Pubdate: Sun, 10 Aug 2008 Source: Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) Copyright: 2008 The Daily Herald Company Contact: http://www.dailyherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/107 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n763/a08.html Author: Kirk Muse THE WAR ON DRUGS CANNOT BE WON Thanks for publishing Dan Linn's outstanding letter: "The war on drugs spurs gang violence". The so-called war on drugs is a huge industry and huge bureaucracy. Victory in the drug war is not possible, nor is it the goal. Victory in the drug war would mean that the drug war industry and bureaucracy are out of business. There are basically two types of people who support the so-called war on drugs: - -Those who make their livelihood from it. This includes politicians and bureaucrats who are probably on the payroll of the drug cartels. (Al Capone had hundreds of politicians and prohibition officials on his payroll.) - -Suckers who have bought into the lies and propaganda of the drug-war industry and bureaucracy. Suckers who are willing to deny liberty and freedom to others but think that their own liberty and freedom will never be in jeopardy. Suckers who believe that criminalizing a substance will make it go away. Suckers who think that drug prohibition somehow protects children. Suckers who think that giving criminals control of dangerous drugs somehow protects children and our society. Suckers who think that they live in a free country even thought the United States is the most incarcerated nation in the history of human civilization. Kirk Muse Mesa, Ariz. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom