WE'VE GOT MAIL

READERS EXERCISE THE FIRST AMENDMENT

It's a well-known fact that Boulder is an intelligent community.
According to a poll in the USA Today, 52.4 percent of our populace
over the age of 25 has at least a bachelor's degree, which is the
highest in the nation. And speaking of highest in the nation, another
poll found that Boulder was the second "highest" community when it
came to marijuana usage. So it makes sense that the letters
section-penned by you, dear Boulder-is one of Boulder Weekly's most
popular sections, with a wide variety of opinions, articulated to the
utmost.

Many readers have told us it's the first section they read when they
pick up the paper each week. For some reason, people seem to take
great pleasure seeing a despised columnist or blockhead letter-writer
receive the proverbial tar-and-feather job.

As Boulder County's true alternative voice, Boulder Weekly doesn't shy
away from controversial topics, and as a result, we've received our
fair share of rants, snappy one-liners and even the occasional
UnaBomber-esque manifesto. Some letters make us reflect on where we
may have fallen short of the mark, and others that stoop to personal
attacks make us chuckle and hit delete.

But more often than not, we receive letters of praise and thanks for
our efforts to illuminate the human struggle, dishonesty and
corruption resulting from the Bush administration and the
ill-conceived war in Iraq. Our inboxes have been jam-packed with
letters about the War on [some] Drugs, the War on Terror, Boulder
police riots, Ward Churchill and the call for Karl Rove's head. We
appreciate the letters from readers who waxed sentimental on the
passings of Hunter S. Thompson and our beloved Penny Lane.

So every year at this time, we take a wistful look back at the year
that was and select our favorite letters, whether they're funny,
touching, thought provoking or just downright mean-spirited. Enjoy,
dear reader, our fourth annual Letters Edition. And as always, if you
love it, or think it sucks, shoot us an e-mail or snail mail, and let
us know your thoughts-no matter how intelligent or drug-addled they
may be. Who knows, maybe you'll make next year's final cut.

War in Iraq The war in Iraq-ostensibly part of George W's "War on
Terror"-was the leading topic among Boulder Weekly readers this past
calendar year. Overwhelmingly opposed to the war, readers decried the
suffering of both U.S. soldiers and Iraqi civilians, calling for the
removal of U.S. troops, even as public sentiment turned against the
war. But, as one reader pointed out, there's no pleasure in saying "I
told you so" when it comes to something as terrible as war.

Liberty Beat Libertarian columnist Ari Armstrong goes against
Boulder's liberal grain with his support of gun ownership and his
opposition to taxes. But he's right there with the bulk of our readers
with his call for an end to the War on Some Drugs. Arguably B-dub's
most philosophical columnist, he gets a mixed bag of mail, garnering
as much support as indignation.

MARIJUANA DIALOGUES

Many Boulder Weekly editions have exposed the price of prohibition
(Re: "The price of prohibition," Liberty Beat, July 21), but there is
another higher price that must be grasped.

The price of cannabis prohibition is freedom of religion.

People have used cannabis for spiritual religious reasons throughout
history. That the U.S. would prohibit this spiritually implicated
plant is a blatant failure to allow an environment conducive to honest
freedom of religion.

Fact is, the U.S. government has done much to perpetuate a dark,
bloody, Biblically sinful battle to eliminate cannabis and the
cannabis culture. This isn't just a corporation lying about a product;
this is a government stating they promote freedom of religion, yet
deny my historical legitimate religious culture that is acceptable to
Christ God Our Father.

That is many things, but that's not freedom of religion. By extension,
the price of cannabis prohibition is peace. My culture believes
cannabis is the tree of life as written about in Revelation 22 and is
for the healing of the nations. Without the tree of life, what will
heal the nations? Exterminate cannabis, the tree of life, and how will
the nations heal?

The cost of cannabis prohibition is higher than the buzz
itself.

Truthfully,

Stan White/Dillon

Drug Wars

Boulder came in at No. 2 in marijuana usage last year behind
Boston, Mass., and we must say, we're awfully disappointed. Next year,
with hard work and discipline, we can beat Boston. Here's how you
responded to Boulder's ranking, and the War on Some Drugs.

BOOZE VS. GANJA

I have been following the recent and ongoing coverage of the various
efforts underway to curb dangerous student drinking on and around
Colorado's college campuses, and I think our schools are going about
it the wrong way.

Consider the potential harms associated with alcohol: fatal alcohol
poisoning, sexual assault, fighting, unprotected sex-the list goes on
and on. Now, consider the greatest harms associated with marijuana, a
similarly inevitable and highly penalized activity on college
campuses. There has never been a single fatal marijuana overdose in
history, and the use of marijuana has never been conclusively linked
to violent, aggressive or sexually devious or vulnerable behavior.

So, why are colleges' penalties for student marijuana violations still
greater than those imposed for student alcohol violations? Colorado's
universities should consider this policy discrepancy and stop
implicitly steering their students toward a less penalized, albeit
more dangerous recreational drug.

Evan Ackerfeld/Boulder

BAD B-DUB

I have just read an article in the Boulder Weekly called "Pot City,
USA" (Wayne's Word, June 30). I'm a 12-year-old girl from Weld County,
and I do not think that was a good article. The author was pretty much
bragging that Boulder was the biggest pot-smoking town in Colorado and
the second most pot-smoking town in the USA. I thought we were
supposed to be teaching kids not do drugs, when the author of this
article is bragging. Boulder may be the wealthiest town in Colorado,
but I do not think it is the smartest. Most smart people do not smoke
pot. There are lots of people who do not smoke pot and are very smart.
I did not agree with the author on anything.

Anonymous/via Internet

SAINT JOEL

(Re: "Putting the kind in kindbud," news, March 24.) I had to take a
minute to write to thank you for the article you wrote about the
cannabis club. I lost my mother just months ago, and I, too, now see
the awful mistake this country has made in its continuation of the
so-called "War on Drugs." I firmly believe she would have had a
better end to her life if she had been given the option to use
cannabis as an alternative to the morphine she was given to suppress
her pain. The morphine left her in a total stupor, which kept her
from communicating with her loved ones and even her caregivers.

You are a true saint among men for seeing well beyond the "fog of war"
in this "Drug War," in that there truly is a benefit to cannabis use
for some people.

I know if your readers stopped to compare the Terri Schiavo case to
those of others dying of various terminal illnesses, it was correct
for the government to stay out of the personal business of Mr. Schiavo
and allow him to make the final decision on her behalf. This bears out
in numerous polls taken, showing four out of five Americans believe
the federal government, indeed, should stay out of personal health
issues. That very nearly matches a survey taken by the American
Association of Retired Persons showing that three out of four polled
support the use of marijuana for medical purposes, a show of support
for medical marijuana use from a group that is well experienced in
life issues, and more than average when considering educational background.

Thank you again for your most excellent work in this area and for your
courage to publish the truth about one of the most useful plants known
to humanity.

David Jones/via Internet