Sheila Polk's My Turn "Safe pot? Tell that to the 62 kids who died" (Monday) suggests Arizona needs to be in no rush to legalize marijuana as four other states have embarked on this experiment.

It is best to "watch them and examine their data" before reaching a conclusion for the citizens of Arizona.

I would be willing to follow this advice if, during the suggested period of watching, we suspend all investigations and arrests for possession or distribution, as well as, temporarily release the thousands in prison for possession or distribution of this helpful plant until the "test" in other states proves a success or failure.

Asking the alternative - incarceration for Arizonans - while citizen's of other states reap the benefits' of liberty from government criminalization is asking far too much.

- - Mich Lyon

Phoenix

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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety," Benjamin Franklin said in 1759.

Many parents in the Maize school district won't understand what that means; they proved that by signing the consent form for their children to have random drug testing. Had they not signed it, their children couldn't be in sports or any extracurricular activity, including graduation or parking in the parking lot.

Now isn't that what giving up our freedom is all about? I take responsibility for my own children. That includes watching which kids they hang out with, talking to them, and teaching them respect, responsibility, right from wrong and their rights as human beings. Then others come along and look for someone to make their jobs as parents less complicated. So now my child has to suffer because they can't take care of their children.

Thank you, parents, for letting this go by so easily. Maybe someday someone else can teach your children their constitutional rights. Enjoy your temporary safety. Now you've got Big Brother watching your kids for you.

Michele Lyon,

Wichita

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