Pubdate: Mon, 05 Jun 2000
Source: Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (TX)
Copyright: 2000 The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Contact:  http://www.lubbockonline.com/interactive/edit.shtml
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Forum: http://chat.lubbockonline.com:90/eshare/
Author: Larry Nickerson

'DRUG WAR HARMFUL'

Regarding the editorial, "Warn Your Children", (A-J, 5-30) the most
widespread harmful effect  (as the editorial alluded to with the story of
the 3-year-old deprived of his father) is the drug war  -- and not the
drugs. The choice to put this man in prison for life simply because illegal
drugs were involved was entirely that of the jury that sentenced him.

Until we as a nation act on the knowledge that -- yes, drug abuse is bad,
but the drug war is far worse -- we will continue to suffer all the evil
effects common today. Until we as a nation act on history rather than
hysteria  -- such as the knowledge of why alcohol prohibition failed and the
knowledge that no one has ever overdosed on marijuana -- we will continue to
hear a great multitude more sad stories than we otherwise would.

Some people might say that prison is a cure for bad judgment, or even an
addiction, but they seem to change their mind when it happens in their own
family. There are plenty of examples of the well connected who have
experienced this type of awakening including Rep. J.C. Watts, Jr., R-Okla.,
and former Speaker of the House Jim Wright, D-Texas.

So in addition to warning our children, let us warn our neighbors that it
may be their children or grandchildren that someday may get the indelible
stamp "felon" and decades-long sentences.

Larry Nickerson, Fort Worth Via e-mail
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