Pubdate: Tue, 01 June 1999 Source: Santa Barbara News-Press (CA) Copyright: 1999 Santa Barbara News-Press Contact: http://www.newspress.com/ Author: Paul A. Maye Note: Related Article at http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v99.n572.a08.html LOMPOC RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT TOLERATE RAPISTS OR DRUGS Three loud cheers for Mayor DeWees and Police Chief Brown for demonstrating strong moral and community leadership. They have not allowed themselves to be intimidated nor handcuffed by the twisted logic of California's convoluted legal system. Statutes at times appear to support criminal's rights over victim's rights and to provide phony legal cover for obviously immoral activities. Recently, the mayor and police chief have shown real courage. They've taken firm stands and actions beyond the ordinary concerning two insidious intrusions into our Lompoc Valley community. Now Lompoc citizens need to support these two forthright leaders and demonstrate the same intestinal fortitude and resolve. It is time to draw the line against incremental infiltration of our community by purveyors of sexual violence and the pushers of drugs, the drug subculture and/or lightly disguised drug paraphernalia. These are areas that should have clear laws to protect our citizens. But where is the legal system on these issues? Is a system right that supports California's three-strikes law under which three felonies can result in life imprisonment on one hand, but supports turning loose on Lompoc streets a man who has been convicted of five forceful rapes and the defiling of innocent young women at knifepoint? A more insidious controversy has developed over The Head Shop which apparently sneaked into town without much scrutiny, I'm told the building owner didn't realize they'd be dealing in lightly disguised drug paraphernalia. When confronted, one of the owners brazenly threw the gauntlet in the face of the community stating she, "Didn't care what the mayor thought, didn't care what the police chief thought, they intended to stay in business in Lompoc." Oh? Well guess what. There are a lot of involved citizens in the Lompoc Valley who do care about and support Mayor Dewees and Chief Brown and the youth of our community. What can the community do about our sleazy subterfuge? Plenty. The citizens of the Lompoc Valley can stand up, be counted and be heard concerning your supposedly legal in California but inherently undesirable promotion and sale of drug paraphernalia. Citizens of Lompoc, the quickest way to get The Head Shop to head out is to make sure that none of your hard-earned money nor the money of your children fall into the owners hands. As a clean community, we can just say no to drugs, say no to drug dealers and say no to purveyors of drug culture and drug paraphernalia. Paul A. Maye, Lompoc - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D