Pubdate: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) Copyright: 2001 Cox Interactive Media. Contact: http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/28 Author: Jason Wilson NARCOTICS OFFICERS' MAIN INTENT: DEPRIVING US OF OUR RIGHTS I disagree with the April 9 "In My Opinion" ("Police officer gave generously") that slated that slain narcotics agent Sherry Lyons-Williams was "a protector of all of us." Narcotics officers are the foot soldiers in a war against the American people, the main intent of which is to gradually strip us of our rights as free people. I am not simply referring to an adult's right to put whatever he chooses into his own body. I am also referring to our First Amendment rights. I am talking about our Fourth Amendment rights against unlawful search and seizure --- a portion of our Constitution that will be essentially meaningless in a decade if we do not stop this insane drug war. Serving as a protector of all of us? Is this done through destroying families by arresting their sole providers for nonviolent crimes? Is this done by empowering drug gangs in the exact same way we did during Prohibition? Is this done by narcotics agents and DEA agents busting into a house because they got a tip from an anonymous source and then, after they kill someone, finding out that there are no drugs in the home? No, these narcotics agents are not working to make our streets safer. And although it is unfortunate when anyone is killed, do not ask me to mourn for a narcotics officer who invaded a man's home to prevent him from being able to sell a powder that somebody wanted to inhale. Jason Wilson - --- MAP posted-by: Beth