DRUG WAR CASUALTIES

I feel sorry for Alice Pauser and her daughter ("Making the earth barren,"
8/30/02). It's a good thing to keep a critical eye on any powerful law
enforcement office. There is a worse culprit, however, regarding the fate
of Genevieve Pauser, and it's the drug laws. If marijuana weren't illegal,
Genevieve's guy friend wouldn't have hatched a plan to rob someone of
drugs. The man who was killed would still be alive, and the four young
people convicted would be able to look forward to a life without a criminal
record. DA Brian Blanchard would also have one less distraction to his
investigation of the caucus scandal. I'd like to invite Alice Pauser to
look into Ed Thompson for governor. He's the only candidate with the real
life experience of facing an unjust prosecution, and he goes farther on
drug reform than any other candidate.

Rolf Lindgren, Madison