The culture wars will never end, and neither will fake culture wars

[bomberfox]

Many a conservative has uttered the words 'Democrat plantation.' The above shows the Republican Plantation.

There's also a 'Democratic Plantation,' but it's not the one that conservatives describe (Black people voting for Democrats). It's pretty much the same plantation, it just has a different menu and is in a different neighborhood.

The real plantation is the whole world, Earth, and the US government (USG) wants to be the biggest controller. How so? Let's start with what I think are The Big Two: Wall Street and the Pentagon (Department of "Defense," wink wink).

Do I need to say more to convince anyone?

There is no plantation that is patronizing horseshit.

 

[bomberfox]

**** now even white leftists are getting in on that plantation shit.

 

[bomberfox]

Like hell not even alt-righters who are actually overtly racist as **** will use that plantation meme.

 

[Nomad4Ever]

Progressives by definition want to change things and what they want to change them to is racist, sexist, and religiously bigoted targeted towards particular groups. In fact, racism in significantly more mainstream among progressives than conservatives to the point where it's declared right out in the open and applauded.

Like what? Are you just referring to affirmative action?

 

[Nomad4Ever]

**** now even white leftists are getting in on that plantation shit.

 

[RealityNow]

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY "NO NEED" FOR POLITICAL PARTIES.

We already have " A House of Representative, where there is Representatives from EACH STATE.
We already have " A Senate, where each State gets 2 Senators.

There is no need for Lobbyist Groups called Political Parties. It's up to the people to know what bills and measures are, and who their representative is and their Representative should have the Integrity to Represent The People of their District, and (NO DISTRICT) is made up of all people with a single mindset about Bills and Measures. So... the stupidity of Political Groups, called Party.. should be OUTLAWED, as Un-Constitutional.

America does not need the divisiveness of Political Parties

We already have the Division of Legislative Powers, by having a "House of Representatives" and a "Senate".

The House of Representative Craft Legislation, and The Senate Confirms Legislation, and The President Signs it into Law.

------------------------------

The very reason why the details of Civics is NOT taught in American Schools, is because the intent it to keep the people IGNORANCE, so they can be herded into Party Divisiveness.

We see it everyday, 85+% of the people, talking all this Republican/Conservative, Democrat/Liberal... stuff... are basically "Illiterate" to what and how "Representative Democracy Works" in a Republic Form of Governance. ( All a "REPUBLIC" means is, "we do not have a King or Monarchy".. we have a Citizen Representative System of Governance (WE THE PEOPLE).

The average participant in these type of Forums have never read a Legislative Bill or Measure in its entirety in their whole life.

It's just a mass of people, looking for a Lobbyist Group, to tell them how to think and what to go for and what not to go for and they are "ignorant enough to be a slave to such dictations". Then stupid enough to "Stick a Lobbyist Label" to dictate and control their thought process and their lives. That's how suckers are made and why we have such ignorance in society who does not understand the first thing about the responsibility of "Representative Governance".

We have dumb ass people who like people like Hawley, Green, Cruz and other push a bunch of distraction bullshit, that keeps people caught in a stupidity loop.. Then a Barbaric Savage like Trump comes along and turn them into full fledged "Barbaric Cult".

One can tell this site if full of Drama Spinner... This is solid information which clearly states that The Constitution has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WITHIN IT, that sanctions "Political Parties"... !!!!
Instead of people taking time to think and understand that... They go right back in the drama spin game as if they have no ability to comprehend the Constitution Role of "The Senate" and "The House of Representatives". Nor do they understand that Neither The Senate, Nor The House of Representative was created or designed to Act Like "A HOODLUM GANG"!!!!! - The Speaker, is to present what the Majority of INDEPENDENT Representatives support, and the Speak of The Senate is to present what the Majority of the INDEPENDENT Senators support.
That is what the Speaker is to present to the people.. The Bill itself, goes to the President to be signed into Law.

Most of these INSIDIOUS CIVICS ILLITERATES... think everything falls on the President. "Which is a concept held by Civic Illiterates!!!" The President is an advocate for the Presidential Ideals for Advancing Our Nations and its People Agenda, Congress Creates Legislation to Advance the Legislation that benefits America and American Citizens, and if The President Veto's it, then The Veto can be Over-ridden by : (VETO OVERIDES IN HOUSE AND SENATE PROCEDURES)


It's best for participant to avoid getting into "silly crap" with a bunch of "drama spinners" who don't know a damn things about the Civics of OUR Representative Democracy in our Republic Form of Constitutional Representative Governance. if they did know, they'd understand what "WE THE PEOPLE" means, and they'd understand and respect THE PRINCIPLES AND VALUES LAID OUT IN "THE PREAMBLE".

 

[Antiwar]

There is no plantation that is patronizing horseshit.

How so?

 

[Gateman_Wen]

Science isn't subject to majoritarianism.



It does mean more to progressives, since they use the term to silence opposition.



Aren't progressives the same group who claim women can have penises and men can give birth? Who think nuclear power is extremely dangerous and that there is no solution for dealing the waste? Who refuse to believe IQ is mostly hereditary? Who believe that genetic engineering should not be used in food production? Who can't understand why a price floor on wages makes people with low skills and little work experience worse off?

Say what you will about conservatives, but progressives are no better and arguably worse.

You demonstrate a fundamental lack of understanding of everything you posted about.

 

[Fishking]

Like what? Are you just referring to affirmative action?

Many things, but I'm employing a bit of hyperbole to throw it back in the poster's face, but sometimes comedy does the best job conveying things.

 

[Nomad4Ever]

Many things, but I'm employing a bit of hyperbole to throw it back in the poster's face, but sometimes comedy does the best job conveying things.

I get the sentiment, and it isn't like people like that don't exist. However say "progressives are the real racists" followed by some extreme unpopular straw man the progressive wasn't arguing for is pretty much only used to delegitimize reasonable progressive positions. It would be like trying to paint everyone who voted for Trump as Qanoners.

 

[RealityNow]

One can tell this site if full of Drama Spinner... This is solid information which clearly states that The Constitution has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WITHIN IT, that sanctions "Political Parties"... !!!!
Instead of people taking time to think and understand that... They go right back in the drama spin game as if they have no ability to comprehend the Constitution Role of "The Senate" and "The House of Representatives". Nor do they understand that Neither The Senate, Nor The House of Representative was created or designed to Act Like "A HOODLUM GANG"!!!!! - The Speaker, is to present what the Majority of INDEPENDENT Representatives support, and the Speak of The Senate is to present what the Majority of the INDEPENDENT Senators support.
That is what the Speaker is to present to the people.. The Bill itself, goes to the President to be signed into Law.

Most of these INSIDIOUS CIVICS ILLITERATES... think everything falls on the President. "Which is a concept held by Civic Illiterates!!!" The President is an advocate for the Presidential Ideals for Advancing Our Nations and its People Agenda, Congress Creates Legislation to Advance the Legislation that benefits America and American Citizens, and if The President Veto's it, then The Veto can be Over-ridden by : (VETO OVERIDES IN HOUSE AND SENATE PROCEDURES)


It's best for participant to avoid getting into "silly crap" with a bunch of "drama spinners" who don't know a damn things about the Civics of OUR Representative Democracy in our Republic Form of Constitutional Representative Governance. if they did know, they'd understand what "WE THE PEOPLE" means, and they'd understand and respect THE PRINCIPLES AND VALUES LAID OUT IN "THE PREAMBLE".

When it came to ACA (Affordable Cares Act)... Most NEVER read it!!!!! they went on nothing but "folklore spin"... and in 2018. when they found out that it did offer what they needed and protected what they needed protected. The people supported it. Those that fought against it in the Congress, Had nothing even remotely close to proving what the people need, and the people recogonized that, and made sure their Representative backed their voice, some ignored the voice of the constituency and pushed their own obstinancy agenda, without regard for knowing the make up of their entire Constituency. Not just the majority but the minority in the District they Represent. That's another reason why Political Parties, SHOULD NOT EXIST. No Politician should have a Partisan (Divisive) Position, because not all people in District is made up of all people who think the same there is always a Majority that is for or against something, and there is the minority groups that is for or against something, but they ALL are the make up of the District an Elected Person Represents. They don't only support those who voted for them, they support those who did not vote for them, The Majority Decisions Stands, but the Minority Decisions are to be considered and factored in how a Politicians supports their district. No one gets "everything" they want. That's why there are Political Debates on Issues.

We elect Ignorant people to presidee over under-educated people, and therein lies to Political dysfunction of Elected Representative.

Abolish Political Parties and Canididate for Office has to then consider the entire Constituency. No more "Party Line Ballot Madness". This is another reasons we need "Public Campaign Financing" for "NON PARTISAN POLITICIANS".
Then we move forward in Presidential Elections and ABOLISH the Electoral College... it is not needed and it is a Partisan Divisive Hack Group" The president should be chosen by POPULAR VOTE, "ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE" - PERIOD!!!

 

[Fishking]

I get the sentiment, and it isn't like people like that don't exist. However say "progressives are the real racists" followed by some extreme unpopular straw man the progressive wasn't arguing for is pretty much only used to delegitimize reasonable progressive positions. It would be like trying to paint everyone who voted for Trump as Qanoners.

It's not really a matter of "progressives are the real racists" as there is racism present in all groups. I'm not letting conservative elements off the hook. However, I am saying that racism is built into the cake with much of progressive ideology and behavior. They just try and pass it off as not actually being racism by redefining words like racism so that it doesn't apply minorities, which in itself is a form of racial bias at a minimum. Then they can say and do all kinds of things against white people and say it's not racism.

 

[aociswundumho]

Alcohol prohibition was a conservative policy,

No, alcohol prohibition was an authoritarian, mommy-state debacle, and progressives luv the mommy-state. From the Library of Congress:

Prohibition: A Case Study of Progressive Reform | Progressive Era to New Era, 1900-1929 | U.S. History Primary Source Timeline | Classroom Materials at the Library of Congress | Library of Congress

The temperance movement, discouraging the use of alcoholic beverages, had been active and influential in the United States since at least the 1830s.

www.loc.gov

just as the War on Drugs is a conservative policy.

No. The drug war officially began with the Harrison Narcotics Act signed into law by the very progressive Woodrow Wilson in 1914. The drug war was then escalated further by fellow racist and progressive hero FDR:

 

[HangLow]

By that definition, progressives are extremely conservative. It is progressives who still support the centuries old Prussian model of education, despite its monumental failure. It is progressives who still support the completely obsolete and archaic Post Office, where government drones drive around burning gasoline to put junk mail into mailboxes. It is progressives who still support labor unions, even though the American people have rejected unions, and membership is at an all time low of 10% of the workforce.

Progressives even apply conservatism to science. Whereas anyone with half a brain understands that the body of scientific knowledge is constantly changing, progressives mouth vapid statements such as "the science is settled", when it comes to their pet issues.

​

 

[RealityNow]

View attachment 67383309​

Yes, Union have always worked!!! Those who fight against Union's fight against their own best interest.

 

[RealityNow]

When > Right Wing Factions of White People, stop thinking they are some "model' for society, and stop trying to dictate and control the lives of others, and manage their own lives... Then we can move forward as a society.

• 100's of yrs of Right Wing Factions of White People have been trying to tell others how to live. They are like some American white skin version of Taliban!!!

 

[Slartibartfast]

How so?

A group of people can freely choose to go for a certain thing without it being exploitative.

 

[RealityNow]

People across the nation have expanded the Barbarism... Look at the Stories of Violence . It's pure "insanity".
Scroll throught the stories... and notice the madness.​

---------------------

We've trained a society that "killing is the answer"... its seen in TV shows, Movies, Games and even the Brutality that exist in how comics were designed many decades ago, "it was designed to get a laugh" but the subliminal impact has become "outward reality".

Things we call "Actions Movies" often are based on Killings, Horror Movies are based on Killings and Grotesque barbarism/savagery, Drama Movies are based on conflict and contentions and other madness, Daytime Soap Operas are based on infidelidy, blackmail, deceptions and raw deciet, Sitcoms are basically 'slap stick put down commentary, wrapped in a laugh track, and/or sexual ineundos wrapped in a laugh tract, Digital Gaming, is about destruction and killing, and we have NEWS that is designed for "shock and awe" of the most vile and malice and contentious conduct", recycled HOUR UPON HOUR, and some are nothing more than Round Table Talk Show, to sell books and spin "tid bits" into insidiousness, and we call this stuff "Entertainment".

Our Society does not care about "Stories where people do good humanitarian respecting conduct and acts of consideration".

We are what we consume !!!!​

Many many decades ago, when people did not consume so much media... they were not filled with so much "subliminal messaging"... Now, people can't go 3.5 minutes without trying to scroll through their phone in search of Abusive Action, Drama, Horror, Terror, Belligerence, Savage Conduct, and then they follow it up with "slap stick comments"...

Look around in general public. People have a distressed look, and unfriendly look, something trying to look tuff", and other trying to look like some "media charater' and others trying to look like some costumed entertainer, and others trying to look cartoonish, to men and boys walking around with their pants down below their butt, some trying to look like a Tv based cowboy, or the 1940's concept of a farmer, to others all out skin exhibitionist, and we have a tattoo'd society of walking art work, to other lost in the Cult Groomed Lobbyist Group of Political Party consumption.

All this culture war stuff.... cannot "contain people' into any particular imagery or thought cycle. That has NEVER existed in America

Islamic and Hindu Religious countries try to control public Imagery of People... with the Burka and Men's common attire, or Head Gear and other Costuming, and non of it "change the acts" that people do of violence, malice or any such things.
China for decades tried dressing people in the drab charcoal costuming, Other Countries have tried various "Costuming"... and none of it has eleminated the 'thought cycles of people", nor has it curtailed of stopped people from being barbaric in acts of violence.

So... any people in America thinking they can control the "Cullture of Individuals" is "futile".

Even on a single city block, there is different "cultures' within every home on the block, and within any family, there is different cultural habits that each family member adopts of what they want to be and do.

The best an individual can do is "live their own life" and stop trying to control and regulate others. ​

 

[bomberfox]

How so?

It portrays black people as being unable to vote their own interests. Of the two parties democrats seem to be more aligned. The GOP has been trotting that out for decades and wonder why black people dont vote for them.

 

[bomberfox]

People across the nation have expanded the Barbarism... Look at the Stories of Violence . It's pure "insanity".
Scroll throught the stories... and notice the madness.​

---------------------

We've trained a society that "killing is the answer"... its seen in TV shows, Movies, Games and even the Brutality that exist in how comics were designed many decades ago, "it was designed to get a laugh" but the subliminal impact has become "outward reality".

Things we call "Actions Movies" often are based on Killings, Horror Movies are based on Killings and Grotesque barbarism/savagery, Drama Movies are based on conflict and contentions and other madness, Daytime Soap Operas are based on infidelidy, blackmail, deceptions and raw deciet, Sitcoms are basically 'slap stick put down commentary, wrapped in a laugh track, and/or sexual ineundos wrapped in a laugh tract, Digital Gaming, is about destruction and killing, and we have NEWS that is designed for "shock and awe" of the most vile and malice and contentious conduct", recycled HOUR UPON HOUR, and some are nothing more than Round Table Talk Show, to sell books and spin "tid bits" into insidiousness, and we call this stuff "Entertainment".

Our Society does not care about "Stories where people do good humanitarian respecting conduct and acts of consideration".

We are what we consume !!!!​

Many many decades ago, when people did not consume so much media... they were not filled with so much "subliminal messaging"... Now, people can't go 3.5 minutes without trying to scroll through their phone in search of Abusive Action, Drama, Horror, Terror, Belligerence, Savage Conduct, and then they follow it up with "slap stick comments"...

Look around in general public. People have a distressed look, and unfriendly look, something trying to look tuff", and other trying to look like some "media charater' and others trying to look like some costumed entertainer, and others trying to look cartoonish, to men and boys walking around with their pants down below their butt, some trying to look like a Tv based cowboy, or the 1940's concept of a farmer, to others all out skin exhibitionist, and we have a tattoo'd society of walking art work, to other lost in the Cult Groomed Lobbyist Group of Political Party consumption.

All this culture war stuff.... cannot "contain people' into any particular imagery or thought cycle. That has NEVER existed in America

Islamic and Hindu Religious countries try to control public Imagery of People... with the Burka and Men's common attire, or Head Gear and other Costuming, and non of it "change the acts" that people do of violence, malice or any such things.
China for decades tried dressing people in the drab charcoal costuming, Other Countries have tried various "Costuming"... and none of it has eleminated the 'thought cycles of people", nor has it curtailed of stopped people from being barbaric in acts of violence.

So... any people in America thinking they can control the "Cullture of Individuals" is "futile".

Even on a single city block, there is different "cultures' within every home on the block, and within any family, there is different cultural habits that each family member adopts of what they want to be and do.

The best an individual can do is "live their own life" and stop trying to control and regulate others. ​

This is why i like movies and games that try to make some effort of humanizing the enemy and portray storylines with a lot of gray though even those can sometimes give subliminal messaging that is often misinterpreted (see cops with the punisher logo thinking the punisher is a great role model when in the comics he is just a broken man who never heals from the trauma that set him on his path)

Games like ace combat do a good job by relaying enemy coms and personal stories.

 

[Antiwar]

A group of people can freely choose to go for a certain thing without it being exploitative.

Not if they're paying federal taxes that financially support US government (USG) military domination.

 

[Antiwar]

It portrays black people as being unable to vote their own interests. Of the two parties democrats seem to be more aligned. The GOP has been trotting that out for decades and wonder why black people dont vote for them.

I agree and disagree. Conservatives overdo their "Democrat plantation" narrative. But there are legitimate points, especially the majority corporate Democratic politicians. Some of it's structural/systemic racism, but some of it is neoliberalism: Investing in better off areas and people instead of worse off areas and people.

Also @tacomancer:

I'm going to re-post and rephrase:

Re-post:

Many a conservative has uttered the words 'Democrat plantation.' The above shows the Republican Plantation.

There's also a 'Democratic Plantation,' but it's not the one that conservatives describe (Black people voting for Democrats). It's pretty much the same plantation, it just has a different menu and is in a different neighborhood.

The real plantation is the whole world, Earth, and the US government (USG) wants to be the biggest controller. How so? Let's start with what I think are The Big Two: Wall Street and the Pentagon (Department of "Defense," wink wink).

Do I need to say more to convince anyone?

Rephrase:

There's a bigger 'Democratic/Republican Plantation.' It's not the one that conservatives describe (Black people voting for Democrats).

The real plantation is the whole world, Earth, and the US government (USG) wants to be the biggest controller. How so? Let's start with what I think are The Big Two: Wall Street and the Pentagon (Department of "Defense," wink wink).

 

[RealityNow]

We all see things we like and things we don't like, things that we consider acceptable or unacceptable to us and our ideas of culture, "that's an individuals own though cycle".. But that thought cycle has no authority in life to "control" others.
The more people understand that, the less people can get lost in thinking they can dictate unto and over others.

There are lots of things we may not "choose" to emulate or mimic for ourselves, but it give us no right to try and control anyone else.

Everyone is facing their own "challenges within living", and there is no one who does not have their "own challenges within their lives"; We really don't have any position to 'try and control others".

For me, If I don't particularly care for something, I don't have to adopt it. I can go on about my life living and dealing with my own concern, interest and challenges and goals.

It does not matter to me who another person is sleeping with, or in a relation with or any of such, that's between them and their own choices, yet, we have people "publicly attacking others, as if they think they are some appointed culture maker".

In America people complain about "Islamic Moral Police"... and never realize, they are themselves trying to be a version of the same thing here in America; as if they are some "Morality and Civic Police Dictator over others". Then; people go about trying to "solicit others to endorse their bias and adopt it".

Consider all the wasted energy and lives of people who get hung up in that cycle; where they may have been able to use their own mind to create something that could benefit "all mankind", if they did not waste it by trying to dictate and regulate and control others.

• Some get so hung up into their biases, prejudices and bigotry, they can't even maintain and provide for their own lives, for trying to figure out how to "deny something to others", and "block others from accessibility", and/or "try to cause another some form of defeat or devastation".

• Some people have "chosen" not to learn and continue learning, they get "stuck in a mindset" and fail to grow, and then become anguished, angered and even violent, because they can't force people to submit to their mind set's closed concepts.

• Then there are those, that "will fight against anything" because they can't comprehend the reality of change, and the many ways that life continues to change.

People can and do engage such ways of being until they make themselves, "Miserable" and seek to gain endorsements for the misery, and want to create "group misery".

Life is not difficult, because we were given on this earth everything necessary, to live ...

• It's people who make their own lives difficult and try to make difficulty for the lives of others.

There are people with No arms and hands, who find out how to make their life work for them, there are people who can't see, who find out how to make and appreciate their lives, there are people in many conditions and with many conditions, who find means to make their life work, and they face the challenges that come with doing so.

This Autocratic and Fascist Ideology pursuit... is as futile as any pursuit to try and dictate and control others. It's Anti-Christ Mentality to try and do such. Nothing about it deal with the "human individuals right to live their life" and each individual will over time, come through many phases and changes in who they are, until they day they die ..... So... why get lost in trying to control others.

Share "Knowledge", "Share Information that Inspires the Pursuit for Truth in Knowledge" and "Respect the fact that people, are given the give of life, by a power far greater than any human being, even though they come into the world, through a human being.

The world has BILLIONS OF PEOPLE.... so why get hung up on trying to control and dictate over anyone.​

 

[Mithrae]

It's not really a matter of "progressives are the real racists" as there is racism present in all groups. I'm not letting conservative elements off the hook. However, I am saying that racism is built into the cake with much of progressive ideology and behavior. They just try and pass it off as not actually being racism by redefining words like racism so that it doesn't apply minorities, which in itself is a form of racial bias at a minimum. Then they can say and do all kinds of things against white people and say it's not racism.

Policies or attitudes which tend towards increasing racial disparities are racist; those which tend towards decreasing racial disparities are an answer to racism. Many folk seem to conflate those two polar opposites, deliberately or ignorantly pretending that the solution is the same sort of thing as the problem, for example "Affirmative action is racist because it discriminates in favour of one group" or "BLM is racist because it singles out the disproportionate killings against one group!" You're smarter than that, so I assume that's not what you're talking about. On the other hand, views like "Black people can't be racist" or "Nothing said/done against white people can be racist" do exist, but constitute a tiny misguided fringe of liberal/progressive folk... as I'm sure you're well aware. So it's difficult to know what you're talking about here. Do you have any actual examples in mind from mainstream progressive ideas or movements?

 

[Dans La Lune]

No, alcohol prohibition was an authoritarian, mommy-state debacle, and progressives luv the mommy-state. From the Library of Congress:

Not sure if you think I'm stupid, lazy or don't have internet access, but it's pretty easy to look this up:

Wayne B. Wheeler: The Man Who Turned Off the Taps

Prohibition couldn't have happened without Wheeler, who foisted temperance on a thirsty nation 90 years ago

www.smithsonianmag.com

16 Wayne Wheeler Facts: The Man Who Made Prohibition Happen - Your Daily Hunt

Revolutionary lawyer Wayne Wheeler, born on November 10, 1869 in Brookfield Township in Ohio and died in…

www.yourdailyhunt.com

"Wheeler and the ASL campaigned against Myron T. Herrick, who ran for reelection as Governor of Ohio in 1906. Herrick was a Republican and Conservative, and he supported a local option bill backed by the ASL but had agreed to some modifications to ensure passage. Because of his willingness to compromise, the ASL ruled that Herrick was not sufficiently in favor of the ban and backed his opponent, Democrat John M. Pattison, an advocate of temperance."

"Wayne Wheeler is considered as one of the main players in the implementation of the prohibition of alcohol in the United States embodied by the Volstead Act, 18th amendment of the Constitution of the United States voted in 1919 and which Wheeler wrote the draft."

"Wheeler opposed the use of non-deadly substances like soap, arguing that the deadly poisons in industrial alcohol were an acceptable measure because the government had no obligation to protect the lives of its citizens if they broke the law by consuming alcohol. Between 10,000 and 50,000 deaths occurred, and Wheeler argued that, in essence, the victims had committed suicide."

No. The drug war officially began with the Harrison Narcotics Act signed into law by the very progressive Woodrow Wilson in 1914. The drug war was then escalated further by fellow racist and progressive hero FDR:

Again, easily researched:

War on Drugs | History & Mass Incarceration

War on Drugs, the effort in the United States since the 1970s to combat illegal drug use by greatly increasing penalties, enforcement, and incarceration for drug offenders. It began in 1971 when President Richard Nixon declared drug abuse to be ‘public enemy number one’ and increased funding for...

www.britannica.com

"The War on Drugs was a relatively small component of federal law-enforcement efforts until the presidency of Ronald Reagan, which began in 1981. Reagan greatly expanded the reach of the drug war and his focus on criminal punishment over treatment led to a massive increase in incarcerations for nonviolent drug offenses, from 50,000 in 1980 to 400,000 in 1997. In 1984 his wife, Nancy, spearheaded another facet of the War on Drugs with her “Just Say No” campaign, which was a privately funded effort to educate schoolchildren on the dangers of drug use. The expansion of the War on Drugs was in many ways driven by increased media coverage of—and resulting public nervousness over—the crack epidemic that arose in the early 1980s. This heightened concern over illicit drug use helped drive political support for Reagan’s hard-line stance on drugs. The U.S. Congress passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, which allocated $1.7 billion to the War on Drugs and established a series of “mandatory minimum” prison sentences for various drug offenses. A notable feature of mandatory minimums was the massive gap between the amounts of crack and of powder cocaine that resulted in the same minimum sentence: possession of five grams of crack led to an automatic five-year sentence while it took the possession of 500 grams of powder cocaine to trigger that sentence. Since approximately 80% of crack users were African American, mandatory minimums led to an unequal increase of incarceration rates for nonviolent Black drug offenders, as well as claims that the War on Drugs was a racist institution."