Letter: Drug testing hurts many, helps few

In the June 4 edition of The Advocate, David Guedry asks for other opinions about drug testing. I am against random drug testing of employees, and I am definitely against drug testing for those receiving welfare or unemployment assistance. As for employees, drug testing should only be used in those rare circumstances where there is strong evidence that someone is under the influence of alcohol or some other drug.

Regarding the workplace, such testing is humiliating, dehumanizing and lowers morale because an employee is, de facto, guilty until proven innocent. And secondarily, it is a huge waste of money.

Any time I see politicians proposing Draconian legislation, such as drug testing welfare recipients, a red flag goes up and I see nothing but discrimination and racism behind such measures. It is appalling that there are still people who believe that those who live in poverty are all criminals and drug users.

Are there people receiving government assistance who might use some of that money to purchase drugs? Of course. I am not that naive. But the small percentage of people who do so does not warrant casting a whole class of society as guilty, nor is it worth the cost to taxpayers. While I have not seen any actual numbers, I am sure the expense for drug testing would be many times the paltry amount that is given to welfare recipients. This is especially the case in Louisiana, where some politician’s friend or relative would be given the contract for drug testing at an exorbitant cost.

I am happy that the Louisiana Senate chose to kill the drug-testing bill passed by the House. Every now and then, the politicians get it right, but unfortunately I see an alarming trend by many on the far right (Republicans) to turn back the clock on civil rights. Besides the ridiculous drug-testing schemes, there are many states that, after electing right-wing idealogues as the majority, quickly passed Jim Crow-style laws to suppress the voting of minorities and others who will not support them in their cause or the next election.

Such blatant disregard for the rights of minorities and others, such as the elderly and women, is a distressing omen for this country. We have far too many politicians today whose actions plainly state that their view is that only white men need apply. And only white men who believe as they do.

Michael Polito, Ph .D.

former scientist

Clinton

Comments

1) Comment by Whatnow - 14/06/2012

I sure wouldn't want to drive a Gov. motors car after the union workers were caught drinking and smoking pot during lunch.

2) Comment by free_market - 14/06/2012

I wonder if the eight year old boy's parents' who alledgedly beat him to death were on gov't assistance and drugs. If a positive drug test causes benefits to be lost, why not have CPS take custody of the children. May have saved a life.

3) Comment by Whatnow - 13/06/2012

@Old Man Kensey, when you prove that there are those who are purging the rolls to keep people from voting, you may have a point. It has been proven that people voted in the dead's place. Just google it. A slightly different approach with this one. (http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2012/04/09/the_democrats_election_forgery_racket_113722.html) or this one... http://www.rottenacorn.com/activityMap.html I don't get it, either, nimby?, and I think that only those protesting this want to allow the illegal voters to carry on.

4) Comment by Old Man Kensey - 13/06/2012

@ Whatnow and 8point6: both of your links are articles about dead people being on the register-- there was nothing saying those people voted. I know it is difficult to believe that people, at times, die. Would y'all suggest we make a law to remove yourself from voter registration before you die. But, I'm thinking it may not work. One of the articles explained a safe guard in the current system. If you don't vote for two years- then you are purged and have to re-register. Now, that sounds reasonable. Vote purges are not about preventing the non-existent voting fraud. It is about keeping people from voting. And that is so much worse than fraud. That is concerted effort to undermine the democratic process.

5) Comment by nimby? - 13/06/2012

problems with the system ; programs created with the best of interest(to benefit those truly in need) are the ones most taken advantage of . estimates of fraud near 30 percent . we are told that it is unaffordable to police these programs , that it is less expensive to allow this to continue rather than uphold the law , so deal with it . doesn't make sense . like saying it is more expensive to put a man to death than feed him , care for him the rest of his life . sorry , I don't get it ...

6) Comment by DMJ - 13/06/2012

Oh god. You'll have the right-wingers in an uproar with this one, Michael.

7) Comment by Attila - 13/06/2012

Appears to me that Dr. Polito has more book sense than common sense.

8) Comment by chem - 13/06/2012

There seems to be a lot of personal attacks. Was he fired? Perhaps the gentleman is retired. Lives in a cave? Why, just because he expresses his opinion? It seems that Dr. Polito may be right in that civility is gone in this era of extreme politics. Both the extreme left and right are just that -- extreme. What we need is more moderation in our discourse. People certainly have the right, to a point, to make personal attacks, but that generally shows a great deal of ignorance on the part of the attacker. Rather than ad hominem attacks, put forth your own ideas and see what others think. I think Dr. Polito is correct in the things he states in his letter. I guess I have to go back in my cave now

9) Comment by nimby? - 13/06/2012

as I recall the black legislative caucus voted in mass against this , implying it affected one group more than others .....

10) Comment by dday198 - 13/06/2012

God forbid some neck spots a black person buying a pound of shrimp with an ebt card CALL OUT THE DOGS

11) Comment by Whatnow - 12/06/2012

Old Man Kensey, try again, sir. For the voter fraud in 2008 http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Dead_people_voting

12) Comment by Whatnow - 12/06/2012

And really, SO WHAT if a person on welfare or unemployment smokes an occasional joint??? Now I understand what is wrong with this country. Everyone is stoned and wants the taxpayers and workers to buy their next doobie.

13) Comment by Whatnow - 12/06/2012

@twinkie1cat, try reading the letter about voting for minorities again.

14) Comment by gvm - 12/06/2012

I am not against drug testing, per se, if it is applied across the board. I would bet $100 to a dime that if they were to test members of the Louisiana legislature, there would be at least 2 or 3 positive results. No one, including lawmakers, should be above the law. I see nothing factually wrong with the argument Mr. Polito has put forward. Lest anyone accuse me of advocating testing of another group while excluding myself, let me say that I have been drug tested more times than I can count. I work in an industry where drug testing is part of the terms of employment. For me it's not a problem.

15) Comment by 8point6 - 12/06/2012

http://miami.cbslocal.com/2012/05/22/dead-s-fla-voters-purged- from-rolls/

16) Comment by twinkie1cat - 12/06/2012

Ok, people are talking about voter fraud here instead of drug testing. They have a lot in common in that poor people generally vote democratic and those are the ones the Republicans are targeting with their efforts to clear the voter rolls of everyone but Republicans. As for drug testing no sooner would this selfish government pass such a law than they would take a few dollars out of each check to pay for it. And really, SO WHAT if a person on welfare or unemployment smokes an occasional joint---which is the only drug that would get caught in a drug test unless the person is a total junkie. Except for marijuana, most substances are out of the system within 24 hours. This site needs a way to paragraph. Now as for drug testing being racist, you can't look at numbers, you have to look at percentages because Louisiana is only about 30% black. So look at how many are on "welfare" in terms of percentage of the population. Also, it is not racist as much as a socio-economic attack left over from the days of thinking that people were poor because they had done something wrong. This was a philosophy used by conservatives as an excuse for not helping the poor and is used today in underdeveloped countries. It was even used in the time of Jesus to discriminate against people with disabilities: What did the blind man do wrong, him or his parents to be disabled?? As for Republicans throwing veterans off the voting rolls. Of course they will. Conservatives would throw their own mama off if she was a Democrat. My mother once told me that voting should NOT be a universal right,. That and that blacks were inferior to whites and that I should not marry for love, but a man who could take care of me.

17) Comment by Old Man Kensey - 12/06/2012

Indeed Whatnow's comments were funny, but unfortunately, not factual. There has been no evidence of major voter fraud. No evidence of dead people voting. But, there is evidence of republican's throwing Military War Veterans off the roles... Now that is the sad part of this story.

18) Comment by 8point6 - 12/06/2012

Whatnow: Good one!! Made my day!

19) Comment by Whatnow - 12/06/2012

@8point6, he's not only way out in left field, he also lives in and never leaves his cave. I find that those who scream discrimination are usually those who are guilty. Why wouldn't the Federal government want to purge illegal and dead voters off the rolls? You know, my Dad was a conservative all his life and voted Republican before he died. Now he votes Democrat.

20) Comment by 8point6 - 12/06/2012

"former scientist".....did you get fired? " I am definitely against drug testing for those receiving welfare or unemployment assistance. " I've never received welfare or unemployment assistance, yet, my fellow employees and I, were drug tested on different occasions. By the way. I belong to a minority and never had a problem with being drug tested. Sounds like you would have a problem being drug tested. " but unfortunately I see an alarming trend by many on the far right (Republicans) to turn back the clock on civil rights." Wow! Are YOU way out in left field!

21) Comment by nimby? - 12/06/2012

Dr. Polito , in the state of Louisiana there are more whites than blacks below the poverty level , receiving federal assistance . please explain how this is a racial issue .....

22) Comment by Old Man Kensey - 12/06/2012

Thank you Mr. Polito. Outstanding points.