Pubdate: Tue, 18 Jul 2000
Source: Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan (SD)
Website: http://www.yankton.net
Feedback: http://www.yankton.net/letters/
Address: 319 Walnut St., Yankton, SD 57078
Contact:  2000 Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan
Author: Nathan Johnson, P&D Summer Intern. You can e-mail him WRITER'S BLOCK: CAN THESE GUYS FIGHT WAR ON DRUGS?

"This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertainty and
potential mential losses." -- G.W. Bush

Don't I know, G.W. It's election year, and the American people have been
given two fish as the front-runners in the presidential race. Together they
flap about in the violent world of politics searching for the reservoir of
least apathy (and most money) that will save their political lives.

Not that anybody really cares. It's what we've come to expect. If the last
election was any indication, we will see less than half of the registered
voting population cast their ballots when November rolls around. And that,
my friends, is what democracy has come to in this country.

George W. Bush and Al Gore are part of the Washington same-old same-old. Do
these two exude hope for you? I tend to agree with Green Party presidential
candidate Ralph Nader when he aptly refers to them as "Tweedle-dumb and
Tweedle-dumber."

"Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?" -- G.W. Bush.

Well, G.W., if they are, I sure hope it isn't from you.

Bush and Gore are both products of the culture of impunity that is a staple
of this country's political system. Both are the privileged sons of
politicians and have gotten free rides throughout their lives. How else
could a "B" and "C" student like Gore, with no special athletic capability,
attend Harvard? Was it his personality? (GORE: "I grew up in Carthage,
Tenn." FACT: He grew up in a Washington hotel suite.)

We've all heard the reports and allegations of Gore and Bush's past drug
use. According to John C. Warnecke, a friend of Gore's, our vice president
was smoking pot regularly as little as 15 years ago. Bush, under the
scrutiny of the national media, has managed to slither his way out of
answering definitively whether he used cocaine -- an ambiguousness that has
led many to conclude that he has.

The issue for me is not, "These guys have done drugs and are evil Satan
worshippers." Rather, it's the fact that, in all likelihood, one of these
boring political talking heads is going to go into the Oval Office and carry
on the "drug war" as is -- despite the fact that they have likely done drugs
themselves and suffered none of its effects.

Think about it. The U.S. has more of its citizens behind bars than the
combined populations of Alaska, South Dakota and North Dakota -- more than 2
million people. This is largely due to a seven-fold increase in drug
prisoners since 1980, many of them for non-violent offenses.

Currently, we have two men who have probably used drugs who are running for
president. Both of them have vowed their support for the war on drugs,
including the Draconian attacks on civil liberties that it incurs. Thousands
have gone to jail in this country for the mere possession of illicit drugs,
and yet these two are on the fast track to the presidency. And all anybody
can think to ask them is, "Have you done drugs or not?"

Don't be distracted by the drug use issue; it's the hypocrisy involved that
is so disturbing. Why is it OK in the eyes of the American people for these
two politicians to participate in the drug culture and then run for
president, but if you happen to be a lower-class black man, you belong in
jail? Isn't there a discrepancy in public opinion here?

Neither of these two candidates has the guts to say, "I did drugs. It was a
bad decision, but I don't feel that that decision is worthy of sending
someone to jail for 10 years." Instead they've chosen to coalesce with the
status quo in the federal government. Do you think you'll ever hear them
say, "I did drugs, and you know, I think I would be much better off today if
I had gone to jail in accordance with this country's drug laws"?

You'll never hear that from these two, who know nothing of being an
"ordinary" American. They look awkward even saying they're "ordinary"
Americans.

They are part of this country's culture of impunity, people of power and
influence who do not fear punishment because they are never punished but
will not hesitate to punish others if it's politically expedient.

The real tragedy here is that the "drug war" will rage on. Despite the fact
that research has repeatedly shown that drug treatment is consistently more
cost- and person-effective than incarceration, the madness will continue.
With its utter failure, it will continue to ravage this country and its
inhabitants. The rhetoric of mindless politicians will roll over the voice
of hard facts.

"If you're sick and tired of the politics of cynicism and polls and
principles, come and join this campaign." -- G.W. Bush

Thanks for the offer, George, but I think I'll pass.

Nathan Johnson is a summer intern for the Press & Dakotan. You can e-mail
him at  ---
MAP posted-by: Don Beck