GANGSTERS CHEERING

Hooray to the El Paso City Council for its courageous attempt to
pressure the feds to legalize drugs. Sure, it's a political hot
potato, but so was any mention of stock derivatives being worthless.

Then the shoe dropped and now everyone is wondering why our government
was promoting this garbage.

Nobody expects to be able to buy heroin at the corner Walgreens, but
how about allowing drugs in a locked, clinical setting? For the cost
of the present drug-enforcement program, drugs could be given for
free and doctors provided. And no lives would have to be lost.

Mayor Cook vetoed the measure. I guess it's politically correct to
take a "tough stand" on drugs, even though that gives this business to
the criminals. It really tells you something that he vetoed "an open
and honest debate on ending the prohibition on narcotics."

In other words, our elected representatives should not study this
action, nor should they be able to talk about it. Go ahead and support
the status quo, Mayor Cook. I'm sure the gangsters are cheering you
on.

Steve Smith

Alamogordo