Pubdate: Thu, 19 Dec 2002 Source: Abbotsford News (CN BC) Copyright: 2002 Hacker Press Ltd. Contact: http://www.abbynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1155 Author: Robert Saint Amour Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) WARNING: POT MAKES U.S. ANGRY Editor, The News: The move by the Chretien government to de-criminalize pot is bold and long overdue, but at what cost? To the Americans, this legislation will designate Canada as a safe haven for drugs. This, of course, is not true, but when did the truth ever enter into American policy decisions? Fantastic and unbelievable American foreign policies have been determined by nothing but outright fabricated evidence. As a recent example, the world cried when a young Muslim girl went before the U.S. Congress and testified about babies being torn from incubators in Kuwait during Iraq's visit. The problem with this story was that it never happened; it was simply an American invention to justify their own objectives. Why should we think that similar fiction about us won't occur? I predict that within months, the American media will be reporting about the drug lords of pot here on the west coast. If the average sentence for murder in the U.S. is 6.5 years and 10 years for pot trafficking, you have to wonder what their priorities are, other than ramming their version of the world down our throats. I applaud our federal government for finally getting off their well-paid butts and doing something that the general population seems to agree with - just don't expect our gun-toting neighbours to go along with it. There will be ramifications. Our relations with President George Bush and the U.S. are at an all-time low and they are just looking for a reason to put Canada in its place. This could be it. Robert Saint Amour, Comox - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager