Pubdate: Sat, 16 Oct 1999 Date: 10/16/1999 Source: Houston Chronicle (TX) Author: Rick Potthoff---(founder of Houston TX NORML) Note: Rick Potthoff is the founder of Houston TX NORML To the editor: Perhaps William J. Bennett protests too much in his Oct. 10 Outlook article, "No time for conservatives to withdraw from culture wars." He states that the goal of conservatives like himself is to make American society more humane, civil, responsible and just. But I haven't heard him push humaneness by attacking gay-bashers. He hasn't pushed civility by chiding Rush Limbaugh for referring to feminists as `femi-Nazis'. Republican leadership in Congress has stood in the way of campaign reform, mainly because they think the current system gives them a partisan advantage. Bennett hasn't attacked this as an affront to responsibility. Six states have passed state laws in favor of medical marijuana, but still sick people run the risk of being jailed if they try to stop their suffering with this drug. Bennett's attacks on marijuana used as medicine do not promote justice. His culture wars aren't about making a better society, but about keeping traditional power. What a sham. RICK POTTHOFF Houston