THANKS FOR INVESTIGATIVE PIECE

The Journal-Standard's recent piece about some area convenience
stores selling small glass tubes with roses in them which are
commonly used as crack pipes smacks of actual investigative
journalism - congratulations and I hope to read more stories like this one.

Those stores owners who choose not to sell items known to be thinly
disguised drug paraphernalia are to be commended. The manager who
were quoted giving disingenuous answers to the direct question posed
by the reporter "What do you think the tubes are used for?" should be ashamed.

They are choosing to participate in the destruction of people's lives.

This does not move them noticeably higher on the moral scale from
those who sell the crack. Knowing perfectly well the common usage for
the tubes they still choose to sell them to make their profit. I
would not be surprised to find their parking lots strewn with small fake roses.

Further, if they store the tubes behind a counter because of theft in
boxes along with rolling papers the connection between the items is
plainer still.

Since the tubes are not illegal there is little the police can do to
curb the sales. But the community at large can vote their disgust by
refusing to patronize businesses who casually and cynically play a
role in the degradation of our neighborhoods. This is one way each of
us can demand accountability from the managers and owners of these stores.

The Birmingham bus boycott was successful because people united
behind a just cause - I think it's time all citizens of Freeport
unite against the growing problem of drugs in our community. This is
not "just" a Third Ward problem.

Marilee Odendahl

Freeport