Pubdate: Wed, 21 Jan 2009 Source: Eastern Arizona Courier (AZ) Copyright: 2009, Eastern Arizona Courier Contact: http://www.eacourier.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1674 Author: Kirk Muse Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n038/a07.html DRUG WAR IS AN INDUSTRY AND BUREAUCRACY Editor: Thanks for publishing Richard Mack's outstanding letter: "Courier's support on war on drugs 'unthinkable' " (Jan. 11). 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: 1.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.) 2. Suckers. This includes taxpayers who have bought into the lies and propaganda of the drug-war industry and bureaucracy; who are willing to deny liberty and freedom to others but think their own liberty and freedom will never be in jeopardy; who believe that criminalizing a substance will make it go away; who think drug prohibition somehow protects children; who think giving criminals control of dangerous drugs somehow protects children and our society; who think they live in a free country even though the United States is the most incarcerated nation in the history of human civilization. Kirk Muse Mesa - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin