Pubdate: Wed, 18 Jun 2003
Source: Coquitlam Now, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2003Lower Mainland Publishing Group, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.thenownews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1340
Author: Alan Randell

PERSECUTING 'INNOCENT MINORITY'

Re: "Port Moody going to pot in a big way," The NOW, June 4, about 
marijuana busts in upscale homes:

Do you realize what you're doing? This type of reporting about drug busts 
is, to my mind, the most important factor in maintaining public support for 
drug prohibition, a Hitler-like, cynical and manipulative government 
program designed to distract and entertain the majority by persecuting a 
totally innocent minority.

Describing drug busts and their aftermath as if such police actions were 
normal and acceptable lends support to drug prohibition and, of course, 
suppressing the voices of those punished, their families and friends as 
well as those of us who oppose these ridiculous laws serves further to 
dampen any protest.

Drug prohibition was initiated during the first half of the 20th century as 
a means of harassing and "controlling" blacks (marijuana) and Chinese 
(opium). In these supposedly more tolerant times, the most enthusiastic 
supporters of that racist legislation are the police who are eager to 
utilize it to harass and control those whose skin colour and/or lifestyle 
offends them and to gain bigger budgets and more power from the politicians 
who in turn are always eager to meet those demands because they are 
terrified of being characterized as "soft on drugs."

It's time to finish the job we started when we ended alcohol prohibition 
and end the prohibition of all drugs - and it's long past time that 
newspapers such as yours begin to serve the public rather than our venal 
drug cops and gutless politicians.

Alan Randell -

Victoria
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens