Pubdate: Mon, 27 Mar 2006 Source: Daily Southtown (IL) Copyright: 2006 Daily Southtown Contact: http://www.dailysouthtown.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/810 Author: Michael Cleary KUDOS TO GIERACH COLUMN ON DRUG WAR Once again, James E. Gierach (March 16, guest column) brings needed attention to the insanity of the un-winnable "war on drugs." This is really just another war on fellow human beings or a wasted black hole of taxes, manpower and family hell. We send members of our families to the police force into the battle of this wretched scam. We pack the morgues and courtrooms with casualties. We overload the prisons, and once inside, there is horrible torture. Far too many of them rotate back to civilization only to find themselves back in the "war on drugs." Although I can't help but point out the parallels between this "war on drugs" and Bush's similar, Texas-style approach to his "war on terrorism," I need to step back and thank Mr. Gierach for his wisdom, common sense and humanity. This is about where we live and who we are. In these times, those of us who agree with Mr. Gierach's position are simply written off and labeled as "too liberal" and voted down. If we continue to kill each other for drugs, oil, property, religion, etc., then we're no longer willing to advance as enlightened human beings. We're stuck in a quagmire, like the Palestinians and the Israelis. Michael Cleary Evergreen Park - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman