Calls to legalize drugs after deaths in Mexico

Editor, The Times:

Another round of brutal murders fueled by the drug trade in Mexico, and The Seattle Times sticks its head farther in the sand, claiming that “the wealthy consumers of illicit goods, drug-abusing Americans are complicit in these deaths” [“A war close to home,” Opinion, March 16).

After 97 years of total failure in the “war against private behavior by consenting adults,” it’s long past due that we face reality and admit that it is the prohibitionists who are responsible for the illegal drug trade and its inevitable violence.

All drugs were legal in this country from 1776 to 1913 — the period of our nation’s greatest growth and triumph. Let’s return to our Founding Fathers’ wise counsel and relegalize drugs under reasonable regulation and taxation.

That is the only way to end the violence and put the murderous cartels out of business overnight.

— Brian Templeton, Des Moines

Rachel Corrie’s posthumous trial in Israel

In response to letter writer Iris Langman’s question “what was [Rachel Corrie] doing in Gaza?” [“Blame ISM for Rachel Corrie’s death,” Northwest Voices, March 15], she was there doing what governments around the world failed to do: stop Israel in its violations of international and humanitarian laws.

The Palestinians had requested the U.N. send international observers to help keep them safe from Israeli policies and practices that wantonly kill or maim Palestinians, destroy or steal their property and unravel the fabric of Palestinian life.

The U.S. vetoed that request and in response the International Solidarity Movement was created. Its founders were an Israeli, Neta Golan, a Palestinian academic, Ghassan Andoni, and a Jewish American and Palestinian-American husband and wife, Adam Shapiro and Huwaida Arraf.

Human Rights Watch, in its report “Razing Rafah,” cited Israel’s mass bulldozing of homes in Rafah to be militarily unnecessary — meaning they were war crimes. According to the Nuremberg Principles, every human on the planet has a responsibility to prevent war crimes.

— Linda Frank, Tacoma

Obama carries on many Bush-era policies

Usually I trash what Charles Krauthammer writes, but not this time. His “Hail the rotation of power” [Opinion, March 13] column gave me hope and confidence. The hope is for democracy in America and the confidence is that civil discourse is the only viable means of discussing and then resolving America’s pressing issues.

We have two wars, a spiraling debt, static unemployment and widespread public mistrust of government and its capabilities — these and health care top the agenda facing any administration. That Krauthammer could so fairly portray the current situation and its antecedents inspires hope that reasonable people can openly discuss issues, disagree about their causes and solutions yet stimulate their opposition to think more broadly.

Now think of the rhetoric of neoconservatives and their counterparts. The sloganeering, false premises to their arguments and general intransigence — even when exposed to genuine, countervailing facts —bode dangerously for survival of an open, dynamic democracy — which is what we cherish.

Thank you Krauthammer for crossing the intellectual “aisle” and keeping us aware that perspective, not ideology, helps us all grow in our ability to understand, then resolve doubts and problems.

— Peter Loeb, Sequim

Rethinking gays in the military

I read a headline that Gen. David Petraeus says it’s “Time to rethink gay policy” [News, March 17] and I instantly think: How long are we going to “rethink” it this time? The last line to the short article answers it clearly, as Petraeus says we should wait until Secretary of Defense Robert Gates’ “study” on the matter is complete.

The general wants to be sure that ending discrimination doesn’t affect recruitment and the ability of our military to fight. In other words, if it does [affect it] — the “policy” of government-sanctioned discrimination would continue.

I don’t need four stars on my shoulder to know that type of reasoning is evasive and dishonest. I believe the only policy that we should be “rethinking” is whether we will end bigotry — against all soldiers — or won’t we?

These same arguments — and studies — were also made before blacks were allowed to serve with whites in the military. I know, many will say that was different, but explain that to the person who is being discriminated against now.

— Marty Zupan, Seattle

Crackdown on downtown panhandlers

It is not a threat to you or I to be solicited for money — neither panhandlers nor Girl Scouts are holding me by the ankles and shaking the money out of my pockets [“Seattle to shift some bike cops to walking a downtown beat,” NWThursday, March 18].

Councilmember Tim Burgess’ proposed anti-solicitation ordinance interferes with the free speech of anyone who is asking for money. The newest amendment, which would make intimidating conduct mean whatever “compels” a person to give money, is indicative of the nonsensical nature of the entire proposed ordinance.

A person who is “compelled” — or forced — to give money to panhandlers through some real threat of physical harm has reason to turn to law enforcement for help; the current law already addresses the panhandler’s behavior. On the other hand, if I feel “compelled” or forced by my own guilt or compassion to give money, that’s of my own doing, not the panhandler’s.

It is clear that this ordinance is intended to make the poverty and suffering of some of the most vulnerable and visible members of our community less visible and should be rejected.

— Erin Rants, Seattle

Increased pressure on ports following Panama Canal widening

Bruce Ramsey hit the nail on the head in his outline of the challenges facing Puget Sound ports that threaten tens of thousands of good-paying jobs here in the international freight-moving industry [“Puget Sound ports need to get ready for Panama Canal widening,” Opinion, March 17].

Washington’s ports not only generate a lot of jobs in the Puget Sound region, they also provide the state’s huge agricultural sector with efficient access to world markets. But much more needs to be done to position Washington to be competitive in the future — especially creating improvements to our trade and transportation infrastructure.

The state can also help by keeping taxes and fees down. State government taxes and fees — especially as shippers climb out of the recession — will be an increasing factor. Taxes and fees no matter how small add up and create a competitive disadvantage for Puget Sound ports. For example, state-imposed expenses for the standby-rescue tug at Neah Bay and state-approved higher pilotage fees are raising operating costs for shippers using Puget Sound ports.

State officials can protect jobs — from longshoremen to farmers — by keeping taxes and fees down and by making needed highway and rail improvements.

— Capt. Michael Moore, vice president, Pacific Merchant Shipping, Seattle

Drought worries for Eastern Washington farmers

Isn’t the federal government building more irrigation for potato farmers at taxpayer expense really the same as the bailout of GM? [“Water worries,” page one, March 14].

The arguments against the GM bailout — including strong ones by elected representatives from Eastern Washington — were that the problems were foreseeable, that the company should have planned better and that the dollars per job saved were too high.

The depletion of the aquifer was certainly more foreseeable than the U.S. consumers loss of interest in SUVs. Lobbyist Mike Schwisow is quoted in the article as wanting “just to maintain what we have now,” despite the fact that his clients knowingly depleted the aquifer in an unsustainable way.

Has he or former Congressman Sid Morrison calculated the federal tax dollar per job saved for these irrigation projects?

— Jim M. Mayer, Kenmore