Barry McCaffrey
Although sharing your frustration at the hypocritical lack of consistency in drug czar Barry R. McCaffrey’s dualistic approach to alcohol and drugs (editorial, June 16), I think that you will find that his schismatic approach is mirrored by society. How about some of that billion dollars being spent to educate a confused population? As it says in the literature of one of the prominent 12-step fellowships, Narcotics Anonymous, “Alcohol is a drug. We cannot afford to be confused about this.”
It is high time that the good general, at the behest of his boss, makes a stand on this and shows his commitment to combating drug abuse. How many more highway tragedies do we have to read about before we learn our lesson?
JEFFREY GERSHOFF
Woodland Hills
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Alcohol will never be considered the insidious and addicting drug it is by the Washington crowd. Too many pockets are being filled by the beverage industry, including the Treasury, which is enhanced greatly from the taxes imposed on alcoholic products. I have always maintained that if our government controlled the legal sale of marijuana, charging $1 tax per joint, our budget problems would be over.
Big business has a lot of clout in America. If Coke was still made with cocaine, it would be sold legally, probably with an added federal tax, and McCaffrey would be job hunting.
RICHARD A. POEDTKE
Vista
USC and UCLA
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Re “Heard the Latest One About USC and UCLA?” June 17: Great article, both for the barbs and comparative facts, about our two excellent major universities. But I believe the really significant point, unmentioned but obvious given the number of qualified students standing in line to attend UCLA and the family earning figures, is that the UC system charges insufficient tuition, about 10% or less of actual cost. This is an inappropriate burden on California taxpayers, and particularly parents who are also footing the bill for children at a private university.
USC and other private schools find a way for deserving young people to attend whose parents can’t afford the costs, so we should not be subsidizing families who can.
DARRACH G. TAYLOR
Huntington Beach
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Very little difference between the two schools--except more than twice the total cost to attend USC--and undergrads at USC are mostly biz majors? Hmm.
TERRY ASHTON
Oxnard
Truck License Plates
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Several months ago my car was sideswiped by a truck on Pacific Coast Highway. The driver did not stop. I was able to get the license number of the truck and the cab, and my insurance company was able to take care of my claim.
Since then I have noticed how many trucks have dirty, bent and/or hidden plates that are impossible to read. How would anyone know who hit them? There ought to be a law.
FRANCES SPIELBERG
Pacific Palisades