MARK UDALL'S HYPOCRISY

(Re: "Marked man," cover story, Feb. 28.) Mark Udall continues to
feed the hypocrisy of his life when he jokes about being arrested for
marijuana when he was "young and reckless." He was sentenced to one
year of probation and says he channeled the "experience" into
"something positive" by going on to graduate college and eventually
becoming executive director of Colorado Outward Bound, a state
representative and now a federal representative.

How well would Mark Udall have "overcome" his arrest if he were
arrested under today's drug laws?

If you get busted for pot today, the first thing that happens is that
you lose your right to federal financial aid for the rest of your
life. Millions of intelligent youth are being barred from college
educations because of "youthful indiscretions" just like Mark's.

Under today's Draconian drug laws, he might actually go to jail. A
recent Pew report showed that stiffer penalties for nonviolent drug
offenses caused the prison population to triple in the past 20 years
and that five states now spend more money on the prison-industrial
complex than on their higher-education system.

Even if you manage to stay out of jail, substance law offenders are
forced to pay for their own drug "rehabilitation" classes and random
urine and hair testing for illegal drugs. You can also lose your
driver's license, and then maybe your job, because it's difficult to
get to work without a car.

This is the reality of the War on (some) Drugs for young people today.
Mark is being extremely disingenuous when he makes light of his arrest
as just a small obstacle that made him a stronger person. In 2008, if
you get arrested for pot, it can ruin your life, and there is nothing
you can do about it. Unless of course your father was a powerful
member of Congress like Mark's was. But for the "little people," it's
go directly to jail - no college, no driver's license, large fines,
and in some states, you lose your right to vote for the rest of your
life. So you can't even vote to throw out the politicians that put
you in that situation! How convenient for people like Mark.

Mark has done nothing about this war on young people and minorities,
just as he has done nothing to stop the Iraq War. He shouldn't make
light of his "reckless" youth until he steps up and does something to
help today's young people achieve the same success he was privileged
to obtain.

Kathleen Chippi,

Nederland