Moms against the drug war

[marmar]

from the Detroit Metro Times:



Moms against the drug war
Opposing how prohibition divides families and hurts kids

By Larry Gabriel
Published: July 27, 2011


Robin Schneider remembers Christmases as a young child: sitting in a visitation cell at a federal prison in Indiana, chatting with a father she saw only two or three times a year. The visit was short. The drive with her mother and two brothers was long. Her father had been busted and imprisoned on a marijuana conspiracy charge when she was 3 years old.

"I had a really tragic childhood because my father was incarcerated on a marijuana-related charge," say Schneider. "It destroyed my childhood. It ruined my brother's life and ruined my mother's life. Taking away a parent who has committed no violent crimes, putting him in jail, is a disservice for American families, having to spend Christmases in a visitation cell instead of around a Christmas tree."

The arrest of Schneider's father came in a paramilitary raid where police busted in wearing masks with guns drawn.

"That's a vision that never leaves your head," says Schneider, 33. "Being a kid in a raid is very traumatizing. There is no night that I don't lay in bed and pray to God that I never get raided again. They found naked pictures of my mother, lined them up, made comments about her and confiscated them. I think that my dad did use marijuana, but he certainly wasn't some big time criminal. Why do they kick in the door and run in like that and point guns at kids? ... .................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://metrotimes.com/mmj/moms-against-the-drug-war-1.1180579

[iwishiwas]

1. Over time, I think this group CAN make a difference--just like

Mothers against Drunk driving is doing.