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ON ANNIVERSARY OF DRUG WAR, COPS, CLERGY SAY ENOUGH, MARCH ON DC

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Law Enforcement, Religious Groups, Others Call for End to Policies Harming Black Families

NEWS ADVISORY: June 14, 2013

CONTACT: Darby Beck – darby.beck@leap.cc or (415) 823-5496

WASHINGTON DC – June 17, 2013 – Retired police major Neill Franklin will join Blacks in Law Enforcement in America, religious leaders, politicians, hip hop artists, family groups and other activists in marking the 42nd anniversary of the beginning of the war on drugs with a march and rally calling for its end. Organized by the Institute of the Black World, the procession, which will also include such luminaries as Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, hopes to bring attention to the stunning racial disparities that exist in the prosecution of the drug war, how those disparities affect black families and to call for an end the practice once and for all. Major Franklin is executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a nonprofit group representing more than 5,000 police, judges, prosecutors, corrections officials, and other law enforcement officials opposed to the war on drugs.  

"Racism and exclusionary practices did not end with Jim Crow," said retired police major Neill Franklin, a 34 year police veteran. "They simply became more subtle and thus more difficult to counter as they went from racism enshrined in law to racism achieved through the use of drug laws."

WHO: Major Neill Franklin, 34 year police veteran and executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, thousands of activists from around the country

WHAT: Day of Direct Action: March and Rally to End War on Drugs

WHEN: Monday, June 17 11am March, 12pm Rally

WHERE:  March begins at Metropolitan AME Church (1518 M St. NW, Washington DC), travels to Lafayette Park (across from the White House)

Please contact Darby Beck darby.beck@leap.cc or (415) 823.5496 to arrange an interview with Neill Franklin or with another law enforcement officer advocating for the legalization of drugs.

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Darby Beck, Media Relations Director
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
phone: (415) 823-5496
e-mail: media@leap.cc
http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com

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Obama dc government marijuana drug legalize religious drugs federal white house legalization decriminalize decriminalization law enforcement clergy

Quotes

Racism and exclusionary practices did not end with Jim Crow. They simply became more subtle and thus more difficult to counter as they went from racism enshrined in law to racism achieved through the use of drug laws.
Neill Franklin, retired police major and executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition