Pubdate: Fri, 05 Feb 2010 Source: Maui News, The (HI) Copyright: 2010 The Maui News Contact: http://www.mauinews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2259 Author: David Starsoul Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n063/a06.html CHIEF'S STAND ON MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZATION OPPOSED Maui Police Chief Gary Yabuta (The Maui News, Jan. 22) said, "decriminalization of marijuana would make the police job more difficult." Then he pontificated about children and their moral choices. The chief has a right to his opinions. However, being a moral authority is above his pay grade. Obviously, he wants to usurp personal choice from us all. In a democratic republic, we each ought to have the right to choose which medicines we use. The job of the police chief is to defend all laws of the state and county that employs him and not to pick and choose. Yes, this may be a bit too difficult for some people, but it is their choice to accept service or not. Thousands of medical doctors, logistics, logic and centuries of prima-fascia evidence contradict Yabuta's opinion. Decriminalization of marijuana would only threaten police job security. Why do America's drug policies get created by special interest groups, and thugs, rather than medical doctors and scientific facts? President Abraham Lincoln said, "A counter-band creates a crime, where once there was no crime at all." When the so-called laws get debunked, the government's dilemma is how to release the millions of political prisoners without paying victim compensations. Marijuana laws are fraudulent, discriminatory, and unconstitutional (like alcohol prohibition was). Last I checked, the job of all legal officials is to support the U.S. Constitution. Amnesty for both sides is the only way to end this self-afflicted, unlawful, government war. David Starsoul Makawao - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom