-term drops from crime peaks early in the decade
and ignore the overall rise of violence since the 1960s, according to a
new report. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The 30 year update of a landmark study by the National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence found that violent crime in major cities reported to the FBI has risen by 40 percent since 1969. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The new study is intended as a counterpoint to the drumbeat of
optimistic reports describing the current drop in crime, and it offers
a sober reminder that the United States still suffers from a
historically high level of violence. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(13) OFFICIALS PUSH TO PUNISH REPEAT PETTY CRIMINALS (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Gov. George E. Pataki each proposed laws
Friday that would sharply increase the penalties faced by people who
repeatedly commit misdemeanor crimes, like trespassing, | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Both proposals would mandate that after a person is convicted of a
certain number of misdemeanors in a specified time period, any
subsequent misdemeanor conviction in the same period would be treated
as a felony conviction, which is far more serious. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Cannabis | ||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (14-15) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
After a start hinting at judicial courage, a federal judge reverted to form and tossed the class action suit for the flimsiest of reasons. His hope the feds would seek scientific evidence about cannabis as medicine reveals the depth of his intellectual dishonesty. | ||||||||||||||||||||
In Seattle; an unusually honest federal prosecutor explained why she
didn't want to prosecute medical cases and even offered sensible
guidelines to the local police. It shouldn't surprise anyone that they
objected. | ||||||||||||||||||||
(14) MARIJUANA LAWSUIT IS DISMISSED (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
In A Class-Action Suit, 160 Plaintiffs Challenged A Government Ban On
Medical Use Of The Drug. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Calling for a scientific determination of marijuana's value as a
medicine, a federal judge yesterday dismissed an unusual class-action
lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the government ban on
medical use of the drug. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(15) FEDS CLARIFY MEDICAL-MARIJUANA GUIDELINES (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
REJECT BUSTING PATIENTS | ||||||||||||||||||||
Local police often hint that federal law still makes possessing
marijuana a crime, despite a state law allowing some patients to smoke
and grow it. | ||||||||||||||||||||
But Western Washington's top federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Kate Pfaumer, has told Seattle police that her office is not interested in busting patients possessing a 60 day supply or less of marijuana. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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International News | ||||||||||||||||||||
COMMENT: (16-17) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Two well-written Canadian op-eds took their government to task for its
ineffective action on injection-related HIV. | ||||||||||||||||||||
The Province (Vancouver) essay was especially apt in describing the
well-intentioned timidity which seems the hallmark of the Canadian
government's execution of drug policy. | ||||||||||||||||||||
(16) CANADA: OPED: LET'S INJECT SOME NEW THINKING (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
We've traditionally punished those who use illegal drugs. On World AIDS Day, a Toronto lawyer suggests a different course of action | ||||||||||||||||||||
Canada is in the midst of a public-health crisis. Since the AIDs
epidemic began in the early 1980s, we have seen a steady climb in the
number of HIV cases attributed to injection drug use. If we are going
to deal with the spread of HIV, we must rethink the way we deal with
those drug users. | ||||||||||||||||||||
In Canada, as in the United States, our approach to illicit drug use has focused on compelling abstinence. We take a punitive approach to people who consume illegal drugs. But it's not working. In fact, reliance on criminal sanctions is exacerbating rather than eradicating many of the problems associated with injection drug use. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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(17) OTTAWA SLEEPWALKS THROUGH HIV/AIDS 'PUBLIC-HEALTH CRISIS' (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
More than two years ago, a national task force issued a report with a
host of ideas on how to reduce the growing problem of HIV and
injection-drug use. | ||||||||||||||||||||
One of its key themes was a plea to Ottawa to stop using the failed
crime-based approach to drug addiction and replace it with a
health-based model. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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COMMENT: (18) (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
A puff piece on Colombia's latest savior includes his amazing
statements about Prohibition and the gateway theory: he's so anxious
to please the DEA he goes them one better. | ||||||||||||||||||||
(18) COLOMBIA'S DRUG FIGHTER `WORLD'S BEST' COP (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
CALI, Colombia -- Gen. Rosso Jose Serrano, Colombia's chief of police,
has watched a man accused of trafficking 30 tons of cocaine a month
break down in tears on mentioning the upcoming birthday of his twin
daughters. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Serrano has "survived 40-odd death threats . . . with security rivaling
a head of state," says a staffer for U.S. Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.), a
friend of the general. | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
"Drug trafficking is the devil," the general said. "If we can get rid
of that, we can reach peace in Colombia." | ||||||||||||||||||||
Serrano is strongly against legalizing drugs. "Drugs are different from
alcohol, and Prohibition was different from what we're going through. A
drink can be managed socially, but doesn't necessarily lead to
alcoholism. Whereas drug users always ascend . . . you see that many
marijuana smokers go on to shoot heroin, and so on." | ||||||||||||||||||||
[snip] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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HOT OFF THE 'NET (Top)------- | ||||||||||||||||||||
Watch and Report on Broadcast Media Activities | ||||||||||||||||||||
One of the MAP expansion projects for Y2K will be to begin collecting,
reporting and responding to more broadcast media drug policy events
with an emphasis on television (the big prize in the world of media
activism.) Anyone can use the feature below to watch and report on such
activity. As we develop we will be doing Focus Alerts and other forms
of media activism in response to these reports. | ||||||||||||||||||||
MAP activist RL Root writes: | ||||||||||||||||||||
This is a good service for knowing what's being said by whom on TV. I
have the keywords "marijuana", "war on drugs", and "drug war". They
come up 10-15 times a day | ||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.TVEyes.com/database/expand.asp?ln=471829&key=drug%20war | ||||||||||||||||||||
To set up your own key words see http://www.TVEyes.com/ | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Powerful Collection of On-line Drug Related Video Clips | ||||||||||||||||||||
Cannabis-related issues are covered at CRRH's HempTV directory. Right now there are 165 videos available on the free HempTV site, including numerous major TV networks cannabis and drug war related documentary specials, including those from CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, HBO, CBC and feature-length movies, such as "Reefer Madness," "Hemp Revolution," "The Emperor of Hemp" and a lot more. More videos are being added often. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Also, Rolf Ernst's impressive collection are all up and running on
CRRH's HempTV as well. | ||||||||||||||||||||
You need to have the Real Player plug-in, which is free, on your web
browser to watch the videos. To take a look at the directories, point
your "web browser to: | ||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.crrh.org/hemptv/ | ||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.crrh.org/hemptv/video_news.html | ||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.crrh.org/hemptv/video_docs.html | ||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.crrh.org/hemptv/video_misc.html | ||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.crrh.org/hemptv/video_ccs.html | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Through a Blue Lens | ||||||||||||||||||||
The broadcast of Through A Blue Lens is a synthesis of three dynamic
forces; a segment of the Vancouver police force known as The Odd Squad,
the National Film Board and CBC Television. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Through A Blue Lens is an intimate look at the lives of drug addicts
from Vancouver's Downtown East Side. The Odd Squad filmed these addicts
as a cautionary tale for young people. With the help of director,
Veronica Mannix the film shows the human face of addiction along with
transformative effect that working with these people had on the police
themselves. | ||||||||||||||||||||
For more information and streaming video clips see the Odd Squad's
website: | ||||||||||||||||||||
See also the CBC Magazine site: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
QUOTE OF THE WEEK (Top) | ||||||||||||||||||||
"Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they
go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one
by one." -- Charles Mackaya | ||||||||||||||||||||
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