TO THE EDITOR:

What has happened to our system? Please, don't get me wrong, we need to get
this meth off our streets. But we need the hard criminals off our streets.

I would rather rob or murder someone, than to use meth. I would get less
time. That's right, if you're hooked on meth then you will face ten years
to life. But for murder, attempted murder, rape, robbery, child molesting
and child pornography you will get a pat on the back.

A person raped his daughter and went free. A person committed attempted
murder, only got ten years. A person molested his daughter, got six years
community service. A person killed and buried a newborn baby, got six years
probation. A person with several child pornography charges got five years.
But for meth people are getting ten years to life, even if you are never
caught with meth. That's right, all it takes is for someone to say your
name and they come after you, then you're going to prison for ten years to
life. Our system is letting the hard criminals out of prison, so they will
have room for meth users. Is this justice? To me alcohol and drugs are like
cancer. It is a disease. They need help and to be treated.

Would you put someone in prison for cancer? In prison a drug addict can get
all the drugs they want. That's not helping them. If our system would get
the people with drug and alcohol disease help then they could fix the
roads, clean up the roads, build court houses and build new jails for the
hard criminals then the taxpayers and the community would not have to pay
for this stuff. Everyone could save money and the people with these
diseases could get help and help the community. Just think of the money
each county would save. Because right now the system is saying that they
don't care about your life, my life, and our children's lives. All they
care about is this meth disease.

I have joined FAMM. It stands for "Families Against Mandatory Drug
Sentences." I'm trying to get a committee started so we can get these laws
changed so we can get the people who need help help and have room in the
prisons for murderers, attempted murderers, rapists, robbers, child
molesters, child pornographers and all other hard criminals.

I'm including FAMM's address and phone number. Please join FAMM and let's
show the system that we want justice back, that we want to go back to when
the sentence fit the crime. Let's give justice and peace of mind. Let's
show the system that our lives mean more than this meth disease. Ask
yourself if it was your throat that was cut, would you feel that person
should only get ten years?...a lot less than a drug addict. No? Well I
don't agree with the system either. But it will happen every time unless we
stand together, stand up for justice, FAMM (Families Against Mandatory
Minimums), 1612 K St., N.W. Suite 1400, Washington, D.C., 20006, phone
202-822-6700. Or you can contact me for a membership form at P.O. Box 435,
Whitwell, TN 37397.

RITA WILBOURN

Whitwell