Pubdate: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 Source: Seattle Times (WA) Copyright: 2001 The Seattle Times Company Contact: http://www.seattletimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/409 Author: Ryan Murray WHY NOT TARGET USERS? I am troubled and disturbed by the death of Veronica and Charity Bowers in Peru. Why is the war on drugs a war on people? This incident is a tragedy because the Bowers are clearly innocent. What if, however, they had been trafficking drugs? Would that have been justification for their death? Until we in the United States are willing to give the death penalty to the users of drugs, we cannot take the lives of the suppliers of drugs. To kill the South Americans who manufacture drugs while allowing the users to live is nothing more than a racial prejudice against those of another land. Furthermore, drug policies should be aimed at helping people, not hurting them. Success in the campaign against drugs will arise from people understanding how drugs get in the way of their goals, and choosing to not partake of them. The tobacco and liquor cartels operate in countries all over the world; how can we push such harmful drugs as these in other countries and at the same time make such aggressive and violent actions against the native cartels operating within other countries' borders? - - Ryan Murray, Bellevue - --- MAP posted-by: Andrew