Pubdate: Thu, 07 Sep 2006 Source: Fresno Bee, The (CA) Copyright: 2006 The Fresno Bee Contact: http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/lets_ed/send/ Website: http://www.fresnobee.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/161 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1178/a09.html Author: Curtis Q. Thornton HOW ABOUT POT ERADICATION AT SELLAND ARENA? I see that the drug czar was in town to do some "land reclaiming," according to The Bee's article Aug. 31. It's too bad he wasn't in town the night of Aug. 27. He could have "reclaimed" Selland Area. I haven't seen so much marijuana smoke since the last Cheech and Chong movie. He probably would have doubled his poundage of confiscated cannabis, while getting excellent photo-ops with the hot alternative band. Perhaps he also could have motivated the Fresno police officers stationed there to do more than just congregate in the lobby. When I asked them what was being done to stop the persistent drug use in the arena, their response was one of "tolerance, because so many were doing it." With many young children in the crowd, there with their parents, I wondered if this was sending the right message. Does the DARE program still preach "just say no," or is it now "puff, puff, pass"? Oh the hypocrisy: We glorify our drug czar ripping out the plants grown in the hills by the evil cartels. Yet we have "tolerance" to let our children be exposed to these same drugs in our public venues, by the ones who are supposed to protect us, no less. Shame. Curtis Q. Thornton Fresno - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake