MANY ASPECTS OF THE DRUG WAR ARE 'TOO BAD'

A portion of your Sept. 18 editorial "Good Decision" left me
disgusted. You wrote "charges against (X) were dismissed. That is to
bad".

Too bad that half of the federal prison spaced is used to jail
nonviolent drug offenders.

Too bad that some states, like California, have more nonviolent drug
offenders serving 25 years to life without parole than all their
thieves, rapist and murderers combined.

And, too bad, to those nonviolent drug offenders who have been raped
in prison and infected with AIDS, in essence sentenced to death for
using marijuana.

Too bad that the average prison time served by nonviolent drug
offender exceeds the average time served by a murder.

Too bad innocent citizens have been killed or maimed for life in
accidental wrong address raids by agents of the state. Too bad
innocent citizens have had money and property confiscated (stolen).

Too bad the CIA has been involved in bringing narcotics to Americans
who are then arrested and jailed for using these same narcotics.

Too bad the federal government has openly supported with money and
weapons dictators, who are drug lords so long as these have declared
themselves to be anti-Communist.

Too bad is a shameful nation that drags its rambunctious little boys
to pediatricians to get that much needed Ritalin then jails its men
for smoking pot.

Too bad, is a citizenry grown so sheepish that it continues to convict
nonviolent drug offenders instead of defying the law and demanding a
different approach.

And, its to bad, a Vermont army guard recognizance aerial unit is out
looking for marijuana plants at a time when the country is engaged in
a perilous struggle against terrorism.

Robert K. Kirchoff

Watertown