HASTENING THE ARRIVAL OF THE POLICE STATE

Dear Editor:

Re Two rental homes busted for grows, Apr. 28

The media may publish an editorial critical of government policies from
time to time, but day in, day out, the vast majority of so-called news
stories support the government of the day and the laws currently in place.
This item is an example of that tendency.

It's difficult, I know, to come up with enough content to fill the paper
every day and I understand how editors are tempted to utilize government
and police press releases to fill space. After all, it is important to
inform the citizenry of the goings-on within government and law enforcement
circles.

But there is a dark side. State information is often nothing but propaganda
and immersing your readers in a river of police and government bulletins
may hasten the arrival of the police state by numbing the public into a
passive state of acceptance of any and all government policies, whether or
not such policies are in the interests of the citizenry.

The Holocaust. How did it happen? How was Hitler able to persuade a
majority of a well-educated population that his policies towards the Jews
were acceptable? The answer? Government propaganda disseminated by
government-controlled media. Germans read EVERY DAY that Jews were being
herded into cattle cars for transportation to concentration camps and the
victims' voices were never heard.

After a while (if they weren't Jewish, of course) they became inured to the
suffering, bored perhaps, and turned the page. They came to care nothing
for those affected or their families. It became routine. It became normal.

Another Holocaust has come. This time, the victims are members of a
minority who ingest or sell certain supposedly dangerous drugs, even though
two of our more dangerous drugs, alcohol and tobacco, are legal.

How were educated people persuaded that such a shameful program is
acceptable? The answer? The media's willingness to disseminate government
propaganda and, save for the very occasional op-ed or letter, suppress any
opposing views.

So, today, we read about innocent people being arrested or shot by the cops
because they use, manufacture or sell certain drugs.

The victims' voices are never heard, only the voices of the police and
other law enforcement authorities. If you're not a user of those drugs, you
become inured to the suffering, bored perhaps, and turn the page.

You care nothing for those affected or their families. It is routine. It is
normal.

The media: where would the coming police state be without you?

Alan Randell

Victoria,