Mayor Cory Booker Calls for Gun Control & Major US Drug Policy Reform

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Some of the problems caused by rampant gun violence and our country’s failed war on drugs are interconnected. During an interview this week, Newark Mayor Cory Booker asserted that one of his primary agenda issues will  be working to radically change our flawed drug war. In addition to being an outspoken advocate for drug reform, Booker is also a member of the Coalition of Mayors against Illegal Guns.

The popular New Jersey politician explained how we can improve our economy by stopping the expansion of the prison industrial complex, reforming our nation’s drug war insanity, and beginning to implement more humane, effective and just policies:

“We have seen so much of our national treasure being spent in the drug war and, and now we’ve, in my opinion, churned human life into incarceration, trapping into poverty. I’m not saying people don’t need to take responsibility for their own lawlessness, but what I’ve seen in Newark is that there’s a massive trap in this drug war. And it’s not just a trap for the individuals being arrested, it’s a trap for taxpayers, communities and towns. 

We’re not making our nation safer with this assault on the drug war. We’re not making our nation less addicted to substances. We need to change, I believe, radically change the national conversation and begin to talk about drugs — especially drugs like pot — in a different way.

The drug reform movement’s true goals should be creating policies that strongly empower human beings to succeed to deal with drug addiction and the like, and allow us to turn our attentions and energies and investment in areas that actually celebrate human liberty and celebrate human success and accomplishment.”

Mayor Booker has also recommended viewing the pro-reform documentary “Breaking the Taboo“, which can be seen for free on YouTube.

Public Opinion Shift on Need for Gun Control?

Rachel Maddow interviewed Cory Booker on her show this week to discuss increasing violence, gun control, dangerous plastic weapons, what changes we can make to limit access to military style assault weapons, and how to improve gun safety nationwide.

Booker image via the Rachel Maddow Show