No. 2
April / May 2000
|
LPQC News | Vol. 6 No. 2 April / May 2000 |
In This Issue:
John Clifton Seeks LPNY Nomination for U.S. Senate
From the Chair- LPQC Convention 2000: Lets End the War
on Drugs!
The Mission Statement Project
The Politics of Police Misconduct and the Continued
Obscenity of the War on Drugs.
This year's race in New York for U.S. Senate is widely predicted to be the most closely watched or media covered campaign outside the Presidential contest. Given the "choices" of Hillary Rodham Clinton, a ruling class liberal-authoritarian Democrat, and Rudy Giuliani, a ruling class liberal-authoritarian Republican, there is a gaping opening for a true voice for libertarians. Surely, an alternative to two power-driven career patrons of social democracy needs to be on the ballot.
Yet to my amazement, a large number of potential pro-liberty candidates (both inside and outside New York) have passed on vying for the LPNY nomination for Senate. Some of the cynical among us suspect they may have had a natural aversion to being placed betwixt two political carnivores-after all, no one wants to be flattened by the Rudy Mean-Spirited Express, or caught in the crosshairs of Team Clinton Smear Machine. It's a dirty job, but somebody has to take it on. The LPNY could also use a high visibility race to greatly advance its vote totals statewide, setting the stage for a similar high-profile outcome in the NYC Mayoral/Councilmen campaign in 2001, towards succeeding in our quadrennial effort to obtain permanent ballot status in two years.
In light of all this, and after much vexing self-examination, I am hereby announcing my candidacy for the libertarian nomination for U.S. Senate in New York. My mission statement, besides promoting the LP platform, is to raise the resources needed to put the Libertarian message into "prime time" with a serious radio and TV commercial ad campaign in the fall, to bring to as many ordinary voters' attention the existence of Libertarians in New York.
As Treasurer of LPNY, I have often advocated for our candidates to improve upon traditional fundraising strategies, to accomplish goals appropriate for a state a huge as New York. If nominated, I intend to employ many of the same marketing and fundraising strategies used successfully by Murray Sabrin, Ron Paul, and most recently Carla Howell in Mass. I project to raise several thousand from local mailings and fundraisers in the next few months, for use in advertising the New York campaign to LP members Nationwide (via mail or LP News) by late spring. Revenue from the national response (projected at $100,000 or more) will be used to complete commercials during the summer, and to cover fall campaign expenses. This campaign will NOT settle for being another "lemonade stand" production, but a real effort to expose liberty to the New York masses.
Issue wise, my race will seek to expose the cabal of omnipotent statism and corruption embodied by the Rudy/Hillary duopoly. E.g., given Giuliani's creation of a excessive force-prone police environment and adaptation of federal asset forfeiture laws to New York City, or Mrs. Clinton probable background role in both the Waco massacre, and the brutal Kosovo bombings (biographer Gail Sheehy has stated the intervention was Hillary's idea), does anybody doubt the Senate will be worsened by the addition of either statist to that body? Do we Need to reward Rudy for making many constituencies in NYC (blacks, street artists, etc.) perceive they live under the Gestapo? Should Hillary, the central figure in at least a dozen Clinton scandals, for which 45 associates have been convicted of felonies, be promoted to office, only so she can then use it to crank up her own future Presidential bid?
I don't think so. On election day, just say NO to the nanny state, and just say NO to the police state-just say YES to liberty.
Preliminary suggestions or contributions may be sent to:
Elect Clifton, Inc.
164-01B 89th Avenue #110
Jamaica, NY 11432
Campaign Email: Clifton2000@ureach.com
Toll-Free inquiries, 1-877-407-5493: or in NYC, 1-212-656-1196
New York has so many anti-liberty policies that it's hard for Libertarians to know where to start. But the war on drugs affects so many aspects of our lives-civil liberties, public safety, education, taxes, the right to self-protection, and public health, to name a few-that it should be one of our core issues.
Our Annual Convention (see notice on our upcoming events page) will provide a forum for three outspoken critics of the war on drugs. Peter Christ, a retired police captain from upstate New York, has been crisscrossing the state, calling for the legalization of drugs. Ernest Druker, Ph.D., an epidemiologist who has done extensive research on drug addiction, has reservations about legalization but condemns the current handling of drug use in our society. Aaron Wilson has been a public relations specialist for several anti-drug war foundations and is currently helping college groups organize and spread their message.
This is one Libertarian cause in which the tide really is turning. New York State Assembly Member Jeffrion Aubry, who spoke at our January Meeting, said that when he meets with civic associations and similar groups, reason often prevails. And Mike Smithson, who works with reconsider: Forum on Drug Policy, the speakers' bureau that handles Mr. Christ's engagements, has seen more and more acceptance of our ideas just within the last few years. "When I first got involved in this I thought I wouldn't see any change in my lifetime", he said. "Now I think change is highly likely."
You can make it even more likely by attending our convention. The more attendees we have, the more favorable the impression we'll make on the reporters who cover it. The luncheon will be excellent, and you'll have a chance to meet other libertarians from all around our region.
We look forward to seeing you there!
We are currently collecting suggestions for a mission statement. A committee has been formed to review these suggestions and bring a final draft to the floor of our annual convention for membership approval. The document will appear on all LPQC official business and will help make our purpose and mission clear to all.
Please e-mail your suggestions, at around twenty words to BradfordArter@Juno.com or write to Brad Arter, at LPQC c/o Procida Realty Corp. 161-09 29th Ave. Flushing, NY. 11358
New York City is once again reeling from yet another shooting of an innocent, unarmed citizen by the police. New Yorkers from every walk of life can't help but be dismayed and distressed by these continuing scandals. As a result, civil unrest and demonstrations have become commonplace here. In the interest of improving "quality of life," Rudolf Giuliani has created a police state bent on oppression, murder, and the forfeiture of private property. Once again, history repeats itself and a citizenry which wants to be safe from crime has instead become victimized by corrupt government
The scandal surrounding the death of Patrick Dorismond is extremely distressing because the Mayor has tried to mislead and distract the public from the true nature of this murder by blaming the victim. It is clearly in his personal political interest to pander to his more conservative constituency and try to justify the actions of the police department, right or wrong. By doing so he is granting the police license to disregard the rights of all citizens in this fair city.
Patrick Dorismond was approached by an undercover policeman asking if he knew how to obtain drugs. What law-abiding man would not be offended by such a question? Mr. Dorismond's ire, however, is not at issue here. The policeman never identified himself, did not show a badge, and should have backed off. Instead, the situation was intensified and Mr. Dorismond was shot and killed. Initially, the police said they were trying to buy marijuana, but soon changed that claim to say they were trying to buy crack cocaine- as if the substance at question has any relevance at all!! Even witnesses reporting to the precinct were not initially aware the killer was a policeman. In the following days, Mr. Giuliani and Mr. Safir released the juvenile records of Mr. Dorismond in a cynical attempt to somehow prove to the public that he was not worthy of our sympathy and outrage.
Mr. Dorismond was yet another victim of the absurd war on drugs that is really a war on American citizens. The police have no business harassing people buying or selling marijuana, or any other "controlled" substance, by using entrapment methods such as "buy and bust" and using the threat of deadly force. If drugs were legal and readily, this incident would never have happened. If drugs were legal, we would all be free from the dangers of criminal activities associated with drug marketing on the street level. And we would all be free from the corrupt, violent, and abusive elements within the police force who use the war on drugs as an excuse to sadistically harass the public, especially young black and Hispanic men and women.
The Daily News recently published an article which included some outrageous and troubling statistics concerning the city's misguided attacks on marijuana users. In 1991 there were "only" 704 arrests for marijuana in New York. In 1999, the number increased by 4,549% to an alarming 33,471 arrests. Nearly one third of those arrested are under the age of 20 and their futures are now in jeopardy because the federal higher education act to go into effect this year specifically prohibits federal college loans or financial aid to anyone with a prior drug conviction, including a misdemeanor marijuana charge. [Yet another reason to eliminate governmental interference with education.] Clearly, the malicious policies of the Giuliani administration are deliberately designed to ruin the hopes and lives of young adults who are easy targets and generally do not politically support him.
I recently visited Amsterdam, where marijuana and hashish have been decriminalized for nearly twenty years, and there is no violence and very little crime associated with that activity there. Furthermore, because these substances can be obtained freely, users are far less apt to come in contact with harder and more dangerous drugs. Even hard drug use, although illegal, is not used there as an excuse to brutally destroy lives with draconian prison sentences. We Americans have a great deal to learn from their example. Our country's obsession with prohibition is anathema to our democratic principles. We must guard our personal freedom to choose by openly and joyfully granting that same freedom to everyone.
Our upcoming convention in May will feature three speakers who will help us articulate this important message. It is important that we all attend and encourage like minded friends to join us in this extremely important dialogue.
We libertarians must hold the banner for all in our struggle to end this obscene war against personal freedom.
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