5-09-07, 11:12 am
May 8 marked the 34th anniversary of New York's Rockefeller Drug Laws. On this day Jim Jones the hip hop superstar released his new rap single and video titled 'Lockdown, USA,' a powerful song calling for real reform of the laws. The song is a single from the forthcoming documentary about the Rockefeller Drug Laws called Lockdown , USA. The new song and video was released on the website of the Drug Policy Alliance http://www.drugpolicy.org/statebystate/newyork/lockdownusa/ as part of the Real Reform New York Coalition's continuing struggle to win real reform of the Rockefeller Drug Laws. Real Reform New York is made up of dozens of organizations representing thousands of community members, activists, advocates, policy and treatment experts, survivors, their friends and families that have joined to reform these laws.
Despite a few recent reforms, which in theory would fix the draconian nature of these laws, little has been done and the campaign for meaningful reform continues. In fact, out of the current 14,000 Rockefeller prisoners, fewer than 300 have been freed under the revisions to date. It is hoped that this call from the Hip Hop world ignites legislative action as it did in 2003 when Russell Simons called on Governor Pataki to reform the Rockefeller Drug Laws. Over 50,000 people lined the streets of NYC with the 'Countdown to Fairness' coalition requesting the governor to reform the Rockefeller Drug Laws.
In recent elections, a number of officials who went on record in support of real Rockefeller reform were voted into office. Governor Elliot Spitzer, for one, along with Lt. Governor David Paterson and Attorney General Cuomo all have spoken out for reform in the past. But now they are surprisingly silent on the issue.
In 2004, I wrote a memoir of my experiences serving a 15-to-life sentence under these harsh laws. Andrew Cuomo, before he became our state's attorney general, threw a book release party for me at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Attending the event were prominent individuals like Senator David Paterson, along with many other influential guests.
Cuomo and Paterson spoke bravely about changing these draconian laws. Spitzer, the then-attorney general of New York, did not attend but wrote a letter saying that my story was a 'very personal and tragic story, like those of so many other nonviolent offenders languishing in our prisons on relatively minor drug offenses,' and that it 'illustrates the impact that our Rockefeller Drug Laws have had on a generation of New Yorkers. I applaud Mr. Papa's courage in speaking out and sharing his ordeal with the world.' It was a moving event that generated a vision of changing the Rockefeller Drug Laws in a positive way.
I find it strange that the people who had supported change in the past have now become so silent on the issue. My question is why do politicians who use political platforms to generate votes suddenly forget their past when elected to higher office?
Governor Elliot Spitzer, does appear interested in correcting the criminal justice sector, as evidenced by his success in removing exorbitant charges on collect calls made by prisoners to their families, and his recent attempt to downsize half-empty prisons. But his laudable efforts have not cued in on the Rockefeller reform. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo who has used this issue in the past to revive his political career has not uttered a word about it. And Lt. Governor David Paterson who represented a highly affected Harlem district as senator has steered away from the issue. It's time for Spitzer, Paterson and Cuomo to join the NYS Assembly and step up to the plate. They should remember their past intentions, especially when it affects the people who voted them into office.
--Anthony Papa is the author of 15 Years to Life: How I Painted My Way to Freedom and Communications Specialist for Drug Policy Alliance. He can be reached at: anthonypapa123@yahoo.com. Papa's artwork can be viewed at: .
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