Pubdate: Tue, 29 Apr 2014
Source: Gazette, The (Colorado Springs, CO)
Copyright: 2014 The Gazette
Contact: http://www.gazette.com/sections/opinion/submitletter/
Website: http://www.gazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/165
Author: Jack Stanfield

MARIJUANA LAW EFFECTS US ALL; GOOD GUYS, BAD GUYS

This law affects all of society

After reading the article on pot in the Sunday paper, I thought of 
the effects that this "great experiment" in self-indulgence (which is 
one of a number of such experiments) is likely to have on children.

It called to mind a poem I recently read that seems to fit our times. 
This was a parody on the Battle Hymn of the Republic by Frank Jacobs 
that appeared in Mad magazine in March, 1991.

The Glory Days are gone!

Lordy, Lordy, how'd we do...it!

Now...we have to suffer through...it!

Had...our chance but really blew...it!

The Glory Days are gone!

If this experiment fails, who are most likely to be hurt? The 
children who are drawn into the drug culture and never reach their 
potential. We've already seen the young die from consuming pot and 
grade-school children taking their grandparents' pot to school. It 
appears that we've forgotten that children are our most precious 
possessions. This law affects all of society, not just the users, and 
it has the potential for great harm. Who will be to blame if it does?

But that's OK, because we're going to get lots of tax revenue that we 
can use to teach our kids not to use drugs! Is there a little irony here?

Jack Stanfield, Colorado Springs
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom