Prohibition hasn’t labored
Relating to “NY boosts medical marijuana access as legal pot market looms,” (Feb. 4): Payments looking for federal legalization of hashish are usually put forth by Democrats, however a brand new one, the States Reform Act, has been proposed by Nancy Mace, a Republican consultant from South Carolina. Her invoice would have hashish decriminalized on the federal stage so every state may decide its personal legal guidelines regarding hashish inside its borders — a course of already underway with 18 states, beginning with Washington and Colorado in 2012 after quite a few states enacted medical marijuana legal guidelines way back to 1996. Her invoice shares a serious theme with payments proposed by Democrats, which is releasing an estimated 2,600 nonviolent hashish offenders from federal jail and expunging their prison information as a result of enforcement of hashish prohibition legal guidelines have disproportionately affected communities of coloration — a reality nobody disputes. I am a Republican who favors nationwide hashish legalization since prohibition has performed nothing optimistic for our society. I fail to know why extra Republicans don’t favor legalization as a result of it serves the reason for particular person liberty and it merely works higher than prohibition as we have seen with alcoholic drinks.
Greg Groh, Houston
Freedom of speech
Relating to “Federal judge says Texas law against Israel boycotts violates First Amendment rights of Houston contractor,” (Jan. 31): A&R Engineering and Testing Inc. gained a brief injunction towards Houston and Texas Legal professional Normal Ken Paxton. A&R was claiming that its First Modification proper of free speech was being usurped by a regulation that stops corporations from doing enterprise with the state in the event that they boycott Israel.
The Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions motion is impressed by the South African anti-apartheid motion. Palestinians are asking for equal rights, an finish to Israeli occupation and for Israel to honor Palestinians’ proper of return. In brief, BDS is for equality. Anti-BDS legal guidelines — like Texas’ — put us on the incorrect facet of historical past.
It’s time we as Texans stand for freedom of speech, human rights and equality, and rescind this anti-BDS regulation quite than, because the state has performed, file an attraction.
Alex McDonald, Houston