Sunday, October 26, 2008

Donna Votes on CA Props 5, 6, 8 & 9

Propositions 5, 6, 8 & 9!

Proposition 5 is the "nonviolent drug offenses, sentencing, parole and rehabilitation initiative statute" or the Nonviolent Offender Act.

Prop 5 will stop treating drug addicts like criminals and start treating drugs as a health issue.

Prop 5 is supported by Drug Policy Organizations, California Nurses, Alcohol and Drug Education, Homeless Health care Organizations, the League of Women voters, Teachers, the Green Party, the Democratic Party, the NAACP, the National council of La Raza, Progressive Jewish Alliances, Labor, the ACLU, Jeanne Woodford, the former warden of San Quentin, and many others.

Proposition 5 is opposed by hypocrites and those who make a living off of the prison industrial complex like district attorneys, former California governors Pete Wilson and Gray Davis, and actor Martin Sheen.

Let's look at Martin Sheen who may be the biggest hypocrite of all.

Sheen says there must be tough penalties for drug addicts - for all except his own son Charlie, that is.

Most drug users are white but blacks are more frequently arrested or imprisoned. according to the Federal Household Survey, while "72 percent of all drug users are white, blacks constitute over 58 percent of those in state prisons for drug felonies".

Before the law, cases of affluent white offenders are either dismissed or resolved before they are held over for trial. Charlie Sheen, star of 2 1/2 men, son of Martin Sheen, is a repeat drug offender but Charlie Sheen has escaped the tough penalty of prison for his numerous drug arrests because his father, the famous actor Martin Sheen believes while there should be tough penalties for drug addicts, there should be no tough penalties for Charlie. So Martin mortgaged his home to put Charlie into rehab, and begs judges to send Charlie to rehab not jail.

Prop 5 is a good way to address drug addiction because rehab should be for all of us, not just for the Charlie Sheens.

FOR JUSTICE & DECENCY, YES ON 5!

Proposition 6 is the "police and law enforcement funding, criminal penalties and laws, initiative statute". Prop 6 is a racist initiative to put more black and brown youth in prison as adults. Prop 6 also known as the Runner Initiative weakens existing law so more children as young as 14 years old will be tried as adults and sent to state prison when they become 18 years old; targets recipients of public housing subsidies for annual criminal background checks; and denies the right of bail to undocumented immigrants.


FOR OUR CHILDREN, FOR FAIRNESS, NO ON 6!


Proposition 8 eliminates the right of same-sex couples to marry. It is an amendment to the California constitution. Prop 8 denies some of our citizens "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". Equal rights should be for all of us.


FOR OUR RIGHT TO LOVE WHO WE CHOOSE - NO ON 8!


Proposition 9 is the "criminal justice system, victims' rights, parole, initiative constitutional amendment and statute". Prop 9 will expand the legal rights of victims while severely limiting prisoners' rights to due process, representation, and parole consideration. Prop 9 will extend the right to come before a parole board from "one to five years' to fifteen years. And according to the independent legislative analyst, Prop 9 could cost "hundreds of millions of dollars annually".

In 1982, a similar measure known as the "Victims Bill of Rights" became law.

I want to speak to you about Prop 9 from a personal perspective. I too am a victim of violence. My son who I love more than life itself was gunned down in front of my eyes in 1997. He was 31years of age BUT unlike the Nicholas family, I don't want the world to pay for the crime of my son's murderer. Stop Henry Nicholas and his family from punishing us for his sister's death. We did not kill his sister; she was murdered by her own boyfriend, not our loved ones who deserve to be paroled to come home and restart their lives.

Under current law, victims have the right to be notified if their offender is released, to receive advance notice of criminal proceedings, and to participate in parole hearings and sentencing. There's already a state-funded Victims of Crime Resource Center to educate victims about their rights and help them through the process.


FOR OUR FAMILIES, NO ON 9!


My Picks for the November 2008 Election


For President - Ralph Nader

For Vice-President - Matt Gonzalez


For State Senator 25th District - Rod Wright, Democrat


For County Supervisor - 2nd District - Bernard Parks, Los Angeles City Councilman



STATE BALLOT MEASURES


Prop 4 - Waiting period and parental notification before termination of minor's pregnancy. NO


Prop 5 - Nonviolent Drug Offenses, Sentencing, Parole and Rehabilitation. YES


Prop 6 - Police and law enforcement funding, criminal penalties and laws. NO


Prop 8 - Eliminates right of same-sex couples to marry. NO


Prop 9 - Criminal Justice system, victims rights, parole initiative. NO


Thanks and don't forget to vote on November 4th.




1 comment:

Alex Walker said...

Dear Donna,

I applaud your courageous dissent on the presidential race (good to know I'm not the only African-American around here that won't drink the Obama Kool-Aid).

I would like to know your reasons for endorsing Bernard Parks for County Supervisor. That's the most important local race.

Please read and comment on my post on California Greening:

Why I Won't Vote for ANY California Democrat
by Alex Walker
Posted on California Greening, Sunday, November 2, 2008


URL: http://cagreening.blogspot.com