It is a good thing that the post ran leens article on an opinion page instead of on its news pages, since leen got several of his facts wrong including these basic ones. Sep 20, 2019 the secret flow of drugs and money, webb reported, had a direct link to the crack epidemic that devastated californias most vulnerable african american neighborhoods. Teddy mcdonald carter hudson, a cia operative running from a. Nicaraguans had limited role in bringing drug to u. Sep 09, 2019 this film explores the true story of drug trafficker freeway rick ross and how the cia helped him spread the crack epidemic in the united states. The return of freeway ricky ross, the man behind a crack. The series follows the stories of several characters whose lives are fated to intersect including cia operative teddy mcdonald who helps to secure guns for the contras.
Good documentaries on 80s crack epidemic lipstick alley. A powerful series by investigative reporter gary webb of the san jose mercury news says the answer may be yesand the charge. Snowfall is a onehour drama set against the infancy of the crack cocaine epidemic and its ultimate radical impact on the culture as we know it. Chilling and enlightening this documentary gives us clues on to how the modern day fbi and cia continue to act to oppressed peoples especially overseas.
More specifically touching upon its effect on black america and the role of. This documentary by awardwinning filmmaker marc levin slam, mr. Snowfall is compelling and believable which is why it. It is one of the most highly additive and destructive drugs in the world. Webbs series led to three federal investigations, none of. Are there any good documentaries focusing on the 80s crack epidemic. Messenger movie rekindles interest and outrage over central intelligence agency ties to drug trafficking and the 1980s crack cocaine epidemic. Cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking wikipedia. Levine 1993, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Kill the messenger recounts the life of gary webb, who reported on links between the c.
One of the most talked about conspiracy theories of the mid80s and early 90s had to do with the crack epidemic. Fx series pins crack epidemic on the cia the salt lake. The true story of the 1980s crack epidemic is still untold. Did the cia play a role in launching the crack cocaine epidemic. The cia, contras, gangs, and crack institute for policy. I n a scene from the new movie kill the messenger, investigative reporter gary webb played by. The means used by the cia was the saturation of cocaine in our country. After the publication of a 1996 news article in the san jose mercury written by webb, who exposed the complicity of the cia in the l. It was just another ploy to blame black people for what is wrong in america. It was hard for me to keep track of who was a good guy and who was a bad guy, but i think that is the whole point of the book anyway. A commonheld belief was that the cia flooded the black community with crack.
In this episode, chris calton explains how the potent mix of politicans and fake news created the myth of the crack baby, while the cia became drug runners for the contras. Crack in the system that was presented by al jazeera was one of those moments. Back in 1996, gary webb of the san jose mercury news broke a story stating not only that the nicaraguan contras supported by the united states in a rebellion against their leftleaning government were involved in the us crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s, but also that the cia knew and turned a blind eye to the operation. However, the introduction of crack was destructive to black communities.
How the press and the cia killed gary webbs career. Jul 03, 2017 fx series pins crack epidemic on the cia. A commonheld belief was that the cia flooded the black community with crack so. The documentary series then delves into the rise of the cocaine cowboys, a secret island cocaine base, the cia s connection to the crack epidemic, the history of the cartels and their murderous. Jul 04, 2017 snowfall is compelling and believable which is why it could use a disclaimer. Jun 26, 2017 stephon marbury talks with us about a kid from coney island, a new documentary on his life and career. American drug war shows how money, power and greed have corrupted not just drug pushers and dope fiends, but an entire government. Freeway ricky ross, the drug kingpin who ignited crack cocaine epidemic. The crack epidemic in the united states was a surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across. It was inspired by the late journalist gary webbs investigational series, published in the san jose mercury news in 1996, which revealed the shocking connection between the cia and the crack cocaine epidemic that ravaged the africanamerican community here, starting in the 1980s. Norwin meneses, webb alleged that profits from these crack sales were funneled to the ciasupported contras. Good documentaries on 80s crack epidemic discussion in movie alley started by mjocdgal, jun 30, 2015.
The crack epidemic gave me something to write about but i had to survive it first. This creates a short high, followed by tiredness, depression, panic, anxiety, and brain damage. Although snowfall is using the same cia technical adviser employed by the americans. The reagan administration and the cia also collaborated with nicaraguan cocaine traffickers to support the contras led to the crack epidemic of the 1980s. Teddy mcdonald carter hudson, a cia operative running from a dark past. The crack epidemic in the united states was a surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across the united states between the early 1980s and the early 1990s. The return of freeway ricky ross, the man behind a crack empire. Oct 10, 2014 investigative reporter gary webb linked the cia to americas introduction to crack cocaine. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum.
There is a documentary called freeway rick ross that details the cia s involvement. On august 18, 1996, the san jose mercury news published the first installment of a threepart series of articles concerning crack cocaine, the central intelligence. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb. This resulted in a number of social consequences, such as increasing crime and violence in american inner city neighborhoods, as well as a resulting backlash in the form of tough on crime policies. Mainstream media finally exposes cia drug trafficking. Cia played a role in promoting crack, ceppos and webb have said that. The cia was consequently not only involved in and ultimately responsible for the innercity crack epidemic. As the documentary explains, the cias preeminence in policy circles not only hindered important narcotics investigations, but also helped upset the security of us cities, particularly the africanamerican community that was buffeted by the crack epidemic during the 1980s. Webbs dark alliance story made the extraordinary claim that the central intelligence agency was responsible for the crack cocaine epidemic in america. Its been over 18 years since journalist gary webb first investigated the central intelligence agencys ignoble connection with the cocaine. The documentary series then delves into the rise of the cocaine cowboys, a secret island cocaine base, the cias connection to the crack epidemic, the history of the cartels and their.
Laura kavanaulevine the cia and the cocaine crack epidemic. Crack in the system documentary on crack epidemic and mass incarceration, nominated for emmy. In this episode, chris calton explains how the potent mix of. The ciacontra story can only feed longstanding rumors in black communities that the u. On march 2, 1995, ricky donnell ross, a paroled crack dealer, thought. Oct 18, 2017 crack babies, the contras, and the cia. The cia was complicit, but not directly involved in the cocaine trafficking of the 1980s which led directly to the crack epidemic. With michael levine, freeway ricky ross, eric sterling. Chile 1973 1989 first democratically elected marxist president salvador allende is overthrown by cia backed coup leading to 17 year military dictatorship. In his report, webb who had won a pulitzer in 1989 for a different story claimed that the cia was partly responsible for bringing crack cocaine to the united states in the 1980s. These events led to the crackepidemic of the late 1980s and 1990s. Fx series pins crack epidemic on the cia the salt lake tribune. Your worst fears are true the cia did help to smuggle drugs into american ghettos, says an investigative reporter, webb was asked whether his story had confirmed the suspicion within the black community that the crack cocaine epidemic might be part of a. Most notably the film befriends freeway ricky ross.
In another instance, the cia received allegations that five members of the democratic revolutionary alliance adren those fighting along the border of nicaragua and costa rica were involved in drug trafficking. Ricky ross was apprehended after a drug sting by the dea which was organized by. Cia allegations of cocaine trafficking conspiracy crack. Oct 05, 2011 the drugs the cia let into the country contributed to the deaths of many africanamericans in the ghetto, these drugs were part of the crack epidemic. Aug 30, 2012 one of the most talked about conspiracy theories of the mid80s and early 90s had to do with the crack epidemic. The cia and the cocaine crack epidemic by michael k. At the end of the film, i was reminded of the importance the crack epidemic and hiphop had on my life. The cia, the contras, and the crack cocaine explosion, the book by journalist gary webb, which expanded on webbs 1996 investigative series in the san jose mercury news. America is fascinated by tales of the exploits of gangsters, hustlers, dealers, and killers, but america is very rarely equipped, prepared, or inclined to deal with the fallout of these elements in real life. This was accomplished, but the disregard for the inevitable result, our countrys crack cocaine epidemic, was not justifiable. The film takes place in the mid1990s, when webb uncovered the cias past. The five were allegedly working with known drug trafficker jorge morales.
The american crack epidemic refers to the surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across the united states between 1984 and 1990. Decadesold cia crackcocaine scandal gains new momentum rt. At the center of it all is the rise, fall and redemption of freeway rick ross, a street hustler who became the king of crack, and journalist gary webb. Someone convicted in federal court of possession of 5 grams of crack cocaine received a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years in federal prison, compared to the sentence for powder cocaine. Untouchable, brick city exposes how the infiltration of crack cocaine destroyed innercity neighborhoods across the country. Untouchable, brick city exposes how the infiltration. Webb stumbles onto a story which leads to the shady origins of the men who started the crack epidemic on the nations streetsand further alleges that the. Ciacrack cocaine scandal resurfaces in new film, documentary. The fbis war on black america top documentary films.
The findings will be required reading for anyone concerned by the rise of crack, but given the cias habit of burying its own past, undoubtedly not the final word. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia in. In 1996, a bombshell report by journalist gary webb claimed that the central intelligence agency cia supported cocaine trafficking into the u. The movie kill the messenger tells the story of gary webbs attempt to uncover nefarious cia drug operations.
The charges of cia involvement in contra cocaine trafficking were revived in 1996, when a newspaper series by reporter gary webb in the san jose mercury news claimed that the trafficking had played an important role in the creation of the crack cocaine drug problem in the united states. Freeway rick ross and americas mass incarceration problem war on drugs marc levins documentary freeway. The cia were funding the contra rebels via the sale of vast quantities of cocaine at a time when certain people had learnt how to produce crack cocaine, the highly addictive and most evil form of the narcotic. There has, on the other hand, been a lot of conjecture.
Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come. Jan 16, 2011 freeway ricky ross, the drug kingpin who ignited crack cocaine epidemic. Cia director john deutch, meanwhile, has ordered his inspector general to file a report on the subject within 60 days. The series revolves around the first crack epidemic and its impact on the culture of the city. The profits from crack sales were used to fund us led. Sean san jose play examines crack epidemic san francisco, ca. New shows examine cias past role in latin americas drug trade. Special reports cocaine, conspiracy theories and the cia. The one thing i am wondering is why this documentary is under the conspiracy section here.
Key figures in ciacrack cocaine scandal begin to come forward. The new documentary series, americas war on drugs covers everything from the role of the cia in the crack epidemic to the afghan drug trade. Kill the messenger recalls a reporter wrongly disgraced. During the 1980s, the war on drugs became defined by cocaine and crack. Heres how the crack epidemic brought a city to its knees. The cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb telegraph. Oct 17, 2014 and while webbs life story has been turned into an upcoming movie kill the messenger starring jeremy renner as the intrepid reporter. Crack in the system tells the story of broken dreams, drug dealers, dirty cops, and government complicitymore compelling than fiction, its the real story behind americas longest war. Hes freeway rick ross, the man who stood at the center of the crack epidemic, and whose name has been inextricably linked to the cia contracocaine connection. The full story of the 1980s crack epidemic is still yet to be told. Allegations of a cia connection to crack cocaine epidemic. Apr 26, 2017 the documentary series then delves into the rise of the cocaine cowboys, a secret island cocaine base, the cias connection to the crack epidemic, the history of the cartels and their murderous tactics, the era of just say no, the negative effect of nafta, and the unlikely career of an almost famous midwest meth queen.
Here are 10 things to know about gary webb and his report that linked the cia to crack cocaine. Mar 21, 2015 the cia, the drug dealers, and the tragedy of gary webb in 1996, journalist gary webb began looking into links between nicaraguas drugrunning contra rebels and the cia. There is a documentary called freeway rick ross that details the cias involvement. Any one with a pea brain knows whites are the biggest drug addicts. Based on a yearlong investigation, reporter gary webb wrote that during the 1980s the cia helped finance its covert war against nicaraguas leftist government through sales of cutrate cocaine to south central l. President reagans desired end was to finance the nicaraguan contras in their fight for democracy.
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