Pubdate: Sat, 29 Apr 2000 Source: Palo Alto Daily News (CA) Website: http://www.paloaltodailynews.com/ Address: 329 Alma St., Palo Alto, Calif. 94301 Contact: 2000 Palo Alto Daily News Fax: (650) 327-0676 Author: Joan Gielow FOCUS ON FAITH-SPEAKERS ADVOCATE DRUG POLICY REFORM Tikkun Olam is a Jewish phrase that means repairing the world. "It is incumbent upon all Jews to do good deeds - mitzvahs - to repair the tears in the fabric of the world," said Jane Marcus. Then she found out that Methodists have a similar sense of activism. In that spirit, Marcus and Steve Beitler, both members of Congregation Beth Am, will present a forum called "Taking Fewer Prisoners: Toward a More Humane Drug Policy," tomorrow at 7 p.m. at St. Andrew's United Methodist Church, Palo Alto. Advocating reform of drug policy, emphasized Marcus, in no way means being in favor of drug use. Marcus and Beitler took a course on drug policy from Joseph McNamara, former police chief of San Jose and a Hoover Fellow, in which they learned that the current approach of treating drug use as a crime is a 20th century phenomenon. Prior to that, drug use was seen as a medical problem and addicts were pitied. Then came Prohibition, which had strong racist overtones toward recent immigrants. The Congressional Record urged keeping white women away from the heathens, who were high on drugs. Racist overtones are still evident today, in incarceration rates, said Marcus. "So we live in this bubble, this window, during which we know no other paradigm for dealing with drugs, other than saying it's a criminal act," said Marcus. Drug forum takes place April 30 at 7 p.m. at St. Andrew's, 4111 Alma St., Palo Alto (650) 493-0900. (snip) Focus on Faith appears every Saturday in the Daily News. To contribute items about your church, synagogue or house of worship, contact Joan Gielow at (650) 856-6270, fax her at (801) 705-1799 or e-mail her at --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck