TIME TO REFORM LAWS

How many of you have seen the ridiculous ads on TV? You know, the ones
bought and paid for with millions of taxpayer dollars that feebly
attempt to tie recreational drug use to terrorism, murder and rape. I
myself could hardly stop laughing at this opportunistic tactic by the
federal government and their hard-liner drug policy office.

Now I can laugh even louder because the drug warriors have been
exposed as hypocrites with different standards of justice for those in
their circle. Rush Limbaugh, a popular political pundit, has recently
admitted to the illegal procurement and use of Oxycontin and other
prescription drugs. Although I applaud him on his decision to, after
being exposed as a drug abuser, check into rehab and cure his
addiction (for the third time), one has to wonder!

Why hasn't President Bush, John Ashcroft or drug czar John Walters
denounced Rush as a threat to our children, a potential murderer or
rapist? Like, "Lock up your daughters, America, you don't know who
might be a Rush Limbaugh out there."

Why hasn't the DEA raided his home, seized all his assets and taken
him from his wife and children? After all, it would only follow the
doctrine they follow when prosecuting cancer and multiple sclerosis
patients and caregivers in medical marijuana cases.

Why haven't the members of Congress, including the members from our
state, who routinely pass laws with tough penalties for "druggies,"
said a single word about this incident?

How many of you have been begging to see Rush put behind bars? Do you
feel the same about it as you do every time you applaud an article in
The Times about another drug arrest being made? Do you hold separate
standards? Why is he any different than those you may refer to as
druggies, hippies, scum or criminals?

And last, but not least, why has Rush Limbaugh been supporting
terrorism?

I personally do not want to see Limbaugh go to jail, regardless of my
opinions of him. I do, however, believe it is time as a state and a
nation to rethink some of our drug policies. Making an ex-con out of
everyone who makes a personal decision to use drugs is not the only
answer. Furthermore, I do not believe hypocrisy has any place in democracy.

Jeremiah Gilbreath

Glencoe