This is a response to “Tobacco bust” by Alan L. Light published on Sept. 3.

Mr. Light is correct about the need to hold the CEOs responsible for perjury. If they lied under oath, they should be prosecuted.

Perjury is often a serious crime that is hard to prove and harder to prosecute, but when you have a strong case, it is in society’s best interest that the violators be prosecuted.

As far as wanting Congress to prosecute those CEOs, Mr. Light needs to take a class on the American Judicial Process. It would be the Attorney General’s Office that would be responsible for prosecution. You know, she was appointed by President Clinton to uphold the laws of this country. It is not the responsibility of Congress to “call for legal action” in this matter.

Your writing would imply that Congress is responsible for prosecuting all cases of perjury, when most likely the only case that Congress would be involved in would be an impeachment process.

As far as your statement that “cigarettes kill,” I argue that smoking kills and that it is the responsibility of those who choose to smoke and not the companies that make the cigarettes.

Your description makes it sound like murder, when the sad truth is that it is more like suicide.

Darin Van Ryswyk

Alumnus

Ames