My life saved by President Clinton's reprieve of 24-year sentence for crack

[onehandle]

Indianapolis (CNN) -- Ten years ago, days before Christmas, President Bill Clinton changed my life forever. I was in federal prison, serving the seventh year of a 24-year sentence for a first-time nonviolent crack cocaine offense.

Clinton's mercy and acknowledgement that my sentence was unjust led him to grant me a commutation. Had he not done so, I would be in prison until 2016. On December 22, the anniversary of my release, I will join others in a fast for justice to honor those in prison who deserve the same relief from their long sentences for low-level drug offenses.

Many things have changed in the last decade. I graduated from college, attended law school, got married, raised my son who was born while I was incarcerated and gave birth to a daughter. I also established my own foundation to give hope to children of incarcerated parents.

At the same time, the sentencing law that I was convicted under came under intense scrutiny. This year, President Barack Obama signed the Fair Sentencing Act to limit the harsh mandatory minimum sentences associated with low-level crack cocaine offenses. Progress has been made.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/12/22/pradia.sentencing.drug.reform/index.html

[marmar]

1. Yet his (cotinuation of the) War on Drugs resulted in a record prison population......

nt

[shraby]

2. I don't believe it's HIS war on drugs..the war on drugs started

many many moons ago and subsequently has contributed greatly to the prison population.

[marmar]

3. Well, his continuation of the failed war on drugs.......

nt

[niceypoo]

10. Did Obama end the war on drugs?

Or is it Obama's failed war now?

[marmar]

11. "Or is it Obama's failed war now?"

Yes.

[onehandle]

4. Yes, the War on Drugs started on January 20th, 1993 and ended on January 20th, 2001.

Thank You President Bush!

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Romulox]

6. Clinton oversaw a MASSIVE escalation of that War--one that put more people in prison than Reagan

and Poppy Bush combined. Wake the fuck up, indeed! :hi:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs

[mtnsnake]

8. Hey, hopefully they'll all wake up and someday legalize pot

Then we wouldn't be talking about overpopulating prisons for absolutely silly reasons. Unfortunately, the pharmaceutical behemoths won't allow it to happen because they would stand to lose billions upon billions of dollars.

:hi:

[lillypaddle]

7. ...

:thumbsup:

[reggie the dog]

9. from numerous studies i have read from the USA the UK

and the rest of the world, crack is not worse for the user than alcohol. why do people have a right to ruin their own life, ruin the lives of their families, and add huge social costs for the rest of us with alcohol but not with crack?

all drugs should be legal for adults

[Beacool]

12. Wow, one positive thread about Bill Clinton on this board.

I think that I'm going to faint............

:D

[dionysus]

13. here, grab this before you hit the floor!!

:hi:

[Beacool]

16. Banky!!!!

Thank you, my friend. I can always count on you to be kind. The response below must have been a doozie since it got deleted. LOL!!!

:D



:pals:

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cali_Democrat]

17. I see a lot of positive threads about Bill Clinton on this board

This is just one in a long line of positive Bill Clinton threads.

[Beacool]

18. I must be missing them.

Most of the ones I read bash him.

:(

[Ter]

15. Glad the sentence was commuted

But using crack? Come on, why?