Thousands of young black men are serving long prison sentences for selling cocaine a drug that was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cias army started bringing it into southcentral in the 1980s at. Apr 25, 2007 it further alleged that cocaine was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cia s army started bringing it into south central in the 1980s at bargainbasement prices. Little did they know that the cia was using them as pawns in a larger scheme by allowing the more affordable drug to come into their neighborhood. The black neighborhoods in america are still suffering the effects of drugs, especially crack, introduced by the cia.
A series of expose articles in the san jose mercurynews by reporter gary webb told tales of a drug. In his effort to make america great again yes, that was originally a catchphrase from reagans stump speeches, reagan enlisted his. A common stereotype of a black neighborhood was that half were smoking crack and the other half were selling it. Conspiracy theories can often ring true the washington post. This resulted in a number of social consequences, such as increasing crime and violence in american inner city neighborhoods. A number of writers have alleged that the united states central intelligence agency cia was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. Cnn cia admits it overlooked contras links to drugs. Aug 08, 2015 cia bought crack off of the contras and introduced it into california. While webb was also criticized for suggesting the cia intentionally devastated african american communities with crack, he defended himself saying that was not the case. By the time webb worked on his series, there had already been mention in the press of the contras link with the u. The ciacontracrack connection, 10 years later reporter gary webb was the victim of his own hyperbole, but he never got credit for what he got right. Oct 25, 1997 million woman march fills philadelphia streets.
Its not a situation where the government or the cia sat down and said, okay, lets invent crack, lets sell it in black neighborhoods, lets decimate black america, webb says. On august 18, 1996, the san jose mercury news published the first installment of a threepart series of articles concerning crack cocaine, the central intelligence agency cia, and the nicaraguan contra. The publication of a series of articles in the san jose mercury, though they did contain a complex combination of both fact and fiction, was. Jun 26, 2017 the media seemed to play along, hyping up threats with racist coverage that largely ignored rampant cocaine use amongst whites and sensationalized the crack problem in innercity black neighborhoods. The first article also discussed oscar danilo blandon reyes role in the drug ring. Thousands of young black men are serving long prison sentences for selling cocaine a drug virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cias army started bringing it into southcentral l. On august 18, 1996, the san jose mercury news published the first installment of a threepart series of articles concerning crack cocaine, the central intelligence agency cia, and the nicaraguan contra army. The cocaine that flooded in helped spark a crack explosion in urban america and provided the cash and connections needed for l. Mar 21, 2015 perhaps most damningly, webb wrote that crack was virtually unobtainable in the citys black neighbourhoods before members of the cias army began supplying it at rockbottom prices in. In this episode, chris calton explains how the potent mix of politicans and.
Kill the messenger movie revisits the cia and how crack. Sep 25, 2014 in fact, the agencys central complaint, according to the document, was over the graphics that accompanied the series, which suggested a link between the cia and the crack scare, and webbs. Crack was a plague that spread through african american neighborhoods like wildfire. Thousands of young black men are serving long prison sentences for selling cocaine a drug that was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cias army started bring it into south central in the 1980s at bargain basement prices, wrote mercury. Thousands of young black men are serving long prison sentences for selling cocaine a drug that was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cia s army started bring it into south central in the 1980s at bargain basement prices, wrote mercury. Black gangs used their profits to buy automatic weapons, sometimes from one of the cialinked drug dealers. For nearly a decade the cia spread crack cocaine in black.
It refuted charges that cia officials knew that their nicaraguan allies were dealing drugs. In this episode, chris calton explains how the potent mix of politicans and fake news created the myth of the crack baby. The quickest way to raise it is to sell cocaine and you guys go sell it somewhere. This resulted in a number of social consequences, such as increasing crime and violence in american inner city neighborhoods, as well as a resulting backlash in the form of tough on crime. Waters calls on reno, cia and congress for investigation published. The first article in the newspaper said that cocaine was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cia s army started bringing it into south central in the 1980s at. By nick schou, nick schou is an editor for oc weekly. Nov 03, 1998 justice report finds no cia link to crack cocaine trafficking july 23, 1998 contra leaders say cia not involved in drug sales november 26, 1996 deutch confronts angry l. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. The igs report cleared the cia of complicity with the innercity crack cocaine trade.
If readers leap to the conclusion that the cia was responsible for the crack epidemic, thats because, in his view, the agency was responsible. The devastation that crack wrought would last for nearly twenty years, and it set back race equality significantly. Thousands of young black men are serving long prison sentences for selling cocaine a drug that was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cia s army started bring. Jun 04, 2019 crack cocaine, swept throughout the us in the 1980s as an inexpensive and easily accessible drug. The cia livetweeted the oscars to debunk black panther. Did the cia bring crack to black neighborhoods in the 1980s. Oct 14, 2018 thousands of young black men are serving long prison sentences for selling cocaine a drug that was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cias army started bringing it into southcentral in the 1980s at bargainbasement prices. Oct 11, 2014 while webb was also criticized for suggesting the cia intentionally devastated african american communities with crack, he defended himself saying that was not the case. Cia funnels drugs into poor us neighborhoods rt usa news. Urban neighborhoods are grappling with legions of homeless crack addicts.
Oct 21, 1996 black intellectuals said that if africanamericans were quicker than whites to believe in the possibility of c. Ross became the major player in the drug scene of the late 80s and early 90s. In fact, the agencys central complaint, according to the document, was over the graphics that accompanied the series, which suggested a link between the cia and the crack scare, and webbs. It was a situation where we need money for a covert operation. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. The only conclusion is that ronald reagan said yes to crack and the destruction of black lives at home to fund the killing of commies abroad. The crack epidemics impact on black communities 91. Thousands of young black men are serving long prison sentences for selling cocaine a drug that was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cias army started bring. Of course, the cia made sure healthy young male didnt get jobs. The crack epidemic that once ravaged black neighborhoods. The first article in the newspaper said that cocaine was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cias army started bringing it into south central in the 1980s at. Aug 30, 2012 in october 1998, the cia released a declassified version of hitzs twovolume report, and the cia was cleared of its alleged complicity in the spread of crackcocaine in to the innercities. The articles represented that ross drug network was the first in the nation to market crack cocaine and was dependent on cocaine supplied by blandon.
Its something that has been happening for a long time, said griffin, an african american who owns two barber shops in baltimore. The crack epidemic that once ravaged black neighborhoods didn. Oct 18, 2017 during the 1980s, the war on drugs became defined by cocaine and crack. Whole communities of homeless addicts wander promoting violence. Dec 06, 2006 cia brought crack, rap, guns, low riders, spinners, baggy pants, and weed into black neighborhoods. Perhaps most damningly, webb wrote that crack was virtually unobtainable in the citys black neighbourhoods before members of the cias army began supplying it at rockbottom prices in. In 1996 the agency was accused of being a crack dealer.
Black intellectuals said that if africanamericans were quicker than whites to believe in the possibility of c. The media seemed to play along, hyping up threats with racist coverage that largely ignored rampant cocaine use amongst whites and sensationalized the crack problem in innercity black neighborhoods. Through its official twitter account which, weirdly, tries to act like other quirky brand accounts, if those quirky brands had sold crack to black neighborhoods in the 80s, the cia decided to shit on black panthers awards success. Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward. Dec, 2014 crack was a plague that spread through african american neighborhoods like wildfire.
Cia bought crack off of the contras and introduced it into california. Thousands of young black men are serving long prison sentences for selling cocaine a drug virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cia s army started bringing it into southcentral l. Neighborhoods and families were severely impacted by this epidemic. Mar 21, 2008 urban neighborhoods are grappling with legions of homeless crack addicts. Though evidence is thin, tale of cia and drugs has a life of its own. Drug trafficking was a much less convoluted method of skirting the congressional ban on funding the contras, and the cia s.
Many readers interpreted the series to assert that the cia and other agencies of the united states government had intentionally funneled crack cocaine into black communities by either permitting or endorsing cocaine trafficking by blandon and meneses. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum. The cia also prevented women from getting married and using birth control. How the cia watched over the destruction of gary webb. The reagan administration and the cia also collaborated with nicaraguan cocaine traffickers to support the contras led to the crack epidemic of the 1980s. No wonder terrorists are running wild, the cia is too busy ruining intercity blacks. It was a situation where, we need money for a covert operation, the quickest way to raise it is sell cocaine, you guys go sell it somewhere, we dont want to know anything about it. Cia brought crack, rap, guns, low riders, spinners, baggy pants, and weed into black neighborhoods. These claims have led to investigations by the united states government, including hearings and reports by the united states house of representatives, senate, department of justice, and the cias office of the inspector general.
This gave rise to gangs, tore black neighborhoods apart, and contributed to the massive international drug mafia we have today. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy studies. For nearly a decade the cia spread crack cocaine in black neighborhoods to fund their proxi nicaraguan contra army. Secret ties between cia, drugs revealed the final call. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. Its not a situation where the government or the cia sat down and said, okay, lets invent crack, lets sell it in black neighborhoods, lets decimate black america. Dec 31, 2004 crack, the cia and black americas drug crisis. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum rt. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. Gary webbs assertion that the cia introduced crack to black neighborhoods and those that the fbi was involved in flooding black communities with drugs were unfounded, and at best massive exaggerations of otherwise well documented and ultimately selfdefeating initiatives by us intelligence services.
Justice report finds no cia link to crack cocaine trafficking july 23, 1998 contra leaders say cia not involved in drug sales november 26, 1996 deutch confronts angry l. Its not a situation where the government or the cia sat down and said okay, lets invent crack and sell it in black neighborhoods and lets decimate black america. May 02, 2017 the crack epidemic that once ravaged black neighborhoods didnt get the same sympathy as todays opioid epidemic by daudi abe may 2, 2017 at 1. According to the series, blandon was the johnny appleseed of crack in californiadistributing thousands of kilos of colombian cocaine to black dealers like ricky ross. How the cias crackcocaine controversy destroyed journalist gary webb, will be published in october. The crack epidemic in the united states was a surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across the united states between the early 1980s and the early 1990s. It further alleged that cocaine was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the cias army started bringing it into south central in the 1980s at bargainbasement prices. Drug trafficking was a much less convoluted method of skirting the congressional ban on funding the contras, and the cias. Oct 24, 2014 its not a situation where the government or the cia sat down and said okay, lets invent crack and sell it in black neighborhoods and lets decimate black america. Is there evidence that the fbi flooded black communities with.
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