Afeni Shakur Arrested: Legalize Marijuana Now!
Posted by Mike E on May 6, 2010
Afeni Shakur
The facts of this case are appalling, the injustice is obvious, the solution is long long overdue.
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This piece appeared in MTV News.
Tupac’s Mom, Afeni Shakur, Arrested For Drug Possession
She is due back in court in May to face three drug charges
Afeni Shakur, the activist mother of late hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur, was arrested for felony drug possession in Lumberton, North Carolina, earlier this month.
According to The Fayetteville Observer, the ex-Black Panther was charged April 16 with felony possession of marijuana, simple possession of a controlled substance and maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for a controlled substance.
Reps for Afeni and Lumberton Police had not responded to MTV News’ requests for comment at press time.
Since her son was fatally shot in 1996, Afeni has stayed busy upholding his legacy. She founded the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation in 1997, which provides arts and education programs for young people and mounts an annual performing-arts summer camp for youth from troubled homes.
Afeni’s Amaru Entertainment was engaged in a legal battle with film company Morgan Creek last year over a movie about the rapper’s life, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Afeni has also managed music from Tupac that was unreleased while the star was alive.
Afeni’s battle with drug use is mentioned in Tupac’s hit 1995 song “Dear Mama.” When renovating the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation’s center in 2005, Afeni told MTV News that her tough past was a catalyst for starting an arts foundation. “When Tupac was 13 and I was homeless,” she said, “Tupac was in the 127th Street Ensemble [theater group] right here in New York. Those people, I believe, saved his life. So what we try to do is be that for the next generation of young people.”
The Observer reports that bail was set at $10,000, and Afeni is currently out on bond, according to court reports. She is due back in Robeson County District Court on May 10.
Zack said
Here’s another great example of the War on Drugs.
[moderator warning: this involves killing pets in front of children]
saoirse said
hearing about this incident my first thoughts are not legalize pot instead I worry about Afeni Shakur’s sobriety and health. Arresting her on this petty drug charge is absurd and I do support some sort of decriminalization. And on some level her life choices may be none of my business. But her struggle with addiction is well publicized and once your an addict you don’t just revisit pot and alcohol on a casual basis.
Mike E said
Saoirse:
i understand your thoughts on this. But whatever Afeni’s situation is — it is (a) her private medical matter, and (b) not helped by making an herb into a felony offense. Inject their police into a problem and you now have two problems.
Hundreds of thousands of people get perp-walked through their courts and jails because of marijuana — it is wrong, it is extreme, and it is often completely arbitrary in its enforcement.
Zack said
My bad on not indicating that the pigs are pigs in that video above. Cheers to the mod-warning.
Luke Roy Hockey said
I think that 1) people close to Ms Afeni Shakur may have been involved in the set up, 2) yarndi is a natural herb that can be treated and is treated for Victims of War suffering Post Traumatic Disorder, so when you look at the struggle Ms Shakur (I hope that is the right title) and the life experiences that this Soul Sista Warrior has been through, fighting an injust capitalistic society run from immorral people, self-medicating with yarndi is a legitimate form of utilising herbal remedies to cure enforced conditions. 3)The tough law and order campaign has led to around half the prison population being non-violent drug users, which has led to the furtherence of Prison Industrial Complex (if you have not heard of it, please enlighten yourself on this issue!!!!), 4) And as a final thought, if it wasnt the people close to Ms Shakur who set her up, then maybe it was the pigs, fbi or cia that did it to further oppress and disrupt the activities of grass-roots political activists. Peace and much love to the true activists who are willing to fight the oppression imposed on us by the corrupt governments!!! In Unity We Stand
justice said
This is so wrong for pot to be considered an illegal drug.
(1) The largest lobbying to defeat California legalizing marijuana is the liquor industry–ironic since alcohol is involved is so much more violent crime, spousal abuse, road rage, traffic accidents, etc.
(2) The other source of dissent against marijuana is from the criminal injustice system. More than half of the nonviolent prisoners in prisons in the U.S. are in their for marijuana charges!! There is a huge amount of money to be made, esp. by rural white folks oppressing urban black folks, via prisons.
(3) Marijuana is not a gateway drug to hard drugs. Alcohol, sure. But I think pot is a good substitute for alcohol, smoking and drugs, it is a God-made substance. But if you have studies that aren’t funded by corporations, it would be great to hear about them; we do need evidence-based decision making.
Afeni, you are welcome in California anytime! Much blessings and love for your love for us all.