UBC PROPAGANDA MACHINE IS ALIVE AND WELL

Re: Flying in the face of facts, governments cling to futile drug
strategies, Editorial, Jan. 23

This editorial shows that the propaganda machine at UBC -- known as
the Centre for Excellence in AIDS/HIV -- is alive and well and has
the ear of the Sun's editorial board. A search of stories over the
past couple of months shows that they have cornered the opinion on
the value of harm reduction to the four-pillars approach. In spite of
the disconnect with what is really happening in the Downtown
Eastside, they continue to get the bulk of The Sun's ink.

I am not arguing the value of a balanced approach to the drug
problem, but would suggest that a balanced approach to reporting is
also needed -- try talking to someone who actually makes it off
campus and past Alma. Your one story regarding the mess that city
workers, local residents and VPD/RCMP have to address carried more
weight that an ivory-tower theory e-mailed in from UBC.

Wayne G. Mercer

Delta