Kill the Messenger
Gary Webb was a Journalist who was killed because of what he found when he was investigating the CIA's involvement with Nicaragua's drug Contra rebels. He had written that the CIA must have known that there was a US-back army in Latin America that was supplying drugs to Los Angeles. Webb wrote a series called Dark Alliance, in which he reported that the Contra rebels were shipping cocaine into the U.S. after it was turned into crack. However, this was not just a small claim that could be shut down easily by facts because Webb produced an enormous amount of evidence that suggests this did happen. Webb's research included names, dates, places, and dollar amounts. With every page evidence rises up, until it builds and builds a gigantic wall of evidence that supports his theory.
Webb claimed, "For the better part of a decade, a San Francisco Bay Area drug ring sold tons of cocaine to the Crips and Bloods street gangs of Los Angeles and funneled millions in drug profits to a Latin American guerrilla army run by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, a Mercury News investigation has found" (Leen).
By the time the media had published the story, they insinuated that they U.S. Government purposefully flooded the ghettos with drugs so that they could fund the contras. Many newspaper journalists were writing about Webb's claims, and many of these people were Black journalist who used terms like, "Black paranoia." Supposedly, "Black paranoia" was used to help readers understand why Blacks would believe the allegations. African Americans mostly lived in these ghettos, so Black paranoia would make sense why these people believe it was the CIA. If the CIA was in fear of a Black uprising, then flooding the ghettos with drugs would lower the chances of a Black uprising because no one wants someone on drugs running their world. Would the CIA really flood ghettos with drugs just to prevent a Black uprising?
Webb's theory shocked many Black communities in Los Angeles, and these communities began to distrust the government. If Webb's theories were correct, that means the CIA was purposely wanting to target Black communities because of a fear of a Black uprising. Black communities were suspicious because they did not understand why their government would create a crack epidemic.
Webb died from two gunshot wounds to the head, but his death as controversial as his story. Those who believed his claim thought the CIA was responsible for his death because they needed to cover their tracks. People began questioning whether or not the Webb uncovered enough evidence to put all the blame on the CIA, and that is what got him killed. However, the most widely accepted theory is that he took his own life because he was having money troubles.
Webb later wrote, "Thousands of young black men are serving long prison sentences for selling cocaine — a drug that was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the CIA’s army started bringing it into South-Central in the 1980s at bargain-basement prices" (Leen).
Do you believe the CIA was involved in distributing drugs to Black neighborhoods to prevent a Black uprising, or do you believe it was only speculation?
Hannaford, Alex. “The CIA, the Drug Dealers, and the Tragedy of Gary Webb.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 21 Mar. 2015, www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/11485819/kill-messenger-gary-webb-true-story.html.
Leen, Jeff. “Gary Webb Was No Journalism Hero, despite What 'Kill the Messenger' Says.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 17 Oct. 2014, www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/gary-webb-was-no-journalism-hero-despite-what-kill-the-messenger-says/2014/10/17/026b7560-53c9-11e4-809b-8cc0a295c773_story.html?utm_term=.883d37f2dbf2.
Webb claimed, "For the better part of a decade, a San Francisco Bay Area drug ring sold tons of cocaine to the Crips and Bloods street gangs of Los Angeles and funneled millions in drug profits to a Latin American guerrilla army run by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, a Mercury News investigation has found" (Leen).
By the time the media had published the story, they insinuated that they U.S. Government purposefully flooded the ghettos with drugs so that they could fund the contras. Many newspaper journalists were writing about Webb's claims, and many of these people were Black journalist who used terms like, "Black paranoia." Supposedly, "Black paranoia" was used to help readers understand why Blacks would believe the allegations. African Americans mostly lived in these ghettos, so Black paranoia would make sense why these people believe it was the CIA. If the CIA was in fear of a Black uprising, then flooding the ghettos with drugs would lower the chances of a Black uprising because no one wants someone on drugs running their world. Would the CIA really flood ghettos with drugs just to prevent a Black uprising?
Webb's theory shocked many Black communities in Los Angeles, and these communities began to distrust the government. If Webb's theories were correct, that means the CIA was purposely wanting to target Black communities because of a fear of a Black uprising. Black communities were suspicious because they did not understand why their government would create a crack epidemic.
Webb died from two gunshot wounds to the head, but his death as controversial as his story. Those who believed his claim thought the CIA was responsible for his death because they needed to cover their tracks. People began questioning whether or not the Webb uncovered enough evidence to put all the blame on the CIA, and that is what got him killed. However, the most widely accepted theory is that he took his own life because he was having money troubles.
Webb later wrote, "Thousands of young black men are serving long prison sentences for selling cocaine — a drug that was virtually unobtainable in black neighborhoods before members of the CIA’s army started bringing it into South-Central in the 1980s at bargain-basement prices" (Leen).
Do you believe the CIA was involved in distributing drugs to Black neighborhoods to prevent a Black uprising, or do you believe it was only speculation?
Hannaford, Alex. “The CIA, the Drug Dealers, and the Tragedy of Gary Webb.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 21 Mar. 2015, www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/11485819/kill-messenger-gary-webb-true-story.html.
Leen, Jeff. “Gary Webb Was No Journalism Hero, despite What 'Kill the Messenger' Says.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 17 Oct. 2014, www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/gary-webb-was-no-journalism-hero-despite-what-kill-the-messenger-says/2014/10/17/026b7560-53c9-11e4-809b-8cc0a295c773_story.html?utm_term=.883d37f2dbf2.
Comments
Post a Comment