In response to a letter to the editor written by TR Biddle (Sept. 8) concerning Columbia and the drug war, I must tell Mr. Biddle to wake up and smell the (Columbian) coffee. He states that “if it wasn’t for those greedy Columbian drug farmers, this country wouldn’t have any drug problems.” Well Mr. Biddle, I beg to differ.

People in the United States and the world have been involved with cocaine and other drugs long before people in Columbia decided to make a killing (literally and figuratively) off of the U.S. citizens’ drug habit. Mr. Biddle also refers to the U.S.‘s “innocent addicts.”

What rock have you been living under Mr. Biddle? These “innocent addicts” of yours frequently kill and steal to get money to continue their “innocent” habits of drug abuse. Do you really think that by dropping a few bombs on Columbia, people will willingly give up their truly frightening addictions to become “decent U.S. citizens again?”

I suggest that you, and anyone else who is so misinformed and misguided, do some research on drug addiction. If you really want to do something about it, you can write to your Congressman asking for more reform.

Did you know that there are waiting lists at drug abuse clinics for people who want treatment? Please put your enthusiasm into a positive channel to help our country—don’t make it worse by making unenlightened accusations.

JM Simpson

Graduate assistant

English