ADD HYPOCRISY

Your Aug. 26 editorial "Drugs and Politics" leaves out an important point:
hypocrisy.

How many of these politicians who duck questions about their drug use, or
who chalk up earlier use / abuse to "youthful indiscretion" have qualms
about drug laws that will either jail people for very long periods of time
or economically ruin them. George W. Bush has been a vocal proponent of
mandatory minimum sentences so severe that he would still be in jail if he
had been sentenced in his youth.

For him to brush off questions about his earlier use, while continuing to
imprison people for similar offenses, is like Bill Clinton telling poor
mothers on welfare to take chastity classes.

If George Bush did indulge in illegal white powders in his youth, so what? .
. . as long as he grants the same forgiveness he wants from us to people
languishing in America's prisons.

Alex Lantsberg, San Francisco