Pubdate: Sat, 16 Aug 2003
Source: Tri-City News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2003, Tri-City News
Contact:  http://www.tricitynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1239
Author: Alan Randell
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n1202.a03.html

FIGHTING POT GROWERS A WASTE OF RESOURCES

The Editor:

Re Police battle grow-ops, Aug. 9

Another day, another attempt by the media to persuade us to support a
Hitler-like government program designed to entertain the majority by
persecuting an innocent minority - those who use or sell certain
drugs. It's propaganda because no one opposed to these laws is
permitted to be heard.

Drug prohibition began a century ago to harass and "control" certain
non-white minorities by banning the drugs used by those minorities,
but in these supposedly more tolerant times, why does the government
continue to ban some supposedly harmful recreational drugs and not
other harmful recreational drugs?

Sadly, drug prohibition's purpose remains unchanged from when it
began, albeit no longer totally racist in nature: To distract and
entertain the majority by persecuting an innocent minority. Hitler
showed the way and our politicians are merely goose-stepping along
behind. Truly the users of illegal drugs and those who supply them are
the new Jews.

Shame on you for reporting these abuses so non critically, so
nonchalantly, so good-naturedly.

However, you are not the only guilty party. Today, we read every day
about innocent people being arrested or shot by the cops because they
use, manufacture or sell certain drugs. The victims' voices are never
heard, only the voices of the police and other law enforcement
authorities. It is routine. It is normal.

What to do? Assuming you care about innocent people being carted off
to jail, please make your drug bust stories less one-sided in favour
of the authorities by including the comments of the individuals
arrested and their families as well as, wherever possible, the
comments of those like me who oppose these ridiculous laws. Please try
to put a human face on the suffering.

It's about time that the fourth estate returns to its traditional role
of protecting the public from the excesses the state instead of
providing encouragement and comfort to our gutless politicians and
venal drug cops.

Charter? What Charter?

Alan Randell

Victoria
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin