Pubdate: Pubdate:  3  March 1999
Source: Vancouver Province (Canada)
Copyright: The Province, Vancouver 1999
Contact:  http://www.vancouverprovince.com/
Author: Alan Randell, Victoria

DAD LACKS STRENGTH TO READ DEAD SON'S JOURNAL

My heart goes out to Gwen Robertson as she tries to come to terms with
the tragic death of her son, Allister Marselje (Mom mourns son lost to
mean streets, Feb. 28). Allister was one more casualty of the war on
drugs and that ridiculous law that seeks to punish individuals for
what they ingest into their own bodies.

My son, Peter, who was poisoned in 1993 by adulterated street heroin,
was another.

Like Allister, Peter kept a journal, but I haven't yet summoned up the
courage to read it myself, although his mother has read portions of it
to me.

However there is one group of Province readers who are presumably
celebrating Allister's death.

To judge from their angry, self-righteous letters back on January 6 in
support of the Abbotsford police killing of the family dog in a drug
raid, they feel that the only good drug dealer is a dead drug dealer,
and Allister was, in their terms, a drug dealer.

Bigoted and ignorant citizens are needed to maintain the war on drugs
that's for sure. But a courageous and honourable Prime Minister could
easily sway the howling mob if he had a mind to.

It is Jean Chretien, who refuses to lift a finger to stop the drug war
and save the lives of our children, at whose door Allister's death
must be laid.

Alan Randell
Victoria

Eleanor and Alan Randell 1821 Knutsford Place, Victoria, BC, Canada,
V8N 6E3 E-mail: Telephones: Home 250-721-0356, Work (Alan) 250-952-2926

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