Source: Essex Evening Gazette [UK]

Pub Date: Tuesday 16 April 2002

Pub LTE: Listen to minority too

Author: Don Barnard

Contact: gazette_postbag@thisisessex.co.uk

LISTEN TO MINORITY TOO

Sir - Jacquie Hull (postbag Tuesday 9 April) stated the majority opinion of Witham residents was behind Braintree District Councillor Tom Hewitt in condemning the opening of a cannabis cafe in the town.

Does this mean the minority no longer matter?

What bit of "lawful" does she have trouble understanding?

Would she prefer Chris Philbin-Lardin opens a legal sex shop or massage parlour instead?

When first mooted in the last millennium these were also greeted with shock and horror by ill informed self appointed guardians of our moral values.

Her spurious link between September 11 and terrorists getting their finances from illegal cannabis trafficking flies in the face of common sense and logic; It is the prohibitionist that serves the terrorist not

the liberaliser.

There does come moments, when a particular combination of circumstances calls for deeper investigation of all the factors involved. We seem to have reached one of those moments.

I would like to suggest Jacquie Hull's champion Councillor Hewitt and his colleagues at BDC bite the bullet "talk about" and "make plans" for the inevitable.

But, I won't hold my breath.