Pubdate: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 Source: Airdrie Echo (CN AB) Copyright: 2010 Osprey Media Contact: http://www.airdrieecho.com/feedback1/LetterToEditor.aspx Website: http://www.airdrieecho.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1558 Author: Josh Skapin - Echo Editor Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) DARE NOT TO HATE Just as many of you sit down and open this week's edition of the Airdrie Echo, the contents of our publication will already be causing a cyber ripple nationwide. In our news section this week, we have coverage of the major marijuana bust made in our community last week. Police estimate the street value of the weed collected to top the $1 million mark. Countless defenders of the green stuff have words like marijuana and pot built into a Google alert, which sends an e-mail to their inbox when either word is used in the contents of an article. This is done with the intention of providing an opportunity to either throw their support in favour of a pro-pot piece or come to the defence of Mary Jane when an article is written about incidents such as the grow operation arrest last week. The passion and persistence of this group goes without contest - at least in terms of noise in our letters to the editor inbox. Believe in their smoke-blowing message or not, it's free speech and if marijuana users are looking to make a dent in terms of legalization, this could be an effective road. That said, it was hard not to be taken aback when reading one of the letters sent to us last week ( see page 9). When reading the subject matter, 'DARE,' in our inbox, the first assumption was that it would be from a parent or teacher discussing the importance of the program. In last week's edition of the Echo, we published an article about how after almost two decades away from Airdrie schools - the initiative meant to provide youth an awareness about the negative effects of alcohol, cigarette and drug use has returned courtesy Airdrie's school resource officers. The letter, of course, came from a drug reform analyst and consultant. "As a federally licensed medical marijuana user who is also married to one, I consider DARE nothing less than a government-sponsored hate-crime," the e-mailer wrote. Comparing fact-based awareness with hopes of preventing substance abuse among Airdrie youth is not unlike a racial slur or swastika spray-painted on the side of a building (an actual hate crime) - now I've heard everything. Const. Rob Frizzell's work in Airdrie schools helping students understand the importance of certain decisions, particularly ones that lead to the abuse of drugs and alcohol is commendable and it would be ridiculous to confuse his worth with anything but a benefit to our community. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom