U.S. SHOULD CONSIDER HEMP AS ENERGY SOURCE

To the Editor:

Whether you are right, left or upside down in your political persuasion, to
believe that oil is not central to the Iraqi crisis is self delusion. Oil
is the principal source of energy for the United States and most of the
rest of the world. It is a finite resource and Iraq, is sitting on the
second greatest reserve in the world.

The Bush administration has as much as admitted that oil is pertinent to
its view of Iraq. The administration wants to finance any cost to its eager
urge to plunder Iraq with the sale of its oil to offset the cost of the war.

What America should be doing, to a greater degree, is focusing on a
renewable energy source that replaces or at least diminishes our dependence
on oil.

One real possibility is agricultural hemp. George Washington grew it. The
Declaration of Independence draft was written on hemp paper, and during
WWII American farmers were encouraged to grow it. It has only been this
ridiculous and untrue tying of agricultural hemp to marijuana that outlaws
its growth now.

Hemp could save our forests. One acre of hemp replaces four acres of trees
as a source of paper that is of superior quality. Its deep roots could
protect our top soil. It is resistant to pests lowering the need of
pesticides. It is a rich source of food. It can be made into fuel. And most
importantly, it is renewable.

It is past time for Americans to be continually misled by the merchants of
the big lie concerning agricultural hemp.

Don Peterson

Nashville 37221