A MINDSET THAT WANTS TO PUNISH PEOPLE FOR TELLING THE TRUTH

Wayne Laugesen's May 31 rant calling for Dr. Joel Becker's
imprisonment is indicative of a mindset that wants to punish people
for telling the truth. The psychologist had said to high school
students: "I'm going to encourage you to have sex, and I'm going to
encourage you to use drugs appropriately (resounding applause from
kids). And why I'm going to take that position is because you're going
to do it anyway."

What is wrong with this? Is it not better to face problems
realistically than to live in a fantasy world? High school students
do, in fact, have sex and use illegal drugs. It is a more rational
approach to try to lessen the potential harm that such activities can
cause rather than sticking one's head in the ground with
zero-tolerance policies that are unenforceable and doomed to failure.
Laugesen is not a help, but a hindrance in protecting the youth.

Harry Fisher/Woodland Hills, Calif.