Pubdate: Wed, 09 Mar 2005 Source: Meridian Booster (CN AB) Copyright: 2005, The Lloydminster Meridian Booster Contact: http://www.meridianbooster.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1590 Author: Leo Pare OFFICER'S DEATHS ARE NOBODY'S VICTORY Lloydminster Meridian Booster -- If you believed there was nobody out there who would stoop low enough to take advantage of the tragic death of four RCMP officers, you would be sorely mistaken. During the days immediately following the Mayerthorpe massacre, details were sketchy and various news sources initially reported the incident as a pot bust gone terribly wrong. Since then, it has been revealed that although marijuana plants were discovered on the premises, RCMP were actually visiting James Roszko's acreage regarding stolen property. Marijuana activists across the country quickly jumped all over the cop killings as a tool for their cause, arguing that if pot were legalized the incident never would have occurred. On the very same day as the Mayerthorpe tragedy, users of an online marijuana activist discussion forum celebrated the RCMP deaths, and talked about the potential advantage the incident could have in the fight to legalize marijuana. "The illegality of pot caused this tragedy, which means it was preventable . future incidents can be prevented by legalization," said one poster. "Don't let anyone tell you that this is evidence that pot is bad. This is evidence that prohibition kills cops." (Last time I checked it was a psychopath with an automatic rifle.) Others showed even less tact in expressing their opinion. "Good riddance to scum," read another post. "Scabs they are, bleeding festering scabs. Good riddance is right," said another. Of course these comments are extreme, and we can't paint all marijuana activists with the same brush as those ignorant fools who would celebrate the death of the young officers as some sort of victory. But there is no doubt that Canada's pro-marijuana community is attempting to take advantage of the incident to promote their cause. I don't have any strong beliefs regarding the legalization of marijuana, but I certainly don't support anyone trying to reap some sort of benefit from the deaths of four young men. Perhaps the police should have just left Mr. Roszko alone, and allowed him to quietly grow his little weed garden without interference. So what if he was in possession of a little stolen property and a few illegal firearms. He wasn't hurting anybody. And maybe police should simply allow drug pushers to sell marijuana, cocaine, or crystal meth on our street corners. What's the big deal? I hope these arguments sound as ridiculous to you as they do to me. Drugs are illegal, and maybe someday our `enlightened' Liberal government will change all that, but in the mean time, those in the drug trade should continue to face justice for breaking the laws that are in place to ensure the safety and security of our communities. Four young men died last week upholding the safety and virtue of our society. Allowing their deaths as an argument for the legalization of drugs would be conceding defeat to violent crime. If anything, this tragic incident should strengthen our resolve to seek out and eliminate illegal activity. It's time for our police and our justice system to drop the gloves and declare, `no more Mr. Nice Guy.' - --- MAP posted-by: Josh