Dear editor:
Racism in this country is alive and well, as witnessed by the events in Ferguson, Mo. A community 75 percent black with a police force 99 percent white, guarantees a brew up of prejudice. A young black man was killed in a confrontation that had no reason to begin.
In the following angry demonstrations, another cop was recorded pointing an assault rifle and threatening to kill the demonstrators. We can be grateful to the NRA for not being stupid enough to demand we take up arms to protect ourselves from the government, their primary reason why we should buy guns!
Throughout the country, police forces are militarizing, outfitting themselves with equipment purchased from the Pentagon. Their original job has been forgotten, that of protecting the populace. I believe the drug war is largely responsible for their self-protecting actions. Illegal drugs create massive profits which starts turf wars in every city and neighboring countries.
Making a routine traffic stop can be deadly if the occupants have drugs and guns, so one cannot fault the police for excess caution. The answer is to make every drug legal, no exceptions. Any child, in any town, can already get any drug they want, so legalizing drugs will not increase usage. Those dumb enough to use drugs, already are. The prices will start dropping and the heavily armed gangs are suddenly without purpose, with no reason to entice your kids to start using.
The process could be sped up by the federal government establishing drug stores, providing drugs at minimum price and offering treatment to the addicted. Kids would see that drugs are an illness, not exciting outlawry. The creation of dangerous new lab-designed drugs would end. A win-win situation except for those profiting from the status quo.
The U.S. has 5 percent of the worlds' population and 25 percent of the prisoner population, about 250,000 incarcerated on drug charges at a cost of $40,000 per prisoner per year. How stupid can we get?
I would add a rider, anyone destroying their health with drug use will not be supported by the public health system. You are on your own.
For the record, I have never used drugs. I get high on life. Enjoy what is around you, nature, books, music, your own active mind. Frying your brain with chemicals is so pointlessly self-destructive.
Faye L. Wieker
Hot Springs Village
Editorial on 08/27/2014