The Fall Continues
The hot streak was over. Even a standstill would have been tolerable, but it was not to be. African Americans were going backwards in life and they were taking the express bus. The shit was about the hit the fan and when it did, everybody got splattered. Enter Ricky Donnell Ross, aka Freeway Ricky Ross, America's most lethal crack cocaine dealer and distributor.
Mr. Ross and his product hit the streets of African American neighborhoods not long after "Reaganomics" hit the African American community as a whole. Making his mark on life and the lives of millions, Mr. Ross operated in Los Angeles Ca. with impunity between 1982 and 1989. Reportedly, Mr. Ross' gross earnings was estimated to be more than $900 million in 1980's dollars, or $2.5 billion in todays dollars. In drug dealer lore, Freeway Ricky Ross was an American success story. Freeway Ricky Ross was made in America.
One could even tell Ricky Ross' story from the perspective of how a typical illiterate high school grad, with few to no options, finds a way to amass a fortune using only his wits and daring. You know, a real go getter with an unbridled entrepreneurial spirit. Unfortunately, the truth is, Mr. Ross had help and a lot of it. To think some intellectual lightweight could singlehandedly outsmart the LAPD, the Dept. of ATF and the FBI without friends in high places is ludicrous. Enter the CIA.
In what has proven to be more than urban legend or the rants of conspiracy theorists, solid evidence has surfaced through reporters who risked their lives and former law enforcement professionals who risked their careers to expose the CIA's involvement in the supply and distribution of Crack Cocaine throughout the United States.
In fact, Robert Cleve Bonner, former U.S. prosecutor, former federal judge, former administrator of the DEA and former Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, openly criticized the CIA for permitting a drug shipment of one ton of pure cocaine to be smuggled into the United States without firs notifying and securing the approval of the DEA. This criticism was delivered on CBS's 60 Minutes in 1993. With credentials like Mr. Bonner's, this writer is inclined to believe his statement.
In fact, in November of 1996, then CIA Director John Deutch, actually came to Locke High School in Watts California to address and deny any CIA participation in the distribution of drugs in the African American community. However, during that meeting, former LAPD narcotics detective Mike Ruppert stood up and openly charged the Director and the agency of dealing drugs throughout the country for a long time. Considering Mr. Ruppert's insider's view of a law enforcement officer who worked South Central, one of the most drug infested area of L.A., this writer is inclined to believe his observations.
In fact, the only reason the CIA Director made the trip to L.A. to address the issue, was because of mounting attention the agency was receiving due to a series of articles written by investigative journalist Gary Webb, entitled "Dark Alliance Series" for the San Jose Mercury News. In that series, as well as a book that followed, Webb connected the dots between the CIA, the Iran-Contra Affair and the domestic drug trafficking that helped fund that affair. Considering Gary Webb died from two shots to the head and it was still listed as a suicide, this writer is inclined to believe his reporting.
In fact, the only reason the CIA Director made the trip to L.A. to address the issue, was because of mounting attention the agency was receiving due to a series of articles written by investigative journalist Gary Webb, entitled "Dark Alliance Series" for the San Jose Mercury News. In that series, as well as a book that followed, Webb connected the dots between the CIA, the Iran-Contra Affair and the domestic drug trafficking that helped fund that affair. Considering Gary Webb died from two shots to the head and it was still listed as a suicide, this writer is inclined to believe his reporting.
Using Mr. Ross, essentially as a street flunky for sales and marketing, the highly addictive and deadly drug made its way into every African American community around the country. And all under the watchful eye of the federal government. To be sure, there were hearings and investigations during the mid eighties and early nineties, but as per expected, the CIA found itself to be innocent of all accusations.
By the time Mr. Ross was eventually ratted-out and locked up in 1996, his product had decimated the lives of African Americans nationwide. Freeway Ricky Ross put more African American women on the street selling their asses, than Iceberg Slim. Ricky Ross, created crack-whores and crackheads. When crack whores and crack heads hooked up, they had crack babies. The lucky crack babies grew up with their grandmothers and the others went into foster-care.
Since crack-whores and crackheads could no longer be trusted because of all the lying cheating stealing and even worse to get another hit, they were quickly ostracized by their families and locked up by the legal system. Since programs for drug rehabilitation were being cut at a time when they were most needed, when crack-whores and crackheads returned to the streets, they returned to lying cheating stealing and worse, until they got locked up again.
Some called it a vicious cycle, others called it hell. But no matter how you cut this story or cook it, the African American was intentionally poisoned and the United States government did it.
Some called it a vicious cycle, others called it hell. But no matter how you cut this story or cook it, the African American was intentionally poisoned and the United States government did it.
Tomorrow, Issues Under Fire will examine the emergence of Thug, an African American life style.
BTW, as per usual, below you'll find another episode of The Adventures of Philip Marlowe to take the sting out of this post. Enjoy and share.
Comments
Post a Comment