Pubdate: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 Source: Athens Banner-Herald (GA) Copyright: 2002 Athens Newspapers Inc Contact: http://www.onlineathens.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1535 Author: Christopher Fugett DRUG PROBLEM IN AMERICA CALLS FOR SEVERE MEASURES I am writing in response to the Jan. 17 letter by Mr. Mark Knick. Mr. Knick believes the Athens-Clarke County Police Department had wrongly seized an 82-year-old woman's home. I question why Mr. Knick is so quick to jump on the defensive wagon? If Mr. Knick were remotely familiar with the circumstances in which this lady's home was seized by police, he most definitely would support our law enforcement in these efforts. Police had been out there numerous times on drug complaints from neighbors and warned this lady several times, yet there was no compliance on her part to stop her son and his "customers" from using her home for their transactions; and yes, Mr. Knick, there are provisions in our law books on this matter, in laymen terms: We cannot allow illegal drug activity on our property and expect to look "innocent." I'm assuming by Mr. Knick's statement that "our schools are filling up with armed policemen and search dogs" that those actions by officials are unnecessary also? My kids should have the right to go to school and not worry about being caught up in the cross-fire from a drug deal gone bad by their peers; my kids should have the right to walk in neighborhoods and not pass by a home plagued by drug activity like the one seized by our law enforcement. With that said Mr. Knick, it's not America that needs to "wake up, "it's you. We're at war, not only with foreign entities, but with drug dealers and those who harbor them, as well as blind people who are too worried about "freedoms" and "rights" when safety and getting drugs off the street should be paramount! You mention the "Constitution" -- may I remind you that a lot has changed in our world since the Constitution was written. Surely our forefathers would expect our country's governing bodies to protect our society from situations such as drug dealings. Which side are you on: getting drugs out of our society or protecting those who bring them in? Christopher Fugett - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager