DRUG BILL 39 AND COLOMBIA

Proposal Would Aid, Not Punish, First-Time Offenders

In reference to The Gazette's April 25 report on Senate Bill 39
("Drug bill awaits final vote/Proposal gives first-time offenders
option of treatment"). I agree with Rep. Lynn Hefley that everyone
needs a second chance. Hefley understands and has a feeling for
people when she says first-time drug offenders should receive
treatment instead of jail time. We have all messed up at one time or
another and just needed to be pointed in the right direction.

It's a shame our district attorney, Jeanne Smith, is more interested
in convictions and punishing people rather than helping them. Of
course, we all know that convictions is what drives the Colorado
Springs justice system. The more convictions, the quicker they get
raises and promotions.

Hal Palmer
Monument

Drug War

We Should Do All We Can To Support Our Allies

The Gazette should stop its shameful marijuana advocacy. Your lip
service to smaller government and lower taxes lacks credibility when
compared to the quantity and passion of your pass to dope smokers. If
anything, America should apply the Bush doctrine in Colombia
("Widening war," Our View, April 22).

Libertarians hide behind such platitudes as, "You can't legislate
morality," and with the drug trade, "to resist it is useless." This
is a brazen display of moral bankruptcy in the modern age.

Drug use does not just dehumanize the person, but all of society.

Who will be the agent of this legalization? Will this be a state-run
monopoly like the telephone company or will cocaine and heroine have
corporate sponsorship? The money we are going to save from
legalization will pay for counseling for the unintended victims from
this trade.

With economic unrest in Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina, we must
commit ourselves to Colombian president Andres Pastrana and our
allies in our hemisphere.

James Anthony Bretney
Colorado Springs