Pubdate: Wed, 25 Jan 2006
Source: New Haven Register (CT)
Copyright: 2006, New Haven Register
Contact:  http://www.nhregister.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/292
Author: Angela Carter, Register Staff
Cited: Efficacy http://www.efficacy-online.org/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

GLASTONBURY MAN SEEKS GREEN PARTY NOMINATION

NEW HAVEN -- At the age of 18, Clifford Wallace Thornton Jr. lost his
mother to a heroin overdose. At first, he wanted harsher enforcement
of drug laws.

Now, at the seasoned age of 61, he is advocating the controversial
position that the multibillion-dollar "War on Drugs" has resulted in
failed drug policies, a waste of public resources and an inability to
"stop the flow of drugs" into the heart of the nation's neighborhoods,
such as those in his native Hartford.

As the founder of the nonprofit organization Efficacy, he has spoken
to more than 300,000 civic groups in the United States, New Zealand
and Europe about what he says are connections between race, class,
white privilege and the drug war.

"The driver behind this is money. But the glue that holds it together
are race and class. This is a worldwide, $500 billion-a-year
underground economy. Of that, $165 billion to $250 billion is here in
this country," said Thornton, a salt-and-pepper haired African
American from Glastonbury who wants to be Connecticut's next governor.

He is seeking the Green Party nomination in the 2006 race that pits
Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell against the winner of a heated battle
between New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr. and Stamford Mayor Dannel
Malloy for the Democratic nomination.

"The most important thing about that (the drug trade) is black and
brown people cannot support this economy. Illegal drug use crosses all
socioeconomic classes. But black and brown people are the ones going
to jail," he said.

Thornton will be speaking on the topic of "Perceptions of Race/Class
and the Drug War" at noon today at Yale University's Interdisciplinary
Center for Bioethics, 87 Trumbull St.

The event is open to the public by RSVP only to (203)
432-6188.

Thornton believes new drug policies must include legalization,
medicalization and decriminalization of illegal drugs. He does not
call for dismantling the criminal justice system, but for control of
the distribution and use of drugs.

"Drug policy starts with one question. Are people ever going to stop
using illegal drugs? The overwhelming response is no. If that is the
case, the next question is, how do we create an atmosphere where those
people cause the least harm to themselves, and second, the least
amount of harm to society as a whole?" he said. "We have to answer
these questions in their entirety before we go anywhere else. The
answer definitely is not the war on drugs."

Thornton is convinced that political change must precede drug law
reforms and he plans to devote a significant amount of time in his
gubernatorial campaign showing taxpayers the consequences of diverting
funds from public education, health, transportation and other needs to
fight the drug war.

"It's time to bring the drug war into the political arena," he
said.

Michael Kozik, managing attorney for the Legislation and Elections
Administration Division of the Secretary of State's office, said
Thornton needs 7,500 valid signatures by Aug. 9 to be the first Green
Party candidate to make it onto the ballot for a governor's election.

Beyond that, becoming the first Green and the first African American
to defeat major party contenders, particularly a vastly popular
incumbent, is the monumental hurdle. Far back in the annals of state
colonial history, slaves had special elections for black governors or
kings who served as liaisons between blacks and whites.

Tim McKee, Thornton's campaign manager and Green Party spokesman in
Connecticut, said the all-volunteer campaign team plans to collect
10,000 to 12,000 signatures "as a safety zone" by the deadline.

"Cliff's got an extremely controversial point of view and we know
that. He's gotten a great reaction. We're going to run a hard-hitting,
clean campaign," he said.

McKee said Thornton also has concerns about other issues affecting
voters such as skyrocketing energy costs and the availability of
health insurance. He also will address breaking and mainstream news
events and will push for participation in any gubernatorial debates.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake