DRACONIAN DRUG WAR

Dear Editor,

I am not at all ashamed to say that I cried upon reading the story of Rusty
Windle ["Drug Warriors," Nov. 5], who was shot and killed in a drug warrior
task force raid of his home. I cried not just for Rusty, but also for those
who have already died and are yet to die in the same fashion. The foot
soldier who shot Rusty was not only cleared of wrongdoing, he was praised
by his superiors. His superiors are the ones who should face charges, for
they have allowed, as have so many local jurisdictions across America, to
be co-opted by federal agencies and mandated into implementing tactics used
within regimes where the only Bill of Rights lists the rights of
government. The War on Drugs breeds contempt within law enforcement for
citizens' civil rights with disregard for individual privacy, right to
property, right to self-defense, and many other rights defined and declared
as inalienable by our Bill of Rights. Even the most basic right, the right
to life, has been deemed to be forfeitable by the anti-drug lords that wage
this war. The war on drugs is a war on people. It has as much to do with
drugs as the Boston Tea Party had to do with tea. And just as King George's
oppression of the colonists was basically economic, the war on drugs
continues and grows because it is a multibillion dollar industry. The drug
warriors in Washington have no plans on ever ending their cash-cow drug
war. They are addicted to the power and the money. They become the pushers,
addicting local police forces no differently than drug lords wish to addict
those weak enough to sample their wares. The drug lords fear
decriminalization and regulation as much as the drug warriors, as that
would put both sides out of business. Take a long hard look, America. It's
the drug warriors who are addicted. It time for you to stand and JUST SAY
NO! to this draconian policy. In the cause of liberty and justice for all,
I am,
Very sincerely yours,

R.L. Root