“My son screamed for his mother for what seemed like an eternity”

Reason ^ | May 20, 2012 | Mike Riggs

[Altariel]

At 5:30 a.m. on May 10, armed men broke into the bedroom of Kirk Kyle Farrar’s 12 year-old daughter and shook her awake. The men led her downstairs at gunpoint and forced her to lie on the floor next to her mother and father, with her hands behind her head. Another armed man took Farrar’s two-year-old son from his crib, and would not let his parents hold him. “My son screamed for his mother for what seemed like an eternity,” Farrar wrote in an email to friends, obtained by Reason. “I will never forget the hopeless feeling of not being able to comfort my son or daughter.”

The armed men who broke into Farrar’s home were officers with the Meridian, Idaho, Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. They were executing a federal warrant for Farrar’s arrest for the crime of selling bongs.

Farrar’s wasn’t the only family traumatized that morning. Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Idaho National Guard, and four Idaho police departments raided the homes of 13 other headshop owners and employees on May 10. All of the headshops had their inventory seized. One shop lost more than $80,000 worth of merchandise (bongs and pipes marketed as “tobacco water pipes”). Another headshop owner had his and and his employees' vehicles seized.

The investigation into these 13 shops and their employees (two of which are still at large) for selling drug paraphernalia was led by U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson, a Barack Obama appointee. Nine of the shops were also accused of selling "spice," a synthetic alternative to the prohibited and significantly safer drug marijuana.

In his email, Farrar denies selling spice. "Piece of Mind Boise has never carried these products EVER! We made a commitment from the start not to carry it because we believe it is dangerous and not being used in a legal fashion."

He also notes that his cousin, "[who] has never previously committed a crime and has absolutely no criminal record," has been charged with "with 4 Federal felony charges stemming from selling tobacco products."

“The open sale of drug paraphernalia promotes unlawful drug use and helps drug traffickers thrive,” Olson said at a press conference on May 10. “These indictments show federal, state and local law enforcement partners will attack drug trafficking on all fronts.”

During a speech at the Center for American Progress earlier this month, Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske said that the law enforcement-only approach to America's drug problem was not "humane, compassionate" or "realistic." He also said that the Obama administration does not believe it can "arrest its way out of the drug problem."

Reason spoke to one headshop owner. At his attorney’s behest, this owner declined to go on the record, but did say that local police had been aware of the store’s existence and sales of glass pipes for years, but had never threatened charges or discouraged the business from operating. The owner believes that the raids came at the behest of federal law enforcement officials.

According to the Idaho Statesman, “the DEA, Idaho National Guard, IRS and the U.S. Marshals and Attorney’s offices worked on the case,” which the agencies built over the course of an entire year.

As if more evidence were needed that President Obama's drug war looks a lot like George W. Bush's: The charges against Farrar and the other Idaho headshop owners are reminiscent of the federal prosecution of actor Tommy Chong under Bush's DOJ. Chong was convicted in 2003 for distributing paraphernalia through his company Nice Dreams Enterprises. Chong was fined $20,000, and made to forfeit his domain name, all of his inventory, and $103,514 in cash.

[Altariel]

If you point a gun at someone’s head, you are threatening that person with death. When you point a gun at someone’s head who committed no crime and is not a threat to your safety, you are threatening to MURDER that individual.

We are no longer in the dark ages; we hold a person responsible for his own behavior—we do not threaten that person’s children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews because of any crime which their parents, grandparents, uncles or aunts actually committed or is accused of committing.

If someone commits a crime or is accused of a crime, that person, and that person alone is responsible.

Threatening their relations, especially their minor relations, is despicable and cowardly.

Period.

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

The investigation into these 13 shops and their employees (two of which are still at large) for selling drug paraphernalia was led by U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson, a Barack Obama appointee. Nine of the shops were also accused of selling "spice," a synthetic alternative to the prohibited and significantly safer drug marijuana.

so were supposed to feel bad for people who are selling synthethic weed? No thanks

[Altariel]

And even if that is true (and it is merely an accusation, not evidence), this justifies threatening to murder a two year old boy and twelve year old girl how?

[caww]

When you break the law and law enforcement is called in, such as this drug raid, then yes expect a gun in your face....and if you run then expect you’ll be shot at...that’s how it’s done...that’s why they call them raids.

[Altariel]

What laws did the two year old break?

How about the twelve year old?

Why do you continue to defend threatening children with murder for the (alleged or real) violations of the law committed by their PARENTS?

[Dutchboy88]

"Anyone who points guns in the faces of tired and frightened children is a coward. And anyone who supports such actions is cowardly scum. The context is irrelevant."

Certainly your opinion. And everyone has one, just like other things. Just because yours stinks doesn't mean you should not hold tightly to it.

[Altariel]

Thank you for verifying on Free Republic that you support pointing guns in the faces of young children.

I’ve long been fascinated by how brazenly the Statists here reveal themselves. They just can’t keep their desperation to justify the actions of the Agents of the State, no matter how ghastly, hidden.

Perhaps you should make it your tagline: “Police threatened to murder a 2 year old boy and his 12 year old sister, torn from their beds. I defended it.”

[Dutchboy88]

"Amsterdam never had a drug park. Educated observation indeed."

Good point. That was Zurich. My mistake. Amsterdam has the coffee shops with the action.

And, I still believe America is safer than Europe. We are deeply in debt to the folks who carry a badge and wear the blue. It is the idiot parents who would engage in sales of illegal substances, thereby creating this situation, who are to blame. I want the cops to come home to their families at night and I like that they are overly cautious, if it can even be called that. Lots of 12 year old kids have killed someone with a handgun.

If Altariel thinks otherwise, he should pack his bong and get lost.

[Dutchboy88]

Perhaps you should make your tagline, “I am a druggie who doesn’t like law enforcement so nanner, nanner, nanner.”

[Altariel]

Your revised tagline would reflect your actual beliefs in this forum—you have defended threatening to murder a two year old boy and his twelve year old sister, and have dismissed another Freeper’s commendation of that behavior as “cowardly” as “an opinion”.

You have condemned yourself by your own remarks, and because you realize you cannot defend them, you try to make up “facts” about other posters.

[upsdriver]

ok...folks may recognize that I am NOT a supporter of MJ legalization, BUT!

Nor am I but this raid is so over the top outrageous that I'm inclined to believe that their(police) ultimate goal is for drug legalization.

[Dutchboy88]

Perhaps you could tell us where I have made up facts about other posters. And what is this "condemnation" you believe in? The only argument on the table is whether there is a legitimate right for police to protect themselves during a "drug bust". You seem to argue that 12 year olds are never a threat and therefore holding them at gunpoint is unconscionable. I argue that such a view is naive.

I want the cops to go home, alive, guaranteed. You want the cops to risk getting shot by the 12 year old. You have chosen your side, I have chosen mine.

[Altariel]

Now who is making up facts. We’re talking about a twelve year old girl, forced at gunpoint from her bed, along with her two year old brother.

Notice how desperate you are to make her into the villain? How determined you are to contort HER into the threat? Are you telling me that a group of fully grown men are incapable of defending themselves from a 12 year old girl without the use of a firearm?

I prefer that minor children aren’t threatened with death for the “crime” of being the offspring of people accused of criminal activity.

I prefer that adults don’t contort themselves into pretzels to attempt to defend the actions of the Agents of the State.

I prefer that people don’t dishonor Free Republic by pretending that twelve year old girls yanked from their beds in a terrifying situation aren’t secretly plotting to murder every small-b*lled officer in the room.

I prefer that people don’t worship so openly at the altar of the State that they view innocent children as both expendable and deadly threats.

I prefer that people don’t blindly march lockstep when government officials blather “peace and safety” and pretend that real innocents are never mistreated or abused.

I prefer that government agents are more concerned with basic decency and the Constitutional rights of others than they are about “going home safely”.

Real brave men, terrorizing a two year old boy. I imagine he’ll grow up with a bigger pair than any of the government agents present.

[Dutchboy88]

That is quite a laundry list of preferences.

I prefer folks who don’t have their heads in the sand.

I prefer folks who can tell the difference between real thugs and men/women trying to keep the country safe.

I prefer folks who love America rather than anarchy.

I prefer folks who are legitimate conservatives, not trolls.

[Ken H]

And, I still believe America is safer than Europe.

Sounds more like a wish than an informed opinion. The US has a murder rate several times higher than most western European countries. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate

We are deeply in debt to the folks who carry a badge and wear the blue.

In a sense you're right. Union negotiated pension and disability plans, early retirement, overtime abuse to pad their pensions etc. have put us deeply in their debt.

Now answer me this. What are police in Europe and San Jose doing right to have such a low murder rate, and what are Detroit police doing wrong?

[Dutchboy88]

"What are police in Europe and San Jose doing right to have such a low murder rate, and what are Detroit police doing wrong?"

Anyone with sense can recognize that the great majority of murders in the US are between gang members, criminals, drug cartels, and those who frequent drug shops (as in the article). Your arguments are non-sequitor: You don't want police to suppress crime so you can be less "oppressed", but you want them to suppress crime so we can be more like Europe. Herein lies your problem.

[Ken H]

Anyone with sense can recognize that the great majority of murders in the US are between gang members, criminals, drug cartels, and those who frequent drug shops (as in the article).

So explain why the Dutch have a murder rate that is a fraction of the US. Crime ought to be rampant in such a drug-tolerant environment, right?

Your arguments are non-sequitor: You don't want police to suppress crime so you can be less "oppressed", but you want them to suppress crime so we can be more like Europe. Herein lies your problem.

I want police, as well as the rest of the government, to obey the Constitution. Drug war punks think nothing of walking over the Tenth Amendment to have their little 'war' - and make a good salary at taxpayers' expense, to boot. Just wait until austerity hits, LOL!

[fabian]

There will be an end to this bureaucratic socialist tyranny soon!

I am not in agreement with pot smoking, but it is not the federal governments authority to tell stated what laws they should have.

[Altariel]

I prefer people who don’t pretend that a 2 year old boy and a 12 year old girl, yanked from their beds, are “threats”.

I prefer people who understand basic compassion and decency, recognizing that since we are no longer living in the Dark Ages, we do not threaten children for the (real or alleged) crimes of their parents.

I prefer people who do not blindly support government agents and seek to downplay real abuses of power.

I prefer people who fear God more than they fear government.

[Dutchboy88]

"I prefer people who fear God more than they fear government."

Come again? You prefer people who fear God more than the government? That is this side of the argument, my FRiend. You are the one worried about police becoming storm troopers. We are saying that our trust is in God and we are grateful for the peace provided. Perhaps you are saying you don't prefer yourself????