Pubdate: Fri, 15 May 2015
Source: Oklahoman, The (OK)
Copyright: 2015 The Oklahoma Publishing Co.
Contact: http://www.newsok.com/voices/guidelines
Website: http://newsok.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/318
Author: Arrell D. Martindale

A MALIGNANT CANCER

I agree almost completely with David Read (Your Views, May 8): Drugs 
are not the "harmless recreation" that is the viewpoint of liberals 
and, unfortunately, a lot of conservatives. Drugs destroy lives. Do I 
need to point further than Skyla Whitaker and her friend? Walking on 
a familiar country road and shot by a recreational drug user? What 
will it take to wake this country up? More people need to realize 
that the purpose of the law is to protect society, not to let 
criminals off time and time again in order to satisfy some 
sociological sense of guilt. The law has many safeguards to protect 
people who are wrongly accused, but if someone is guilty, they need 
to be locked up, period. If the prisons are overcrowded, more prisons 
need to be built. These kind of people aren't harmless. Users and 
dealers are a malignant cancer and need to be treated as such.

Arrell D. Martindale

Oklahoma City
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