SPEAKERS SAY DRUGS FUND U.S.

(U-WIRE) BOSTON -- The War on Drugs is benefiting the U.S. government and
business and hurting democracy at home and abroad, said Al Giordano, a
former political reporter for the Boston Phoenix and editor of the Narco
News Bulletin.

Giordano, speaking at Morse Auditorium, also presented guest speaker
Catherine Austin Fitts, who spoke about how the government is being
controlled by drug money, which contributes to 50 percent of their
political campaigns.

Fitts used the example of two boats, one containing a shipment of sugar
from South America and the other containing a shipment of drugs. The sugar
on the first boat would be sold for $100,000, while the drugs on the second
one would be sold for $25 million. The money from the sale of the drugs
would be invested in the stock market, allowing drug dealers to buy up
American companies.

"The government pays major companies to launder drug money," she said. "The
War on Drugs is not being run by drug lords, it is being run by the U.S.
government."

Giordano mentioned how the U.S. is preventing democracy abroad
specifically, in Latin America by supporting governments that support their
"War on Drugs." These governments support their favored drug dealers and
stamp out competition from poor farmers who want to grow the coca plant,
from which cocaine and crack come from, for the purpose of feeding their
families, he said.

"When it comes to terrorism, the U.S. is the largest exporter," he said.
Giordano spoke about "Plan Colombia," in which he said the U.S. invested
$500,000 to stop illegal drug trafficking because the Colombian government
refused to invest its money into the American stock market.

He also mentioned Sept. 11, 1973, when he said that more people died from
orders given by the U.S. government than on Sept. 11, 2001. He said that
the U.S. government under President Richard Nixon conspired with a
far-right wing military in Chile to overthrow its then democratic
government. The coup ended in the murder of thousands of innocent people,
he said.

"The war on drugs is making billions for some. It protects the people on
top, and punishes those on the bottom," said Giordano, who favors the
legalization of drugs.

Some found this news about the drug war interesting and shocking.

"I thought it was really eye-opening. I wonder if it could all be that
simple. In some ways I wouldn't be surprised if it was all true," said Sue
Curry, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.

"I thought the connection between Wall Street and the drug world was really
intense," said Dan Feder, a Boston University Professors senior, who
organized the event on behalf of the Student Underground.