The organization Black Lives Matter recently complained on social media that President Biden is sending more military equipment to presumably be used by police in black neighborhoods, and that black communities are being terrorized at a greater rate than under President Trump. Anyone who is familiar with Biden and Vice-President Harris really shouldn’t be shocked by this. Joe Biden almost single-handedly passed the 1994 crime bill responsible for locking up millions of African Americans, mostly for victimless crimes like possession of cannabis. Kamala Harris made a career out of prosecuting thousands of people of color for drug possession and causing untold suffering among those charged. Black lives don’t matter to Biden or Harris; the pair pandered to the black community to earn their votes and subsequently backstabbed them. Biden could end the War on Drugs, which has devastated communities of color, at any time with a one-page executive order prohibiting prosecution for drug possession, but he won’t do it because he doesn’t value black lives, only black votes.

Black Lives Matter bet on the wrong horse. Democrats are not interested in helping the African American community. Neither are Republicans. The Libertarian Party, however, is committed to racial and social justice, and has been advocating for decades to end the racist War on Drugs. We also advocate for police reform and police accountability, starting with barring police departments from using military equipment. Other reforms we champion include wearing body cameras and leaving them on at all times while on duty, mandating that officers carry liability insurance, ending enforcement of victimless crimes, including drug possession and sex work, and replacing arrests of nonviolent offenders with tickets. The Libertarian Party also pushes to abolish occupational licensing requirements, which make it unnecessarily difficult for people to find work or open businesses and disproportionately trap people of color in poverty.

Furthermore, we champion the Second Amendment and defend Americans’ right to gun ownership. Everyone has the right to defend themselves. Gun control laws disproportionately harm communities of color and trample upon their right to bear arms.

Anyone who is committed to racial and social equity and achieving true liberty and justice for all Americans is invited to attend the next local Libertarian Party meeting on Thursday, May 13th at 7 PM at A Better Place Bar and Grill, 200 rt 32 Central Valley.