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In Colombia Fundamentals Work Better Than Bombs

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Message Steve Shapiro

My father went through Temple University in the late 1920s on a football scholarship.  His coach invented the football helmet during that time; coach was Glen "Scooby' Pop Warner.

Dad's scholarship was held over after graduation in accounting, and he got his master's in education to go on to coach high-school football, where after two seasons didn't win a single game.

He went back to Philadelphia to meet with 'Pop' and see what he was doing wrong.  His team practiced plays, scrimmaged every day; and Pop said, "It's fundamentals."

They should do calisthenics, run laps, block and tackle dummies, practice throwing, catching all week with 'chalk talks' before end of practice showers; and run plays on the day before the game.  It was the third string and more that rang plays all week.  Dad's arraignment was to not cut any kid who wanted to play football.

He went on to another school to coach.  Now with Pop Warner's advice and after 11 years of coaching won nine state championships, loosing the other two seasons by only one point to the same school.

Some major American newspapers claimed our military assist with satellite-trained smart bombs brought the Colombian revolutionary forces to their knees, or without our smart weapons there would be no progress in Colombia.  This is not so.

Alvaro Uribe as the Republic of Colombia's 31st President did not turn the tide with modern weapons as claimed by some major American newspapers, but hired a new cadre of generals to train his armies, back to the fundamentals; and instead of parties, fringed epaulets, and elegant entertaining the young cadre of officers polished the saber with sweat and tears to bring down the FARC and had the country under control when the leadership passed to Santos, the 32nd President.

This one country affects the state of social stability all over the world.  Iran claims social stability, bragging of 'Rave Parties' and use of drugs "just like America."  That underground economy pays for weapons and nets enough to develop atomic bombs.  It's serious.

Cocaine use is disgusting and a waste of financial resources.

One comedian said on US television that "cocaine is for those who have too much money and don't deserve it."

The fundamental question has to do with this Colombian rebel force of 'Chulos' who in fact want to go straight.

They have billions of dollars, pesos, francs, 'scoots' from the world over, and they want to go legitimate as investors.  But, the laws enforced by the US of America mandates these assets be confiscated when they surface.  It doesn't seem encouraging.

There has to be some rethinking over contraband for underground assets.

There is no question that the Colombian rebel forces are brutal and costing the US in men and material, money that could be used in more productive arenas.  

The confiscation of ranches, killing of families for their rich farm land, a whole economy of kidnapping; this is not a healthy country.  Citizens and visitors cannot pas freely from one department to another for fear of the most inhuman violations.  But, may for one second we think that to release some billions, that's with a 'B' . . .  Billions of underground money that remains in support of subversive activity only because the authorities refuse to let it surface.

The whole of the United States is rethinking the marijuana laws.  The resurfacing of this underground resource is met with caution and cocaine has no place as a recreational drug.  It rots the flesh with no comparison to marijuana. There seems to be no connection for good over the health of recreational cocaine use.  That means there remains a dispute over the legality of the money garnered by Colombia's FARC, who want to return to a fundamental prosperity.  There are elements of the revolutionary forces who want to have a legitimacy to their ill-gotten gains and the resistance over this evil drug, heightened by inhuman practices forbids it.

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Steve Shapiro is a journalist, author, and screenwriter. As the Charter President of the Jr. United Nations, my motto against autocracy by siblings, parents, local constabulary or governments is 'in liberty is luxury.'

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