Don Ewing: Open borders contribute mightily to our drug addiction problem

To The Daily Sun,

Michael Tensel’s February 21 letter identifies some contributors to and enablers of our country’s drug addiction problem. But it ignores the contributions Americans make as voters and by our attitudes.

Voters contribute to the addiction and death of fellow Americans by supporting politicians who support open borders, sanctuary for illegal aliens, leniency for drug dealers, and low or no bail. Open borders stretch law enforcement too thin to intercept all the illegal drugs coming over our border. One million pounds are intercepted annually but much more gets through. Sanctuary for illegal aliens protects people who import and transport illegal drugs around our country. Leniency for drug dealers and low or no bail returns dealers of death to our streets.

New York State’s new “no bail“ law freed six “suspects,“ arrested running a $7 million fentanyl ring which could kill thousands, without bail, probably to disappear forever. This is crazy; it doesn't deter criminals or protect Americans.

People who support/enable the breaking of laws, created to protect Americans, and protecting illegal aliens (sanctuary) are just as responsible for the addiction and death of Americans as the DEA watchdogs or postal inspectors who shirk their responsibilities.

Our society’s attitudes contribute to the drug abuse abuse problem. Too often we pop pills for whatever ails us, e.g., to: pep us up, put us to sleep, help us lose weight, and/or to make us feel good. We expect pills to make up for our poor eating and drinking habits, inadequate fresh air and exercise, inadequate sleep, nagging conscience, etc.

While millions of people take opioids without becoming addicted, many doctors prescribe and people unquestioningly take addicting drugs when less dangerous drugs might suffice. To protect ourselves and families, we must be more skeptical about any drugs we consider taking; most drugs can harmful.

One of our biggest failures is that there’s far too little focus on getting people to reject the idea of taking drugs unless absolutely necessary. Whatever it takes, we can save lives by getting people to just say “no!” instead of abusing drugs.

Another likely contributor to drug abuse is the hopelessness preached by many politicians and other leaders who tell people “you can’t make it on your own,“ “society’s unjust“, “you’re a victim,“ etc. Some politicians seemingly try to create that reality by destroying good American jobs, by tolerating lawlessness, by keeping children in bad and dangerous schools, by driving up college costs and taxes, and by sowing distrust of public officials.

Americans are capable people. Americans survived the Great Depression, defeated the Nazis and Imperial Japan, freed millions of people enslaved by the communist Soviet Union, and created an environment that enables most Americans to prosper. If politicians would stop bad mouthing America and work to create opportunities, every American would be filled with boundless hope.

Drug abuse is not just a problem for others to solve; we all need to do our part with our votes and attitudes.

Don Ewing

Meredith