By Makheru Bradley
The County News
We titled this series Habari Gani, a Kiswahili term we use during Kwanzaa, translated as “What’s New”, or “What is the News?” Our intent is to cover recent events that impact Afrikan people.
***The Scourge of Drug Addiction
It’s like a giant demonic, destructive, suction tube, chewing up and spitting out millions
Per Addiction Help: “As of 2020, over 37 million people 12 and older actively used illicit substances. 13.5% of Americans 12 and older have used drugs in the past 30 days. 25.4% of all users of illicit drugs suffer from drug dependency or addiction.” I have a close family member who is one of those 37 million people. Years of drug abuse finally pushed my loved one over the edge, into reckless criminal activity. There is at times, an overwhelming sense of failure, witnessing the cycles of drug rehab, then relapse. There were constant denials and outright lies. However, all hope is not lost. I believe in the power of transformation, no matter the odds.
“Mask no difficulties, mistakes, failures” – Amilcar Cabral
For those who are dealing with similar problems there is a need to understand the forces we’re up against, and why we’ve lost the battle, but not the war. To begin with there is the historical context, best explained by Dr. Amos Wilson: “The history of (Afrikan people) in America can easily be conceived as the history of the world’s most massive and successful experiment in behavioral modification and attitude change.” As Dr. Marimba Ani said, “we came from a culture of tremendous order.” We were thrown into utter chaos and the daily terror of Chattel Slavery. Obviously, the behavior of our ancestors was severely modified.
In addition to that history are studies emerging from epigenetics asking, “Can the legacy of trauma be passed down the generations?” A BBC article noted, “Wars, famines and genocides are all thought to have left an epigenetic mark on the descendants of those who suffered them.” This should include Chattel Slavery.
***The Lure of Criminogenic America
“A society such as American society which breeds a very broad variety and extraordinary quantity of criminality, whether they characterize the society as a whole or some identifiable segment of it, may arguably and justifiably be referred to as a ‘criminogenic society,’ a society which breeds unusual numbers and types of criminals and relatively high levels of crime and violence.” — Dr. Amos Wilson
Edward Bernays, a nephew of Sigmund Freud, is known as a pioneer in the field of public relations and propaganda. In 1928, Bernays wrote a book titled “Propaganda.” He said:
“We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. Whatever attitude one chooses to take toward this condition, it remains a fact that in almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons…who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind, who harness old social forces and contrive new ways to bind and guide the world.”
Dr. Wilson refers to this propaganda as “Chasing the American Mirage.” It becomes one of the lures of Criminogenic America when the “production of desire” creates “dreams without means,” materialism, conspicuous consumption, impulsive hedonism, and disproportionate risk-taking.
There are many reasons why some of our people succumb to these lures, but despite the fact that we’re up against the propaganda of the American Empire, there are no excuses.
***Drug Abuse and Crime
I agree with the experts who say that drug addiction, particularly possession alone, should be treated as a disease rather than a crime, but there is no denying that addiction contributes to crime in various ways. Attorney Kathleen Alvarado says, “For those without significant resources to support themselves, crime is often the easiest option to turn to when hoping to find some relief. As a result, people experiencing drug dependency can go to extreme lengths to procure more of the drug, and frequently, the coping mechanism becomes a crutch and drugs begin to seem necessary for survival. This shift in mindset and motivation (or lack thereof) then starts to affect the person’s work, love life, finances—everything that was once stable.”
“Our experience has shown us that in the general framework of daily struggle this battle against ourselves — no matter what difficulties the enemy may create — is the most difficult of all…” – Cabral
My loved one falls into the category of “individuals who are always in trouble, profiting neither from experience nor punishment and maintaining no real loyalties to any person, group, or code. They are frequently callous and hedonistic, showing marked emotional immaturity, with a lack of sense of responsibility, lack of judgement and an ability to rationalize this behavior so that it appears warranted, reasonable, and justified.” This makes his situation difficult, but not impossible.
I can find some solace in the words of the brilliant Lauryn Hill (From “Everything is Everything”)
“I wrote these words for everyone who struggles in their youth, who won’t accept deception in, instead of what is truth.
It seems we lose the game, before we even start to play.
Who made these rules? We’re so confused, easily led astray.
Sometimes it seems we’ll touch that dream, But things come slow or not at all.
And the ones on top won’t make it stop, so convinced that they might fall.
Let’s love ourselves and we can’t fail, to make a better situation.
Tomorrow, our seeds will grow; all we need is dedication.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.)
(For additional views on other issues see the AfrikanLiberation Media youtube channel — https://www.youtube.com/@afrikanliberationmedia)
