Prosecution of Cocaine Offenses

Re “Court Ruling on Crack Leaves the Fairness Issue Hanging,” editorial, May 15:

Most decent people regard the selling of drugs to be an act of violence in itself. I agree that the sentencing disparity should not exist. The penalty for selling powder cocaine should be increased 100 times and be retroactive to those already incarcerated. The Times should rethink its irresponsible position.

Cocaine and other drugs nearly ruined the lives of every family on the block where I grew up in the Valley. Two of my childhood pals are dead of cocaine-related circumstances; one by suicide, one by heart attack.

Several other neighborhood kids spent hard-core prison time for possession with intent to sell cocaine. One spent hard-core prison time for armed robbery, after repeated burglary offenses to finance his incredible, outrageous cocaine habit. The main victims of that thief were the families of his best friends. The only reason my brothers and I survived unharmed was that we were more afraid of our father than of the drug dealers.

I say single out white Americans for prosecution of powder cocaine offenses to the exclusion of crack cocaine offenses. Then, just try to explain to decent, honest African Americans that you are not ignoring the destruction of their neighborhoods.

KEN ANDERSON

El Segundo

* I was struck by the irony of two May 12 front-page articles: “Dole Advocates No Parole for Violent Crimes” and “Drug Runners Arrested at Border Often Go Free.” It would interest me to know how many of our hard-core criminals are drug users. America is losing the war on drugs and, until we understand obvious relationship between the two, we will fight a losing battle against crime.

WILLIAM LAWRENCE

Tustin