Pubdate: Tue, 30 Nov 2004 Source: Abbotsford Times (CN BC) Copyright: 2004 The Abbotsford Times Contact: http://www.abbotsfordtimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1009 Author: Darryl Marko Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n1686/a03.html UNTRUSTWORTHY SUB-CITIZENS HERDED LIKE SHEEP The approval of drug-sniffing dogs in Abbotsford schools is a giant leap towards a fascist police state policy, which views all students as guilty until proven innocent. In addition to violating students' rights to privacy, consider the impact the use of drug dogs may have on student self-image. I thought it was well known that children and adolescents benefit immensely from a caring, supportive environment where they are treated with respect, and their concerns are taken seriously. All we have to do is look at the effects fascist governments have on citizenry to see what that same approach will have in our schools: unrest and rebellion. We have a choice to treat our children as full members of our democratic society, or as untrustworthy sub-citizens who need to be herded like sheep. Perhaps if the Romans had had Christian-sniffing dogs 2,000 years ago, only people guilty of following the subversive teachings of Jesus Christ would have been dragged from their homes and crucified. Darryl Marko, Coquitlam - ---