Pubdate: Thu, 24 Jan 2013
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)
Copyright: 2013 Las Vegas Review-Journal
Contact: http://www.reviewjournal.com/about/print/press/letterstoeditor.html
Website: http://www.lvrj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/233
Author: Art Clayton

PROHIBITIONS DON'T WORK

To the editor:

I find it disheartening and alarming that the president and many in 
Congress, as well as many well-meaning citizens, think the answer to 
all of our problems is a federal law to control everything.

In 1974, I predicted in my master's thesis, "The Politics of 
Narcotics," that the war on drugs would be unsuccessful and that it 
would only lead to more involvement by criminals, street gangs, etc. 
That didn't exhibit a great ability to foresee the future. It was 
simply looking at the past. Prohibition failed, we've never been able 
to control prostitution (except in the legal houses in Nevada), and 
controlling drugs has been an utter failure.

I think I can safely predict that such a gun control law would be 
just as successful as the wars on drugs, alcohol and prostitution. By 
definition, criminals don't follow the law. Why do we keep repeating 
the mistakes of the past while expecting different results? And this 
is only for the enforcement side. Don't get me started on the Second Amendment!

ART CLAYTON HENDERSON
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom