Pubdate: Sat, 25 Sep 2004
Source: Leaf-Chronicle, The (US TN)
Copyright: 2004, The Leaf-Chronicle
Contact:  http://www.theleafchronicle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1601
Author: Darell McKissick
Referenced:  http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n1312/a04.html

WE CAN HAVE FREEDOM, OR WE CAN HAVE WAR ON DRUGS

I was appalled our police chief seems to believe a written apology
should suffice in regard to the "no-knock" raid gone bad. Not only
should he be forced to resign, but every single person who had
anything to do with that task force should also be shown the door (the
right one).

Instead, what will happen is nothing. I believe the officers involved
will be given a slap on the wrist, and the press coverage is over; the
couple who were wronged will settle out of court for an undisclosed
amount and the Clarksville Police Department will admit no wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, the people of Clarksville will be left to live in fear of
those who are supposed to protect them.

Clarksville, welcome to the Drug War. While this doesn't happen every
day here, it does happen everyday somewhere in America. Hitler would
have been proud of our government's drug war and the destruction of
the Constitution that it has caused.

It should concern everyone deeply that our own police department has a
special task force of people trained specifically in violating the
constitutional rights of our citizens. Trained to use deadly force if
you try to defend yourself against their unlawful attack.

While we all agree that drugs have no place on the streets of
Clarksville, we should also be aware that our own laws force them
there to begin with. America can have freedom, or it can have a drug
war. It cannot have both.

If the people of Clarksville stand by and do nothing, it is a 100
percent certainty that this will not only happen again, but some
innocent citizens eventually will be killed by these rogue law
enforcers. It may even be you or your loved ones.

Darell McKissick

Clarksville
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