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Alt

When good governments go bad
These pernicious moments brought to you by your elected leaders. PLUS: Sisterhood pyramid schemes, supermarket warfare and a man and his hooptie.

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By Jenn Shreve

Jan. 21, 2000 | The alternative press exists in part to present a fiercer side of journalism, especially when it comes to unveiling the nefarious activities of our elected officials. While their constant harping on the abuses of government at times can grow tiresome and clichéd as a hippie drum circle, these lefty muckrakers still serve a purpose when it comes to exposing political rot.

Last week I was reminded of this by Salon's story about how the U.S. government paid networks to slip anti-drug messages into their scripts. As much as I'd like to see an episode of "Friends" where Joey gets addicted to crack and sodomizes all his roommates, I find abhorrent the idea that our elected officials will spare no expense and violate any law or civil right in the name of wiping out drugs -- an effort that, so far, has been 100 percent ineffective.

Here are a few more pernicious moments courtesy of the U.S. government.

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Cleveland Free Times, Jan. 19-25

"Bullied" by Sean Rapacki

It's not enough to under-fund schools, deny welfare benefits to children because their parents don't conform to society's standards, keep minimum wage below the living wage and then punish children as adults when they respond to this gross neglect with violence. In some cases, police manipulate innocent children to confess to crimes they didn't commit. In this compelling piece, Sean Rapacki demonstrates with transcripts and expert opinion that using adult interrogation methods on children can elicit false confessions. These can then be used to send innocent children to adult prisons. It's hard to imagine many greater crimes than this.

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In Pittsburgh News Weekly, Jan. 19-26

"Paraphernalia sellers banging heads with the city" by Sharmila Venkatasubban

In Pittsburgh, it's not only illegal to buy/sell/take drugs not made by large pharmaceutical companies, it's illegal to promote their use. What constitutes promotion? Apparently, selling the means to take them. Read about how police are cracking down on perfectly legitimate water-pipe selling businesses in order to prevent dreaded dope fiends from inhaling. (Hey, officer, ever hear of knife hits?) Using this same logic, I wonder if we shouldn't shut down the country's mints, which print $20 bills, the preferred drug delivery system of cocaine users.

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L.A. Weekly, Jan. 21-27

"Held Back" by Erin Aubry

"Separate but equal" may have been wiped out by the Supreme Court. Separate and unequal, however, continues to thrive in Los Angeles schools. Erin Aubry takes a hard look at "the miserable state of black education" and attempts to root out the sources of this failure. Although Aubry doesn't pin blame on any single organization, I can't help feeling that the ultimate responsibility for ensuring all children's right to public education lies with government. And in my opinion, a failure to teach well is a failure to teach at all. Aubry, however, chooses to meditate on a variety of people and organizations, government included, that have turned a blind eye to a persistent and horrible failure.

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Philadelphia City Paper, Jan. 20-26

"Consider the Alternative" by Stephen Simmons

While it's not an exposé, I have to admit to being charmed by this simple, impassioned plea by a bartender, who wants us all to consider the following message: "And what is scandalous anyway? Obviously not drug use or sex (thank you, Mr. Clinton). Democrats vs. Republicans. Republicans vs. Democrats. Well, I've decided that I'm tired of politics as usual. I'm voting third party." I'll drink to that.

. Next page | Elián's thug relatives, a feminist pyramid scheme, and supermarket or war zone?



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