Pubdate: Wed, 03 Apr 2002
Source: High Point Enterprise (NC)
Copyright: 2002 High Point (N.C.) Enterprise
Contact:  http://www.hpe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/576
Author: David Spaulding
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n598/a10.html

SHOOTING SEEMS OVERLY HARSH

I feel compelled to respond to the letter, "Drug trade produces human 
misery" (March 29). The author makes the suggestion that we declare all 
drug dealers to be outlaws. Well, they are. It's illegal to sell certain 
drugs in the United States, mainly the ones people use recreationally.

The author then goes on to make the disturbing suggestion that drug dealers 
be shot on sight. I've witnessed a drug dealer get shot, actually. I've 
never seen anyone else being shot to death, but I've seen other victims of 
gun violence. Having seen people die or seen them shortly after death, I 
gained a tremendous amount of respect for human life. That's what happens 
when you see the complete pointlessness of watching someone who once had 
goals and dreams and ambitions, someone with feelings and emotions, even if 
they got lost along the way, just lose all that with one quick flash from a 
gun.

Drug dealers are human beings. There are a lot of them who are just out to 
profit on other people's problems. And there are a lot just trying to 
support their own habits. I used to deal drugs a few years ago. I wasn't 
out to hurt anybody. I was using a lot and truly didn't know much better. I 
didn't agree with drugs being illegal because I hadn't had enough 
experience then to see the long-term consequences. At the time, everything 
was peachy keen and I never saw anyone getting hurt. I wasn't out there to 
make a huge profit. And as soon as I realized that I was contributing to 
other people's problems and not just giving people a good time, I stopped 
selling drugs.

Drug dealers are human beings just like anyone else. You don't simply shoot 
someone to death over bad decisions. Such an opinion also does not take 
into account what a person has been through to get them to the point that 
they not only start using drugs, but start selling them. Most people don't 
just accidentally stumble into it past the point of experimentation. And I 
guarantee that most of these people didn't start off as horrible and evil 
people.

I would love to see a world where individuals didn't destroy themselves 
with drug use. But it's not realistic. The problem of drug abuse in society 
should be dealt with humanely and rationally, with facts and science. We 
should work to help people with drug problems, not kill them.

David Spaulding

Fairfax, Va.
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MAP posted-by: Beth