Pubdate: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 Source: Lexington Herald-Leader (KY) Copyright: 2003 Lexington Herald-Leader Contact: http://www.kentucky.com/mld/heraldleader/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/240 Author: Roger Owens Note: Roger Owens is chairman of Champions for a Drug-Free McCreary County in Whitley City. NO SYMPATHY FOR DRUG LORDS I was very disappointed that the Herald-Leader articles portray David Perkins and his co-dealers as poor, down-and-out people who had to sell drugs to live. The picture of Perkins and his baby on his last night at home and the description of Perkins' long, sad drive to Manchester to do his seven years should never have been printed. I saw no remorse for what Perkins and the others have done. What I have seen is the hundreds of children put into foster care because their parents are doing drugs. I have seen babies addicted to cocaine and other drugs because their mothers took drugs while they were pregnant. I have seen the weekly court docket of crimes committed because of drugs. And what about the 6.8 percent of our children between the ages of 10 to 18 who have used or are using cocaine and an even higher percentage for other drugs? Saddest of all are the funerals -- suicides, drug overdoses, shootings and innocent men, women and children killed in car accidents because someone was driving under the influence. Just ask the victims' families what they think. These drug lords should be held not only responsible but also liable for their actions. Instead of a few months to seven years, they should be looking at 25 to life. In McCreary County, we are ashamed, disgusted and angry about the drug problems. But a lot of good citizens, local and state agencies, the school systems and churches are working very hard to rid our county of drug problems. Articles like those in the Herald-Leader don't help. There are no innocent or good drug dealers. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake