Sender: To: X-Original-Message-ID: <039601bf4dff$0cff2430$9acf69cf@pacbell.net> From: "Peter McWilliams" Subject: Dear Santa Johnson Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 03:07:21 -0800 X-Mozilla-Status: 8001 X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000 Here's a great letter a friend sent to Gov. Johnson. Enjoy, Peter Dear Governor Johnson, You, sir, are my hero. You have stood up bravely before the juggernaut of our federal government and you have said, "this must end." I agree with you. The drug war is over. It is lost. We need to pick up the pieces and be sensible. Mr. Johnson, I can surely understand your frustration on fighting the propaganda and distortion of truth being perpetrated upon all of us by the powers-that-be. I have been speaking up against the same war in my own way for the past eight years. I find it difficult and frustrating work, especially when I m labelled as "brainwashed," and it must be infinitely more difficult for you, being in the public eye as you are. 60-odd years ago, our government tried this exact same thing with alcohol. It didn't work then, and it s not working now. The only difference between the 30 s and the 90s is that instead of just interfering with the lives of everyone on the North American continent, now we are interfering with the lives of everyone in the world. If we don't learn from history s mistakes, we are doomed to repeat them. And the mistake of prohibition was made within some citizens living memory. It wasn t that long ago. There is no excuse for this nonsense. And yet, here we are. Living the lie once again. The only reason the original prohibition ended was because certain wealthy people, powerful journalists, and intelligent people in power, who had clearly seen the damage prohibition was doing to society, stood up against the full weight of popular opinion and said, "Stop!" It took them a while, but they did get it to stop. We can do the same. It s just going to take a long time to undo the damage. In my opinion, you are doing the right thing, just like Pauline Sabin did with her Women s Organization for National Prohibition Reform. You may feel like one voice in the dark now, but there are many of us, we are behind you, and where one person with enough clout makes a stand, there will be others. I believe that, at this time, there are more people who believe the drug war isn t working than anyone thinks. All they need is a strong example to show the way. Whether to use drugs or not is a moral choice, not a legal one. Prohibition is doing more damage than the thing it s trying to prevent ever did. I know there is a lot of pressure on you, but you must keep fighting. I will, too. Every day I read of another rip in the fabric of our Constitution under the auspices of a war on morality, it just strengthens my resolve. Prohibition must end. And though the hounds of falsehood are tearing at your heels, there are some of us who, like you, are trying to defeat them. Keep up the good work, and the best holiday wishes to you, Sincerely,