Pubdate: Tue, 28 Feb 2006
Source: Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan (SD)
Copyright: 2006 Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan
Contact:  http://www.yankton.net
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1046
Author: Marc Merrill, Yankton
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

A BETTER ALTERNATIVE

An open letter to the people of Yankton County, one of the few 
counties in this state designated by our federal government as a High 
Intensity Drug Trafficking Area: The U.S. has been losing a 
devastating war on drugs, and now our local politicians and 
administrators are making silly arguments about how good such a 
misguided bill like HB1147 would be for our youth.

These politicians are trying to change the definition of a key word 
here, but don't be fooled when they talk about children making 
"mistakes." A crime by any other name is still a crime.

Kids need second chances, but what sort of a chance are we giving 
them by slapping their wrists and tossing them right back into the 
environment that caused them to make these "mistakes" in the first 
place? These legislators and administrators have no clue what's 
really happening on the ground -- kids who get into trouble are seen 
as heroes by their peers.

It's cool and exciting to get busted ... and wink, wink .. no real 
consequences will come their way. Maybe if we remove the temptation 
by going after the scum that traffics drugs in this town, we could 
keep our children from committing these "mistakes" in the first 
place. Unfortunately, history proves this community has no stomach for that.

But there is another approach.

Let's truly show children some compassion by showing them the error 
of their ways. Hospitals and prisons are full of destroyed bodies and 
minds... because nobody cared, nobody intervened. If the hours from 
4-8 p.m. are dangerous for troubled children, let's give them 
something productive to do. If a child gets busted on a drug offense 
and they want to get back into extracurricular activities, let them 
earn it -- not just through wishy-washy at-risk programs, but with 
solid community service lasting at least one year. If our boosters, 
our administrators and our legislators don't see the value in that, 
let us consider their true motives.

Marc Merrill, Yankton
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom