How heavy-handed might government get over marijuana? How much property
will be confiscated? How many new prisons and all their prisoners will we
pay for?

Will we have any rights left in the wake of the war on drugs? War on some
drugs, of course, mostly marijuana.

We and the Bill of Rights are the main casualties. Every day it becomes
clearer that a cease-fire is out of our hands. Our government does not
represent us.

Government represents the money of those building new prisons, selling
drug-testing kits, selling legal drugs, even the organized criminals
pouring illegal drugs into our country. Drug profits are astronomical,
enough to buy all the political influence it takes to keep the war on drugs
going until there are few survivors.

Government slogans and lies have a lot of money behind them.

However, more and more people are waking up, thanks to dedicated activists
like Allison Bigelow and Tom Hawkins. And thanks to people like interactive
editor Doug Floyd, whose Jan. 26 Perspective article, "The marijuana
lobby," was truthful and clear.

But unless we are willing to take the step to civil disobedience, our vote
is all the power we have. Ask voters in Arizona and California about the
power of their vote.

Ralph Schneider
Medical Lake, WA