Posted on 11/22/2006 7:35:17 AM PST by Dick Bachert
Atlanta police went to a home on Neal Street in Atlanta last evening to execute a search warrant. When they kicked the door in the only occupant of the home, a 92-year-old woman, started shooting. She hit all three police officers. One in the thigh, one in the arm and another in the shoulder. All police officers will be OK. The woman will not. She was shot and killed by the police.
I'm not blaming the cops here. Not at all. They had a valid search warrant, and they say they were at the right address. Shots were fired, three cops hit, and they returned fire. A 92-year-old woman who was so afraid of crime in her neighborhood that she had burglar bars on every door and window, is now dead.
The blame lies on this idiotic drug war we're waging. We have all the studies we need, all of the comprehensive data is in. We can do a much more effective job of reducing drug use in this country if we'll just take a portion of this money we spend for law enforcement and spend it on treatment programs. A Rand study showed that we can reduce illicit drug usage in this country a specified amount through treatment programs at about 10% of the cost of reducing drug usage by that same amount through criminalization and law enforcement.
There's just something in the American psyche that demands that drug users be punished instead of treated and rehabilitated. We think they're stupid and ignorant for getting mixed up with those drugs in the first place. And you know what? We're right? But look at the messages we send to our children every single day with cigarettes, alcohol, and an endless stream of drug ads on television and in magazines. Drug culture? You bet we have.
Sorry for the screw-up, maam. And, oh yeah, Happy Thanksgiving and R.I.P.
Trust me, there will be a renewed call for GUN CONTROL by Atlanta poobahs. That MIGHT make SOME sense IF there were more than one cop for every 1,500 of us and YOUR cop could get to you BEFORE you reached room temperature. But he can't. And even if he could, the courts have continually ruled that he has NO obligation to save your butt. Don't believe me? Google "Warren v. District of Columbia" for some fascinating and frightening bedtime reading.
Cool beans!
How do the LLE officers wind up suspecting this particular domicile?
How about some facts?
But look at the messages we send to our children every single day with cigarettes, alcohol, and an endless stream of drug ads on television and in magazines. Drug culture? You bet we have.
Can I freshen your cup of coffee? This should be a good thread.
"We're from the gov'ment and we's here to help!"
Odd that the amount is omitted.
Oh jeez, here we go again! Popcorn time...
something is missing from this story.
Was anyone else in that house?
The story indicates this is the correct house. Were the drugs found there?
A 92 year old drug dealer is still a drug dealer.
Just more Collateral Damage in the WOD. Are you next?
Not sure Boortz is making much sense here. On the one hand, the drug war is stupid. But what if druggies dont seek treatment? Force them to get treatment? And how do you do that? Prolly need to use force, right? Like go to their house and arrest them? Same crap, different day. Then at the end, he acknowledges we use drugs in our culture every day. So should we treat alcohol and tobacco like the other drugs? Or treat the other drugs like alcohol and tobacco?
Sad, but not bad shooting for a 92 year old -- three out of three! One was saved by his protective vest. Banging down someone's door, while in plain clothing - regardless of announcement, really invites problems. Don't count on her death being a lesson to overzealous narcotic agents.
AND an entrepreneur!
Yeah! And you know what,
maybe if we gave Muslims
all of the funding
we're spending to fight
terrorism, then maybe
Muslims would like us!
"But what if druggies dont seek treatment? Force them to get treatment? "
If you spent the money you now waste on drug enforcement on enforcement of burglary and assault laws, you'd still get rid of the worst druggies and the recreational ones wouldn't matter.
> not bad shooting for a 92 year old <
Absolutely.
Moreover, one wonders if the perps who busted down her door were wearing body armor? And what kind of weapon and ammo was she using?
[Inquiring minds want to know!]
It's possible, I guess. But she's still a 92 year old lady.
If you're a cop, and you're in the hospital today with two of your buddies, all sporting bullet holes, there's no way to spin it - you effed up. Dead grandma and all.
Next time, instead of kicking the door in like you're the A-Team on speed, try ringing the doorbell with a bouquet of flowers and then cuff grandma while you search the house.
Ha, that might actually be true, and isn't it the corresponding crimes that most concern people? I mean, other than the fear of their kids getting access to drugs, the threat is the bad behavior associated w/ drug use, not necessarily the drug use itself. But whatever. I'm just saying I don't see how you can force ppl to get treatment w/out using the same tactics Boortz apparantly deplores. It seems kooky to be against the drug war but advocate gubmint funded "treatment."
Coffee? Caffeine is a mind altering chemical. Good thing you picked a government approved drug or you would have to expect a midnight knock on the door with a battering ram.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.