Pubdate: Thu, 05 May 2005
Source: Berkshire Eagle, The (Pittsfield, MA)
Copyright: 2005 New England Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.berkshireeagle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/897
Author: Molly MacGregor

NO LENIENCY FOR DRUG DEALERS

I've been following for a while the furor in the letters section over the 
arrests of the 19 in Great Barrington, but after Al Piccin's letter 
("Western Massachusetts is not West Texas," April 29) I've finally had 
enough. He asks, "How many of the Torquemadas now crying for blood never 
participated in such adventures when they were in their teens or early 
20s?" Well I, for one, never did. I could ignore this statement if it was 
an isolated one, but it's a sentiment that's been repeated ad nauseum in 
defense of those arrested. Maybe it's just something wrong with me, but 
somehow I've managed to make it to the ripe old age of 20 without ever 
having sold cocaine, in a parking lot or elsewhere. If the 400 or so 
petition-signers of Great Barrington were signing to protest the 
school-zone law itself (which, yes, is stupid and unnecessary), or were 
incensed that these people had been arrested for, say, smoking pot in a 
basement, my signature would be on there too. But no, they're asking for 
leniency for these "young people" (who are being charged as adults, which 
tells us they're over 17) as though somehow they have some special spark 
distinguishing them from other drug dealers. And people have the audacity 
to talk about the potential and "bright futures" that are being sidetracked 
by this apparent hideous miscarriage of justice. Yeah, selling coke in 
parking lots is often a big indicator of great things to come.

It's also offensive because it implies that others arrested for exactly the 
same thing are somehow inferior to them. Is it because of their town of 
residence? Their race? Their economic level? Please, those of you defending 
these criminals, I'd like to know: what makes them so much better than 
every other drug dealer in Berkshire County and the world at large? As I 
said, the school-zone rule is ridiculous, but it's a rule that only affects 
people who are already selling drugs, which is still illegal.

Finally, I was angered by Mr. Piccin's comments about thinking western 
Massachusetts was more "enlightened" than places such as West Texas and 
western Mississippi. I'm a life-long resident of Massachusetts and very 
proud to be, as well as a die-hard liberal, but I hate to think of people 
forming opinions of my state based on a handful of individuals, especially 
when some present such hypocritical, elitist views.

MOLLY MACGREGOR, Pittsfield, April 30, 2005
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