Houston Press December 5-11, 1996 Page 4
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Truth-free?
After reading such a revealing article [Just Say No (to Open Debate), by Bob Burtman, November 7], I promise to check out your magazine on a weekly basis.  Gentlemen, this is superb investigative journalism, and Bob Burtman deserves major commendation from the public at large for tackling this red-hot-potato topic.  I can only suggest that a series of follow-up articles (partnership for our Truth-free America, DARE, forfeiture, medical rights, etc.) would be the crowning achievements to exposing those who are hell-bent on destroying our great America under the premise of saving it.
        Obviously, the status quo (Calvina Fay included) that has built financially upon this Holy War on (some) drugs cannot tolerate any challenge to the politically correct party line.  Ms. Fay, racism cannot exist if it is talked about.  Your very rationale to deny discussion allows it to continue.  Denial simply isn't a solution.  It's like protecting a child molester or pedophile simply by refusing to place them out in public view.  Truth-free or drug-free?  Your abstinence ideology simply is incompatible with our (supposedly) free society.
        Why the secrecy and suspiciousness Ms. Fay?  When the police would rather stop to kick your back door in under the premise of acquiring your assets through forfeiture instead of chasing violent crime (because it doesn't pay anything!), where is our Constitution, much less your Bill of Rights!  Where are our priorities to society?
        Obviously, the methods that the drug warriors are using simply aren't working and never will.  The vast majority of them are honorable, but some are selling us all down the road to a soon-to-be police state.  Ms. Fay is one of those, because she obviously doesn't appreciate our First Amendment or support of opposing views.  As Superior Judge James P. Gray stated October 18 at the Drug Policy Forum of Texas's most recent forum, it is possible to support drug legalization without supporting/condoning drug use.  This very idea terrifies and frightens Ms. Fay and her kind to the very core of their beliefs.  They already know that they have a morally indefensible position and that it does not hold up to careful scrutiny.  They refuse to debate because they already know that they cannot win face to face.  The truth has nothing to fear!  The very purpose of the Drug Policy Forum is to promote discussion of these issues and pursue solutions from as widely diverse a group that has very different political philosophies but has found common ground on this particular issue that affects us all.
        D. Jones
        via Internet

Drug Preference
I'm writing to comment on Calvina Fay and her puritanical views.  She said that legalization "is not a debatable issue.  It's like debating racism."  Sorry, Calvina, your analogy doesn't even make sense.  How does one compare a debate about legalizing a soft drug like marijuana to racism?  What's to debate about racism?
        Keep in mind, Cal, that marijuana and other drugs that are now illegal in the United States (though not in other countries that have lower crime rates) were made illegal just about the time that Prohibition ended.  Sounds to me like our government sanctioned alcohol as our national drug -- and made a lot of white men rich by doing so.  Native Americans and Negroes were more familiar with the uses of marijuana at the time than white folks, and many white men didn't even know what it was.  Sounds like racism to me -- if Calvina is into the racism argument.
        I've never heard of people who smoke marijuana beating or killing loved ones, causing vehicular manslaughter, getting into bar fights, vomiting on themselves or others, or losing their judgment and committing crimes.
People who drink too much are not endearing -- they're rude, inconsiderate and cause many problems to those around them.
        Has Calvina ever had alcohol?  Or caffeine?  Used tobacco in any form?  Taken a painkiller for a headache?  All of these are considered drugs, too.
Only when she is free of all of these drugs will I respect her judgment on drugs she prefers not to use.
        Elizabeth Armstrong
        Houston