DRUG WAR CLAIMS 2 MORE VICTIMS

Happy Birthday, Siretha. Sorry you did not live to see your 11th birthday.

Starkesia, sorry about your being shot and killed too. I'm so sorry.

I've been trying to save both your lives since before you were born.
I started in 1989, campaigning for public office and against the
prohibition of drugs. But as you know -- well, as you knew -- the
drug war that started in 1970 is still going on.

Siretha White did not make it to her 11th birthday, but the drug war
is celebrating its 36th this year.

In contrast, the prohibition of alcohol only lasted long enough to
celebrate its 14th birthday before the public said enough of this,
and threw the 18th Amendment into the trash. In 1933, the public
decided to fight liquor with regulation and control instead of
prohibition. Al Capone and other gangs were not happy about it, any
more than the drug gangs of today will be when drug prohibition is trashed.

The prohibition of alcohol then and the prohibition of drugs today
cause violence, enable the gangs, and tempt people from the straight
and narrow. The prohibition of alcohol, instead of making the world
alcohol-free, led to the invention of the highball, bathtub gin and
new alcoholic poisons. The prohibition of drugs today, instead of
making the U.S. drug-free, has led to the invention of crack cocaine,
and the popularization of methamphetamines, Ecstasy, marijuana, and
purer heroin.

Drug prohibition, like its alcohol-prohibition predecessor, looks and
sounds good-- "Save our children." Ironically, the truth to the
contrary is evidenced by sticky pools of blood leaked from the bodies
of children lying on the floor of their own homes in neighborhoods
like Englewood.

The killing of Siretha and Starkesia kept me from attending my
11-year-old's Cub Scouts awards dinner on Sunday. "Where's Jim?" my
wife was asked repeatedly.

I was in Englewood, mourning the death of two more drug-war victims
who I never met. I listened and watched. I asked a TV-reporter,
"Are they saying the same things as usual? 'Down with dope - up with
hope.' 'We need to mentor these kids.' 'We need jobs.' 'We need
activities for the kids.' 'Somebody's got to do something.'" The
reporter answered simply, "Yes."

I watched the same reporter interview a self-described community
activist. "We need to pray together. We have to stop this violence.
We need jobs..."

After the interview, I asked the activist whether this was a drug war
shooting. "No," he said. "Yes, it was," I replied. "Kids in this
neighborhood who are in the drug business need a gun to protect their
drugs, cash and turf."

I explained my view: If kids are armed for the drug business, then
they are armed for every purpose -- disputes over a girlfriend,
disrespect, and every other petty gripe of life.

"That makes sense," the activist said.

Yup, it does. But what's the official line from Chicago leaders and
the editorial pages? "Come to Chicago and explain why you're against
banning assault weapons." "The state has shortchanged Englewood some
CeaseFire dollars." "This has got to stop."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) wants to outlaw the digging of tunnels
near the Mexican-U.S. border to fight drugs. Many people support
big-brother Crime Camera Sentries in the public way. Pres. Bill
Clinton wanted to hire 100,000 more police officers. An Indiana
congressman wanted to sell Drug War Bonds. Block clubs, cul-de-sacs,
community policinga€| Sure, but end drug prohibition? God forbid.

I want an end to drug prohibition. I want to control and regulate
the manufacture, sale and distribution of narcotics. I want drug
abstinence, not imposed under threat of incarceration but achieved
through strength of character, the exercise of good judgment and
freedom of choice. I want to take the profit out of the illicit drug
business to stop the violence.

I want more Starkesia's and Siretha's to see the ages of 15 and
11. I want to wish them all, "Many more birthdays to you ... many
more bbirthdays to you."