President Biden’s actions have certainly garnered attention, but there is still room for him to accomplish even greater things!
Do not be deceived by the tactics employed by Biden; they are nothing more than empty promises! In the realm of politics, it is common to witness the use of flashy maneuvers that divert attention away from the real issues at hand. Instead of addressing the root causes and dismantling corrupt systems, politicians often resort to superficial gestures that may sound impressive but ultimately fail to bring about any substantial change. Biden’s recent pardons for marijuana offenses fall into this category; they serve as a mere facade to gain positive publicity while allowing the machinery of the drug war to continue unabated.
Despite being touted as a step towards achieving justice for all, Biden’s pardons have had minimal impact on the lives of those who are serving time for nonviolent drug offenses. Yet he expects to be praised for rectifying the very “failed policies” that he had a hand in creating! This sleight of hand is an attempt to quell the growing demand for comprehensive reform by offering mere crumbs to silence critics. It is a diplomatic strategy aimed at diverting attention rather than driving meaningful change.
Even the Department of Justice now acknowledges that the drug war perpetuates racism instead of preventing harm. However, the mass pardoning of nonviolent cannabis offenders could potentially hasten the movement toward ending prohibition, thereby posing a threat to those who profit from the oppression of society. The current system thrives on the immense financial gains derived from maintaining the status quo of injustice.
Biden’s recent display of pardoning individuals for federal possession, a practice that is legal in many other states, while allowing distribution charges to continue unabated, is merely a spectacle. He seeks praise for pardoning something he once advocated for imprisonment. This so-called “progress” acknowledges wrongdoing without truly abandoning it; it is merely a reactive gesture that offers empty promises without any real change.
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The deceptive tactic of bait-and-switch has been laid bare. As long as prisoners remain incarcerated en masse, taxpayers will continue to fund a system that unfairly targets minorities and the poor while allowing wealthier white suburbanites to engage in the same activities without consequence. These pardons not only insult the victims but also serve as a shield for politicians who championed the implementation of militarized laws. However, it is crucial for the public to recognize this spin and see it for what it truly is: an attempt to defend the indefensible present.
Until there is complete freedom and amnesty for cannabis-related offenses, justice will not be served. The deception being employed by those in power must be exposed. The truth is, the emperor has no clothes.
What Did the US President Say?
On October 6th, 2022, the Biden administration made an announcement stating that the president would grant pardons for all previous federal offenses related to simple marijuana possession. President Biden emphasized that he has utilized his pardon powers more frequently than any recent president during this stage of his term.
According to the statement, criminal records associated with marijuana use and possession have created unnecessary obstacles in terms of employment, housing, and educational opportunities. Our flawed approach to marijuana has disrupted the lives of numerous individuals, and it is time to rectify these injustices.
The pardon will encompass approximately 6,500 individuals who were convicted of “simple possession” of marijuana under federal law between 1992 and 2021, as well as thousands more who were convicted under the Washington D.C. code. However, it does not apply to other charges such as possession in a national park or intent to distribute.
The administration clarified President Biden’s stance, stating that no one should be incarcerated in federal prisons solely due to the use or possession of marijuana, and the same should apply to local jails and state prisons. President Biden continues to urge governors to adopt a similar approach regarding state offenses.
In essence, while this policy shift aims to address past injustices, President Biden also seeks to extend this fairness more broadly. However, he did not formally reclassify or deschedule marijuana under federal law, which would provide states with greater autonomy in determining their own approach without the risk of federal intervention.
Critics were quick to point out President Biden’s previous legislative history, where he supported stringent drug crime policies as a Senator in the 1980s and 1990s, leading to a significant increase in mass incarceration. Derrick Johnson, the President of the NAACP, responded by stating that the executive branch alone cannot rectify this mistake and that Congress must promptly take legislative action on marijuana reform.
According to polls conducted in 2021, over 70% of Americans support the complete legalization of marijuana, including majorities of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. Currently, 18 states, along with Washington, D.C., have ended the prohibition on adult recreational use, and 37 states allow medical access.
Therefore, while President Biden’s decision to pardon individuals with prior marijuana offenses is a step in the right direction, there is still a need for comprehensive marijuana reform at both the federal and state levels.
Joe Biden, 46th President: The History of Lies
Biden’s legislative record exposes a glaring hypocrisy when it comes to his stance on drug criminalization. He has used it as a political tool to gain support, only to later attempt to garner praise for minor reforms that are too little and too late. Unfortunately, his career has contributed to the disastrous state of mass incarceration that is currently plaguing millions of individuals. This is a moral stain that cannot be erased through pardons alone; a complete overhaul of the system that he helped create is necessary.
Even before he rallied behind Reagan’s “War on Drugs,” Senator Biden used his appearances on talk shows in the 1970s to instill fear in the public regarding narcotics, based on false anecdotes. He even went as far as fabricating a story about his wife being hit by a drunk driver in order to push for stricter policies and gain empathy from the public. Later on, he had to withdraw from a presidential campaign due to plagiarism in his speeches.
This pattern of behavior culminated in the disastrous 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which solidified the era of mass incarceration. This act not only expanded death sentences and deportations, but it also incentivized states to build more prisons by offering them money, on the condition that longer mandatory minimum sentences were implemented. Additionally, it banned social welfare for minor drug offenses and contributed to the militarization of our streets, terrorizing communities.
These policies championed by Biden specifically targeted nonviolent minority substance users, all in an effort to appear “tough on crime” and appeal to white middle-class voters during the racially charged drug panics of the Crack Era. This political posturing came at the expense of millions of individuals who were incarcerated, killed, or exploited by powerful cartels that thrived under prohibition. Families have suffered generational devastation, while Biden furthered his career by branding their loved ones as “predators.”
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Now, with 90% of the population supporting cannabis freedom and thriving state markets demonstrating the feasibility of regulations, Team Biden is testing the waters, attempting to appear progressive without actually making significant progress. The recent unilateral pardons have had minimal impact on those currently serving time, and they do not hold accountable the architects of immoral laws, such as the ’94 Act, which continues to terrorize marginalized groups who use substances other than cannabis.
Closing Remarks On Joe Biden’s Weed Pardon
Mass pardons, rather than bringing about genuine change, are often used by politicians to silence their critics. These politicians seek recognition for dismantling a small part of the oppressive system they themselves helped create. They expect praise for rectifying minor injustices, while major injustices, deliberately perpetuated under different names, continue to exist. However, we must resist being pacified and continue to demand comprehensive reform.
This is not to undermine the positive impact that even limited pardons can have on some individuals’ lives. Any relief that reduces unjust sentences holds value, as it brings healing to those affected by convictions under misguided laws, including families and communities. Symbolically, it also signifies a shift in previously unquestioned policies, acknowledging the evolving public sentiment that surpasses the actions of lawmakers.
However, when political institutions expect excessive praise for taking small steps to address long-standing atrocities that they have contributed to, it insults the collective dignity and intelligence of the people. These individuals are directly responsible for the crisis and should not be rewarded with accolades for their woefully inadequate responses aimed at regaining legitimacy and votes. Thanking those who caused the problem for implementing insignificant solutions fails to grasp the full extent of their wrongdoing.
True leadership entails accepting responsibility for complicity in humanitarian disasters and taking every possible measure to empower survivors, rather than engaging in mere public relations. This means recognizing that cannabis prohibition originated from racist propaganda and continues to disproportionately target marginalized groups who lack the resources to escape its harmful effects. It requires not only pardoning cannabis users but also overturning the corrupt laws that perpetuate this injustice. Anything less than that fails to address the magnitude of the problem.
Until the day comes when nonviolent prisoners are released in the thousands, until the communities targeted by fear find hope instead of terror, and until trust can replace the intergenerational trauma caused by the state, these half-hearted measures should not appease public pressure but rather strengthen our resolve to demand true reparative justice. The sponsors of this system do not deserve praise as long as it continues to exist.
If this perspective seems extreme, consider the feeling of helplessness when loved ones are arbitrarily taken by foreign armies for nonviolent “crimes” that only restrict the innate freedoms granted to others. The truth is, the war on drugs is not about crime or justice but about suppressing any competition among those in power. Even pardons serve as mere public relations tactics that provide insulation for tyranny, pretending that gradual “reform” actually brings about substantial change. However, the violence that fuels this injustice does not stem from official policies but from the failure to consistently enforce universal rights for all groups. That change is still yet to come.
Instead of applauding actions that aim to silence dissent, we must unite around the undeniable principles of autonomy, community strength, and equal protection that go beyond what is written in law books. The power lies with the people to directly guide democracy by embodying these truths without needing permission from broken bureaucracies. Taking a nonviolent moral stance has the potential to bring about a revolution in restoring justice, both on an individual and collective level, by refusing to cooperate with a system that dehumanizes us as it currently stands.
