The House I Live In

As I mentioned last week, posting on Maori politics will be lighter than usual this year. To make up for that I want to post little bits on or from other indigenous, brown and black cultures. This week I want to share The House I Live In, a documentary on the War on Drugs (WoD).

From Jewish director Eugene Jarecki, The House I Live In explores the discriminatory effects the WoD has had on African Americans. Jarecki reveals that the WoD is misconceived, dishonest, wasteful and racist. As one example, African-Americans made up for 35% of drug arrests, 55% of convictions, and 74% of people sent to prison for drug possession crimes. Consider that against the fact that African Americans make up 13% of regular drug users - only 13%. As another example, there is a 100 to 1 sentencing disparity for possession and use of crack cocaine vs. powder cocaine. What's that mean? Well, crack is - essentially - powder cocaine only watered down with (obviously) water, baking soda and the like. Crack is also the drug of choice for poor African Americans. Powder is more common among upper middle class Whites. In effect, African Americans receive far harsher punishment than White Americans.*

Anyway, you can view the documentary on YouTube. 

*See Race and the War on Drugs for more.