Pubdate: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 Source: Isthmus (WI) Copyright: 2003 Isthmus Contact: http://www.thedailypage.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/215 Author: Janet Thorson HARD TIME Robin Baldeh's feeling that "mandatory minimum sentences prescribed by federal law are tearing apart families and hurting communities" (Watchdog 2/7/03) is just the latest in the continuing quest to point blame somewhere, anywhere, other than wherre it belongs, squarely on the shoulders of Mrs. Baldeh's daughter, who who only gets to see her poor widdle baby on visiting day at the federal prison where she serves time for drug charges. I can think of two solutions for this: 1) If you're going to have kids, don't commit crime; or 2) If you're going to commit crime, don't have kids. Prison is supposed to be a drag. That's why they call it prison. I am delighted to hear that our "hard-nosed Justice Department...wants to makes these sentences even harder." Good for them. Janet Thorson, Knoeller - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake