Pubdate: Sun, 23 Mar 2008 Source: Times-Mail (IN) Copyright: 2008 Times-Mail Contact: http://www.tmnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1497 Author: Mike Leonard TIME TO SPY ON YOUR NEIGHBORS The arrival of spring means different things to different people. For some, it's time to get out and breathe fresh air and work off those extra pounds gained over the winter. For others, it's time to plan projects, vacations and other such things. To the Indiana State Police, spring is the time to spy on your neighbors, be suspicious of their activities and anoint yourself as a vigilante. This might be funny, if the implications of this ridiculousness weren't so sobering. Ponder the message behind this recent news release from Indiana's finest. "With spring just around the corner many people are preparing plants for home gardening," the message begins. Yeah, no kidding. "Unfortunately marijuana growers use this time to prepare their plants. They will soon be planting their starter plants in farmer's cornfields, on hiking trails and in remote areas. They will then transport water and fertilizer to them on a regular basis. That is where you, the eyes and ears of the community come in," the release continues (lack of commas and misplacement of the possessive apostrophe also courtesy of ISP). "We depend on the public to call in suspicious people, vehicles, plate numbers and activity to keep marijuana out of the hands of our kids and family members. Please watch for individuals carrying small potted plants, jugs of water or fertilizer to remote areas or into cornfields. "We are here to serve the public. Checking out suspicious activity is what we do. Don't let one marijuana grower get away because you did not think it was important enough to call." Now at this point, you might think, well, if people are carrying gardening tools and equipment into remote areas, the state police might have a legitimate point here. The bit about marijuana falling into the hands of "kids and family members" lays it on a bit thick -- as does the implied horror of allowing even "one" marijuana grower to get away. But, read on. "Master Trooper Kurt Feather asks the public to also watch for suspicious activity around homes which may be related to indoor grows. Suspicious activity includes taking large amounts of fertilizer inside, purchasing expensive grow lighting, blacked out windows, outbuilding with air conditioners, an excessive number of buckets and pots laying around and utility meters that have been tampered with." OK, now meter tampering, that's bad. Shocking, even. But demonizing grow lights and excessive amounts of buckets and pots? Please. Food prices are skyrocketing, consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about herbicides and pesticides, and both food and flower gardeners are gearing up for the growing season. Gardening is good, and many gardeners are indeed growing starter plants from seeds by blacking out windows, turning on grow lights, using fertilizer and transferring plants from one size of pot into another. To suggest that legitimate and legal gardening activities be scrutinized by nosy neighbors is both wrong-headed and over-reaching. Why not suggest that every gun owner is a potential murderer? The federal government is doing its best to inject fear and suspicion among the citizenry -- ironically upping the terror factor that terrorists seek to create. Do we really need the state police adding to the mentality that Big Brother is watching but he needs help? They're talking about marijuana here, not heroin, methamphetamine or other dangerous drugs. And what they're not talking about is burglary, assault, theft or other violent crimes. From where does this reefer madness come? Perhaps the key to understanding this "rat on your neighbor" campaign is buried in the news release. According to Marijuana Eradication Sergeant Jeff Kastenschmidt, the state raked in more than $1 million in property seizures related to marijuana cultivation charges. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek