Forgiveness Weekend: Double Jeopardy or a New Beginning Dear faithful friend of justice, As you may know from previous alerts, Illinois is one of our target states this year. For both sentencing reform and medical marijuana, the national drug policy reform movement has its eye on Illinois. I have included the agenda for Forgiveness Weekend. I encourage you to attend and promote this event to your congregation. The first speaker, Cliff Thornton from Efficacy, is one of the best speakers in the country on drug policy reform. Rev. James Bevel, who is giving the keynote address, is a well known civil rights leader. Rev. Bevel and a few other prominent religious civil rights leaders recently co-authored a statement specifically relating the Drug War to the struggle for civil rights. I have included it below the agenda. Also, there will be a showing of BUSTED: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters narrated by former ACLU executive director, Ira Glasser. This is an excellent video that I encourage you to share with your congregation. I hope this event inspires people to lobby for drug policy reform. Please call Danielle Schumacher at 815-375-0790 to reserve a spot or to get brochures for your congregation. As always, if you would like any help organizing your congregation, putting on an event, or lobbying your representatives on behalf of drug policy reform, please call me at 301-933-7681. Be well, be free, Troy M. Dayton, field coordinator Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative "If not you, who? If not now, when?" If you like our work, please consider making a financial contribution to our efforts so that we can continue to organize people of faith and religious denominations behind more compassionate and less coercive drug policies. IDPI offers free books on drugs, drug policy, and drug treatment to those that donate. Please visit www.idpi.us/join/. Forgiveness Weekend: Double Jeopardy or a New Beginning February 18-20, 2005 Hosted by: CU Citizens for Peace and Justice & Salem Baptist Church 500 E. Park Ave, Champaign IL Throughout the Weekend, childcare and activities for older children will be provided. A staffed registration table will include speaker and cosponsor information, along with relevant literature and action materials. Friday Evening, Feb. 18 2005 5-6:00pm Meet, greet, and eat with conference participants 6-8:30pm Clifford Thornton, founder of Efficacy. 7-8:30pm Race, Class, and the War on Drugs. 7-8:30pm Who has felonies and why? What's the role of mandatory minimum sentencing? 7-8:30pm How and why the War on Drugs has failed, why we should care, and what we can do about it? 7-8:00pm Aaron Ammons: 7-8:00pm Video Testimony presentation by VEYA. 7-8:00pm What challenges do felons face after prison? 7-8:00pm What are the various forms of disenfranchisement? 8:00-9pm Group Discussion: 8:30-9pm How does crime hurt our community and how should we handle criminals? 8:30-9pm Why and how can the community help felons build a productive life after prison? Saturday, Feb. 19 2005 9 - 10:15am Rep. Constance Howard: 9 - 10:15am How to Get Your Record Expunged and Taking Action on SB 3007. 9 - 10:25am Clifford and Danielle: 9 - 10:25am Mandatory Minimum Sentencing; White Privilege. 10:30-11:45 Mr. Avon: 10:30-11:45 Backed Into Sovereignty: Empowerment and Employment 10:30-11:45 UI NORML/SSDP: 10:30-11:45 Know Your Rights - Busted! with supplementary information Noon - 1pm Lunch and learn: Information Fair Noon - 1pm Carol and Danielle present: a film about Rev. James Bevel 1pm-2:30pm Rev. James Bevel 1pm-2:15pm Non-Violent Resistance in the 21st Century 2:30-3:45pm Defining Manhood 2:30-3:45pm A session to address the lack of African-American culture, particularly addressing the issue of rites of passage for young Black men. Sunday, Feb. 20 2005 3pm-5pm Keynote by Rev. James Bevel 3pm-5pm "The Faith Community: The Watchmen for Social Justice." 3pm-5pm (Followed by a potluck with selected Weekend participants.) Drug War Statement by Civil Rights Leaders co-authored by: Rev. James Lawson, Jr., Rev. C.T. Vivian, Rev. Will D. Campbell, Diane Nash, Rev. Bernard Lafayette, Rev. James Bevel We who have participated in the civil rights movement know the power of creative, persistent, nonviolent resistance. We are committed to translating the lessons we have learned into invitations for action now, believing it is urgent to redress the grievances and correct the injustices of our present drug laws. We believe the war on drugs is a continuation of historic institutional racism, aimed at enriching those in power and impoverishing communities of color. The drug war is a war against the American people, particularly those who are young, poor, and people of color. In the words of William Douglas, it is "a slavery unwilling to die." The war on drugs has not only failed in its efforts to make America free of "illicit" drugs, but in the process has constructed laws that are highly unjust, racist in application, a threat to our constitutional rights and a danger to our public health. African Americans are estimated to be 13% of the total drug offenses, 59% of those convicted for drug offenses, and 74% of those imprisoned for drug offenses. The Justice Policy Institute's 2003 report states that 560,000 people are now incarcerated in the twelve state region from Louisiana to Virginia: "Today, the role played by slavery, convict leasing and the Black Codes. In every Southern state, African Americans were incarcerated at four times the rate of whites. In the words of political economist John Flateau: "Metaphorically, the criminal justice pipeline is like a slave ship, transporting human cargo along interstate triangular trade routes from Black and Brown communities, through the middle passage of police precincts, holding pens, detention centers and courtrooms; to downstate jails or upstate prisons; back to communities as unrehabilitated escapes; and back to prison or jail in a vicious recidivist cycle." The alarming escalation of our prison population is a direct result of national drug policy. The war on drugs continues to write off millions of human beings and squander urgently needed resources that might be invested in education, housing, public health and economic development. With more than 2 million people currently incarcerated in this country, almost 500,000 for nonviolent drug offenses, we cannot remain silent. We are called on to speak a prophetic word of judgment and hope to the present situation. We must apply a "soulforce", combining our prayers with the hard work of seeking justice, healing and restoration. We urge you to join in this movement; to stand with those who are victimized by this war; to expose the injustices; to change the public policies; and to engage in ongoing systemic work for restorative justice and reconciliation.