Pubdate: Fri, 22 Jun 2001
Source: Yuma Daily Sun, The (AZ)
Copyright: 2001 The Yuma Daily Sun
Contact:  http://www.yumasun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1258
Author: M. Hamer

DRUG LORDS HAPPY

Editor, The Sun:

There is a spark that few writers will consider fanning into flames. 
It is ever present and apparently taboo. It is this: The mantras of 
the drug war are most enjoyed and certainly facilitated by the major 
drug "lords" themselves. All the arguments that your columnist Tibor 
Machan and many others rightly put forth can never silence the scream 
of massive money to those who govern us.

These laws of prohibition, without argument, protect and insure the 
growing market of those who are drunk on the power of this business. 
These drug lords undeniably say, "Thanks a million!" to the 
ignorantly sincere pastors, teachers, grandmothers and civic leaders 
who say, "What about the children?" Gasoline on fire is an 
appropriate description of the current approach to drug use and abuse.

Religious leaders would be well served to re-visit the truth that 
government is not God and legalization is not advocacy. Grandma 
should be educated about the fact that her vote to imprison somebody 
else's little Johnny is not compassion and that her home might be the 
next residence mistakenly broken into by anti-drug authorities acting 
on a bad tip.

I personally assume that the anti-drug politician who wags his or her 
finger the hardest is the one most likely to be on the take. Write 
about this. Then write about it again. But don't give up, Tibor.

Your objectives are shared by millions. Polarizing is essential for 
the drug lords protecting the blackness of his market. They don't 
want Grandma really thinking for herself.

M. HAMER

Salem, Ore.
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MAP posted-by: Josh Sutcliffe