Pubdate: Sun, 16 Jul 2000 Source: Tampa Tribune (FL) Copyright: 2000, The Tribune Co. Contact: http://www.tampatrib.com/ Forum: http://tampabayonline.net/interact/welcome.htm Section: Commentary p.3 Author: Myron Von Hollingsworth NATION'S DRUG WAR HAS A SEPARATE ECONOMY Mike Plylar speaks the truth in his letter "Not really fighting drugs" (July 11th) - Kudos to The Tampa Tribune for publishing it. Maybe the politicians are required to adhere to the party line of prohibition because law enforcement customs, the prison industrial complex, the drug testing industry, the immigration and Naturalization Service, the CIA the FBI the Drug Enforcement Administration and the politicians themselves can't live without the budget justification, not to mention the invisible profits, bribery, corruption and forfeiture benefits that prohibition affords them. The drug war also promotes, justifies and perpetuates racist enforcement policies and is diminishing many freedoms and liberties that are supposed to be inalienable, according to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Myron Von Hollingsworth, Fort Worth, Texas - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens