Pubdate: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 Source: Zephyr, The (IL) Copyright: 2004, The Zephyr Contact: http://www.thezephyr.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1566 Author: Scott Russ Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1992/a03.html Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1992/a02.html MISGUIDED WAR ON DRUGS Editor: Thanks so much for publishing the letters by Richard Rawlings and Jason Turuc concerning America's drug war. Our government's War on Drugs is the ultimate hypocrisy. The war on drugs isn't about justice or protecting our children. We've spent over 30 years under that pretense and what have been the results? Corrupt law enforcement and judiciary, increased crime, death, disease, budget deficits and increased spending on prisons instead of education and other critical programs. Current and past presidents have used some of the very substances that have sent others straight to prison so what message are we really sending our kids? Our Senators and Representatives have conveniently exempted themselves from drug testing while Drug Czar Walters tours the country pressuring school boards to implement drug testing for our children. The hypocrisy of this is so thick it stinks. Our "leaders" need to find the courage to end this insanity before another generation is forced to endure the hypocritical prosecution of American citizens in the name of the drug war. If our "leaders" can't find that courage then they need to be voted out to make room for those who have the conviction to do real justice and end this domestic policy disaster. I urge all Americans to contact their representatives and let them know that we will not support this fraud any longer. Scott Russ Resident of the most incarcerated state in the U.S. thanks to the drug war Baton Rouge, La. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin