Pubdate: Thu, 2 Apr 1998
Source: Oklahoman, The (OK)
Contact: http://www.oklahoman.com/?ed-writeus
Website: http://www.oklahoman.com/

REIGN OF TERROR

To the Editor:

Your front-page report about the mother jailed for possession of a small
amount of marijuana, her five children taken away into foster care, was
sad. Hearings? Trials? No need at all! One of the younger children, no
doubt scared and misinformed by the phony DARE program, told her teacher
her mother smoked pot and immediately the law closed in. These are real
people, really traumatized. At least let us know what is their fate. What a
reign of terror! If there really was child abuse in this home, let's read
about it and conduct hearings with due, lawful process. Had this family
been prominent (rich) lawyers, doctors, politicians or heirs to fortunes in
Tulsa or Oklahoma City, would this door-kicked-in police raid have
happened? Note that these victims are small-town Indians. They should sue
every official in this ugly affair.

Claire Ann Crawford, Alex