Pubdate: Sun, 22 Nov 1998
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
Section: The Morning Mail
Copyright: 1998 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Contact:  http://www.jsonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/265
Author: Julie A. Bock
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)

TOO EAGER TO JUDGE

I am very heartened to see the Journal Sentinel take a strong stand in 
support of the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin's Lifepoint needle 
exchange program. I agree with your editorial calling for state funding of 
Lifepoint.

It saddens me that so many people have decided to categorize drug users as 
bad people. In using such a polarizing argument against needle exchange, 
they are deciding that some people in our community are worthy of 
life-saving measures and others are not. This is incredibly moralistic.

By labeling drug users as bad and unworthy, the users, their partners and 
their children are given a death sentence. In the rush to judge, our 
community has forgotten its humanity.

Julie A. Bock

Milwaukee