Pubdate: Tue, 08 Mar 2011 Source: Macon Telegraph (GA) Copyright: 2011 The Macon Telegraph Publishing Company Contact: http://www.macontelegraph.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/667 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n144/a08.html Author: Ron Renno DO THE CRIME, DO THE TIME I find it sad, if not amusing, that Catherine Meeks waits until the last few lines of her dribble on the Opinion page to mention that "each person has to take responsibility for their behavior." If she has proof that the CIA or President Ronald Reagan, for that matter, is/was the cause of so many "people of color" being incarcerated, she should come forward with that proof. To simply put her own racial spin on the subject is sickening, but expected of her. There is one reason, and one reason only, as to why there are so many young black people in prison: That segment of our society commits the majority of the crimes. Nobody makes anyone stray outside the established rules of society. From 1976 to 2005, the homicide rates for blacks were seven times higher than the rates for whites (which also includes Hispanics). If you commit a felony, whether it is associated with drugs, murder, rape or other felonies, you pay the price. No voting, no guns (that's laughable), no public assistance, etc. If you don't want to lose your civil privileges, don't commit the crime and quit blaming other people for your problems. Ron Renno Forsyth - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake