Pubdate: Fri, 22 Nov 2013
Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Copyright: 2013 Sun-Times Media, LLC
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/5QwXAJWY
Website: http://www.suntimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/81
Author: Steve Stanek

THE WAY TO STOP CITY'S GANG PROBLEM IS TO END THE WAR ON DRUGS

New U.S. Attorney Zach Fardon was correct when he declared Wednesday, 
"I do not believe federal law enforcement is the panacea" to 
Chicago's gang problem. But it was disappointing to further read that 
he said there is a need for creative solutions to the "causes of the 
gang problem in Chicago . . . poverty, education, lack of job 
opportunities and sometimes failures in parenting."

Fardon neglected to mention the biggest cause of the gang problem: 
the war on drugs that this nation's government has been waging for 
more than 40 years. If there were no drug war, there'd be almost no 
gang problem.

As in the days of this nation's war on alcohol known as Prohibition, 
the war on drugs has spawned political and police corruption and 
given rise to violent gangs. The nation ended the war on alcohol. We 
should also end the war on drugs.

Steve Stanek, McHenry
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom