Source:  SF Examiner, 6/20/97, op/ed letters
Contact:  			Yahoo raps Amsterdam
By Wayne Smith

      	One has only to substitute "alcohol" for "drugs" in Theodore 
Dairympie's article to see the speciousness of his arguments ("legalizing 
drugs. "Alluring but false," Opinion Page, June 16). Indeed, he makes the 
same distorted arguments put forward by prohibitionists against alcohol.

   	Most disturbing to me, however, is his slander of Amsterdam. According
to Dalrymple, Amsterdam is "among the most violent and squalid cities in
Europe."

I vacationed in Amsterdam last summer and this spring, and am considering
moving there. Though the Dutch are very apologetic about what they
consider a high crime rate, almost all crime there is sneak theft.

	Violence is virtually unknown in Amsterdam (unlike Dairymple's native
England), as are youth gangs. And I cannot imagine how any sane or honest
person could describe Amsterdam as "squalid."

	The city center, made up almost entirely of buildings 300plus years
old, has been restored and is so spotlessly clean and new looking that
one gets the feeling of being in a huge theme park.

	Like San Francisco, Amsterdam makes much of its money from tourism,
which would be difficult if not impossible if the city in any way
resembled Dairymple's disingenuous description.

	We have enough yahoos in America pushing specious arguments in favor of
our useless and selfdestructive drug war. We don't need to import
misinformation from England.

WAYNE SMITH

San Francisco