The War on Drugs, a war that has inflicted untold damage, misery, humiliation and death upon our own citizens and their families, could be ended in one week, if everyone who was arrested demanded their Constitutional right to a jury trial. That's the opinion of top constitutional defense attorneys, judges, and even prosecutors, who all agree that ending plea bargaining would end the drug war.

Consider this, 96% of defendants give up their right to a speedy trial and accept plea bargaining instead. Only 4% ever make it to trial. Even with just 4% of defendants insisting upon a jury trial, the courts are already hopelessly backed up Just one week's worth of defendants insisting upon a jury trial could collapse the system, according to some experts.

Of course there are compelling reasons for defendants to choose plea bargaining, especially if they can't make bail and are stuck in jail. And there are plenty of stories about how much worse a sentence you'll
get if you lose in a jury trial. But the simple truth is that until you get to the jury trial, you have no rights and no chance for justice.

Once you get to trial, however, all you need to do is win over one of the twelve jurors and you go free with a hung jury. The prosecution may still decide to retry you, but that's rare since it is much easier for the defense to win a retrial. In fact, you may even win complete vindication with an acquittal in your retrial.

Plea bargaining is an ugly business, based upon fear and ignorance. No matter how inviting, plea bargains are always the Devil's own bargain.

Sure, you may go free now, but you're on probation, subject to warrantless searches and urine testing. And you now have a prior arrest on your record. It's only a matter of time before you have contact again with law enforcement and this time you can plan on your life and possessions getting gang-raped by the criminal justice system.

Bottom line, don't roll over for the wolves. Fight back and take a stand. Reclaim your power within the sphere of your own life. Become ungovernable. Learn your Constitutional rights and assert those rights at every opportunity. Freedom is our heritage, it runs in the blood of every American. Each of us has a patriotic duty to "Uphold and defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and DOMESTIC."

Remember Gandhi's words: "Non-cooperation with tyrants is a duty."