Letter: Anti-drug ads costly, ineffective

Thursday, March 7, 2002 | 8:51 a.m.

I have often found parallels between our society and George Orwell's 1984 totalitarian nightmare. Now, I'm afraid, we have crossed over.

The Bush administration is running "anti-dope" ads, which say to teens (who admit to merely trying recreational drugs) that they have "supported terrorists," "helped bring down two skyscrapers in N.Y.", "killed a judge in Colombia," and more. In other words, because you smoked a joint, you are a traitor to America; a murderer, nay, a mass murderer. These kids are also accused of creating the ghettos which infect our cities.

Gee, I guess anarchists and communists can relax -- we have a new enemy. Our children!

This is "New-Speak" with a vengeance! These TV ads are horrible misstatements of reality, and will be no more effective than "Reefer Madness" was in the 1940s and '50s. Add the millions the ads cost to make and air to the drain down which America continues to pour its cash fighting a "war" it lost decades ago.

JOHN POWERS