CAMPGROUND RAID WAS HEAVY-HANDED

Editor,

Your editorial about the Rainbow Farms Campground ("Camping or
carousing?" May 12), based on law enforcement statements, is far from
the whole story.

As a frequent visitor I have witnessed the superb efforts by
campground security to keep out those who would sell drugs. Of course,
those who work the unregulated underground market will seek any
opportunity to make their high profits. Ask the DARE kids. It is
easier for them to obtain marijuana than it is to obtain beer, in your
schools and anywhere.

Both the campground and area schools do their best to keep these drug
dealers out. Neither should be held responsible for the attempts of
the dealers to find new customers.

Why would law enforcement make allegations against the campground and
not the schools? The campground is a gathering place for those who
oppose our marijuana laws. Groups meet there for training in signature
gathering for an initiative to amend the Michigan Constitution -
titled the Personal Responsibility Amendment.

The first paragraph of the amendment reads: "Education and treatment
programs, which offer a more acceptable approach to preventing drug
abuse than arresting adults who use marijuana in the privacy of home,
shall receive the gross proceeds of all drug, alcohol, and gambling
related asset forfeitures, including federal funds or resources
derived from illicit drug law enforcement through adoption of state
forfeitures or otherwise. These proceeds shall never be retained or
used by or for state or local law enforcement or prosecuting agencies,
nor shall they be used for any purpose other than licensed programs
providing drug, alcohol, gambling, and tobacco abuse awareness
education and treatment."

Law enforcement has a strong motive for its allegations and harassment
of all who support the amendment. It attacks the cash cow that allows
police to take and use or sell property, without trail, for their own
benefit.

If we allow law enforcement to interfere with efforts to change laws,
we don't need elected officials - we have a police state.

Richard Lake

Chief Warrant Officer

U.S. Army, retired

Escanaba, Mich.