HIPPIE WAR

The article by Paul Dougan about the true nature of the drug war strikes me
as very clear-sighted and honest ("War on ponytails," Speaking Out, Feb.
28). He cuts a clear path through the propaganda and confusion surrounding
this issue. I'm writing this letter to put his thoughts into a broader context.

Dougan concludes that the drug war is a social war on the counterculture,
which puts it directly in line with American institutions such as
segregation, WW II Japanese concentration camps, and the Indian wars. This
is a strong allegation, but the implications of this social war go even
further. We live in a world where, as a whole, old-growth forests, jungles,
and coral reefs are rapidly shrinking, while deserts are growing. The
Earth's temperature rises, while it's bio diversity is plummets. The
counterculture that Dougan writes about is the heart of the movement to
save our biosphere from one of the most dramatic die-offs of the planet's
history.

Let's also put forfeiture laws and plea bargains into the picture. The
property of suspected drug offenders can be permanently taken from them
without an arrest ever being made. And, if an arrest is made, the case will
most likely be settled without ever going to trial.

Simplistically put: There is a strong chance that the Earth is on the brink
of one of the worst catastrophes of natural history, and it may be within
the power of human kind to prevent, or at least limit, the severity of this
occurrence. The social group most active and committed to this endeavor is
the hippies. Unfortunately, this group is chained down by the fact that
most of its members can, perfectly legally, be imprisoned and/or have their
property stolen at anytime, without a trial.

Chris Mandel/Lafayette