Perhaps it’s time to end failed drug war
I’ve been following the ongoing debate in the opinion section of the Tribune-Star concerning the legalization of marijuana.
It seems as though we as Americans suffer from memory loss, or it’s possible that there are those among us who don’t know American history. He who knows not history is destined to repeat it.
On Jan. 16, 1920, the Volstead Act was enacted. The Volstead Act, also known as The National Prohibition Act, banned the manufacture and sale of alcohol. Prohibition became known nationally as “The Noble Experiment” and an experiment it was. The result of the experiment was complete and total failure. As a matter of a fact, Prohibition was one of the most monumentally failed social experiments in the history of America.
Organized crime grew on an unprecedented scale as a result of the profits made by manufacturing, importing and selling illegal booze, or “hooch” as it was sometimes called. Murder rates in major metropolitan areas skyrocketed and crime in general became rampant. It is often argued that more people consumed alcohol after it was prohibited than when it was legal.
In the latter months of 1933 Prohibition was repealed. Why? Because it failed. It didn’t work. The “Noble Experiment” failed.
Now let’s look at the present. The war on drugs has been launched. What are the results? Organized crime, fueled by ever-increasing drug profits, has flourished. Murder rates in major metropolitan areas have increased dramatically. Crime in general is out of control. Jails and prisons are full and over-crowded. The United States has more of its citizenry incarcerated than any other industrialized nation. Let freedom ring!
So what is the, or shall I say “a”, plausible solution? Legalization?
It makes sense that if the huge profit margins are removed from the product(s) the supply will undoubtedly decrease. Jail and prison populations will decrease on a massive scale along with associated costs of keeping people incarcerated.
I’m not in any way saying that I advocate the use of drugs, or alcohol for that matter. However, prohibiting the manufacture, distribution, and sale of these various substances in an effort to halt the use of them, has and will continue to fail miserably.
Is it possible that rehabilitation, education, greater parental efforts, increased community involvement, and spiritual growth are factors that would drastically reduce the misuse of drugs in America?
The “war on drugs” has in the past, and continues to fail.
The use of drugs and alcohol are merely symptoms of a much larger problem. Maybe we, as a society, should acknowledge the root of the problem and help to remove it, rather than make a clumsy effort at dealing with the symptoms.
— Alex J. Derry
Terre Haute
Check townships on vehicle registrations
While attempting to use the convenient license registration renewal terminal at the BMV, I noticed that the township listed on my registration form was incorrect.
I live in Prairie Creek Township. One renewal listed me in Fayette, the other in Harrison. I asked the check-in lady if that were significant. She informed me that the wheel tax we all pay is tied to the township on the registration form.
I have been paying for potholes in Fayette and Harrison townships. I had her fix it so I could pay for my own potholes in Prairie Creek Township. I checked the prior year’s registrations, and they were also incorrect.
Would you like to go out and check yours, too? I’ll wait. OK, time’s up. Are yours goofy, too?
— Terry Keaton
Terre Haute
ZZZ Delete Legacy
Readers' Forum: June 22, 2009
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Florence Elizabeth 'Flo' Hogue
Florence Elizabeth “Flo” Hogue, 87, of Terre Haute, passed away Saturday, June 26, 2010, in Union Hospital. Florence worked many years for Albert Pick Motel before retirement. She was born Aug. 4, 1922, in Red Oak, Iowa, to Samuel Valentine and Nancy Jane (Allendar) Valentine.
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Kenneth E. Levin
Kenneth E. Levin, formerly of Terre Haute, passed away Saturday, June 26, 2010, in The Villages, Fla. Kenneth was born May 3, 1924, to A.N. Levin and Jenny (Brown) Levin, in Terre Haute.
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Ruth Ann Dugger Morris
Ruth Ann Dugger Morris, 80, of Terre Haute, died Saturday, June 26, 2010, at Terre Haute Regional Hospital. Ruth Ann was born Aug. 26, 1929, in Vigo County, to Georgia Dugger Dickey and Roy Dugger.
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Audrey Olah
Audrey Olah, 90, of Terre Haute, died June 22, 2010, at Southwood Health & Rehabilitation Center. Born at home on Oct. 14, 1919, in rural Clay County, she endured the Great Depression as a farmer’s daughter in Lewis, worked at Owens- Illinois Glass Company during World War II, and was an initial hire of Dr. Morey’s Glas-Col Apparatus Co.
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Harrison Cabell Shade
Harrison Cabell Shade, 81, of Terre Haute, died Thursday, June 24, 2010, at Terre Haute Regional Hospital. Born April 20, 1929, in Terre Haute, to Henry Shade and Sheppelle Morton Shade.
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Norma Mae McAtee
LINTON — Nora Mae McAtee, 91, of Linton, passed away Monday, June 28, 2010, at Glenburn Home. She was born in Knox County, on May 25, 1919, to Albert Clarence and Anna Mary (Strahle) Miller.
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Ronald Dale Rozina
CLINTON — Ronald Dale Rozina, 53, of Clinton, passed away Sunday, June 27, 2010, at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. He was born Sept. 21, 1956, in Clinton, the son of John “Shine” Rozina and Frieda Hinkle Rozina.
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Jerry Rex McDonald
MARTINSVILLE, Ind. — Jerry Rex McDonald, 77, of Martinsville, passed from this life on Saturday, June 26, 2010, at 2:09 p.m., at Community Hospital South in Indianapolis. He was born in Riley, on Feb. 15, 1933, to the late Harry E. McDonald and Lucille (Reed) Barnett.
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Madelyne Skipo
Madelyne Skipo, 86, of Terre Haute, went home to be with the Lord early Saturday evening, June 26, 2010, at Davis Gardens Health Center. She was born Sept. 29, 1923, in Hymera, to Tracey and Hayley Mahan.
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William D. Farris
BRAZIL — William D. Farris, 76, of Brazil, died Sunday, June 27, 2010, at the Exceptional Living Center. He was born May 29, 1934, in Brazil, the son of Stanley and Vada (Flockhart) Farris.
- Death Notice: June 29, 2010
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William Freeman
BRAZIL — William Freeman, 75, of Brazil, passed away at St. Vincent Clay Hospital’s emergency room, on June 28, 2010, from an apparent heart attack. He was born in Clay City, on Aug. 15, 1934, the son of Russell and Lora (Greenwell) Freeman.
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Jewell M. Ennen
Jewell M. Ennen, 80, of Terre Haute, died at 4:25 a.m. Thursday, June 24, 2010. She was born in Phoenix, on March 20, 1930, to Merlin and Odessa (Caldwell) Arthur.
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Valerio Chironna
Lifelong Staten Islander Valerio (Val) Chironna, 86, of Eltingville, the owner of a fuel oil company, died Saturday, June 12, 2010, in Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, N.Y.
- Death Notices: June 25, 2010
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Ruth P. Klingler Lietchy
Ruth P. Klingler Liechty, 85, of Terre Haute, died at 8:53 a.m. Wednesday, June 23, 2010, in Davis Gardens Health Center. She was born in Clay County, on June 5, 1925, to Uly Klingler and Mary Rentschler Klingler.
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Pauline Arnold Mobley
Pauline Arnold Mobley, 89, passed from this Earth on Wednesday, June 23, 2010, at Meadows Manor North Nursing Home, where she resided for six years. Pauline was born Oct. 21, 1920, to John Ernst Arnold and Ora Alta Wilson.
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Mary Margaret Curry
Mary Margaret Curry, 70, of Terre Haute, passed away at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 20, 2010, in Terre Haute Regional Hospital. She was born in Matheson Ontario, Canada, on July 10, 1939, to William Melville Moffat and Mary Janet Mulligan Moffat.
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Beulah F. Funk
Beulah F. Funk, 81, of Terre Haute, passed away Sunday afternoon, June 20, 2010, at the ELC of Brazil. She was born Sept. 30, 1928, in Vincennes, to John Huebner and Agnes Bowman Huebner.
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Robert T. Scott
SULLIVAN — Robert T. Scott, 91, of Sullivan, and formerly of Farmersburg, died June 21, 2010, in Sullivan County Community Hospital. He was born Feb. 7, 1919, to Thomas and Edith (Lewis) Scott.
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Maxine LaVerna Noble
Maxine LaVerna Noble, 81, of Terre Haute, passed away at 2:30 a.m. Sunday, June 20, 2010, at Southwood Health and Rehabilitation Center. She was born in Terre Haute, on June 20, 1929, to Albert Lowe and Stella Rice Lowe.
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Charles 'Pune' William Ellinger Jr.
Charles “Pune” William Ellinger Jr., 58, of Terre Haute, passed away on June 19, 2010, at 9:25 p.m., at Union Hospital. He was born June 25, 1951. in Terre Haute, to Charles W. Ellinger and Betty L. Hooker Ellinger.
- Death Notices: June 22, 2010
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Saralu Thomas
DANA — Saralu Thomas, 86, of Dana, died at 5 a.m. Monday, June 21, 2010, at the Waters Nursing Home of Clinton. She was the retired owner/operator of Thomas Corner Store, in Dana, for 16 years. She was born Sept. 5, 1923, in Dana, to the late Dwight Thompson and Millie Thomson Thompson.
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June Evelyn Trout Mormans
STAUNTON — June Evelyn Trout Mormans passed away in her home on Saturday, June 19, 2010. She was born July 1, 1928, to Clarence and Winifred (Gilliatt) Trout, and was a life-long resident of Staunton.
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Marjorie E. Muir Allbright Wiot
Marjorie E. Muir Allbright Wiot, 85, of Terre Haute, formerly of Parke County, passed away at 1:20 a.m. Sunday, June 20, 2010, at Davis Gardens Health Center, in Terre Haute, from natural causes. Born June 10, 1925, in Parke County, she was the daughter of Carl J. Muir and Alice Wimmer Muir.
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Gregory D. Barnett
BRAZIL — Gregory D. Barnett, 58, died Sunday, June 20, 2010, at St. Vincent Clay Hospital. He was born Feb. 27, 1952, in Kokomo, to Donald A. and Johanna Keegan Barnett.
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Tyler E. Jackson
Tyler E. Jackson, 21, of Terre Haute, passed away Tuesday morning, June 15, 2010. He was employed with Walmart in Terre Haute. He was born Nov. 14, 1988, in Jasper.
- Death Notices: June 18, 2010
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Franklin John Followell
Franklin John Followell, 74, of Terre Haute, died in Terre Haute Regional Hospital Tuesday, June 15, 2010, at 8:50 p.m. He was born on March 19, 1936, in Sullivan County, to William Homer Followell and Florence (Martin) Followell.
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