Pubdate: Mon, 22 Apr 2002
Source: The Monitor (TX)
Copyright: 2002 The Monitor
Contact:  http://www.themonitor.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1250
Author: Stephanie Duda
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?203 (Terrorism)

BATTLING DRUGS IS IMPORTANT

To the editor:

I have lived in the Rio Grande Valley for 15 years. Since I have lived 
here, I have been under the premonition that the U.S./Mexico border, as 
well as all international borders in the United States, shared a primary 
concern: keeping illegal substances out of the United States.

When George Bush Sr. was our president, he recognized and understood the 
need to declare a "War on Drugs." However, since the Sept. 11 tragedies, 
our country has demanded a "War on Terrorism." While I agree that keeping 
terrorists out of the U.S. is imperative for the Border Patrol, I am deeply 
troubled the "War on Drugs" has been diluted and drug trafficking is not 
considered a matter of national security.

Perhaps residing in the Rio Grande Valley for 15 years, not more than 10 
miles from an international border where thousands upon thousands of pounds 
of drugs are confiscated each year, makes me more apt to be troubled by 
this fact. However, no matter where a U.S. citizen might live, it is even 
more troublesome that millions of children, teenagers and adults, living 
much further from an international border where drugs might be more 
accessible, die each year due to a drug-related cause, and even more 
citizens are addicted to an illegal substance but have not yet reaped such 
grave consequences.

Former President Bush obviously understood the great impact that drugs can 
have, not only on a family, but on an entire community and country when he 
declared the "War on Drugs." While I do not doubt that George W. Bush 
probably shares the same concern, it is essential that the terrorist 
attacks of Sept. 11 not cloud our consciousness to the ever- present terror 
of drugs. The "War on Terror" and the "War on Drugs" should share the top 
priority.

Stephanie Duda, Mission
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