LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL IS A MYTH

The Decatur Daily:

As a child, I recited the Pledge of Allegiance with pride. I believed that
in the United States of America, we had something no other country had:
liberty and justice for all. As an adult, I have continued to believe that
our local system of law and order upheld these principles -- whether black
or white, rich or just getting by, for drug addicts as well as doctors and
lawyers. My idealism has been crushed now that I realize that law
enforcement is selective; liberty and justice for those who are chosen.

Yes, I know that some situations require a judgment call, but it is clear
that in Morgan County, Ala., a doctor may not be held to the same laws as
the little man and that's called "officer discretion"; while self-professed
drug dealers are not investigated under the "if nobody complains, we can
look the other way" rule.

What can we, the people, do about it? We must not remain silent. We must
voice these unfair and unjust circumstances to our local officials. We
should remind each other that our government was intended to be "of the
people, by the people and for the people" -- all the people.

Nancy Gillespie

Decatur