LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Baltimore Sun

Don't cede liberties for failed drug war

Before we sacrifice any more civil liberties at the altar of the drug war, the members of the Supreme Court should take a cue from the nonsensical banner that inspired their recent decision limiting student free speech ("Bong Hits 4 Jesus") and ask themselves, what would Jesus do ("Whose free speech? Low point for high jinks," editorial, June 27)?

Would Jesus persecute, incarcerate and deny forgiveness to nonviolent drug offenders?

Zero tolerance is a decidedly un-Christian policy.

Morally, the drug war is wrong.

On a practical level, the drug war is a complete failure. There were 786,545 marijuana-related arrests in this country in 2005, the vast majority for simple possession.

America is one of the few Western countries that punish citizens who prefer marijuana to martinis. Yet the rate of marijuana use is higher in the United States than in any European country.

And thanks to the war on some drugs, the land of the free now has the highest incarceration rate in the world.

Yet the drug war has failed to keep drugs out of prisons, much less schools.

In the future, the Supreme Court should choose protecting civil liberties over perpetuating the drug war.

Robert Sharpe

Washington

The writer is a policy analyst for Common Sense for Drug Policy.

Campaign reform may hurt the voters

After reading The Sun's article "Court eases limits on campaign ads, shields faith plan" (June 26), I think a frank discussion of the merits of McCain-Feingold campaign finance restrictions is in order.

In opposition to campaign finance reform, the right argues that political speech is sacrosanct regardless of the consequences (apparently unless your speech is "Bong Hits 4 Jesus"), while supporters of campaign finance reform on the left argue that the harm of special-interest electioneering outweighs the First Amendment issues involved in limiting political ads.

However, the government cannot effectively regulate campaign financing.

After the McCain-Feingold law was passed, total expenditures on political campaigns rose substantially from 2000 levels in the 2004 election.

Instead of using "soft money," large organizations simply funneled contributions to so-called 527 organizations and other proxies.

It is futile for the government to interfere in this voluntary political organizing.

Moreover, voter knowledge and voter turnout increase as campaign spending increases.

The use of soft money in campaigns also allows lower-income voters to voice their opinions - through contributions to the much-maligned "special-interest groups" - even if they can't afford to make a substantial "hard money" contribution.

Austin Duus

Fairfax

Casinos can raise much more money

It seems that ever since Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. became governor, I have heard ad nauseam that the way to alleviate Maryland's budget problems was slot machine gambling at horse racing tracks and other designated sites ("Slots fail to keep bettors at track," June 24).

Now Gov. Martin O'Malley favors placing slot machine gambling at horse racing tracks to aid the dying business called thoroughbred racing.

But it seems to me that the only day in Maryland when horse racing attendance is high is the day of the Preakness.

I am not in favor of saving the horse racing industry or any industry at the expense of Maryland taxpayers.

I do favor using casino gaming to help to alleviate Maryland's budget problem with the proceeds earmarked for a specific fund, similar to the proceeds of the state lottery.

I think Maryland should build full-service gaming casinos. The casinos should be built by Marylanders in geographical areas where the state would get the biggest bang for the buck.

Developing casino gaming would create a sizable tax base that could eliminate Maryland's budget shortfall.

Richard Weber

Windsor Mill

MVA often treats immigrants badly

While I applaud the Motor Vehicle Administration's willingness to increase access to its services for immigrants ("MVA's service to immigrants faulted," June 27), I have to wonder what good a $500,000 call center will do if there are not also plans to increase the number of employees trained to examine foreign documents.

As a social worker with experience translating for clients at the MVA, I am appalled at the treatment foreign-born resident receive.

Regardless of what people have heard, it is extremely difficult for an immigrant to get a driver's license.

There are only a select few documents that immigrants can use to get a driver's license. It often takes months for immigrants to track these down from their countries of origin and then costs hundreds of dollars to translate them.

Appointments must be made months ahead of time, and even with an appointment, you may as well clear your entire day to be at the MVA, because the process can still take more than five hours, even if everything is in order.

The problem here is not necessarily the documentation requirements but the MVA's lack of people trained to verify the documents needed and the disrespect these officials often show immigrants.

Devon Snider

Baltimore

Individuals choose the foods they eat

The title of the article "Snack-food firms grow more health conscious" (June 24) was misleading.

After reading the article, I think the title should have said that these firms are being "forced to be more health conscious."

But when did it become the food manufacturers' responsibility to make sure your kids are eating right?

The article made no mention of parents' taking the responsibility for what they buy for their kids and feed them.

If you take time to think and plan, there are many ways you can prepare a healthy meal in a little amount of time.

People need to start taking responsibility for their own lives.

Sharon Nicholson

Joppa

Domestic violence is still taken lightly

Last week, we saw yet another pregnant woman killed and her child's father accused in the slaying ("Policeman held on $5 million bond," June 26).

The mother of one of the other children of the accused killer, Bobby Cutts Jr., had previously taken out a restraining order against Mr. Cutts and moved out of state to get away from him.

But despite his checkered past, Mr. Cutts was permitted to be a gun-toting police officer.

If the criminal justice system had done its job and held him accountable for his behavior, under federal law he would not have been able to possess a gun, his career as a police officer would have been over, and perhaps Jessie Davis and the child she wanted to name Chloe would be alive.

When is society going to see acts of domestic violence as serious crimes?

Elizabeth H. Lehmann

Phoenix

The writer is administrator of the Maryland Health Care Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

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