HOW MUCH LONGER?

Two years ago on May 20, Esequiel Hernandez came home from school, ate a
sandwich, and went out to graze his herd of 30 goats near the Rio Grande.
Sometime between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. he was shot to death by camouflaged U.S.
Marines who were watching for drug smugglers.

His tragic story was widely reported and generated popular outrage, and has
since passed from most people's memory.

But we will always remember the day Esequiel Hernandez died. May 20 is our
wedding anniversary and that day a close friend treated us and our kids to
dinner at Friday's in Grapevine. Around 6 p.m. we crowded into a booth
next to a long table of 15 or 20 chattering, giggling junior high girls who
were having their end-of-school drill team banquet.

We had a wonderful time. We ordered lots of different entrees and sampled
each other's food. We laughed and joked and enjoyed the energy of the
surrounding crowd.

Now every time May 20 rolls around we can't help but remember. We were
halfway through a 14-ounce steak and slurping on frozen margaritas as
Esequiel lay dying, bleeding to death in a dusty hole while soldiers of his
own country stood by. He probably breathed his last about the time our
daughters dug into the fudge cake a la mode -- and the drill team presented
gifts to their coaches.

Two more years and the drug war grinds on. Drugs are as easy to get as
pizza, and keep getting cheaper. More people are dying in botched raids.
More people are rotting in jail. How much longer will this war continue?

BOB and CONNIE RAMSEY
Irving