The Young Liberals: 05/01/2005 - 05/31/2005

The Young Liberals: 05/01/2005 - 05/31/2005: "Imagine that you just learned that your two sons are drug addicts. Now imagine that one of them is a chronic alcoholic, the other is a heroine addict. Clearly you know that both of your children need the same kind or at least a similar kind of help, and you, being a good parent, would undoubtedly want to get them into the best possible treatment programs that you could possibly afford. Unfortunately, that may not be possible in the future, because of Draconian legislation from Representative Jim Sensenbrenner (Republican, 5th District Wisconsin). That's right, dear readers: thanks to yet another imbecilic move from the far right, you might only be able to obtain treatment for one of your sons, the one who is using society’s legal drug of choice. The other could be sent to prison--and you with him.

As a part of the Orwellian named “SAFE ACCESS TO DRUG TREATMENT AND CHILD PROTECTION ACT,” family members who learn that their loved ones have drug problems may well be required to turn their loved ones into the police within 24 hours of learning that the problem exists. Moreover, the act, if passed might well require you to take an active part in obtaining information on your loved one, perhaps even going so far as to wear a wire tap as you entrap your family member. At the very least you would be required to testify against your loved one in a court of law. Failure to report the alleged abuse could result in a two year, minimum, mandatory sentence: not for the addict in question, but for you as a parent or for other family members for not snitching on your family!"