Letters to the editor: Prohibition’s meaning to the war on drugs; the Occupy Wall Street protests; Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s presidential campaign struggles

Time for a change

Re “Neither high nor dry,” Opinion, Oct. 5

Kevin A. Sabet argues that the country’s disastrous experience with alcohol prohibition does not stand as an example of why the war on drugs must change. He misses a very basic point.

The reason Prohibition didn’t work and why the laws against drugs don’t work is the same: People’s desire to alter their consciousness, whether through alcohol or what are classified as “drugs,” will not go away simply because of a law.

In a country where individual freedom is cherished above virtually everything else, it is time to do away with the draconian drug laws that violate our freedom to make choices in our lives, even when the choices are bad ones.

Jeff Berke

Los Angeles

I was quite amused to read Sabet’s essay comparing alcohol prohibition to the current illegal status of many mind-altering drugs. Although I agree that alcohol prohibition and the war on drugs are very disparate in their circumstances, the majority of the arguments that Sabet employed were rather weak.

He stated that alcohol’s long history of social acceptance (contrary to illegal drugs) makes alcohol more worthy of its legality. Besides the fact that this is a dubious argument at best (and it also sounds eerily similar to the one used by opponents of same-sex marriage: that tradition trumps all), it doesn’t seem to account for those of us who have different views on what should be considered acceptable.

Jonathan Rogers

Santa Monica

Sabet discounts the vast costs of Prohibition: crime, corruption, wasted resources and undermining of respect for government. He goes so far as to suggest that the failure of Prohibition was a failure of enforcement. His is a recycled plea to redouble the war on drugs.

In my psychiatric practice, I struggle daily with the tragic consequences of drug abuse. In my experience, prohibition and enforcement have no discernible effect on access or abuse. Enlightened judges have rescued some with mandated treatment. Other unfortunates get scapegoated.

Addiction, to alcohol or any intoxicant, is and will remain a problem. Would that the solution were as easy as the stroke of a legal pen. Sabet needs to learn that the old tools of prohibition and enforcement didn’t and won’t work. Medicalization, regulation and education may present more effective alternatives.

Eric Foxman, MD

Mission Hills

Wall Street’s occupiers

Re “Occupy Wall Street’s message,” Editorial, Oct. 4

Comparing the tea party with Occupy Wall Street demonstrates a woeful lack of knowledge of the difference between the two movements.

The tea party’s founders have always been intent on putting out a unified message. Emails were sent out regularly to like-minded folk, promoting core conservative values. Attendees at the earliest tea party demonstrations focused on issues such as “Obamacare,” the deficit and unemployment.

Contrast that with Occupy Wall Street demonstrators, many of whom are clueless as to why they are there. Giving these demonstrators anything in the way of credibility overplays their actual importance on the political scene.

Emanuel R. Baker

Los Angeles

The Wall Street protesters seek a utopia. Because they purport to represent 99% of the nation, they have access to formidable capital and labor resources and should proceed to build a second system independent of the one they oppose. When they have a better-functioning society that not only pays a living wage to all but provides better goods and services across the board at lower prices, Wall Street will wither.

Don’t hold your breath waiting for this to happen. The leaders they need are in the 1%.

Jim Ketcham

Malibu

I wholeheartedly support the Occupy Wall Street grievances, but I fear that they have saddled themselves with an unfortunate liability: the name.

The word “occupy” carries unfortunate associations for many Americans, saddled as it is with a feeling of disorder. One immediately thinks of rebellious students taking over the dean’s office. Couple it with “protest” and it’s a deadly cocktail.

Its organizers would do well to take a page from the tea party, which seized on an iconic moment from the American Revolution, resonating as it does with every schoolchild as a symbol of righteousness. How about “We Patriots” firing a shot “heard ‘round the world,” as our forefathers did?

John Crowther

Los Angeles

Dealing with a citizen terrorist

Re “Obama’s terrorist dilemma,” Opinion, Oct. 4

The question that troubles Jonah Goldberg: “How can you sanction killing an American without so much as a hearing?” He cites the 5th Amendment’s due process protection to provide a justification for his question.

But how do you grant due process to a terrorist who is not only out of the reach of the U.S. justice system but is likely to kill Americans if you don’t either apprehend or assassinate him? Would Goldberg have preferred that President Obama protect this citizen, on the unlikely prospect that one day we would capture him and grant him his rights?

Or was Obama right to have eliminated him and removed the threat he posed to us?

Sam Armato

Manhattan Beach

I would suggest that Goldberg ask those who lost relatives in the 9/11 attacks how they feel about Obama’s policies of drone takeouts.

Anwar Awlaki may have been born in the United States, but he relinquished his right to be an American when he started plotting the deaths of his fellow citizens. He got exactly what he deserved.

Lori Graham

Los Angeles

Wasted food

Re “Cafeteria food fight,” Opinion, Oct. 2

What a great discussion on serving lunches to students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. However, the real question, perhaps, ought to be why school lunches are served at all.

Are today’s parents so inept that they cannot fix their children lunch (or even breakfast)? Perhaps Robert Gottlieb should visit a school as students are leaving the lunch area and watch the custodians carry heaps of wasted food to the trash dumpster.

At my middle school, nearly every student lunch was a flour tortilla with refried beans and maybe some cheese. Good food, little waste.

Someone should calculate the millions wasted on uneaten lunches and perhaps call on parents to take care of their own children.

John Ziebarth

Fountain Valley

It’s business

Re “Democrats encourage BofA customers to close accounts,” Business, Oct. 5

The position of some of the congressional Democrats with respect to the banks is hypocritical. For example, the statement by Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.): “As megabanks flirt with menus of new fees, an increasing number of Americans will want to switch banks. That is the way things work in a competitive, free market as unrepentant banks are still trying to rake in vulgar profits.”

If this is in fact a competitive free market, why is Congress dictating to banks how much they can charge for swipe fees on debit cards?

And why can’t the banks decide for themselves what their menu of fees should be without political pressure from Congress and the president?

An unintended consequence of the reduction in swipe fees will be a transfer of money from the banks to the big-box retailers, without any benefit to consumers.

Don Jortner

Rancho Palos Verdes

Perry’s problems

Re “Perry tries to regain his campaign stride,” Oct. 3

Texas Gov. Rick Perry does not seem to have articulated a sound reason for educating the children of illegal immigrants, nor have his detractors considered the ramifications of not educating them.

Denying these children an opportunity to better themselves creates a permanent underclass of uneducated people who experience high unemployment. It’s in society’s best interest to educate these children to make them more-productive citizens.

This particular issue has become a serious problem in European countries, where the norm is to not support the education of children of illegal immigrants. A number of countries are now considering changing these laws.

It’s nice to have a heart, as Perry states. It’s better to have a brain.

David Hurwitz

Calabasas