Freakin' Speed Freaks

IT CAME OUT last week that federal prosecutors have prepared a public service campaign to try and stem the rising tide of methamphetamine use around the city. That in itself strikes us as a little weird-but then it got a whole lot weirder.

The ads, which take the form of wanted posters featuring the names, mugshots and sentences of convicted speed dealers, were going to be put up primarily in Chelsea and the West Village. It's no news that meth use has exploded in the gay community over the past few years. It's cheap, it's available, and it gets the job done more effectively than coke or ecstasy.

But news of the posters pissed off gay activists, who accused the feds of "needlessly vilifying gay men who were caught selling" crank.

They were also claiming, according to the Daily News, that "the campaign could undermine efforts within the gay community to treat addicts and discourage potential users."

So okay, let's try and figure this out. Activists are mad because people who prosecute drug dealers are targeting drug dealers. And they're also mad that an ad campaign discouraging meth use would undermine their efforts to discourage meth use.

Um??

Then a shrink got involved, saying the ads would "heighten homophobia both within our community and outside it."

Meanwhile, nobody is denying that lots and lots of gay men are using meth in the targeted neighborhoods.

We're no fan of federal drug policy, and we absolutely have nothing against the use of methamphetamines. But these people would be doing themselves quite a service if they paused and thought a moment after that first spasmodic knee-jerk.

The one person who even came close to making sense was an activist who said the feds should enlist the help of the community before undertaking a project like this. And he makes a very good point-all those speed freaks over there could probably put up three times as many posters in about half the time!