Pubdate: Tue, 13 Jul 2004 Source: Windsor Star (CN ON) Copyright: The Windsor Star 2004 Contact: http://www.canada.com/windsor/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/501 Author: Eric Knudsen Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n972/a06.html LEGALIZING MARIJUANA REINSTATES CIVIL RIGHTS In the July 7 letter, If Pot Is Going South, Who's Using It Here, writer William Bradley has challenged the RCMP and other officials who say all the Canadian cannabis is going to the U.S. Afterward he succinctly puts the real issue on the table, the real issue being that the drug war has made police lazy in nature. The idea is that cannabis users are lazy, peace-loving and obvious. Why go after violent criminals with actual victims? It's dangerous and raises the chance that police may not be as likely to come home after work, or ever for that matter. It is for this reason that cops hunt down and persecute pot users. Cannabis users are easy prey for police. This is why they try to paint the picture that marijuana is somehow naturally affiliated with corruption. If they can get people to believe that marijuana is evil in some way, they will then have an easier job description and portray the illusion of helping to rid the streets of crime. Meanwhile the real criminals are getting away. Some people are making money on cannabis's criminal status and they don't care if civil rights are being set aside as long as there is an income streaming from it. Legal cannabis, on the other hand, will bring in much more money and reinstate the civil rights which must accompany a truly free country. Eric Knudsen Minneapolis, Minn. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake