Editor: Regarding your loathsome editorial, "Medical Marijuana is All Right, If..." I would like to employ the powerful words of the late Kurt Huber, a German citizen who dared to defy the Nazi government of his era, in regard to the activities that took place in Santa Cruz, Sept. 17. "There is a point at which the law becomes immoral and unethical. That point is reached when it becomes a cloak for the cowardice that dares not stand up against blatant violations of justice. A state that suppresses all freedom of speech, and which by imposing the most terrible punishments, treats each and every attempt at criticism, however morally justified, and every suggestion for improvement as plotting to high treason, is a state that breaks an unwritten law." Amanda Jones Sulfur Springs, Texas [end]
Two-thirds of the way through Ron Bain's article about Ken Gorman, it began to occur to me: That the old axiom about pot-smokers having a "de-motivational syndrome" has got to be another one of the lies fed to we the "sheeple" by government and prohibitionists. (Re: "Governor Pothead," cover story, June 13). Good grief! This man has done so much it almost makes me tired just to read about it all. I'd hate to see what he could have done if he'd been turned loose on the world with motivation securely intact! Amanda Jones Sulphur Springs, Texas [end]
Licia corbella's column, "Leave Grant Krieger alone," is courageous. I once considered her one of the "enemy" in this battle against wrong. Now I see she could be a "leader" in ending the injustices of the war on drugs. Amanda Jones (Corbella wants the persecution of those who use medical marijuana to come to an end.) [end]
THE EDITOR, Sir: I have just read in The Gleaner that a Pentecostal minister, Glenn Brady, "urged Christians, in their wisdom not to support the recommendations or any moves to decriminalise marijuana usage." I am a Christian and I say to Christians, "Use your wisdom to discern false teaching. Who will stand before God and say, "I used the herb marijuana." and who will stand before Him and say "I persecuted and imprisoned my fellowman because he used the herb marijuana." Which is worse?" You know, if you know Christ! I am, etc., Amanda Jones, Texas [end]
In his letter ("I don't sympathize," May 24), John Stevenson wonders why people are writing from all over the country to the Northwest Florida Daily News about drug policy. "I smell a rat," he says. Mr. Stevenson apparently is unaware that we have reached a new era. People all over the country get their news on computers these days. If one is especially interested in a particular area of news, from one time to the other - the drug war, perhaps, or rape or embezzlement or robbery - one only has to do a newspaper search on the Web for that item. [continues 494 words]
At least three more completely innocent victims of the War on Drugs have died last weekend. A young mother and her child, shot down by the Peruvian Military with the aid of U.S., over the Amazon River in Peru, and a young preacher in Philadelphia hit by a stray bullet from a prohibition spawned street drug deal gone bad. A few months ago it was an 11-year-old boy shot in the back at close range with a shotgun, wielded by paramilitary SWAT team member in a fruitless drug bust. These are not rare incidents. In my estimation they happen at the rate of 20 to 30 a year that we know about. This does not include the police officers' lives lost or the raids gone amuck that are covered up. [continues 327 words]
Your April 25 editorial ("Two more victims") is right and true. Prohibition and prohibitionists are to blame for this missionary plane tragedy. The prohibitionists will continue to delude themselves by blaming drug users. Half of this country could be stoned, drunk or high and Charity and Roni Bowers would still be alive and well. Prohibition of drugs killed them. Amanda Jones, Sulphur Springs, Texas [end]
Robert Sharpe is wise, and our nation should heed his words when he says, ``Alcohol, incidentally, causes the greatest number of and the most severe birth defects. It kills more people annually than all illegal drugs combined. If health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms, alcohol and tobacco would both be illegal, and marijuana, a relatively harmless drug, would not. It's time to declare peace in the failed drug war and start treating all substance abuse, legal or otherwise, as the public health problem it is'' (Letters, April 2). Trouble is, wisdom doesn't run this country. Greed does. The drug war is a moneymaker for too many people. God help us! Amanda Jones Sulphur Springs, Texas [end]
Re: "Pot crusader helps pain go up in smoke," Feb. 10. Has God allowed Licia Corbella an epiphany on medical marijuana? I'm glad she is not "offended" by their use. To stand between these people and God's gift of relief through the use of the marijuana plant is despicable. Amanda Jones (Corbella obviously agrees.) [end]
Why would anybody want the decriminalisation of cannabis use if they do not want to smoke it? Answer: it is obviously morally wrong to criminalise cannabis use. AMANDA JONES [end]
