THE CURRENT WAR ON DRUGS CONFLICTS WITH AMERICAN IDEALS

James Madison, primary author of the Constitution, said, "No nation
could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.

Of all the enemies of public liberty, war is perhaps the most to be
dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other.

The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in
human hands, will ever be liable to abuse."

The US/Texas Criminal "Justice" System reeks of injustice: racism,
hypocrisy, and corruption. Most recent court violence is clearly
related to these inequitable laws. Our drug policies create the black
market.

This creates an atmosphere in which we must be afraid to send our
children to a corner store or to let them out of our sight without
supervision.

The drug war is a sad and scandalous waste of precious lives and
dwindling resources. Tragedies are triggered by the black market.

Officers and innocent bystanders are killed. Katie Collman(Ind.)
and Paul Guajardo(TX) are two children who were murdered. It's
believed Katie stumbled on a meth lab and Paul was undercover at
14.

It's estimated over 100 million Americans have used illegal drugs at
some point in their lives. A more sensible solution: educate our
young, treat our addicts and respect the rights of adults to choose
their own recreational or medicinal intoxicant.

It would free law enforcement to better protect us from violence and
fraud plus create lots of room in prison for those who sold drugs to
children. It might improve our pervasive disrespect for the law.

B. Colleen Minter