LET'S WIN THIS TIME

Now that we are in the middle of our "war on terrorism," it is interesting
to note how successful we have been at America's other wars. The war on
poverty started in the 1950s. Chicago's homeless shelters are at capacity,
and they are now turning people away. These are family shelters with young
children that are homeless in our own community.

Yet, our government gave the Taliban $113 million last year not to grow
poppy plants to stop opium production. The Taliban: our partners in the war
on drugs. More than $500 million has been raised for the victims of the
Sept. 11 attacks. These are people who had high-salary jobs, life insurance
and death benefits for spouses and children. We have more than 5,000
homeless children in this country with no source of income or medical
coverage. Don't they deserve some help from fellow Americans?

And of course, the war on drugs keeps our prisons full with nonviolent
offenders who are addicts needing treatment, not lockup. Somehow, we have
the money and resources to pay to keep these nonviolent offenders locked up
and fed three meals a day, but the innocent, homeless children of America
have nowhere to turn. No planes are dropping food packages for them.
America has not been victorious in its war on poverty or drugs. We can only
hope the result will be different with the war on terrorism.

Michael Bilson, Berwyn