Pubdate: Mon, 26 Apr 2010
Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
Copyright: 2010 The Commercial Appeal
Contact: http://web.commercialappeal.com/newgo/forms/letters.htm
Website: http://www.commercialappeal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/95
Author: Rick Forbus

WORK WITHIN LAW TO LEGALIZE POT

An April 23 letter writer asserts that police should be locking up 
murderers and other "real" criminals instead of harassing pot smokers 
at the park. The writer seems to believe that although there exists 
the law of the land, his disagreement makes its compliance optional. 
Perhaps he is right in that it should be legal (that is another 
debate). He is, however, wrong in thinking that it is legal. We all 
want peace and for violence to stop, but have these people that 
support a criminal activity paused to consider the mayhem that 
transpires in someone else's backyard?

A quick search yielded that Mexican drug cartels are responsible for 
15,000 murders in less than four years. Other claims have been much 
higher. One Columbian cartel kingpin is credited with over 3,500 
assassinations; these include police, reporters, judges and even 
construction workers and everyday people who had the misfortune of 
accidentally learning too much. Take another look at those alleged 
numbers. If you protest a war and bemoan crime, then should your 
commerce support a bloodbath? If you devoutly believe that legalizing 
pot is a good idea, you have the right to work within the law toward 
that end just as others have the right to oppose it. Tolerance isn't one sided.

Rick Forbus

Memphis
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom