Re: [Marxism] Oprah, the memoir, and the Iraq war

[Bonnie Weinstein <giobon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 1/26/06 4:20 PM, "Brian Shannon" <brian_shannon@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I started reading this NY Times transcript of Oprah confronting James
> Frey and all at once realized that Frey's lies were a little like
> Bush's lies and then I came to Frank Rich's interjection who said the
> same thing.
>
> So read on. It becomes hilarious or tragic depending on your mood if
> for James Frey you substitute George W. Bush.
>
> And as all Marxmail subscribers should be aware the NY Times on the
> web is mostly free. It is definitely worthwhile signing up for the
> whole thing.
> http://makeashorterlink.com/?S6FA2298C
>
> Brian Shannon

I have read this book. I do know something about addiction. While I
seriously questioned the part about the dental work being done without even
Novocain--last time I had it it didn't get me high--I did questions his
other facts as well. Another example--throughout this time he was so "down
and out" he managed to get a college degree. That doesn't happen very often
to real drug addicts as he depicted himself. And, his parents had
money--that, too, makes all the difference in the whole world.

And the part about his finding his rehab-girlfriend, Lily, as she's turning
a trick in a crack house was most unbelievable of all. There are hundreds of
places available to those looking for a fix and you can be sure they are
aware of all of them. You could look for months and not find the person you
are looking for in one.

What rang true was the description of the behavior of addicts in everyday
things like eating--more, more, more--eating is a binge like using the drug
itself--or watching a perfectly intelligent young person devote his or her
whole being to getting more of the drug and letting everything else go by
the wayside including their own health and well being. Having a loved one
inflicted, you see these things. Also what rang true was his critical
estimation of the "almighty" 12-step program that has been adopted by
virtually the entire rehabilitation establishment with very few exceptions
(Smart Recovery is one that doesn't follow the 12-steps but they are very
limited--no in-house rehab--etc.)

AA/NA, et al, claims that they are not religious but everyone has to hold
hands and pray at every meeting. The reason is that they don't even
understand the concept of what it means to not be religious. They can't even
conceive of there being no higher power--but just us humans.

As part of "family support" for the addicted, we had to spend an hour
explaining to the Psychologist that the only "higher power" over "individual
power" we knew and understood was the communal power of the masses of
workers the world over to control their own destiny by taking control over
the means of production and changing it from production for individual
profit, to production to satisfy all human needs and wants, and the needs of
the planet--that a socialist society is humanities higher power.

Places like Hazelton, that Frey did his rehab at, are extremely
expensive--unaffordable without insurance from your job or large amounts of
personal wealth; and beds in the "free" places are few and far between. If
you are lucky enough to get into one, and it doesn't work the first time,
(and it usually doesn't. I don't know how many times I "quit smoking" until
it finally stuck) it's almost impossible to get a second chance without
money.

Sometimes, incarceration is the only way into these "free" programs. But,
there is no level playing field in drug law enforcement practices. With the
largest prison population in the world (California has more people in prison
than all other countries combined and, more Black Americans are in prison
today than were slaves during the civil war. Overwhelmingly those
incarcerated for drug related offences are poor--in fact, over 90 percent of
those incarcerated are poor of any color.) The wealthy rarely serve time,
yet drug use is no different in all segments of society, rich or
poor--George W. Bush and Bill Clinton can testify to that--if they weren't
liars, that is.

The wealthy have many options such as Frey had. The money to be sent to a
full-on, in-house, rehabilitation clinic, good lawyers to represent you in
court--maybe some friends in high places--and often, the ability in the
first place to not have to resort to the streets to get your poison--the
wealthy have many other means at their disposal. Of course, they don't get
any less addicted, it's just that they get plenty of chances to recover, all
expenses paid. And, most importantly, they have a huge social safety net
when they come out of rehab--a wealthy family with business ties and other
connections. The poor very often come out homeless and back into the
communities of poverty from whence they came and to families that have no
resources to help. And those poor who have been convicted of a felony are
bared from many types of jobs and financial aid for college--even community
college--which could help them out of their poverty--for the rest of their
lives. There is no redemption for the poor. The wealthy just pay for it.

While Frey lied and downplayed his privileged circumstances and exaggerated
his own suffering and lack of options, he did shed some light on the
established drug and rehabilitation system that is failing so miserably.

What he didn't point out was that while the wealthy can dabble in these
things and recover unscathed, the poor are marked for life and often can't
ever escape their addiction or way out of poverty.

The hypocrisy comes in because the wealthy treat the addiction of their
family and friends as a terrible sickness and, if they don't die, are able
to redeem themselves in the eyes of their friends and families and,
eventually, to resume their place on the top of the economic ladder. Society
looks at the addiction of the poor as a sign of their lack of human worth,
period. That is why the drug-infested ghettos of the poor in rural and urban
America are virtually armed camps with the police entrenched in the
community doing nothing to stop the massive import of drugs into these
communities (thanks to the CIA) while adhering to a totally ineffective
rehabilitation program designed to fail and, most importantly, to be able to
blame it on the weak wills of those inflicted and without a chance in hell.

What's needed? An end to poverty; free treatment for all those whose lives
are spoiled by the use of harmful drugs; the chance to try over and over
until the addiction is defeated; unlimited access to education and job skill
training; housing; healthcare; psychological treatment; healthy communities
to live in while they are taking the cure and after they are clean--all the
things that are available to the wealthy.

I read somewhere that for the cost of one year of incarceration we could
send each inmate to Stanford University, all expenses paid, for four years.
Why not have drug-rehabilitation colleges built like universities where
people can be rescued from their lives of drugs and poverty and learn the
skills to live happy and productive lives--and to pursue a college degree if
desired, free of charge. Perhaps they would be more likely to respond to
such treatment more positively.

The resources are available for all of this to happen as long as Capitalism
isn't wasting it on wars for power and greed. How many rehab centers could
we have opened with just the cost of one year of the war in Iraq, let alone
the cost of the entire military and prison industrial complexes the
Capitalists use to maintain their control over the rest of us?

Comradely,

Bonnie Weinstein











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