Pubdate: Tue, 09 May 2000
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 2000 Los Angeles Times
Contact:  Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053
Fax: (213) 237-4712
Website: http://www.latimes.com/
Forum: http://www.latimes.com/home/discuss/
Author: Joan E. Miejer
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n610/a01.html

VIOLENT RAIDS

Re "Elian Isn't the Only Child Traumatized," Commentary, May 5: In her 
excellent piece on police brutality and the feigned outrage by Washington's 
establishment, Arianna Huffington forgot to mention the Branch Davidians 
and Randy Weaver, episodes in which children were not simply 
traumatized--they were killed. Randy Weaver's son was shot in cold blood. 
His wife was also murdered in front of their remaining children. The Branch 
Davidian children were burned alive with their parents. Elian Gonzalez 
should consider himself lucky.

The root problem is the war on drugs. It has changed the landscape of our 
criminal justice system. It's time to start rethinking what we have become 
under the aegis of that misbegotten war. It hasn't worked in 20 years. Why 
are we so married to this failed policy?

Joan E. Meijer, Los Angeles
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D