Pubdate: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 Source: Seattle Times (WA) Copyright: 1999 The Seattle Times Company Contact: http://www.seattletimes.com/ Author: Kris Nyrop Note: Kris Nyrop is Executive director of Street Outreach Services, Seattle WHY DO RICH, WHITE DRUG USERS GET A FREE RIDE WHILE POOR KIDS BECOME DRUG-WAR VICTIMS? So riddle me this. Why is it when rich white kids - who go to fine schools and grow up to be staunch Republicans and proponents of the war on drugs - are discovered to have used drugs, it's passed off as "youthful indiscretion." Yet, when poor kids from the inner city use drugs, they're expected to go directly to jail - for life if need be? George W. Bush, Newt Gingrich, Dan Quayle and their like are forgiven. Those less fortunate and less well-endowed are incarcerated, made permanently ineligible for student loans, barred from public housing for life, and deemed unsuited for the type of employment enjoyed by those hypocritically promoting the drug war. We are not waging a war on drugs, we are waging a war on some people who use some drugs. Kris Nyrop, Executive director, Street Outreach Services, Seattle - --- MAP posted-by: Thunder