Pubdate: Sun, 05 Aug 2001
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2001 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Emily Whitfield

ACLU Won't Sell Out

Your July 21 editorial sees "an odd coincidence" in two recent ACLU 
announcements of a $7 million grant from an Ohio businessman and the 
results of an ACLU-commissioned poll showing declining public support for 
incarceration as an effective tool in the war on drugs.

According to your conspiracy theory (which incorrectly states that the 
releases were issued on the same day), the donor's support of our 
organization's work to reform the nation's failed war on drugs, combined 
with his financial backing of medical marijuana initiatives in California 
and elsewhere, is somehow driving the ACLU's policies and priorities. You 
arrived at this groundless conclusion without ever bothering to contact us.

In fact, the ACLU has opposed the outright criminalization of drugs since 
1968. I don't know what our donor was doing back then, but I'm pretty sure 
he wasn't lurking behind the scenes trying to influence ACLU policy with 
promises of big money 33 years down the line.

Even so, he wouldn't have succeeded: The ACLU has never compromised its 
principles for money, and, in fact, has endured the loss of contributions 
because of its commitment to the principles of fairness and equality 
enshrined in our Constitution.

As ACLU President Nadine Strossen observed, a majority of Americans have 
come to realize that "we cannot incarcerate our way out of the drug 
problem." No less a radical than former Drug Czar Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey 
has said virtually the same thing. Not surprising that our donors and 
members would agree.

Of greater concern is your view that U.S. attorneys should be actively 
prosecuting cancer patients who use medical marijuana. Should our 
government pursue such a unjust course (U.S. attorneys in Oregon and 
Washington have said that they will not), the ACLU will be there to oppose 
it, press releases and all.

EMILY WHITFIELD

New York, N.Y.

The writer is media relations director for the American Civil Liberties Union.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens