FAILED POLICY

Drug War Promotes Criminal Activity

With 2.3 million Americans in prison, we should realize how
ridiculous America appears to the rest of the world, as we invade
nations to help them create a "better" society ("2.5M jailed in the
land of the free," The Gazette, Feb. 29). America has become a police
state with a prison system Stalin would have envied. The reason is
simple: Drug prohibition is a failed policy which, by way of the law
of unintended consequences, promotes and supports a large violent
criminal element in our society.

Prohibition of drugs simply does not work in a society in which 10
percent to 30 percent of the population enjoys using drugs.
Unfortunately, our spineless politicians, who can plainly see the
expensive folly of prohibition and yet refuse to change course, would
rather build prisons than admit failure.

It is said that we get the government we deserve. Unfortunately, we
are too weak and lazy as a people to demand a government which
returns to constitutional rule, which respects individual liberty,
and which does not take away our inalienable right to live free of
harsh and expensive governmental control.

J. Casey Elgin

Colorado Springs