DRUG-WAR RACISM - IS ANYTHING ELSE NEW?

I enjoyed your editorial on the racial inequities of the drug war ("One Law
for the Rich?" Editorial, Jan. 1). The discrepancy between prosecution
rates of minority crack possessors and white cocaine holders is nothing
new. We've known that this would be the result since the '80s, when the
anti-crack offensive took hold. Politicians react instinctively, waging
war, hoping for heroism.

Danny Terwey

Santa Cruz, Calif.

WHITE SHOULD RESIGN

Your editorial concerning U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White's selective
enforcement of the drug laws invites the following speculation: If every
so-called "recreational drug user" in America were arrested in the next 24
hours, how long would it take for the economy to grind to a total halt? The
so-called drug war is America's latest excuse to harass minorities. And
it's working so well that the drug prices are going down on every street
corner in America. Ms. White should resign for wasting all these billions
of dollars each year.

R.G. Frano

Jersey City, N.J.

JUSTICE SHOULD BE BLIND

Thank you, Mary Jo White, for demonstrating that enforcing the law has both
economic and racial boundaries. Everyone cries "reverse racism" when a
Bronx jury acquits a cop killer, but we look the other way when a white
professional gets a free ride. Justice and its application should be as
blind to baggy clothes in Washington Heights as it is to Armani suits on
the Upper East Side.

Jim Mensching

Virginia Beach, Va.

RACIST ENFORCEMENT POLICIES

Maybe the politicians and the media are required to adhere to the party
line of prohibition because so many political institutions just can't live
without the budget justification. The drug war also promotes, justifies and
perpetuates racist enforcement policies and is diminishing many freedoms
and liberties that are supposed to be inalienable, according to the
Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Myron Von Hollingsworth

Fort Worth, Texas

JIM CROW DRUG WAR

Drug prohibition began with highly fictional accusations about minority
drug users. That racism has only increased today. America's Jim Crow drug
warriors jail 13 times as many black drug prisoners as white, even though
whites use five times the amount of drugs as blacks. If our racist drug
crusaders ever dare enforce their lunatic drug-prohibition laws against
whites the way they do minorities, the drug war will be over within a week.

Redford Givens

San Francisco, Calif.