Newsgroups: talk.politics.drugs,alt.activism,alt.politics.libertarian
From: cyu@delfin.com (Cristina Ungstad Yu)
Subject: Re: END THE DRUG WAR--LET'S GO FOR IT! - New Club
Message-ID: <1993May19.164342.13158@delfin.com>
Date: Wed, 19 May 1993 16:43:42 GMT

If you were interested in the terrific post that started this thread,
maybe you'd like to join a grass-roots e-mail club that's just starting
up.  One of the reasons some people have for opposing to the Drug War
is that asset forfeiture has made the 5th Amendment a war casualty.
State, Federal and Local governments are now allowed to confiscate the
money and property of *suspected* drug users/dealers before they are
convicted.  80% of the people whose property is siezed are never
charged.  As you can imagine, there are hundreds of cases of abuse.
(For more info, please write me.)

Last week, some people from all over the country got together
(electronically) to form a club opposed to this. We're just getting
started, so if you are interested why not drop me a line?  We've got
some great ideas for getting on public access t.v., letter writing
campaigns, and fundraisers.  We're missing some ideas, though.
*Yours*.

Two logical questions that have been asked:

"Why start a club? Aren't there groups like this already?"  This is
probably going to be the first club of its kind that is e-mail based.
We'll have the chance to have a small membership where each person can
play as big a role as he wants, and yet have members from all over the
country.  Yeah, meetings will be tough :), but letter-writing campaigns
will canvas the country.  Our uniqueness could even get us some
publicity for our issues.

"Isn't the A.C.L.U. working on this?"  No, I called them two weeks ago
(Northern California office) and they said they had no position on
asset forfeiture. They have a position on double jeapordy, another 5th
Amendment issue), but are not working it.  They deal with many, many
issues.

If you're interested, why not drop me a line and try it out? No
obligation.  My address: cyu@delfin.com

-Cristina Yu