ANONYMOUS TIPSTERS, AERIAL POLICE SEARCHES HEAD TOWARD ORWELLIAN SOCIETY

Regarding: "Police begin search for pot crops."

Monday's sensational headlines caught my eyes and I have at least a
few questions. When tipsters are allowed the cloak of anonymity,
doesn't this just encourage ignorance?

We watched last summer as one of the fly-bys did a search within 40
feet of our yard, complete with binoculars and attitude. Little did
the "tipsters" know that prairie sunflowers can resemble the dreaded
marijuana plant and, in this case, true. Who in his right mind would
line the perimeter of his yard with the illegal plants? Who in his
right mind would phone in an anonymous tip and shouldn't these
"tipsters" be held accountable when they are obviously wrong?

The war on drugs has bogged down an economy that can barely pay to
fund our basic services and the encouragement of blanket anonymity is
just another of the fumbles that people seem to love on their way to
an Orwellian society.

MICHAEL STEPNAKOWSKI

Fishers