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1. lesson27
Punishment for Drug Abuse A recent attempt by New Jersey's attorney general to lessen the penalties for use of marijuana has caused fierce arguments around the country. Those who detest the drug users sneer and scowl at the light treatment of offenders. They reject the attorney general's recommendation as lacking a morsel of sense, claiming it would only encourage more drug abuse. They consider the drug addict much like vermin that must be stamped out. Such citizens continually wail for stiffer penalties. Those in favor of a milder approach to the drug problem point to the poor results achieved by prison terms. They feel addicts should be given medical help. Also, in enforcing harsh drug laws, police tend to be viewed as a symbol of unwelcome authority. The problem demands a solution. We cannot remain neutral or unconcerned, nor can we afford to muddle through with ineffective measures, for this is not a trifling matter.
Problems We Face Despite wars, disease, and natural disasters, our world is experiencing a population explosion (boom) that threatens to change or disrupt life as we have known it. Vast numbers of people must be fed and housed, and in the process a whole rash of problems has descended upon the human race. First has been the pollution of the air and the contamination of the water supply. Second has been the rapid exhaustion of fuels, minerals, and other natural resources. The response to this situation has ranged from utter disbelief to exaggerated concern. Since scientists themselves disagree on the severity of the problem, our feeble knowledge is surely unable to suggest the correct course of action. But we cannot stand still because there is too much at stake. We are, therefore, compelled to unite in our efforts to insure that human life on this planet does not cease. We must learn to be thrifty, even miserly, with the gifts of nature that we have formerly taken for granted. If our past reveals a reckless squandering of our natural possessions, we must now find an intelligent guide to their use so that we may remain monarchs of a world that has peace and plenty.
Where Do We Go from Here? When we grow too complacent with ourselves, along come writers who, wasp-like, sting us with reminders of the many problems we face-from rehabilitating former prisoners on parole to feeding the world's hungry population. Those authors do not see civilization rising almost vertically to greater and greater heights. Though a multitude of problems beset America, they nominate the large urban centers as potentially the most dangerous and requiring the most immediate attention. They see the cities as the morgues of dead hopes and lost ideals. We are preoccupied with trifles like the upholstery in our homes or personal matters like pension and benefits, but now we are called upon to contribute to our community on every vital level-moral, political, economic. We are not being urged to give up our beloved possessions, but our civilization can be saved only if we overcome the epidemic of indifference. We must begin to live with a new openness to others and a determination to become the best of which we are capable.
Bet on the Blond Can women excel as jockeys in big-time horse racing? Years ago the feminine touch was kept out of racing, but now at tracks all over the country women mount horses and compete with men, many of whom dread the whole idea. Their masculine image, they feel, may be threatened.* Also, some offer the weak argument that females are a menace on the track. But, as we all know, we should resist* the tendency to underestimate the power of women. A few female jockeys have been victorious in numerous races, and this is probably what has put the male jockeys in a rage.* It would be wise if the men were more flexible in their attitudes toward women athletes.
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