Pubdate: Thu, 27 Nov 2008 Source: Valley Advocate (Easthampton, MA) Copyright: 2008 New Mass Media Contact: http://www.valleyadvocate.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1520 Author: Terry Franklin THE WAR ON DRUGS: UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES Since the election, I have seen numerous elderly black men and women reminisce about their days sitting in jail cells in the 1960s, as part of the civil rights movement. That legacy has been fulfilled. Another remnant of that time, however, is the earnest pursuit of the "Drug War" by all levels of government. That evil continues to fill jail cells till this day-also disproportionately with members of minority groups. After the passage of Question Two in Massachusetts, perhaps the next battleground will be the similar measure proposed at the federal level by Congressmen Barney Frank and Ron Paul. I hope everyone will urge John Olver and Richard Neal to sign onto this bill as co-sponsors in the new Congress. Terry Franklin Amherst - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin