The war on drugs has dug deeper to the bottom of the barrel. The ad
that leads off the $195 million (five-year, $1 billion)
broadcast-newsprint-billboard bonanza is a pathetic, sick, degenerate
piece dreamt up by the likes of the Partnership for a Drug-Free
America, the Ad Council, the Office of the National Drug Control
Policy, America's drug czar, president and speaker of the House.

The work of each on this score is an embarrassment to American values
and traditions. Prosecuting authorities should weigh the merit of
indicting those responsible for the drug war, for conspiracy to drive
ever more kids to drugs, gangs, corruption, violence and addiction.
Shame on the foolish, vote-mongering scum that run rampant over the
American public and the nations of the world.

Sometimes it's said that an addict has to hit bottom before there is
any hope of recovery and salvation. Maybe the same is true of government.

I'm tired of trying to make people understand that we must fight drugs
with drugs, like firefighters fight fire with fire. We must take the
profit out of the drug trade and the anti-drug war. To my chagrin,
this most recent anti-drug initiative defies this fundamental.

I hate this blood-letting, miserable, counter-productive,
brain-crippling, misguided, misdirected, ill-conceived, out-of-control
drug war beast.

Drugs, drug addiction and death are all made to look good in
comparison to the misery and harm caused by the drug war -- that is to
say, more drugs, addiction and death.

Stop the drug war! Save our kids!

And herewith I violate a fundamental rule -- hold your tongue and
withhold pen from paper until you've cooled off. Forgive me. As with
so many others, the drug war brings out the worst within me.

James E. Gierach
Oak Lawn