Pubdate: Fri, 19 Apr 2013
Source: New Pittsburgh Courier (PA)
Copyright: 2013 New Pittsburgh Courier
Contact: http://newpittsburghcourier.com/index.php?funct=contact
Website: http://newpittsburghcourier.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3658
Author: George E. Knox

LEGALIZE DRUGS AND STOP THE KILLING

Dear Editor:

It never fails. Every time I read the paper or hear the news, someone's
home was invaded. Or, some youngster was shot and killed. Another mother
is crying. Another vigil is held somewhere. Someone else is shot. And
someone always cries out "THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!"

Well, it won't stop until someone has the guts to come up with an
obvious solution. If you want to stop the home invasions, the
shootings and killings, you have to get guns off the street. To get
guns off the street, you have to get drugs off the street. To get
drugs off the street, you must legalize them. Yes, legalize drugs.

I have no data as far as violent crime being related to drugs, but I
believe there is a very high correlation. If legalizing drugs doesn't
do anything, it will take the criminal element out of it. There is an
old saying that goes something like, "If you forget the past, you are
bound to repeat." Remember prohibition? As long as liquor was illegal,
Al Capone, Frank Nitti and all the rest of those thugs caused violence
and crime to run rampant just as it does today. Just as soon as they
repealed prohibition and made liquor legal, crime was greatly reduced.
And the same will happen if they legalize drugs.

Just like back during prohibition, people said you can't repeal
prohibition. Everyone will be walking around drunk. Well, if you don't
drink, you don't drink. The same is said of drugs. If you don't use
drugs, you don't use drugs.

Believe me if you legalize drugs, the only ones that will be using
them are the ones that are using them now. Regulate them. Take all the
money spent on losing the fight against drugs and put it toward the
education of the dangers of drugs. Let's face it. We are not winning
the war on drugs and as long as drugs are illegal, we never will.
Legalize drugs and stop the killing. Stop the home invasions. Stop the
car-jackings and stop another mother from crying.

George E. Knox

Beltzhoover
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