HEROIN SIGNAL - GOOD, BAD AND UGLY

The Rev Ray Richmond must be arrested and charged for his deliberate
and calculated crime of allowing a heroin "shooting gallery" on his
premises.

It is the shepherd, not the flock, now losing the way. If the church -
and Mr Richmond - had any relevance, other than becoming an agent of
the drug industry, it would seek to prevent the use of heroin, rather
than condone and assist in its spread by providing drug-users sanctuary.

Mr Richmond claims he is saving lives - but for what end? What
prospect of redemption do these drug users have when their habit is
given tacit approval by the church in providing a place for them to
inject heroin? Hardly redemption of the body, for the church does not
seek to prevent the spread of heroin, and hardly redemption of the
soul, as the addicts are free to continue their habit, despite the
personal consequences.

This church is clearly lost, and struggling to find some relevance, or
some usefulness, in a society which increasingly rejects it for its
failure to adhere to its fundamental principles. The church has
decided to break the law to allow drug users to "safely inject heroin:.

Perhaps if it showed that it was not safe to inject heroin, it would
regain these principles and regain its worth - but for now Mr Richmond
must be arrested.

Richard Gray,
Drummoyne.
May 4.

Back in the l960s I was privileged to be involved in what was then a
bold new experiment that tested community attitudes ... it was the
first drop-in centre at the Wayside Chapel, run by the late Rev Ted
Noffs.

It provided a friendly and caring environment where young people with
drug and social problems could come without fear of retribution. In
those days the drugs were marijuana and LSD and the chapel guided many
young people through the most traumatic times of their lives.

Nowadays the drug is heroin and the Wayside Chapel is again testing
community attitudes by providing a safe environment for users of a
drug that is far more destructive than marijuana or LSD.

The chapel proved to be an innovator in the '60s and it will, I hope,
again prove that understanding and compassion are better cures than
punishment.

Bert Castellari,
Curtin (ACT).
May 4

So we have lessons in church to inject drugs "properly". What next?
Classes or criminals and "want-to-be" criminals to commit murders and
other crimes "properly"?

Poornima Bhat,
Chester Hill.
May 4.

The ongoing drug controversy reminds me of the words of a philosopher
who lived between 1225 and 1274 and who spent considerable time
reflecting on the law.

He said: "It is necessary to tolerate certain evils lest worse evils
should arise from the effort to repress them."

The wisdom of this view was clearly demonstrated during Prohibition,
known as the Noble Experiment, in the USA between 1919 and 1933, when
the alcohol industry became the sole province of gangsters with deadly
results.

The similarity between the prohibition of alcohol and our approach to
the drug problem is obvious. No good came of the former and none can
come of the latter.

Oh, the name of the philosopher was Thomas Aquinas.

John Silver,
Thornleigh.
May 4.

Is it possible for the Prime Minister to become more out of touch on
the drugs debate?

What exactly does Mr Howard mean when he says the Wayside Chapel's
Tolerance Room gives "bad signals"?

Another untimely death in a garbage-strewn back alley is a "good
signal", I suppose?

Ross A. Butler,
Rodd Point.
May 4.