SentLTE-Digest Monday, December 14 2009 Volume 09 : Number 077
001 LTE: WAR ON DRUGS REPLACES SLAVERY
From: Kirk Muse <>
002 LTE: Broken LTE page
From:
003 LTE: Re: 'Marijuana is now a personal matter for Czechs'
From: Kirk Muse <>
004 LTE: Re: 'Marijuana is now a personal matter for Czechs' (Correction)
From: Kirk Muse <>
005 LTE: Re: 'Double DARE: One Police Chief's response'
From: Kirk Muse <>
006 LTE: Re: 'Legalize pot'
From: Kirk Muse <>
007 LTE: Fwd: MN: US TX: Editorial: Border problem: Corruption Cases Among
From: Richard Lake <>
008 LTE: 'Police say fatal Oakland shooting might be drug-related'
From: John Chase <>
009 LTE: Re: 'How to beat city crime: legalize drugs'
From: Kirk Muse <>
010 LTE: Re: 'Marijuana safer choice than alcohol'
From: Kirk Muse <>
011 LTE: Dr. Carl Bartecchi's letter 'MEDICAL MARIJUANA' Dec 13th
From: John Chase <>
012 LTE: 'Losing Rachel'
From: John Chase <>
013 LTE: Re: 'Crime bill ideal for gangsters'
From: Kirk Muse <>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subj: 001 LTE: WAR ON DRUGS REPLACES SLAVERY
From: Kirk Muse <>
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:52:51 -0800
To the Editor of The Toccoa Record:
I'm writing about R. S. Chambers' not-so-thoughtful letter: "As long
as drugs are sold, problems arise" (12-10-09).
In 1963, when Dr. King delivered his famous "I have a dream" speech, we
had about 200,000 total prisoners. Today, largely because of our war on
drugs policies, the United States has more than 2.3 million prisoners.
It’s obvious that the so-called war on drugs is actually a war on
(politically selected) people — and black people are those politically
selected people.
Even though blacks and whites use illegal drugs at about the same rate,
blacks are 13 times more likely to go to jail or prison for a so-called
drug crime.
Where is the outrage? Where is the outrage from the black community?
Where is outrage from the so-called black leaders? Where is the outrage
from America? Where is the outrage from the rest of the world?
The whips and chains of slavery have been replaced with prison cages.
Kirk Muse
1741 S. Clearview Ave.
Mesa, AZ 85209
(480) 396-3399
Thank you for considering this letter for publication.
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Subj: 002 LTE: Broken LTE page
From:
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:18:07 -0800
I wrote this LTE in response to "Addicts...start on pills, not needles" in
the Port Clinton News Herald but the LTE page doesn't work.
Russ Zimmer's piece on prescription drug use is yet another spoonfed DEA
propaganda piece issued to support "Diversion" agents who bust into our
doctor's offices, terrorizing good doctors who are just trying to alleviate
suffering in the best way they can. These cases are springing up all over
the country. It is a witch hunt. Meanwhile all other doctors are afraid to
prescribe these important drugs no matter how much they are needed. The
DEA's record in this is terrible. To suffer needlessly from pain in the
21st Century, as I do, is unacceptable.
Furthermore, most addicts begin with alcohol and tobacco, not schedule 2
narcotics. We've had enough Drug War hysteria and demogoguery; the time has
come for rational responses to these issues.
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attachment: http://mapinc.org/temp/24IHu7ljGvc6A.html
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Subj: 003 LTE: Re: 'Marijuana is now a personal matter for Czechs'
From: Kirk Muse <>
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:38:14 -0800
To the Editor of The Wall Street Journal:
So the use and possession of small amounts of marijuana is now
a personal matter for Czech citizens but not for American citizens.
("Marijuana is now a personal matter for Czechs" WSJ 12-11-09).
I have two questions I'd like to ask Barack Obama: Where would
he be today if he had been arrested, strip searched and thrown in
jail with violent criminals? And why does he want marijuana to
remain completely unregulated, untaxed and controlled by
criminals?
Kirk Muse
1741 S. Clearview Ave.
Mesa, AZ 85209
(480) 396-3399
Thank you for considering this letter for publication.
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Subj: 004 LTE: Re: 'Marijuana is now a personal matter for Czechs' (Correction)
From: Kirk Muse <>
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:30:03 -0800
To the Editor of The Wall Street Journal:
So the use and possession of small amounts of marijuana is now
a personal matter for Czech citizens but not for American citizens.
("Marijuana is now a personal matter for Czechs" WSJ 12-11-09).
I have two questions I'd like to ask Barack Obama: Where would
he be today if he had been arrested for using or possessing
marijuana, strip searched and thrown in
jail with violent criminals? And why does he want marijuana to
remain completely unregulated, untaxed and controlled by
criminals?
Kirk Muse
1741 S. Clearview Ave.
Mesa, AZ 85209
(480) 396-3399
Thank you for considering this letter for publication.
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Subj: 005 LTE: Re: 'Double DARE: One Police Chief's response'
From: Kirk Muse <>
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 07:57:17 -0800
To the Editor of The Beacon:
I'm writing about: "Double DARE: One Police Chief's response"
(12-12-09).
Common sense tells us that the DARE program should deter
our youth from using illegal drugs. But it doesn't. DARE
graduates are more likely to use illegal drugs--not less.
Common sense tells us that the Earth is the center of the
universe and our solar system. But it's not.
Common sense tells us that prohibiting a product should
substantially reduce the use of the product that's prohibited.
Actually, prohibition tends to substantially increase the desire
for the product that's prohibited.
Before marijuana was criminalized in the U. S. via the Marijuana
Tax Act of 1937, the vast majority of Americans had never
heard of marijuana. Now everybody in the U. S. knows what
marijuana is and the U. S. government estimates that at least
100 million Americans have used it. About half of all high
school students will use marijuana before they graduate.
People want what they are told they cannot have--especially
children. The lure of the "forbidden fruit" is very powerful.
Kirk Muse
1741 S. Clearview Ave.
Mesa, AZ 85209
(480) 396-3399
Thank you for considering this letter for publication.
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Subj: 006 LTE: Re: 'Legalize pot'
From: Kirk Muse <>
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:09:04 -0800
To the Editor of The Topeka Capital-Journal:
I'm writing about John Chase's thoughtful letter: "Legalize pot"
(12-12-09).
According to a recent Rasmussen poll 44 percent of adults believe that
pot is just as, or more dangerous, than alcohol. See the weeb site:
http://tinyurl.com/lqmqqz
Until this false belief can be changed, marijuana will probably remain
a criminalized substance. The fact is marijuana is an extremely safe
product. (No reported deaths in the 5,000 year history of its use.)
People consume marijuana for the same reasons they consume
alcohol. Why not offer adults the much safer alternative to alcohol?
Kirk Muse
1741 S. Clearview Ave.
Mesa, AZ 85209
(480) 396-3399
Thank you for considering this letter for publication.
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Subj: 007 LTE: Fwd: MN: US TX: Editorial: Border problem: Corruption Cases Among
From: Richard Lake <>
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:37:00 -0800
LTE sent to El Paso Times:
I don't know why your reporter was surprised about corruption among
ICE agents dealing with drug smuggling on the border. Law
enforcement corruption is always a by-product of prohibition laws.
Over 1/3 of federal alcohol prohibition agents, including the
Director were fired or convicted for corruption. The Bureau of
Narcotics dumped over 30% of its agents for corruption twice: in the
1930s and in the 1960s. The Border Patrol had a continuous history
of agents corrupted by drug smugglers.
The drug laws don't keep out drugs: you may buy anything you want on
almost any corner. What they do, instead, is make our society more
dangerous and our law enforcement corrupt.
I taught Controlled Substances Law in a law school for over 10 years
and know it is time for reform. We must repeal drug prohibition.
- ---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: MAPNews <<>
Date: Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 2:01 PM
Subject: MN: US TX: Editorial: Border problem: Corruption Cases Among
To: <
Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: Wed, 09 Dec 2009
Source: El Paso Times (TX)
Webpage:
<http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_13954959>http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_1
Copyright: 2009 El Paso Times
Contact:
<http://www.elpasotimes.com/formnewsroom>http://www.elpasotimes.com/for
Website: <http://www.elpasotimes.com/>http://www.elpasotimes.com/
Details: <http://www.mapinc.org/media/829>http://www.mapinc.org/media/829
BORDER PROBLEM: CORRUPTION CASES AMONG OFFICERS RISE
Revelations about a rising number of corruption cases in federal
law-enforcement agencies don't exactly raise confidence about the
border violence and smuggling.
U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso, said, "As the federal government
has increased the number of Border Patrol agents on the ground, drug
cartels are having greater difficulty smuggling drugs across the
border and have had to resort to other tactics, such as bribery and
infiltration."
It's bothersome, but not really surprising. Cartels have a lot of
money to throw around and that can be awfully tempting to a lot of
people who won't see that kind of money in a lifetime.
Another powerful incentive to cause a law officer to "turn" is the
threat of violence against the officer, family members or relatives.
The criminal element along the border has a lot of weapons at its
command and won't hesitate to use any of them.
One of the best ways to keep corruption under control is the thorough
investigation of cases and the swift prosecution and severe punishment
of those who break the law.
Between Oct. 1, 2008 and Sept. 30, 2009, the Inspector General's
Office of the Department of Homeland Security opened 72 criminal cases
alleging corruption among personnel in its agencies. It's a serious
problem and appears to be growing.
We must be able to trust in the integrity and efficiency of our border
law-enforcement personnel, particularly because it appears that border
problems, including violence and smuggling, are going to get a lot
worse before they get better.
The feds must keep the upper hand in corruption problems.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D
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Subj: 008 LTE: 'Police say fatal Oakland shooting might be drug-related'
From: John Chase <>
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:34:45 -0800
Editors -
Re: "Police say fatal Oakland shooting might be drug-related" 12/12/09
I wish your headline had said "prohibition-related", rather than
"drug-related". It would have been more accurate.
The violence is driven by the illegal wealth of the street; drugs are
merely the medium of exchange. When Al Capone ambushed his competitors
in the 1929 "St.Valentine's day massacre", everyone knew it was caused
by National Prohibition, not by alcohol. When NP ended in 1933, the
murder rate plummeted by half in 7 years, according to FBI data. It
didn't climb back to the 1933 level until 1973, the year the DEA was
established and the modern drug war began.
Inaccurate labels helped put this failed policy in place; accurate
labels can help us roll it back. Your job is to use accurate labels.
John Chase
727-787-3085
1620 E Dorchester Dr
Palm Harbor, FL 34684
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Subj: 009 LTE: Re: 'How to beat city crime: legalize drugs'
From: Kirk Muse <>
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:50:15 -0800
To the Editor of The Hartford Courant:
I'm writing about Robert Painter's outstanding oped: "How to
beat city crime: legalize drugs" (12-13-09).
Unfortunately, the common sense solution
to Hartford's crime problem lies in Washington, DC--not Hartford
Connecticut or any other city or town in the United States.
Since the vast majority of all of our violent crime and property
crime is caused by our drug prohibition policies, the common sense
solution is to re-legalize all of our now illegal drugs. Then the drugs
can be sold in legal, regulated and licensed business establishments.
Then drug dealers as we know them today will disappear for economic
reasons. Then our so-called "drug-related crime" will be in our past--
not our future.
Most people currently employed in law enforcement are against
the re-legalization of our now illegal drugs. That's because we would
need far fewer law enforcement personnel if all drugs were re-legalized.
However, there is one organization made up of of law enforcement
personnel who favor the re-legalization of all drugs despite the fact
that it's against their own economic self interest to do so. That
organization is called L. E. A. P. (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition).
I suggest the readers visit the L. E. A. P. web site at: www.leap.cc.
Then arrange for a speaker from L. E. A. P. to give an informative
and entertaining talk about our current and past drug policies to any
organization or group.
Most will arrive at the L. E. A. P. talk skeptical--most will leave
convinced.
Kirk Muse
1741 S. Clearview Ave.
Mesa, AZ 85209
(480) 396-3399
Thank you for considering this letter for publication.
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Subj: 010 LTE: Re: 'Marijuana safer choice than alcohol'
From: Kirk Muse <>
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:57:50 -0800
To the Editor of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:
I'm writing about Howard Wooldridge's thoughtful letter: "Marijuana
safer choice than alcohol" (12-13-09).
According to a recent Rasmussen poll 44 percent of adults believe that
pot is just as, or more dangerous, than alcohol. See the web site:
http://tinyurl.com/lqmqqz
Until this false belief can be changed, marijuana will probably remain
a criminalized substance. The fact is marijuana is an extremely safe
product. (No reported deaths in the 5,000 year history of its use.)
People consume marijuana for the same reasons they consume
alcohol. Why not offer adults the much safer alternative to alcohol?
Kirk Muse
1741 S. Clearview Ave.
Mesa, AZ 85209
(480) 396-3399
Thank you for considering this letter for publication.
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Subj: 011 LTE: Dr. Carl Bartecchi's letter 'MEDICAL MARIJUANA' Dec 13th
From: John Chase <>
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:29:36 -0800
Editors - Pueblo Chieftain
Re: Dr. Carl Bartecchi's letter MEDICAL MARIJUANA Dec 13th.
History does not support Dr. Bartecchi's implied premise that
liberalizing the law against marijuana makes it more dangerous.
National Prohibition (of alcohol. 1920-1933) did indeed reduce the
prevalence of alcohol-related disease like cirrhosis, a fact known at
the time, even though medicinal alcohol use increased sharply.
But the medical benefits were overshadowed by the collateral damage of
prohibition, summarized by this snip from the 1930 resolution of the
Women's Organization for National Prohibition Reform, as follows:
"... the hypocrisy, the corruption, the tragic loss of life and the
appalling increase of crime which have attended the abortive attempt to
enforce it; in the shocking effect it has had upon the youth of the
nation; in the impairment of constitutional guarantees of individual
rights; in the weakening of the sense of solidarity between the citizen
and the government ....
History indicates that full legalization would reduce the NET damage.
John Chase
727 787 3085
1620 E Dorchester Dr
Palm Harbor, FL 34684
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Subj: 012 LTE: 'Losing Rachel'
From: John Chase <>
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:39:43 -0800
Sent online to the Tampa Trib -
Your story "Losing Rachel" breaks my heart. The police pressure
arrestees to try to clear their records by entrapping others. Entrapping
others is dangerous, because the person trapped is often violent and
wants revenge. Police don't like to do it themselves. Rachel's father
does God's work as he keeps pressing Florida to protect young people he
will never meet. But the long-term effect will be to extend the life of
pot prohibition by tamping down public outrage at its abuses.
We must ask ourselves if prohibition causes more damage than it
prevents. My parents faced that question in 1933 about alcohol
prohibition. Although alcohol-related diseases declined during
prohibition, the collateral damage was so great they supported repeal.
For the 76 years since repeal, we've been spared the stories of
bootlegger turf battles, official corruption and accidental alcohol
poisonings. We should repeal marijuana prohibition.
John Chase
Palm Harbor, FL
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Subj: 013 LTE: Re: 'Crime bill ideal for gangsters'
From: Kirk Muse <>
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:24:50 -0800
To the Editor of The Toronto Star:
Thanks for publishing Russell Barth's outstanding letter: "Crime
bill ideal for gangsters" (12-13-09).
I'd like to add that the drug war is a huge bureaucracy and industry.
Victory is not the goal in the drug war.
Victory in the drug war would mean that the bureaucracy and industry are
out of business. The notorious gangster Al Capone made most of his
illegal money from alcohol prohibition. Capone had hundreds of
politicians on his payroll. Is it unreasonable to suspect that the drug
lords are following Capone's business model?
What type of politicians would the drug lords have on their payroll?
Politicians who urge the status quo of drug prohibition, or politicians
who suggest that we re-legalize drugs to put the drug lords out of business?
Kirk Muse
1741 S. Clearview Ave.
Mesa, AZ 85209
U. S. A.
(480) 396-3399
Thank you for considering this letter for publication.
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End of SentLTE-Digest V09 #77
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