DON'T WASTE RESOURCES ON WEEDING OUT THIS PLANT

Editor, The News:

I'm sorry, but the boonie-bias and outright bigotry - with total lack of
regard for personal freedom, liberty, or hard-fought-for democratic right,
law or even due process - shown by the unsigned opinion piece "Pot party's
latest antics a shot at taxpayers" (The News, May 26, Viewpoint) forced me
to write with vigor.

This is such a typical example of the kind of tripe repeatedly generated by
the Valley's closed-minded liberally under-educated press. I cannot believe
the local papers represent the local communities in their business and
police-vantage, vigilante viewpoints. Folks just ain't that stupid - even
in the 'burbs.

Even here in East Van we're not that dumb, and readers' IQ's would surpass
whatever quotient these community editors have set. A system preoccupied in
a war against a plant diverts precious resources from more serious issues
and crime.

We all need protection against those that seek to harm us, our loved ones,
and the vulnerable but given such a finite resource as our tax dollar,
shouldn't priority be given to violent crimes rather than controlling which
plants a gardener grows?

Willy's pig farm is part of the fallout of the war on drugs and should be
examined further to show what a complete failure the drug civil war is.

Opportunists like the "US Drug Czar" John Walters and "B.C.'s Top Cop" Rich
Coleman use drug war media hysteria to advance their careers.

If prohibition is repealed and the herb is available in regulated coffee
shops, herb stores and pharmacies, people wouldn't be offered meth, crack
and heroin by the black market like they are now.

With no war, fewer victims would get hooked on hard drugs.

If they did, they could go to the doctor to get their drugs instead of a
pimp or instead of prostituting themselves or instead of committing violent
crimes to get their fix and shoot up in an alley with puddle water.

I've even seen hard drug addicts and alcoholics wean off their
self-destruction by using pot.

Decades ahead, when this reefer madness has ended and the US/DEA/CIA drug
war dragon has been slain, then Tim Felger, Don Briere, Emery and the
others your papers vilify in print will be revered by the new generations
and celebrated for their "heroism" in the time of drug-war peace, while
your opinions will be remembered only as laughable lies.

Police, politicians and media against legalization support organized crime.

It is their bread and butter, so why not?

John Patrick Gordon