CIA not totally to blame for proliferation of crack

As an African-American following the news reports trail the CIA/crack conspiracy which is still being investigated by government officials, I find it interesting that leaders of the black community blame the government for the destruction crack cocaine has caused among blacks in South Central Los Angeles.

One main element is missing from this reasoning: Blacks in South Central were not buying crack directly from CIA agents. Blacks were selling crack to other blacks.

The initial report by the San Jose Mercury has raised many issues among the black community.

One of the main issues discussed by leaders of the black community is the evils of the CIA.

According to these leaders, the CIA attempted to keep blacks in South Central Los Angeles from getting ahead by supplying the community with crack cocaine.

By filtering in crack to the United States via the Nicaraguan drug cartel, many believe that they have single- handedly forced thousands of blacks to indulge in the smoking of crack cocaine.

Not only that, but they caused the destruction of black families, black homes and black careers.

But this predicament has also created some careers.

Take, for instance, Ricky Donnell Ross AKA Ricky "Freeway" Ross.

He made a living buying crack, dividing up the rocks carefully and selling it to his black brothers and sisters. He, too, is trying to claim that he is a victim of the system.

But Ross ultimately made the choice to sell this highly addictive, low-cost drug to blacks in South Central.

The San Jose Mercury reported that Ross then went on to make deals with drug cartel leaders who were trafficking drugs and money back and forth from Nicaragua.

But the Los Angeles Times reported that the crack trade began in many different forms. Many small-time businesses started to make crack in makeshift operations.

Ross began with a friend who was already dealing drugs. Ross said at that point, he was determined to be a big-time drug dealer.

So there was the start of quite a lucrative business for Mr. Freeway. And who better to sell drugs to blacks but another black man. A perfect set-up. CIA, the mastermind, the "man" was at it again.

But who should really be held accountable for supplying drugs to the community?

At this point, blacks should know that the power structure that still has a stronghold over the corporations and the money which keeps this country afloat, is made up of white, upper class, middle-aged males.

And for all practical purposes, people tend to hire, associate and advance with people who are the prototype of each other.

Therefore, for all intents and purposes, the people in power are not looking out for blacks' best interests as a community.

Neither are they even thinking about whether the black community sinks or swims. In other words, the CIA is not plotting the downfall of the ghetto.

Lower-income people are in the ghetto already. Why would someone not directly effected by situations in South Central even care?

Another point is that with all of the corruption that has transpired within other federal agencies, why are we still surprised that this latest incident has occurred.

The black community needs to realize this and start tending to their own problems within a network independent of the government.

Until there is evidence of the government's genuine concern about the black community's general welfare, trusting these agencies is only going to create more stumbling blocks.

By blacks passing the buck to the "conspiring whites," they are essentially letting others manipulate them into destruction.

Furthermore, without some of our own "brothers and sisters" in the streets selling crack to other blacks, there would not be any drug money for the CIA to use for funding a war.

Blacks need to stop pointing fingers and start doing something about the older black men and women coercing school-age children to sell drugs to their classmates.

Blacks need to start blaming the black men and women selling drugs to their pregnant sisters.

Blacks can no longer use the excuse that the white man is doing these things to us. The solutions can only be found internally.

We as blacks need to be made accountable to each other. When a portion of blacks' actions are leading to the demise of other blacks, something within our community must be done.

Erica Miller is the Opinion Editor for the Daily Forty-Niner.