Re: Gov't drug money that could fund Web site development

[Dave Farber <farber@central.cis.upenn.edu>]

From: gnu@toad.com
To: farber@central.cis.upenn.edu (David Farber), gnu@toad.com
Date: Mon, 17 Apr 95 17:24:04 -0700


>               CSAP's objectives are to demonstrate that effective
> communication strategies can increase awareness and knowledge about
> ATOD and the consequences of their use/abuse; increase perception of
> harm associated with the use/abuse of ATOD; decrease intent to use;
> increase knowledge of the benefits of behavior change; increase skills or
> knowledge of actions an individual can take to resist pro-use media
> messages and peer pressure; decrease the myths and misconceptions with
> regard to ATOD problems; and/or change laws, policies, and behavioral
> norms.


Just see this `free government money for Web sites' for what it really is.


The White House goals do not include teaching people to research what
is known about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, and make up their
own minds on how to handle them.  That would be educational, instead
of paternal.  Instead, the White House actively promotes a point of
view, and a deliberate goal of the project is to make people
``resist'' arguments that disagree with the government point of view,
``decrease intent'' to do anything but what the government wants, and
undergo ``behavior change''.


I state that this is not the proper role of government in society.  It
should take a neutral stance on social issues, stimulate an open
market in ideas, and allow them to be worked out by the populace.


	John Gilmore