Pubdate: Wed, 31 Aug 2011 Source: Press Democrat, The (Santa Rosa, CA) Copyright: 2011 The Press Democrat Contact: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/348 Author: Chris Keys Letter of the Day: POT VIOLENCE EDITOR: It's sad to read that a man was killed while doing his job ("Fort Bragg official slain," Monday). It's even worse when you think that he was murdered by a fully armored, heavily armed thug. I'm pro-marijuana. There is nothing wrong with growing your own in your backyard, your home or even farming on your own property. However, the practice of hijacking public or private land is wrong and presents a serious threat to the public. The area where Jere Melo was murdered is beautiful, but don't go there. In fact the North Coast is full of natural beauty, but don't go there. Why not? Well there are countless "guerrilla grow" operations where so-called farmers destroy land, pollute water and threaten your life. They hire transients or illegal immigrants, arm them to the teeth and pay them to shoot at you. They set traps like the ones set by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. They have hijacked our land and kept us from enjoying what nature has to offer us. I don't know how you stop it. I have my theories, but we have to stop it and stand up against what is wrong. CHRIS KEYS Rohnert Park - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom