Nuge a liberal?

It’s obvious to this 18-year police veteran who fought in the trenches of the drug war that Trib columnist and rock musician Ted Nugent never did [“We could be winning the war on drugs,” June 12]. Moreover, he must not know the good guys have arrested 39 million citizens on drug charges.

Despite that and the largest prison system in the world, drugs are cheaper, stronger and easier for our kids to buy. Can Mr. Nugent spell prohibition? And is he credible when he says this nation has not been serious enough or diligent enough?

Mr. Nugent loves the liberal, nanny-state policy of drug prohibition. He supports the policy where citizens are threatened with government punishment, backed by government police, prosecutors and prisons if they dare step outside the box of alcohol, cigarettes, Prozac and Valium.

Does he really think that denying citizens marijuana but forcing people to drink alcohol improves anything?

As I said, obviously he has never been a street cop. 

Howard Wooldridge

retired police officer

Dallas

EDITOR’S NOTE: Howard “Cowboy” Wooldridge served as a police officer in Lansing, Mich. He is one of the founders of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. In 2005 he rode a horse from Los Angeles to New York to advocate a public health approach to the drug problem.

American wisdom

A great president once said:

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot lift the wage-earner up by pulling the wage-payer down.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence.

You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could or should do for themselves.

Now if you will cross out all the nots and leave all the cans, you will see what is happening in this great land.

That president: Abraham Lincoln.

Carolyn Goodwin

Golinda

GOP sideshow

Trib columnist Bill Whitaker had a funny column on the Waco Tea Party candidates forum [“Republicans go on parade,” June 19], even though it was misleading.

I know it’s hard for you guys to report without being Chet Edwards’ campaign staff. You might as well come to grips with the idea that Chet will not survive President Obama’s power grab.

Chet needs to quit being a lap dog for Speaker Nancy Pelosi and stand up for those who elected him.

Mark Hall

Waco

National service

Please put Harley Johnson’s Trib columns on the front page, especially his recent piece, “I’m anti-war and pro-draft” [June 22].

We need to give all young people convicted of petty crimes a choice: national service of some sort or jail.

Then our jails wouldn’t be so full.

Mary Ann Golding

Waco