Letters to the Editor
Police vs. values
July 8, 2008
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To the editor:
After a period of deliberation and consultation, the City Commission seems ready to pass a budget that makes heavy cuts in social services while increasing spending on police and economic development efforts. With a noticeable increase in violence in our town in recent times, it seems proper to spend more on policing as a means of making our community safer. Could we instead be locking the barn after the horses have bolted?
Social services are a means of ensuring that people learn means to avoid violence and have a stake in the community so that they contribute rather than drain our resources. There will always be a need for well regulated police protection, but when I awoke Saturday morning at 2 a.m. wondering whether the noises I heard were last-minute fireworks or gunshots, I wasn't wishing for more cops, I was wishing those people had better values and coping skills taught to them from the start. I was wishing they had more interaction with the community than the police, courts and jail. We can do better by all our citizens.
Bob Gent,
Lawrence
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8 July 2008
at 12:45 a.m.
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igby (Anonymous) says…
Gents' rant has been told for the passed 35 years and billions have been spent but the crime still gets done.
More police is the only reasonable conclusion.
8 July 2008
at 12:57 a.m.
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Defender (Anonymous) says…
“More police is the only reasonable conclusion.”
Says someone that hates America. Why do you hate freedom so much that you want more police, igby? Could it be that you worship Osama bin Laden, and wish you could be one of his wives?
Or is this something you learned when you lived in the USSR, disgusting traitor?
8 July 2008
at 12:57 a.m.
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TopJayhawk (Anonymous) says…
The problem is the more you spend on social services, the more you merely train people to be dependent on the Government. It doesn't help.
8 July 2008
at 5:56 a.m.
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geekin_topekan (Anonymous) says…
We could just learn everything we can from Myanmar and have a complete regime.I don't have any stats but I am sure that a police state will make everyone much safer.
In fact,we dont you,igby,just move to Myanmar and come back and tell us what a great society they are living in.
Social services controlled by the military,heck,just make it into one big coffer.
For a simpler AMerica.
8 July 2008
at 6:16 a.m.
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Bowhunter99 (Anonymous) says…
explain the 'heavy cuts on social services'…. Is he mumbling about the MT? as in more mT buses would make the city safer?
8 July 2008
at 7:08 a.m.
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jaywalker (Anonymous) says…
Igby:
“More police is the only reasonable conclusion.”
Defender:
“Says someone that hates America. Why do you hate freedom so much that you want more police, igby? Could it be that you worship Osama bin Laden, and wish you could be one of his wives?
Or is this something you learned when you lived in the USSR, disgusting traitor?”
This is either the dumbest post of the day, granted it's early, or just heavily sarcastic. Igby and Topjay hit the nail on the head. If any of ya really think we live in a 'police state' or are headed that way, then you're either suffering from patchouli poisoning, you've had too many run-ins with the police, or you're irretrievably stupid.
8 July 2008
at 8:11 a.m.
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OnlyTheOne (Anonymous) says…
There was a time I would've concurred with this but that was long ago and far away……..
I'm with Igby. Except I'll go further not only more police but stiffer penalties and jail would be actual punishment - not a place to learn the ins and outs of further criminal activity.
8 July 2008
at 8:50 a.m.
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smitty (Anonymous) says…
This is the time to acknowledge the work of the DA's office, the judges, and the legislators who have written the laws. It would help if we had an accountable and honest police chief to manage the LPD along with a commission that held the chief responsible for his mismanagement of the LPD. Many problems in the legal system that need to be remedied.
8 July 2008
at 9:16 a.m.
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madmike (Anonymous) says…
Smitty never gives up being a bonehead, does he? What's your beef moron? A criminal history maybe?
8 July 2008
at 9:41 a.m.
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barrypenders (Anonymous) says…
Across the nation, liberal towns have high crime rates. That's just the way it is with liberals. Who is the first to complain about cops? Liberals.
8 July 2008
at 9:54 a.m.
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yellowhouse (Anonymous) says…
THe problem is that the City needs more funding for the corruption that is costing a lot of money.
What about all those lawsuits that appear from corrupt behavior. Is that money comming from another fund?
http://news.larryville.com/forums/vie…
8 July 2008
at 12:16 p.m.
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consumer1 (Anonymous) says…
Yellowhouse, we all know why you hate Lawrence, It is time to put it to rest.
8 July 2008
at 12:42 p.m.
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75x55 (Anonymous) says…
A result of a poverty of morality.
8 July 2008
at 2:48 p.m.
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torcia (Anonymous) says…
“when I awoke Saturday morning at 2 a.m. wondering whether the noises I heard were last-minute fireworks or gunshots, I wasn't wishing for more cops, I was wishing those people had better values and coping skills taught to them from the start.”
Yeah when someone breaks into your house just call a social worker…free hugs will fix all our problems!
8 July 2008
at 5:10 p.m.
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Guardian (Anonymous) says…
Really?
8 July 2008
at 5:11 p.m.
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Guardian (Anonymous) says…
I guess someone can't handle the truth.
8 July 2008
at 6:13 p.m.
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scott3460 (Anonymous) says…
“Across the nation, liberal towns have high crime rates. That's just the way it is with liberals. Who is the first to complain about cops? Liberals.”
Any evidence to back this questionable assertion?
“Yeah when someone breaks into your house just call a social worker:free hugs will fix all our problems!”
I hate to break it to you, but unless you are very lucky, there's little a cop is going to do but take a report and mop up afterwards.