DRUG WAR VIOLENCE STRIKES AGAIN

The tragedy at the Rainbow Farm ("Standoff's Violent End Upsets Few
In Vandalia", 9/5) is just another example of the War on Drugs gone
completely out of control.

Here we have a man who has his son taken away from him for the
harmless act of smoking marijuana. When he protests, he and a friend
are shot dead by FBI agents without a trial or even an arrest.

Has the War on Drugs come to this, that smoking marijuana is an
offense punishable by death? I am shocked and appalled at the
behavior of our federal agents, but perhaps I shouldn't be surprised.
After all, we kill people in other countries (like Columbia and Peru)
for doing drugs -- so why not here?

Adam Wiggins,
Pasadena, CA

No Rainbow

Words cannot explain the sorrow in my heart, not only for Grover
Crosslin and Rolland Rohm, but for us all as a nation, so vengeful,
so corrupted and cruel, that we would allow government agents to
murder these men for such a fraudulent, unholy crusade, in which so
few actually believe.

What have we become?

History will not look kindly on us for what we've allowed to happen
in this deadly war against our own people who have beliefs of freedom
so deeply rooted that they attempted to face down this insane Drug
War machine.

Since these slayings took place on the watch of U.S. Atty. Gen. John
Ashcroft and Michigan Gov. John Engler, they had better pray that
come Judgment Day the God I was raised to believe in doesn't sit upon
the throne. I have no doubt that he'll condemn them.

Mike Plylar,
Kremmling, Colo.

Reform Needed

I wish to express sympathy for the families of the dead at Rainbow Farms.

As an attorney, I am disappointed in the actions at Rainbow Farms. As
director of the Personal Responsibility Amendment petition
initiative, I can only believe that this type of thing would not have
happened if our amendment were law in Michigan.

The decriminalization of hemp and marijuana, and the proposed
requirement that the proceeds of asset forfeitures be earmarked for
drug education and treatment programs, would likely eliminate the
types of situations that happened at Rainbow Farms.

This incident serves to renew the determination to see the PRA
proposal be placed on the Michigan ballot in 2002 so that the people
can choose between self-determination and the War on Drugs.

Gregory C. Schmid,
Saginaw