Pubdate: Tue, 01 Mar 2005
Source: Maneater, The (Columbia, MO Edu)
Copyright: 2005 The Maneater
Contact:  http://www.themaneater.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1283
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n335/a10.html?14808

UNDER PROP. 2, POT STILL FAR FROM LEGAL

Who knows what runs through a person's mind when he or she decides to do 
something as deplorable as shooting a police officer. Perhaps it's anger, 
fear or simply a deep seeded hatred for law enforcement. But anyone who 
suggests that marijuana was a central factor in Rick Evans' desire to shoot 
officers Molly Bowden and Curtis Brown must be wearing a blindfold, or 
perhaps ignoring Evans' repeated anger management problems or admitted 
obsession with the idea of killing police officers.

Either that, or they are using an extremely sensitive issue such as 
Bowden's death to get the emotional backing for their own political agenda, 
namely getting Columbia's marijuana ordinances repealed.

Sterling Infield, Columbia Police Officers Association president, has 
linked Proposition 2 -- which limits the punishment for possessing small 
amounts of marijuana to a fine in municipal courts and does not strip 
students of financial aid on their first offense -- to Evans' shooting 
spree because Evans had several prior convictions for small amounts of 
marijuana. But Proposition 2 does not decriminalize the drug.

It seems Infield and other members of the CPOA are stuck on the idea that 
Proposition 2 provides some kind of incentive for smoking pot, and 
consequentially, the incentive to commit crimes. But the real motive behind 
the ordinance, which voters overwhelmingly approved in November, is to 
prevent college students from losing their scholarships and financial aid 
if they are caught once with a small amount of marijuana. There is nothing 
violent about that.

Using the untimely death of a fellow officer as a tool to gain political 
leverage is a disgusting way to prove a point against an ordinance voters 
supported in large proportion. Repealing Proposition 2 wouldn't change 
anything in the behavior of men like Evans -- but it could destroy the 
lives of some who still have promise.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom