FIREARMS VIOLENCE IS JUST A SYMPTOM OF THE WAR ON DRUGS

Editor, Daily Nexus,

Jeff Farrah points out in his opinion piece (Daily Nexus, "Documentary
Assaults the Second Amendment," Feb. 7) that Michael Moore's "Bowling for
Columbine" tends to be somewhat slanted and does not adequately represent
better-versed arguments in defense of our Second Amendment rights. I agree.
However, he does not reference one of the more important reasons for the
high number of gun fatalities in the U.S. Namely, our government's failed
"War on Drugs." Gun control advocates are always quick to point out the
high number of fatalities due to gun homicides. My question is what
percentage of these gun fatalities is related to our failed war on drugs?

Some drugs are illegal in this country. This leads to extremely high
profits for those willing to take their chances with the law and deal in
these lucrative commodities. To defend these high profits, gangs purchase
expensive, high-powered weaponry to defend their turf from other gangs in
order to protect their profits. The result is urban warfare with many gang
members being killed and, unfortunately, collateral damage resulting in the
death of innocent bystanders.

Our representatives in Washington need to get a clue and help to educate
the American people that the best way to deal with our drug problem is to
treat it as the health problem that it is. The answer is not for our
government to declare war on its own people. This only results in high
profits for those willing to participate and defend these profits at any
cost. When we finally decide to look at why there are so many gun
fatalities in this country and change the real cause of these fatalities,
we'll eliminate the collateral damage from this failed war. Maybe then we
can get to the point where we're not being forced to give up so many of our
civil rights, including our Second Amendment rights.

DAN GIVENS