Pubdate: Fri, 09 May 2003
Source: Clarion-Ledger, The (MS)
Copyright: 2003 The Clarion-Ledger
Contact: http://www.clarionledger.com/about/letters.html
Website: http://www.clarionledger.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/805
Author: John Caldwell Jr.

ENFORCE DRUG LAWS BUT PROTECT RIGHTS

William Burroughs was an author who appealed to a varied audience from the 
1960s until his death recently.

Personally, I found his writings to be among the most eloquent defense of 
constitutional liberty of the last 50 years.

In his later years, he worried that our government's disdain for illicit 
drugs would become a popular excuse for the loosening of our personal 
rights in the name of a war against Americans who use these drugs.

Our personal liberties have been threatened by this "War on Drugs" as 
evidenced by the seizures allowed by local authorities all the way up to 
the national law enforcement agencies in a "guilty until proven innocent" 
fashion. In my lifetime, I have seen the scourge that is drug addiction 
change the great man into the most sick man.

Let us find a way to help the sickly, enforce the anti-drug laws, and show 
compassion without bending the "rules" that we as Americans value as our 
birthright.

John Caldwell Jr. Jackson
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