Delta Responds.

THERE WERE A FEW ERRORS IN YOUR STORY, Delta's Missed Connection, (August 1999). The article states that the Boeing 757 was replaced by the Boeing 737-800 as an act of "downsizing" in Delta's Central American region. Actually, Delta ordered the Boeing 737-800 specifically with Central America in mind. The Boeing 757 was a temporary aircraft for that market. Delta placed the newer, technologically advanced aircraft into its Central American region to show dedication to Delta's Latin American expansion.

Also, the article quotes: "Within a year, the airline launched service to 11 cities in eight countries." This information is incorrect. Delta currently serves a total of 10 Latin American cities in eight countries.

The article also conveys that Delta is a new player in Latin America. Delta's founding father, Collett Everman Woolman, was a pioneer for Latin American aviation in Peru. In 1928, Woolman successfully lobbied for airline and airmail rights within Peru. Over the years, Delta has held Latin American routes in Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. Delta's continued presence in Mexico, since 1957, makes Delta a longterm carrier in Latin America, not a newcomer to the region. Today, Delta is the number one U.S. carrier in Mexico, together with codesharing partner, Aeromexico.

Tracy O'Donnal

Representative of Latin America

Delta Air Lines

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Editor's Note: The Boeing 737-800 is a smaller plane, but perhaps we should have emphasized it's also newer. Regarding the number of routes, our information came from Delta CEO Leo Mullin in his December 1998 speech to the Transportation Ministers of the Western Hemisphere in New Orleans. In that speech, he also said, "Despite our Latin American roots, there was a bit of a slowdown in our activity level here following Mr. Woolman's involvement in the late 1920s. In fact, the slowdown lasted about 70 years!"

Debating Drugs

I READ WITH INTEREST YOUR RECENT EDITORIAL about Colombia legalizing the drug business (June 1999). I have been involved in the legal area for many years in the United States and think people should be aware of some very important facts regarding this emotional issue.

First, the DEA fails to inform U.S. citizens that illegal drugs in the U.S. are responsible for only about 15,000 deaths per year (mainly from heroin & cocaine--there are no reported cases of anyone overdosing on marijuana) compared to over 150,000 deaths from legal prescription drugs, and over 350,000 deaths due to alcohol and nearly 400,000 due to tobacco (which is an addictive product). These numbers don't seem to justify on a "cost/benefit" ratio the US$14 billion or so we spend on drug interdiction in the U.S., not including prison costs.

Second, Amsterdam has decriminalized drugs and does not have the problems the U.S. has with drug violence and gangs. Since the sales are handled through businesses, the state receives taxes and the consumer gets a product with reasonable assurances it is not adulterated which is not the case with 'street' drugs. Since its legal there are no gang shoot-outs over "control."

Finally, U.S. drug policy ignores the medical benefits of non-addictive marijuana, which could prevent some 6 million people worldwide from going blind with glaucoma, and its ability to counter nausea by the thousands of chemotherapy and AIDS patients. If pot were legalized, the drug agencies could focus on the more serious drugs, such as alcohol. How about the drunk who flipped his truck on a family in Houston and killed a father and his three children? The DEA even refuses to warn people about alcohol dangers since it doesn't want to "confuse people."

At one DEA party, an agent got so drunk he "snapped" and shot to death his coworker.

In that context, legalizing cocaine by Colombia does not seem to be the horrible thing people claim. Prohibition of alcohol lead to the Mafia. Cocaine bosses making over $100 billion/year (untaxed) is no different--only the drug handled has changed.

At the minimum we should change our policy to "decriminalize and discourage" if not outright legalize all these substances. The number of deaths from illegal drugs doesn't justify the current policy, which guarantees billions untaxed for the drug thugs. Pharmaceutical companies whose legal drugs kill ten times more people than cocaine and heroin could handle distribution, and the tax money would fund a nationwide network treatment centers we could use for the addicts that can't get off alcohol, cigarettes or any other drug--saving us billions in jail costs for people whose only 'crime' is possession of a controlled substance. Then we can keep in prison the violent offenders and crooked politicians who are a greater menace.

Michelle Richland

Dallas, TX

Multicultural Society

THE ZESTY CULTURAL BLEND THAT YOU MENTION (Editor's Note, August 1999) has a much deeper and transcendent meaning. You have stated very well the great potential of a properly guided blend of the Mexican and American cultures--despite the differences in their cultural background, the Mexican American War and its consequences, along with the economic and political disparity of today. This blend of cultures should also be added with the rest of the countries and cultures of the whole American continent from Alaska down to the Islas Malvinas and Tierra del Fuego.

I sincerely hope that an ever increasing number of people like you, within the scope of their daily duties, are helping to configure a universal society in which all human beings will have the right and opportunity to live without the anguish of hunger, crime, war and ignorance.

Jose Ramon Guillen Gonzalez

Mexico, D.F.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

I HAVE BEEN AN AVID READER OF YOUR MAGAzine for several years and I enjoyed reading the article Long Live the Alamo (August 1999). The U.S. Hispanic market statistics were very impressive. I was so impressed that I almost believed that the Mexican Independence was really on September 15 as stated in the article. Mexican Independence Day is on September 16. People might confuse the day before as Mexico's independence since the "grito" is held at 12 midnight, September 16. The "grito" is the independence ceremony lead by the president of Mexico in the Zocalo in Mexico City. At the end of the ceremony; the President rings a bell to commemorate Father Miguel Hidalgo's ringing of his church bell on September 16, 1810, to call upon his parishioners to go out and fight for the independence of their Mexico.

Victor M. Rivera

Houston, Texas, USA