MEDIA COMPLICIT IN THE PHONY WAR ON DRUGS

Re: Crystal meth called latest drug scourge, Jan. 29.

Another day, another media piece designed to make us despise and/or fear
those who use or sell certain drugs. As usual, no opposing views are permitted.

Our drug laws make no sense whatsoever. Not only are they an affront to the
constitution, not only do they send crime rates into the stratosphere, not
only do they hurt users rather than help them, they fail the test of logic.
If drugs are banned because they are harmful, why don't we ban tobacco and
alcohol?

Drug prohibition began at the beginning of the 20th century as a means of
persecuting blacks (marijuana), Mexicans (marijuana) and Chinese (opium),
but today the cops are happy to make use of this evil law to harass and
control all those whose lifestyles they do not approve of.

These laws are nothing less than a state sanctioned, Hitler-like pogrom
designed to divert our attention from more important issues by ruining the
lives of the innocent few who happen to use or sell certain drugs.

How did the politicians win our approval, or at least our acceptance, of
such a manifestly evil crusade?

Because the media support it!

First, you immerse us in a torrent of "objective" accounts of the mayhem
without allowing the victims' stories to be told; gradually we are
persuaded "they only have themselves to blame." Second, you never miss an
opportunity to allow those who profit from the drug laws (cops, drug
experts, prosecutors, politicians, etc.) to tell their stories while
allowing only the occasional op-ed or letter from those who oppose the law.

Was there ever a greater gift to the rich and powerful elite of the modern
nation state in their never-ending campaign to quash the freedoms of its
citizens than the mass media? I don't think so.

Abraham Lincoln was mistaken. You don't have to fool all the people all the
time in order to oppress the people. All that's required is for the
majority to be fooled all the time, and sadly, once you have the media
behind you, that task is child's play.

Why do the media support a brutal government pogrom like our drug laws?

I can only surmise that tragedy, suffering and war sell more newspapers and
lead to higher TV ratings than happiness, contentment and peace.

Alan Randell

Victoria