Alternative news and discussion for Scottsboro, Jackson County Alabama and the Tennessee River Valley as I see it. Responsible comments to articles welcome. As always, "Watch for Snakes," particularly those wearing suits.
JAMES MADISON QUOTE - 1822
"A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives."
Sometimes it is hard to determine who suffers more from delusions, the drug abuser, politicians, judges or the growing corporate corrections and court referral system. Citizens suffer from our government's abject failure from the war on drugs. This expose will address a growing cancer all across our nation - the cancer of substance abuse and the failure of the war on drugs on multiple levels in our government and our culture.
Fair Use Rights for non-profit news reporting - courtesy of the Matador Network.
Cancer comes in three
forms, physical/medical cancer affecting the human body's organs due to cellular mutations; cultural cancer- racism, religious wars, religious persecution and drug abuse are forms of cultural cancers; societal cancer - some say our courts are turning into a societal cancer, declining family values and a lack of fathers and mothers as a family unit, and drug abuse, including the war on drugs.
Here I'll discuss and provide information on the later of the two cancers, cultural and societal as it pertains to drug abuse and the war on drugs failure. I welcome any comments which dispute that the war on drugs is not a failure locally, state wide and nationally.
Many of us have seen the
debilitating effects on the individual, family, friends and community when
people abuse drugs and alcohol. In many ways substance abuse is far more deadly
than the physiological form of the disease we generally call cancer because the
cancer of substance abuse has another symptom attached to it, it is called
denial. The psychological damage is just as great as the physical damage. This
form of cancer many times is much harder to treat because it becomes hidden in
friends, family and even in the individual because the individual denies and
manipulates others around them in parasitic relationships. As the drug abuse
progresses, individuals become psychotic, and this is a sure sign the disease
has a grip on the individual and their better senses.
Often the individual cries
out for help in many different ways, sometimes those too close will not react
or isolate themselves from the individual exhibiting this disease. A true
friend will help and also demonstrate tough love and attempt to convince their
friend that they need help.
The other and third type
of cancer is cancers of our culture, community, societal cancers so to speak.
Leading that list there are several forms of the illness which manifests itself
into our society, greed is one where the quest for money overcomes our sense of
values; destruction of our environment is another - often greed is associated
with that. But, our old foe of substance abuse is right up there with greed and
environmental destruction wreaking havoc on our communities.
Our government attempts to
wage battles against this common foe, unfortunately that is unsuccessful
because of greed and the tendency in our government to disregard individual
needs. Individual needs are replaced with the needs of the corporation. We see
this locally, state wide and nationally in drug and correction programs. It is
seen on a broader scale with spending in the defense industrial complex,
billions - trillions spent on the war on drugs failure, all the while ignoring the
individual’s need for comprehensive medical treatment. Think about how far a trillion dollars, or
even 50 billion dollars would go regarding individual drug abuse treatment.
The goal of the war on
drugs is not about curing the individual problem of substance abuse, the war on
drugs is to support corporations and individuals connected with courts and
prisons instead of actually treating medically each and every individual
infected with this insidious, cancerous disease of addiction called substance
abuse. Until there is a change in attitude and a redirection of government policy
the problem will grow and our courts and those who think they are resolving the
problem will continue on their, and the drug abusers, road of delusion at a
cost of hundreds of thousands of lives and hundreds of billions of dollars in
taxpayer money.
Web articles on the subject (Fair use rights for non-profit news reporting and education about drug abuse.) AP, via FOX News - Using
Freedom of Information Act requests, archival records, federal budgets and
dozens of interviews with leaders and analysts, the AP tracked where that money
went, and found that the United States repeatedly increased budgets for
programs that did little to stop the flow of drugs. In 40 years, taxpayers
spent more than:
— $20 billion to fight the
drug gangs in their home countries. In Colombia, for example, the United States
spent more than $6 billion, while coca cultivation increased and trafficking
moved to Mexico — and the violence along with it.
— $33 billion in marketing
"Just Say No"-style messages to America's youth and other prevention
programs. High school students report the same rates of illegal drug use as
they did in 1970, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says drug
overdoses have "risen steadily" since the early 1970s to more than
20,000 last year.
— $49 billion for law
enforcement along America's borders to cut off the flow of illegal drugs. This
year, 25 million Americans will snort, swallow, inject and smoke illicit drugs,
about 10 million more than in 1970, with the bulk of those drugs imported from
Mexico.
— $121 billion to arrest
more than 37 million nonviolent drug offenders, about 10 million of them for
possession of marijuana. Studies show that jail time tends to increase drug
abuse.
The real world story is
always better than fiction – the drug cartels. The reason they exist is due to
U.S. policy in a failed war on drugs. Politicians and judges, how many more
people are you going to kill because of your ignorance and denial? http://www.newsweek.com/cartel-your-annual-reminder-war-drugs-isnt-over-347085
Carl Barnes Manager of the Jackson County Park has been tasked with this project. It was on today's agenda but was tabled. Apparently the areas to be cleaned up are being utilized as dumps and warrants further discussion before the commission makes a final decision on the agreement with the TVA.
Drug Courts, Community Corrections and Court Referral is big business in Alabama and across our nation. According to those who work in the program and manage such programs it is wonderful, and our answer to the growing pandemic of drug and substance abuse. But is that the case, or is it a scheme to benefit corporations preying on the poor?
Our local Community Corrections and Court Referral Office, located on private property owned by the Director of Community Corrections and Court Referral, Mr. Mike Brown - per Jackson County Property and Mapping Office for Jackson County Alabama (photo by G. Morgan)
Our local Drug testing center and Family Life Counseling, claiming to be an outpatient treatment facility. Owned by Mr. Randall Eugene and Tracy P. Cleckler, per Jackson County Property and Mapping Office for Jackson County Alabama. On the local Community Corrections & Court Referral 2013 IRS filing Mr. Cleckler and Rannie Childress is listed as Board Members of the non-profit entity associated with Community Corrections & Court Referral. Both are also listed as Executives of the Family LifeCenter, a 501c3 corporation. Mr. Cleckler is listed as the Executive officer, owner of Drug Testing Management Program, located in the same building, his drug counseling and testing programs are located across Northeast Alabama. (photo by G. Morgan)
I have published recent articles critical of what appears to be conflicts of interest involving managers and owners of the above mentioned businesses, non-profit entities and government agencies. One local newspaper has published articles regarding Community Corrections and Court Referral. which may be found on this blog's links here - http://arklite.blogspot.com/search/label/Jackson%20County%20Community%20Corrections%20and%20Court%20Referral The Jackson County Commission has asked questions about Community Corrections and Court Referral regarding their approval request to the county commission.
I have placed my published articles on Face Book which caused an extreme defensive posture from employees of the Jackson County Court Referral & Community Corrections along with comments from employees of the Jackson County Drug Court. All of these individuals are either employees of government entities or employees of non-profit entities performing services for the 38th Judicial Circuit of Courts, Jackson County Alabama. Their conduct is not becoming of employees of the courts or a corporate entity of the court created as a judicial tool of the court system.
Some of the comments - 1) "As you have seen, a man by the name of Garry L Morgan has already told everyone that we were at a conference. He has really been studying up on Jackson County Court Referral and Community Corrections. As you will see, he doesn't care how much good this organization does for the Jackson County citizens. It's not his job to care. His... only job is to "stir" things up. That is his sole purpose. While he is doing this, we will continue to try and help anyone and everyone who wants or needs it. At first, I wanted to pay attention to what he had to say, but as I asked around the community and was told not to pay any attention to what he had to say. I have ask many and received the same answer every time. So while he does this, please know that we will operate as normal. I also want to thank EVERYONE for their support and comments." 2) "Garry, this is Brandon Brown. I know this is going to make you so happy. When the Jackson County Commission ask us to produce documents, we gave them the ones we had in our hands. Also, I want you to know that we owe you NOTHING! You have posted some terrible things on the Jackson County Drug Court page." 3) "We have nothing to hide. We have to have 2 different audits every single year." 4) About our previous post, seems to me that you can post anything you want but every time someone in support of our organization says something, you holler SLANDER!!! SLANDER!!! I know you will sue. I know this about you.What a man you are. You can claim slander. Seems like you're good at that. You can post all you want about your past. I don't care what you've done. This will be the last post I make on here concerning you. I can't believe that I've wasted time on a Saturday. I actually took time away from my family, for what? YOU!. Do what you think you need to do and I will do what I need to do. I believe in our program and so do many people. I know you will not believe this, but you have posted many false statements on here. I have saved them. I have not deleted any of you post on here. I wanted people to see who you are. The last thing I will say is that our business is not run from tax dollars. There are no tax dollars that are spent in our program. It is self supportive. BYE. 5) I have just been talking about you. Not in a bad way (the way you have been talking about us). But I was thinking this could all be a blessing in disguise. Maybe someone will see one of your post (no matter how inaccurate) and realize that our services are there to help them get clean and sober.6) I firmly believe that what Satan does to harm us God will use for his glory! So...that being said. I guess thanks! My name is Anna Brown! I love the addict and alcoholic and if anyone needs help getting into treatment or needs someone to talk to, I am here. Thanks! 7) ... My husband will not be doing an interview with you sir.
Just between the two of us....I will pray for you and you pray for me. You will
see everything unfold in the future if you read other newspapers. Have a
blessed day." 7) "I
can't speak for anyone but I am sure the documents you are asking for or an
interview would never be done with you or the Clarion. But I can assure you it
will be produced and an interview done with a reputable person and paper." 8) Drug Court's comments, 38th Judicial District - "I know there have been a
lot of rumors floating around. But let me say that is what they are rumors.
Drug court is doing fine. In fact we are at a conference because we have been
recognized for being one of the best drug courts in the State of Alabama and we
have received an award. We will have a graduation as planned and cro and family
life are up and running with no issues. Our drug court and participants have
worked hard to overcome so much. Please help us to stop these rumors and stand
up for what is right." 9)Thank you for all the
positive comments. We understand the rumors and slander come from people who do
not understand how hard we work for our participants and we will pray for them. 10) From Court Referral's following - "Who cares if they don't have records to prove to you anything Garry L. Morgan you are a no body and they should not have to prove anything to you...So I truely believe you should mind your own business and leave well enough alone...So if you can't do anything but slander them maybe you should get a life and leave cco alone.
My blog articles are linked above, contained within my blog articles is the Clarion expose on this issue. My home page on Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/garry.l.morgan.5
Drug abuse in Alabama is a growing problem - it is a medical, legal, political, and cultural problem. It is reflective of unqualified, lack luster substance abuse programs outside of credentialed health care providers. Our judiciary and law makers bear a heavy responsibility for the problem and growing disaster of pandemic proportions. Substance abuse is a disease on several levels.
The war on drugs is a failure extending from federal to local levels.
"According to the report by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH), prescription drug abuse has quickly become a top public health concern, as prescription drug related deaths now outnumber those from heroin and cocaine combined, and drug overdose deaths exceed motor vehicle-related deaths in 29 states and Washington, D.C. Misuse and abuse of prescription painkillers alone costs the country an estimated $53.4 billion a year in lost productivity, medical costs and criminal justice costs. The report also notes that, currently, only one in 10 Americans with a substance abuse disorder receives treatment."
Drug Overdose Mortality Rates tripled from 1999 to 2010 in Alabama. Pill mills are a growing illegal enterprise. Alabama ranks 3rd from the bottom along with other right wing states who place corporations ahead of human health. Drug abuse is a medical, cultural and legal problem which political leadership and the judiciary are ill advised as to resolving the growing problems. http://healthyamericans.org/reports/drugabuse2013/release.php?stateid=AL
Alabama refuses to participate in Medicaid expansion which could be utilized to facilitate qualified substance abuse programs for the poor.
Instead Alabama and other states have created corporate drug testing and faux outpatient treatment structures with little or no medical oversight. Meanwhile, corporations supported by state judiciaries enrich themselves on taxpayer dollars and those poor people who have no other choice as a result of court orders.
Courts and their corporate structured corrections and referral programs bleed the poor with limited success outside structured, qualified medical treatment. Since when do corporate community corrections and court referral organizations become medical treatment experts with qualified, credentialed health care professionals on staff? They are not qualified medical treatment experts credentialed to deal with the variety of medical related substance abuse problems. Unfortunately cottage industry corporate structures have sprung up to enrich corporations and their owners instead of treating the growing pandemic of substance abuse.
Regarding the Jackson County Community Corrections and Court Referral
The Director of Court Referral is appointed or contracted by the Administrative
Director of Courts. The Administrative Director of Courts and the presiding Circuit Judge of the county has supervisory responsibility over the appointed director. Code of Alabama 12-23-4
(Fair Use Rights for non-profit news reporting and criticism - photo by Bologna B&B, Bologna Italy)
TAX-TAX-TAX-TAX A Tax on tourism is a tax that is applied unfairly, it is a tax without representation. Tourism taxes in Alabama are called lodging taxes.
Why is Scottsboro's Mayor wanting to raise tax on tourists? Have you ever heard the term, taxation without representation? State, local and county government "Lodging Taxes" are taxes on tourists. It is ridiculous, if you want to boost tourism say "NO MORE LODGING TAXES ON OUR VISITORS, we welcome tourists.
Whatever it's called, some call it an occupancy tax, room tax, bed tax, by the powers-that-be in the area you're passing through, it's a TAX tourists never got to vote on and a TAX that doesn't always benefit anyone, including the tourist.
The $10, $15 or more per night added to your hotel bill is probably paying a police officer's salary, paying down the debt, building a dog park, maybe tourism advertising, or paying salaries at the local Chamber of Commerce. Worthy endeavors, but why aren't the local citizens, footing the bill instead of visiting tourists? Tourists don't vote locally, they are passing through visitors and the voting booth was not a destination on their travel itinerary.
Anti-tax sentiment is on the rise, and cash-strapped cities whose actual debt is not fully disclosed to local citizens, the tourist is a local politician's dream come true - to hades with the concept of "taxation without representation. The tourist can be taxed, taxed, and taxed some more until the proverbial cows come home, with no consequences for elected officials, such as Mayor Potter.
When local government's officials impose tourism taxes on travelers, apparently they feel they don't have to answer to anyone politically. But to those who depend on the travelers for their business, it is not supported and it is bad for business. Mayor Potter and Scottsboro's City Council, might want to consider these issues.
If politicians want to raise taxes, do it fairly. For Scottsboro's Mayor Potter, he apparently does not believe in fairness. He was not in favor of a 1% county wide tax to continue county services where the county has lost 40% of their revenue over a 10 year period, now he wants to raise taxes on one of the largest industries supporting our economy, an industry where visitors staying in our lodges are taxed without any representation - TOURISM is big business for our area, taxing tourists in a scheme to raise revenue doesn't support tourism, nor concepts of fairness regarding taxation.
Facebook has permanently suspended my account, CENSORED, for telling the truth about Donald Trump's criminal history and disclosing facts about racial discrimination in Scottsboro and our nation. Garry Morgan : 03/15/2025
Copyright Info
All Rights Reserved for writings, video, photographs and art by Garry L. Morgan.
U.S. Copyright Office Fair Use Rule: "Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, nonprofit educational purposes and research. Link: http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
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Scottsboro Police Department Web Site
""The police are the public, the public are the police. The police are the only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties that are incumbent on every citizen in the interest to community welfare and existence." - Sir Robert Peel, 1829 https://www.scottsboropd.org/
The Sunlight Foundation uses cutting-edge technology and ideas to make government transparent and accountable. Click on image to learn more.
THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY
"I can say with confidence that the federal government needs a major overhaul. Don’t get me wrong, most public servants in government are highly educated and dedicated professionals who are committed to “the greater good.” At the same time, the government has become a bloated bureaucracy that is based on past conditions and in too many cases, federal programs and policies can’t demonstrate that they are generating real results that benefit the American people."
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David Walker President and CEO The Peter G. Peterson Foundation http://www.pgpf.org/ ; former, recently served for 10 years, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
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NPR's story on David Walker: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124460237
"public intelligence"
"What is Public Intelligence? Public Intelligence is an international, collaborative research project aimed at aggregating the collective work of independent researchers around the globe who wish to defend the public’s right to access information." http://publicintelligence.net/
A Nuclear Engineer's Report on the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant
Danger Zone: Aging Nuclear Reactors
Incident at Browns Ferry (PBS 1977)
History of nuclear power safety issues which the 1975 Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant fire brought forward. This video has been censored by the nuclear industry. The trillion dollar multinational nuclear death industry prefers to keep you the citizen in the dark and feed you crap.
Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio and others. Click on image for a tour. Left click & hold mouse to move image.
Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team/Mothers Against Tennessee River Radiation http://www.matrr.org/
"TVA at the Crossroads" a SACE Film.
"America is at an energy crossroads and the Tennessee Valley Authority has a choice to make: Will it cling to old coal power because of its historic significance or will it retire its oldest, dirtiest and least efficient plants and lead America into a clean energy future?" TVA At The Crossroads from SACE.
****************************I'm GARRY MORGAN, a Christian, U.S. Army (AMEDD) retired, Race Relations/Equal Opportunity Specialist (U.S.Army, Retired DOD-DRRI-DEOMI) a citizen of Scottsboro Alabama, a Baylor University grad-Go Bears, a political activist and a political Independent as I believe political parties divide the citizenry whom they are suppose to represent. We must learn the lessons of our history or we will surely repeat our mistakes. I think the greatest problem facing our nation is the massive national and personal debt.
