Pubdate: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 Source: Langley Advance (CN BC) Copyright: 2003 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc. Contact: http://www.langleyadvance.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1248 Author: Alan Randell Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) MARIJUANA: PROHIBITION PROPAGATES PROPAGANDA Dear Editor, Another day, another piece of one-sided, misleading, prohibitionist propaganda served up by the media to persuade us that one of the negative, unintended consequences of drug prohibition is all the proof we need that "drugs are bad," and that we should all continue to support the program that spawned the problem in the first place [Pot house up in smoke, Mar. 14, Langley Advance News]. Why do you not challenge the cops when they ladle out this sort of claptrap? Trust me, your readers are not simpletons. We can understand two sides of an argument. We can make up our own minds, rather than relying on the media to tell us what to think. Drug prohibition was initiated almost a century ago to "control" blacks (marijuana), Chinese (opium), and Mexicans (marijuana). Today, its purpose remains to distract attention away from government failures in other areas, and to provide a measure of vicarious enjoyment for the majority by persecuting an innocent minority. Charter? What Charter? Alan Randell, Victoria - --- MAP posted-by: Jackl