Pubdate: Mon, 27 Mar 2006
Source: Arizona Daily Star (AZ)
Copyright: 2006 Pulitzer Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.azstarnet.com/star/today/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/23
Author: Bruce P. Murchison
Note: Bruce P. Murchison is a teacher at Sahuaro High School  and an adjunct
instructor in political science at Pima  Community College.

PATRIOT ACT COULD BE USED AGAINST DRUG GANGS

While our politicians continue to bicker about what to  do with all
the illegal immigrants pouring over our  border, the answer may be
right under their noses.

One side points out the monetary issues of providing  health care and
education as well as the increase in  crime. The other side focuses
solely on the "rights" of  those coming across, calling any criticism
of illegal  immigration "racist."

Many entrants are merely trying to provide a better  future for their
families (a noble endeavor), but the  fact is that the process they
use is still illegal.

What many conveniently forget is the greatest threat to  the safety of
our families. As drugs continue to flood  into our state and gang
violence increases to the point  where people don't dare to venture
outside at night in  some parts of our city, it is time to employ the
true  intent of the USA Patriot Act aE" to fight and deter  terrorism.
And that is what this is: domestic  terrorism.

Instead of trying piecemeal legislation to get personal  agendas
accomplished, our government needs to pull  together, stop the
partisan wrangling and put the needs  of Arizonans first. The first
duty of a government is  to protect its citizens. They are not doing
that. Crime  is not a Republican or Demo-crat issue. It is a people
issue.

Our children are being poisoned by the tremendous  amount of drugs
being smuggled into our state and many  illegal immigrants are
promoting gang violence. One of  the most dangerous gangs is the Mara
Salvatrucha, or  MS-13, a gang started by Salvadorans in our prisons.

Many of these gang members have been deported before  and continue to
gain entry to our country. As with  homegrown gangs such as the
Bloods, Crips and others,  the results are the same: drug dealing,
violence and  murder.

Our government is supposed to defend us against all  enemies, both
foreign and domestic. Anyone whose intent  is to harm or destroy
Americans is an enemy. Anyone.

By reclassifying all drug dealers and gang members as  domestic
terrorists, the Patriot Act could be utilized  to rid our great state
of these thugs. Currently, many  of these criminals are being freed
due to loopholes in  the law. The Patriot Act would make it easier to
round  up and neutralize this destructive group.

Of course, the American Civil Liberties Union and its  allies would
decry this as an infringement on the  terrorists' "rights."

While the ACLU has done some good in keeping the  government at bay in
some instances, it needs to  rethink its position on this issue.
Remember, giving  aid and comfort to the enemy is a crime, also. It's
called treason.

Whether Republican or Democrat, conservative or  liberal, white,
black, or Hispanic, these are our  children we are talking about, our
families; for some,  our reason to live.

They are too precious to allow politicians to play  games with their
safety. While some love to spout Ben  Franklin's quote that those who
are willing to  sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither, and
piously ask what good is life without liberty, just  remember, what
good is liberty without life?

Bruce P. Murchison is a teacher at Sahuaro High School  and an adjunct
instructor in political science at Pima  Community College.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin