AN HONEST PERSON

As an out-of-state observer and online reader of your newspaper, I must say
that the recent furor over the actions of Judge Gilbert is quite an insight
into social behavior by humans. Most of your letter writers are highly
critical of the judge for having smoked the marijuana and thus broken the
law. Some describe him as a hypocrite, and others use stronger language.

I find it interesting that when it comes to marijuana smoking by public
figures, nobody has yet mentioned that in the last presidential election,
nearly all the candidates admitted to past use of marijuana. Indeed, Bill
Clinton admitted smoking pot and actually ran the federal government for
eight years. There is circumstantial evidence that President Bush used
cocaine in his earlier years.

If illegal drug users are able to function as president of the U.S., why
does it seem strange that an illegal drug user cannot function as a circuit
judge?

I have no idea of what Judge Gilbert's record is as a judge, or whether he
is considered fair or not, but in view of his open admission to having used
the evil weed, he would seem to be an honest person. That is more than can
be said for many other government officials.

Richard Sinnott

Fort Pierce, Fla.