UNFAIR TO LIMBAUGH

Columnist Cynthia Tucker, like most liberals, cannot see beyond the
rich/poor, black/white dichotomy she constructs out of her own prejudice.

In her Oct. 19 column, Quentin S., is her black and poor addict who,
we are told, gets jail time. Rush Limbaugh is her rich and white
addict who, we are told, will get no jail time. Case closed.

But wait. Let's examine the elements of her tale further. Quentin S.
was apparently arrested and charged because he was caught, tried and
sentenced by a judge, not to jail, but to rehab. When he failed to
stay off drugs he was incarcerated for a year, but again, with treatment.

Quentin was arrested for possession of marijuana and cocaine. Both are
illegal substances to have in your possession. Since we aren't told of
a physical malady for Quentin we can assume no doctor prescribed them
as treatment; and his use and addiction were of his own choosing and
consequence.

Finally, apparently because Quentin is poor, he is impelled to steal
to support his habit. Limbaugh has yet to be arrested, charged, tried
or convicted. His addiction is to OxyContin, a legal substance..

Limbaugh has made attempts, on his own to break his addiction.
Finally, the story of what happens to him legally is yet to unfold.

But Tucker hints at something else in her piece - hypocrisy. Ah, the
hypocrisy of the right! To espouse values they don't always live up
to. Tsk, tsk. So it must be better to have and espouse no values. That
way one doesn't even have to try.

Milton B. Mantler

Gurley