I'm pleased that the new residents of the Renaissance on the Riverfront have such an excellent view. Unfortunately, their new home has spoiled the view for many of us who cherish the natural beauty of the Willamette River and bemoan the continuous paving, development and urbanization along its banks.

Paul Murtaugh

Corvallis

'War on drugs' is an utter failure

Regarding Detective Ken Real's July 18 letter, "Drug war critic's facts were mistaken":

I agree with the detective that the job of police is to enforce the laws they are given. I also agree that it is essential to change laws using established processes.

That said, I would point out that the whole of our drug war is founded upon bad laws based on bigotry and xenophobia and no science. When science has proven that drugs are effective medicines, the studies were shelved and buried. One example was the 1974 government-commissioned study to document the harm that marijuana caused. It instead found that it shrank cancer tumors. (See www.mapinc.org.drugnews/v01/n572/a11.html?310095.)

For nearly a century, drug laws have been racist in origin and in their results. The U.S. per capita rate of incarceration for black males is now over five times higher than was that of South Africa during the peak of Apartheid.

There are police officers and other criminal justice professionals who are dissenting from the drug war, America's longest war, and a war waged against our own citizens. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP, www.leap.cc/ ) is comprised of hundreds of such professionals who have the decency to recognize the failures bad policies have wrought not just on the people of our country but upon the law enforcement and criminal justice professions themselves.

As Prohibition failed our grandparents in the early 20th century, so, too, does the war on drugs fail us now.

Allan Erickson

Drug Policy Forum

of Oregon

Eugene

Marijuana laws make no sense

It is detective Ken Real, not critics of the drug war, who has his facts wrong (Letters, July 18, "Drug war critic's facts were mistaken," 7/18).

Why does he think criminal gangs plant marijuana farms in national forests and other public lands, endangering hikers, campers and the environment? Why don't they plant vineyards, or fields of hops and barley for making beer?

Simple: Alcohol - a drug far more addictive and toxic than marijuana - is legally regulated. Those who produce and sell it are licensed and regulated, and must follow extensive rules about how the product can be produced, how it must be labeled, and where and to whom it may be sold.

Because of prohibition, marijuana - an easy, cheap plant to grow - is literally worth its weight in gold, and grown under the most hazardous and risky conditions possible. Simply put, that's insane.

Bruce Mirken

Marijuana Policy Project

Washington, D.C.

Those who speak out often smeared

I like having the freedom, if I so choose, to express my opinion publicly on political topics using various forms, such as, letters to the editor and bumper stickers that may result in a few people taking notice.

Public protests can be a useful tool to get a message out, but how effective are they with a population that has very diverse public opinion on any given topic?

Henry David Thoreau's theory on civil disobedience focused on the issue of slavery in the 1800s with hopes that civil disobedience would stimulate all opponents of slavery to act on their convictions, and he claimed the only negative consequences of civil disobedience were triggered by the government's reaction to it.

Protests can be highly effective getting a message across even if negative consequences occur. Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on an Alabama bus to a white passenger in 1955, and the "Tank Man" who stood in front of a tank in Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989 are classic examples of civil disobedience.

Rosa Parks' actions produced the Civil Rights Movement, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the Tank Man's actions came after a deadly protest in Beijing that produced an image of courage for peace around the world. However, the bigger problem, and why I hesitate to participate in protests, is that today's culture doesn't recognize individuals who stand up to an injustice as defenders of courage and peace rather than anger and rebellion.

Karen Roseberry

Corvallis

Reported spitting incident denounced

I was appalled by the treatment Sgt. Jessy Lakin received upon returning home from Iraq. (Article, July 19, Army sergeant says he was spit at twice upon arriving home."

Our soldiers face opposition abroad and should be afforded respect at home, regardless of the current political climate. They serve courageously and are compelled to follow orders, despite their personal beliefs or the state of world affairs.

While disagreeing with our government's decisions is one of the rights we are granted as American citizens, spitting and name-calling are not part of a productive political process. Such derogatory actions are a slap in the face of our soldiers and the families who love and support them.

Kudos to Sgt. Lakin for his calm and collected response in the face of irrationality. Be assured that there are people here who appreciate your service!

Amy Sachs

Corvallis

Last thing we need: more legal drugs

To the "legalize it" crowd:

Sure let's legalize drugs and let the state make a load of cash in doing so. I know how the state likes to spend. Look at all the problems we have in our society that involve our current legal drugs.

Mike Davis

Albany