The Poor Break the Law; the Rich Make Mistakes

Arianna Huffington’s April 2 commentary, “1 Strike, You’re Out on the Street,” should make readers question the justice in not only drug laws and punishment but all laws upheld (sometimes) in our country. Like many governing principles in this country, the choice to obey or not to obey is ambiguous--and often depends on the status of the person and/or family that is being judged.

Huffington’s roll call of politicians’ children who may have made a “mistake” makes a very clear statement that punishment for breaking the law is based more on who you are than what you did. My kids grew up with the realization that what they might do in La Mirada could carry a much heavier penalty than the same action carried out by some young person living in Beverly Hills.

But whoever said it’s a level playing field?

Jeanne Hum

La Mirada

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Is Huffington the only person with the courage to criticize the hypocrisy and the dangerous injustices that grow out of America’s misconceived war on drugs? Why won’t our senators and representatives stand up and say throwing grandmothers out of their apartments for the alleged drug use of their daughters is an application of collective guilt that has been repudiated by most civilized countries? Unfortunately, the reason our representatives have not spoken out against the war on drugs is that no politician has ever lost a vote pandering to the rhetoric of the drug war. It is time for the public to vote against any politician who mouths the platitudes of the drug war and begin steering our country toward a rational and humane drug policy.

Grandmothers everywhere will sleep better for the effort.

Preston Rose

South Pasadena