Pubdate: Mon, 28 Jan 2002
Source: Messenger-Inquirer (KY)
Copyright: 2002 Messenger-Inquirer
Contact:  http://www.messenger-inquirer.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1285
Author: Thomas Patrick Rogers

DON'T DESTROY REPUBLIC THROUGH THOUGHTLESS FEAR

The Jan. 18 article "1968 Corvette seized with couple's guilty plea" is 
cause for serious reflection. Apparently the couple was guilty of 
possession, not manufacturing or trafficking illegal drugs. They had their 
drugs confiscated, yet, they will receive an $11,000 tax lien on drugs they 
no longer possess. They forfeited $3,800 and their Corvette. This is all on 
top of the jail time and any fines associated with their conviction. They 
forfeit their Second Amendment rights and their right to vote.

I fear what people who abuse hard drugs might do to others. That is good 
reason to support the right to keep and bear arms. The founders of this 
country feared the King of England and his army's abuses of tyrannical 
forfeiture laws so much that they wrote into our Constitution that even 
treason was not a crime that could be punishable by forfeiture. Though put 
to death, the heirs of traitors would still inherit their estates.

Before we as a society accept forfeiture laws or allow expansion of their 
use out of fear of drugs, we should remember the founding fathers 
considered forfeiture laws -- not drug use -- the danger worthy of mention 
in our Constitution. I recommend the Web site www.fear.org.

"Just Say No" is a good sound bite, but a poor replacement for careful 
thought. Let's not destroy the republic through thoughtless fear. Blind 
trust in federal government?

Thomas Patrick Rogers

Owensboro
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom