END THE DRUG WAR

Editor - Your editorial regarding the violence in Mexico's drug war
("The high cost of courage," May 12) exemplifies how difficult it is
for your paper to demonstrate courage on this issue.

You say that drug demand on our side of the border is the root cause
of the violence when, in fact, it is our insistence on continuing a
losing drug war that is the real source of Mexico's violence.

The black market created by drug warriors, including American law
enforcement and their political supporters, keeps gangs and terrorists
at home and abroad well financed.

If law enforcement was serious about ending the violence, it would
stop the drug war and its incentives to commit violence for profit.
Since your own editorial acknowledges that demand for drugs is high
despite the drug war, then what purpose does the drug war serve other
than to enrich terrorists, gangsters, cops and prison guards at
taxpayer expense?

If you want to show real courage, then end the drug war and stop the
violence now. The violence is due to law enforcement's addiction to
taxes more than personal drug addiction. Unfortunately, that takes too
much courage for most to admit.

Limit government, not liberty.

Glenn White

Dublin