LETTER OF THE WEEK
LIKE USING GAS TO PUT OUT A FIRE
RE: “Murderous Mexican standoff,” Sept. 5:
The article by Mercedes Stephenson concludes with a passionate
plea. “Helping our Mexican neighbours to develop long-term judicial
and police reforms to defeat vile cartels that prey on human misery
and suffering is a win for everyone.” Over the past four decades
we’ve increased the number of drug offences in the Controlled Drugs
Act, we’ve increased per capita the number of police officers
enforcing our drug laws, raised the sentences for drug offences, and
given police as much power to fight the drug war as we dare without
tossing human rights out the window. Those enhancements haven’t
brought us any closer to winning the drug war. Why would we assume,
therefore, that we have any valuable advice to give Mexico on this
subject? The federal government is calling for yet more drug
offences, harsher penalties, more police and other armed forces, more
prisons, and broader enforcement powers. It’s like using gas to put
out a fire. No, we can’t help our Mexican neighbours.
Mike Bryan
Pubdate: Sun, 12 Sep 2010
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n728/a01.html