Jessica's Message to Congress about the Youth Coordination Act

"Dear Senator Carl Levin,

I am the Co-Executive Director of the Detroit chapter of StandUp for Kids, a non-profit all volunteer organization whose mission is to help homeless and street youth. I am writing to urge you to support a $1 million appropriation for the Federal Youth Coordination Act. The Federal Youth Coordination Act creates the Federal Youth Development Council, and requires only a modest $1 million appropriation to implement one of the only pieces of legislation ever passed that will potentially impact millions of youth in the United States. I feel that this is such a necessary appropriation especially when speaking on behalf of homeless youth in our country. According to National Runaway Switchboard, there are over 1.3 million homeless youth living in the US. Homeless youth, without intervention from trusted adults who provide guideance/mentoring programs and services, are at high risk for turning to often illegal means of survival, such as drugs or prostitution.

Youth, particularly at-risk youth and their families, need effective, coordinated, and meaningful services. Youth policies and programs are found in almost every federal department, often working with little coordination or collaboration with others. It is important for you to understand that support services, as well as homelessness education and deterrent programs such that StandUp for Kids provices are highly effective when we reach at risk youth who are struggling in Detroit. The Federal Youth Development Council would bring together those Department and Agency members along with members from the private and youth-serving non-profit sectors, and youth themselves, to increase communication among federal agencies; develop a comprehensive plan to more strategically implement federal youth policy; recommend objectives and goals for federal youth programs; facilitate collaboration on interagency demonstration projects; and provide technical assistance to state-funded youth coordinating councils. Help us finish the job left by the 109th Congress -- please provide $1 million for the Federal Youth Coordination Act!"

--Jessica Newman

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Diane's Message to Congress about the Youth Coordination Act

"Dear Senator Richard Durbin,

I am the Founder/President of Kids Off The Block (KOB) in the Roseland Community. I founded KOB to give youth positive alternatives to the streets. I was tired of seeing our young people killed because of violence, dropping out of school at alarming rates, and not having the resources to persue their dreams. Since the closing of our local YMCA, quality youth programs are either out of the area or parents cannot afford the services. Our programs need this bill passed because youth, particularly at-risk youth and their families, need effective, coordinated, and meaningful services. Youth policies and programs are found in almost every federal department, often working with little coordination or collaboration with others.

I am writing to ask you to support a $1 million appropriation for the Federal Youth Coordination Act. The Federal Youth Coordination Act creates the Federal Youth Development Council, and requires only a modest $1 million appropriation to implement one of the only pieces of legislation ever passed that will potentially impact millions of youth in the United States. The Federal Youth Development Council would bring together those Department and Agency members along with members from the private and youth-serving non-profit sectors, and youth themselves, to increase communication among federal agencies; develop a comprehensive plan to more strategically implement federal youth policy; recommend objectives and goals for federal youth programs; facilitate collaboration on interagency demonstration projects; and provide technical assistance to state-funded youth coordinating councils. Help us finish the job left by the 109th Congress -- please provide $1 million for the Federal Youth Coordination Act!"

--Diane Latiker

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Karen's Message to Congress about the Drug War Roadblock

Dear Senators Mike Crapo and Larry Craig,

"As your constituent, I'm writing to urge you to make sure that the penalty that strips financial aid from college students with drug convictions is passed Students have to learn that breaking the law is a crime, regardless of whether or not they like the law or not. If they don't want to have their student aid taken away, they they should not commit a crime. Students have to learn that student aid is not an entitlement or a right, but that rather it is a priviledge that can be revoked when they break a crime. As a law-abinding taxpayer I do not want to fund school for someone who claims not to have enough money for tuition but has enough money to buy a joint. As for students who are causing problems and disrupting the learning process for others, college administrators already have the authority to expel them, and judges have long had the ability to revoke student aid from people with drug convictions on a case-by-case basis. This is appropriate and should be done more.

Numerous addiction recovery, criminal justice, religious, and other leaders have insisted that education is one of the best means to reduce crime and drug abuse. If easy access to studnet aid and thereby education comes with the responsibility of being law-abiding perhaps it will be more highly valued. Please help tens of thousands of hardworking and determined individuals get back into school and on the path to success by making sure that this clause is enforced and limited funds are spent on them and not on stoners. Thanks for your attention to this important issue. I look forward to hearing your thoughts as soon as you have a chance to share them."

--Karen Miller

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Cougar's Message to Congress about Anti-Drug Propaganda

Dear Representative Nancy Pelosi,

"I have a personal reason for opposing the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. I am a medical marijuana user with multiple sclerosis. I have been researching the use of medical marijuana for multiple sclerosis, and several years ago, I had a list of over sixty scientific journal articles that discuss the use of marijuana to protect the nerves of a multiple sclerosis patient from damage. This is scientific fact. For years, I used marijuana before my diagnosis. Then, I went through a period of not using marijuana, and I promptly developed multiple sclerosis. I now believe that I intuitively knew that I was protecting myself, and that when I was finally convinced to quit pot, I did myself irreparable damage. Before I had MS, my use of pot was prophylactic, but I didn't know it. I only know now, because I quit pot and developed MS, and furthermore, I've done the research to evaluate this belief.

The scientific research I've found supports my belief. The ads that the government is running are doing irreparable damage to future MS patients by causing them to give up the one thing that is keeping them healthy. The anti-drug ads are therefore evil. They are doing more harm than any amount of benefit could counterbalance. Telling kids to give up pot is as harmful as trying to sell tobacco to them, because a percentage of them will develop MS because of quitting pot--just like I did. The damage done to the group of people who give up pot is greater than the damage done by promoting tobacco. MS is a horrible disease, and promoting a policy that causes MS to become more widespread is wrong. End the evil. End the evil campaign of misinformation. In the end, this ad campaign will only create a generation of cynics who understand that the government tells lies for political purposes. The government cannot lie to the people without losing its credibility."

--Cougar Brenneman

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Jonathan's Message to Congress About Anti-Drug Advertisements

Dear Senator George Voinovich,

As my representative I request that you take the stance of science and not politics. Anti-drug ads produced by our government are not effective and as I am sure you have heard actually increase drug use. This is a waste of millions of dollars and really needs to stop. Also having cannibus scheduled as a #1 illlegal narcotic is also an old policy based on racism and favors our harmful multinational corporations. Please reconsider these things when you have time. Democracy does not work when our government favors corporations (who have $) as opposed to your citizens who comprise this nation. Make decisions based on science and not politics. Be a leader and start making the correct changes before the entire world collapses under American hegemony. The government lost the support of a majority of the world a while ago, don't lose the rest of the citizens who still care.

--Jonathan Cachat

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