From: Jim Rosenfield <[j n r] at [igc.apc.org]>
Newsgroups: talk.politics.drugs
Date: 20 Sep 93 20:39 PDT
Subject: Re: Edwards Bill - HR3100

Los Angeles Times
Times-Mirror Square
Los Angeles, CA   90053

Attn: Letters to the Editor

Dear Mr. Plate:

Once again I am writing to ask you to pay attention to an issue,
and hoping to see your response in the form of news coverage.

Although your editorial page has spoken out for some sanity in
the area of national drug policy, your news reporting on the
emergence of a growing consensus for a national re-examination of
our drug policy has been lacking.  

Last May, your editorial pages said, "the new Administration in
Washington should seize the moment for a fresh and comprehensive
look at the drug laws" (May 11).  We don't see any such seizing.

On May 19 you state "(Janet) Reno...is right to question the
federal overemphasis on interdiction and law enforcement".
Although she has voiced dissatisfaction with elements of the
existing policies, particularly the draconian "mandatory
minimums", and she has spoken publicly about the disturbing
ethics of a policy which seems to put far more young black men in
jail than any other group, there seems to be no re-examination in
sight at Justice.

On May 18 you said, "...the chorus of those who say that existing
interdiction policies are bankrupt undoubtedly will continue to
grow".  Yes, and the question comes to mind, will the Times do
any news reporting on it as the chorus grows louder?

You completely missed the Hoover Institution Resolution, the
accumulation of a very long roster of eminent signors, the
California Medical Marijuana Resolution (which passed both houses
of the State Legislature about a week ago), the global level
"Harm Reduction" conference in Rotterdam, John Burton's challenge
to the corrupt California Forfeiture laws (and the Legislature's
subsequent failure to re-authorize the statute), and other
opportunities to report on the emerging failure and ferment
around our misguided and corrupt drug regime.  You carried an
interesting editorial by Michael Levine but failed to report his
startling and well-documented claims that the U.S. government has
been deeply involved in the promotion and maintenance of the drug
trade to abbet and support our intelligence community's covert
operations. 

Now you should not miss the opportunity to report that
Assemblyman John Vasconcellos' bill, AB 1072, has just passed
both houses of the State Legislature by a wide margin. 
Currently, the bill sits on Wilson's desk.  AB 1072 creates the
California Task Force to Prevent Drug and Alcohol Abuse.  This
bi-partisan body will focus its attention on assessing the
government's current methods of prevention and determining
strategies that would better combat the problem of substance
abuse.  It should come as no surprise to the Times that this is
essentially, at the state level, the "Objective Commission"
called for in the Hoover Resulution.  Is there a story here?

Finally -- please check the official press releases which will
come out tomorrow -- Congressman Don Edwards of San Jose will
introduce HR3100, calling for just such a commission at the
national level.  Personally, I am in touch with an informal
network of policy-wonks who will be urging our representatives to
come on as cosponsors.  Don't you think the progress of this
idea, which offers some hope in the face of our stupid and
hysterical drug policy, from the halls of Stanford to the halls
of Congress, deserves a prominent mention in your paper?

--------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Rosenfield                          Peacenet: [j n r] at [igc.org]
tel:  213-836-0926                      Compuserve: 72341,3027   
off:  213-721-5525 ext.300              fax:  213-722-6642

Please let me know when you read this.