Pubdate: Wed, 02 Jun 1999
Date: 06/02/1999
Source: Burlington Free Press (VT)
Author: Bob Melamede
Note: Headline by newshawk

I should no longer be surprised when the inaccuracies of your
reporting appear to fit the news to your wishful positions as drug
warriors, but I still am. In the Sunday May 2 edition, your coverage
of the "Crowd supports marijuana" sadly only provided two sentences,
one of which  grossly underestimated the crowd "over 100". In fact
over 600 people signed a document that stated:

"We the People believe in Truth,  Justice, Peace and Freedom. We
demand the end to Cannabis Prohibition and the release of all
Political Prisoners who are POWs for non-violent "Cannabis Crimes". We
vow to work together in love and harmony to end the tyranny of our so
called "leaders" who have selfishly, stupidly and treasonously gutted
our Constitutional Rights."

Most of the signers were from the Burlington region and most were
young but ranged from 12 to 85. I think that so many people,
expressing such a strong view regarding our laws and political system,
would deserve both coverage and concern. The lack of honest public
debate on marihuana only widens the gap between those who know the
truth and those who do not want to.

Bob Melamede, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Dept. of Microbiology and
Molecular Genetics

Stafford Hall room 226 University of Vermont Burlington, VT