THE WAR ON DRUGS: UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

Since the election, I have seen numerous elderly black men and women
reminisce about their days sitting in jail cells in the 1960s, as part
of the civil rights movement.

That legacy has been fulfilled. Another remnant of that time, however,
is the earnest pursuit of the "Drug War" by all levels of government.
That evil continues to fill jail cells till this day-also
disproportionately with members of minority groups.

After the passage of Question Two in Massachusetts, perhaps the next
battleground will be the similar measure proposed at the federal level
by Congressmen Barney Frank and Ron Paul. I hope everyone will urge
John Olver and Richard Neal to sign onto this bill as co-sponsors in
the new Congress.

Terry Franklin

Amherst