REMEMBER ALL TRAGEDIES

What took place in Arizona was a tragedy and should not go
unforgotten, but neither should the ones that happen day in and day
out on behalf of government policy.

Thanks to the DEA and the war on drugs, violence is used as a means
in the hopes of reaching a particular ends more than 100 times a day.
Unfortunately, it often turns out to be just as fatal as what
happened in Tucson.

Where are the media reports about the non-violent drug addict shot
and killed by police in Utah? What about the 68-year-old grandfather
in Massachusetts killed just last week? And what about the pastor in
Georgia who only chose to help out a woman who had been suspected of
prostitution and drug use? The Cato Institute has an entire map of
innocents killed in drug raids - most of whom were not dealing or using.

These innocent lives are no less sacred simply because they were
killed in direct result of government policy, and it's time the media
stop conveniently ignoring them. If our goal is to truly stop
violence, we must take into account all acts of violence, not just
the rare acts done by deranged extremists.

Matt Schmitto

Amarillo