Pubdate: Fri, 07 Sep 2001
Source: Herald-Palladium, The (MI)
Copyright: 2001 The Herald-Palladium
Contact:  http://www.heraldpalladium.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1378
Author: Leroy Casterline

CROSSLIN, ROHM WERE TRUE HEROES

Editor,

I must take exception to your Thursday editorial, "Duo precipitated deadly 
standoff."

In your editorial, you state: "But another feature of democracy, one 
conveniently forgotten by Crosslin and many like-minded people, is that we 
are a nation of laws supported by the majority." You go on to say: "The 
sale and possession of marijuana is illegal." This is incorrect. Regardless 
of the feelings of the majority, all laws must meet the requirements of our 
Constitution and Bill of Rights. Nowhere in these writings is the 
government authorized to curtail our freedom regarding that which we ingest.

If you are still in doubt, consider for a moment that the "noble 
experiment," the prohibition of alcohol, required a constitutional 
amendment. Another amendment was required to repeal that disaster. How is 
it possible that alcohol prohibition required an amendment to the 
Constitution while marijuana prohibition does not? The simple truth is that 
it is not possible.

So, it is the government that is operating outside the law, while Mr. 
Crosslin and Mr. Rohm died fighting to protect their land from thieves in 
the guise of lawmen. This, in my view, makes them not victims, but heroes.

Leroy Casterline
Fort Collins, Colo.
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MAP posted-by: Beth