DRUG WAR WON'T END BECAUSE IT'S A BIG INDUSTRY

Dear Editor: I'm writing in response to Patrick Brumm's thoughtful letter,
"Time to re-evaluate war on drugs."

The so-called war on drugs is a huge industry and huge bureaucracy.
Victory in the drug war is not possible, nor is it the goal. Victory in
the drug war would mean that the drug war industry and bureaucracy are out
of business.

There are basically two types of people who support the so-called war on
drugs:

* Those who make their livelihood from it. This includes politicians and
bureaucrats who are probably on the payroll of the drug cartels. (Al
Capone had hundreds of politicians and prohibition officials on his
payroll.)

* Fools -- taxpayers who have bought into the lies and propaganda of the
drug war industry and bureaucracy.

* Fools -- who are willing to deny liberty and freedom to others but think
that their own liberty and freedom will never be in jeopardy.

* Fools -- who believe that criminalizing a substance will make it go away.

* Fools -- who think that giving criminals control of dangerous drugs
somehow protects children and our society.

* Fools -- who think that they live in a free country even though the
United States is the most incarcerated nation in the history of human
civilization.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.