During his tenure as president, Richard Nixon coined the phrase “War on Drugs,” and it has been run with ever since. This public agenda had widespread and long lasting effects that were felt in black communities for decades. While most people would say that a War on Drugs is good for society, protecting people from substances that are addictive and are harmful. However, Nixon’s White House was not concerned with public health and safety, but rather with the imprisonment of black people. They were even recorded saying that the War on Drugs was just an excuse to imprison people of color at a higher rate. The War on Drugs was definitely an effective cover as it is hard to have a strong argument that is against that message.
Another extremely impactful part of this messaging that was mentioned in 13th was the media portrayal of these crimes. Black people would be shown on the news walking in handcuffs and shackles almost daily. This further perpetrated the idea that people of color were the only people being incarcerated for drugs and other crimes. Seeing this every night definitely affects the public perception of black people and how the War on Drugs is being approached. The government was trying to associate drugs with hippies and losers that society wanted off the streets, while appealing to the white population with subtly racist messaging.
This discrimination was also evident in the different sentencing guidelines for crack cocaine versus powdered cocaine. When crack cocaine came onto the scene, the government imposed much stronger punishments for being caught with crack. This was in large part because the rich, pompous white people were using powdered cocaine so it was deemed acceptable. However the lower class blacks were using crack cocaine so it was decided that it needed a harsher punishment. This led to a much higher incarceration rate of people of color because they were specifically trying to enforce the drugs that they were using.
Overall, the War on Drugs was just a facade for a government that was trying to attack the communities of color by imprisoning them at extremely high rates and targeting their lifestyles and substances. (362)
Great explanation. I also share your idea of how the media has played a significant role in portraying specific groups a certain way, all this to promote public approval for the government to push its agenda.