GONE TO POT

[Editor's note: This is in reaction to the letter entitled, "Respect
deserved by all," in the July 5 Xpress.]

No offense, sir, but while I respect what you're doing, most folks,
Christian or otherwise, would view a stoner preaching the gospel as a
contradiction in terms, and simply label you as hypocritical. I
personally claim no affiliation with any particular denomination or
sect, but am simply seeking to state my honest opinion(s). Would
Jesus himself condone people frying their brains on weed, or any
other drugs, for that matter? I mean seriously ...

The fact is, marijuana kills brain cells and often short-circuits
motivation. Condoning illicit drug use, I feel, is anything but
beneficial to those who find themselves in oppressive circumstances,
such as the homeless. I once knew a guy who lost everything he had
and went to stay with a friend of mine. Instead of trying to better
himself, he would continuously "borrow" money from people he knew in
order to buy weed, sometimes walking over 10 miles to make the
illegal purchases. Said individual was hardly helping himself, and if
what he was doing doesn't count as addictive and destructive, I don't
know what does. Like I said, I respect your efforts to elevate your
fellow man, but wouldn't it be far better if drugs did not play a part in them.

- - James P. Anderson

Simpsonville, S.C.