A FEW THOUGHTS ON CURRENT AFFAIRS

Arrest statistics are listed in the Sun. They include people picked up
for probation violations, battery, DUI, but most are for drug
possession; 85% of all crime is drug-related.

Marijuana is the drug of choice and each arrest is gauged by the
amount, more or less than 20 grams. Does anyone know what a gram is?
Charges are also augmented by drug paraphernalia, which I surmise can
be anything the officer decides, copious paraphernalia is in any kitchen.

Most police activity is marijuana-related. These arrests, grow house
busts and seizures are easy (little effort or expertise) and they
generate treasure. They generate publicity and enhance careers; they
do almost nothing to protect the public.

Traffic control enhances my safety. Each year, 43,000 Americans die in
auto accidents and exponentially more are injured. Property and
medical costs are hundreds of billions of dollars. Since 1957, car
safety engineering, restraints and air bags have decreased the rate of
fatalities per 100 million miles driven from 5.98 to 1.64, quite a
successful plan.

We are fighting two wars at $500 billion a year against isolated
terrorists. Only police action in the United States can protect us.
Technological warfare is a ludicrous, futile misapplication of
resources; it only enriches those that promote the military industrial
complex.

If we cared about effective efficiency or the men and women paid to
fight our battles, we would bring them home and put them to work
engineering plans as effective as highway safety.

Xavier Narutowicz

Punta Gorda