Pubdate: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 Source: Register-Guard, The (OR) Copyright: 2001 The Register-Guard Contact: http://www.registerguard.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/362 Author: Jean Liittschwager Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hea.htm (Higher Education Act) LAW'S PROVISION UNFAIR How fortunate that the two lovely Bush daughters have parents and a family given to unconditional love and support, with reasonable discipline and penalties under the law, for their recent illegal drinking behavior. They are flirting with one of the most potentially dangerous of all recreational drugs: alcohol. Thousands of other equally lovely young people are not so fortunate. They may not come from such secure backgrounds, and if they have flirted with other potentially dangerous drugs - the illegal ones - they may find themselves subject to the overly harsh and punitive provision of the Higher Education Act, which asks them if they have ever been convicted of involvement with an illegal drug. They lose financial aid if they answer yes, or if they refuse to answer the question. This smacks of McCarthyism. It either robs these otherwise qualified people or encourages them to lie on the application. Murders, rapists and other violent criminals are not required to answer a question about their crimes. But the nonviolent end up being denied the help they need. Because illegal drugs have been demonized, these people often lose jobs they have held responsibly for years, and their savings go to pay legal fees instead of toward their education. It's not a good law. It should be taken off the books. President Bush needs to be more compassionate, and stop the enforcement of this law. Jean Liittschwager Walterville - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom