NO LENIENCY FOR POT SMOKER

Regarding the Dec. 17 editorial, "A fired guardsman/A lapse in judgment":

Many of the reports I read in the papers or see on TV deal with
helping kids stay away from tobacco, alcohol and drugs. The message
is that responsible people don't do drugs. It is an admirable message
to keep our kids clean and thus reduce crime and social disorder.

Then along comes The Press, spotlighting the cause of a person who
chose to smoke marijuana and got caught. You use the excuse that he
was a National Guardsman who worked at the landfill handling debris
from ground zero. I am embarrassed and ashamed of The Press for this
editorial.

Are you saying that all the cops, firefighters, volunteers and
military people who have been involved with ground zero from day one
now all have excuses to go smoke dope?

Wow, there is a great message for our kids. Perhaps you should have
chastised the man for letting down either his fellow guardsmen or
fellow ground-zero workers. The man goofed, true, but did he not have
a higher standard to live up to since he did wear the uniform of our
military?

It appears to me that he has used his experience and position with
the National Guard as an excuse for his poor judgment. I feel you had
a major lapse of judgment with this editorial.

BARRY E. ZANE SR.,

Audubon