The United States Marine Corps is now being used to chase marijuana growers in Southern Oregon. We know this because unmarked Marine helicopters have been circling low over our house and fields and because our newspaper reports that two of these Marine helicopters stopped at a local school. While they were there, students stole a $1,200 radio from one of the helicopters - which has still not been recovered. Maybe the CIA and FBI should investigate this theft.
The armed forces of the United States should not be used against American citizens. We have police agencies for this. Moreover, it is degrading and ridiculous for our most accomplished and elite armed service to be chasing potheaded hippies through the Oregon woods.
"Attention Deficit Disaster" by John McGinnis in The Wall Street Journal, p A14, September 18, 1997, reports that "U.S. Ritalin prescriptions have increased to 11.3 million in 1996, up nearly 400% just since 1990. Most of this Ritalin is being prescribed through tax-financed schools to treat Attention Deficit Disorder - an epidemic new "disease'' that has recently descended upon America's children.
Afflicting mostly boys, ADD is no more than an all-purpose excuse to put children who are rebelling against the institutionalized child abuse we call "public schools'' on psychoactive drugs. It also helps teach the kids that temper tantrums are excusable, since they just reflect organic illness. If I were required to attend a public school, I would have an attention deficit, too.
