Cameron Douglas Got 5 Yrs Because He's Rich & White!

Some people feel that Cameron Douglas should have gotten less time.I'm sure the folks that sympathize with Douglas must be in the same racial category as him.What black person feels sorry for Cameron Douglas after they realize that the sentencing phase would have been much harsher for one who shares their complexion?

The fate of the black man is all too often much worse than that of the white man.This case showcases the class & race disparities that continue to persist in America.Any black man with two previous drug convictions would have gotten way more than a 5 yr. sentence.And if you don't believe me,do the research for yourself.

Here's another opinion from the Global Post:

"More ridiculousness in America’s war on drugs yesterday, as the son of multimillionaire actor Michael Douglas was sentenced for five years for dealing methamphetamine from a trendy New York hotel.

The statutory minimum for this offence is ten years.

Whilst it is unusual to see a rich, white young man going to jail for drugs offences at all, this case does little to defend against the statistical fact that drug laws, particularly in America, are, for whatever reason, overwhelmingly enforced against poor young men from ethnic minorities with little or no education.

The fact that Cameron Douglas received a relatively lenient sentence highlights this problem in waging the drug war. Although the minimum sentence is technically much higher, it does seem somewhat perverse to throw a non-violent offender in jail at taxpayer expense for such a considerable length of time. This is especially true when it is clear that Douglas, like all drug addicts, needs treatment rather than punishment if he needs anything at all.

However, at the same time, the offence for which he was actually charged is the same that is used to go after violent, gang-affiliated thugs who sell exactly the same chemicals.

Because the same offence is used to criminalise such different people, it is only through mitigation pleadings in sentencing that differences between the dangerous, violent criminal, and the non-violent one can be distinguished. This is a relatively arbitrary process that gives an unfair prominence to wealth, race, social class, education and family background (or even more unjustly, a defendant’s political connections and the quality of his lawyers) to decide how long a person stays in jail."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.

Here's more on Cameron Douglas from the NY Daily News:

"Michael Douglas' son Cameron is a crystal meth mega-seller who's peddled heaps of the drug in New York since 2006, the feds said on Thursday.

Cameron Douglas, 30, raked in tens of thousands of dollars with his operation - selling whole pounds of the addictive synthetic stimulant to one informant, according to a criminal complaint.

Cameron Douglas is the wanna-be actor son of the "Basic Instinct" star and the grandson of Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas.

He was busted at a Manhattan hotel last week after allegedly mailing 215 grams of methamphetamine to a post office box in a package addressed to a "Paul Smith."

That was a fictitious name used by an informant - one of three the feds nabbed and turned against Douglas.

The feds say the Hollywood scion used code words like "pastries" and "bath salts" to discuss meth shipments in secretly recorded calls and texts.

"Did you get a chance to...smell any of the salts or anything like that?" he's quoted as asking an informant.

"The bath salts are fabulous! Thank you so much," the informant later responded.

"Yeah, I thought you would like them, my friend," Douglas replied. "I was so excited for you to take a bath and see for yourself."

The feds also said one informant introduced Douglas to another as a source of "large quantities of crystal meth."

Douglas' rap sheet includes two drug busts, in New York in 1999 and in California in 2007."(END OF EXCERPT)Read more here.

A poor black man with a rap sheet like that would have gotten life.That's so unfair.

In Remembrance Of Civil Rights Pioneer,Dorothy Height

98 yr. old Dorothy Height has passed away.She was the epitome of the civil rights movement.Ms.Height stood for the very same social justice that folks in the tea party movement seem to despise.This was a woman that was a true humanitarian & role model.Anyone can draw inspiration from the way that Dorothy Height lived her life.What a splendid example of a human being!

Folks,this is what a true American really is.Dorothy Heights fought to gain equality for all the people of America.Because of people like her,this country is a much greater place for everybody.

Here's more on this great civil rights leader from MSNBC:

"Height, whose activism on behalf of women and minorities dated to the New Deal, led the National Council of Negro Women for 40 years. She continued actively speaking out into her 90s, often getting rousing ovations at events around Washington, where she was immediately recognized by the bright, colorful hats she almost always wore.

She died at Howard University Hospital, where she had been in serious condition for weeks.

In a statement, President Barack Obama called her "the godmother of the civil rights movement" and a hero to Americans.

"Dr. Height devoted her life to those struggling for equality ... and served as the only woman at the highest level of the Civil Rights Movement — witnessing every march and milestone along the way," Obama said.

It was the second death of a major civil rights figure in less than a week. Benjamin L. Hooks, the former longtime head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, died Thursday in Memphis at 85.

As a teenager, Height marched in New York's Times Square shouting, "Stop the lynching." In the 1950s and 1960s, she was the leading woman helping King and other activists orchestrate the civil rights movement, often reminding the men heading the movement not to underestimate their women counterparts.

One of Height's sayings was, "If the time is not ripe, we have to ripen the time." She liked to quote 19th century abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who said that the three effective ways to fight for justice are to "agitate, agitate, agitate."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.

Hip Hop Legend Guru Has Died!

At the young age of 43,Guru,of the legendary Gang Starr,has passed away from cancer.Man,this is some very sad news for me to hear.When I first started rapping,Guru was one of the rappers that helped me develop my style.His lyrical delivery had me captivated.They just don't make guys that spit like Guru anymore.He will be sorely missed in the hip hop community.But,he will never be forgotten.Because legends never die.

Here's more on his untimely death from MTV News:

"Guru wrote his farewell letter while in the hospital, according to Solar. "I, Guru, am writing this letter to my fans, friends and loved ones around the world," it begins. "I have had a long battle with cancer and have succumbed to the disease. I have suffered with this illness for over a year. I have exhausted all medical options.

"I have a non-profit organization called Each One Counts dedicated to carrying on my charitable work on behalf of abused and disadvantaged children from around the world and also to educate and research a cure for this terrible disease that took my life. I write this with tears in my eyes, not of sorrow but of joy for what a wonderful life I have enjoyed and how many great people I have had the pleasure of meeting.

"My loyal best friend, partner and brother, Solar, has been at my side through it all and has been made my health proxy by myself on all matters relating to myself. He has been with me by my side on my many hospital stays, operations, doctors visits and stayed with me at my home and cared for me when I could not care for myself. Solar and his family is my family and I love them dearly and I expect my family, friends, and fans to respect that, regardless to anybody's feelings on the matter. It is my wish that counts. This being said I am survived by the love of my life, my sun KC, who I trust will be looked after by Solar and his family as their own. Any awards or tributes should be accepted, organized approved by Solar on behalf [of] myself and my son until he is of age to except on his own."

Guru very pointedly distanced himself from Premier in the letter, saying he didn't want his former musical collaborator to be able to participate in any tributes or events surrounding his death.

"I do not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name likeness, events, tributes etc. connected in anyway to my situation including any use of my name or circumstance for any reason and I have instructed my lawyers to enforce this," wrote Guru. "I had nothing to do with him in life for over 7 years and want nothing to do with him in death. Solar has my life story and is well informed on my family situation, as well as the real reason for separating from my ex-DJ."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.