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To: elmatador who wrote (32984)	5/4/2003 12:49:20 AM
From: Raymond Duray	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 74559

elmat, You describe the absurdity of life in America quite well. I have absolutely marvelled as "first responder" bureaucracies have created massive roles for themselves by making mountains out of molehills, such as this little girl's innocent accident. ****** A couple of other anecdotes to add to the mix. The ex-county Sheriff here is going to prison for a three year sentence (eight months) for embezzling about $500,000 from his Sheriff's Department and a another protection district while he held office. He was a huge fan of bigger budgets for his cop shop. He spread fear throughout the community in his efforts to get new budget authority for his fiefdom. I smelled a rat while he was engaged in obvious politicking for his own benefit, but couldn't see the criminal side of his operation. He was caught out immediately after the November, 2000 elections when he lost the election to an honest man. With John Ashcroft in charge of the Department of Justice, millions of us are asking: "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" ************ Second story. I have friends here in town who are natives of South Africa. After living here in Central Oregon for a couple of years, while still green card holders and not naturalized citizens, they had a daughter who tragically died due to SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome or "crib death" as it used to be called. The parents were, of course, traumatized and grieving. This however didn't stop an intrusive investigative deputy from badgering them and trying to get them to confess to murdering their baby. When they told me this I felt so ashamed of our "police state" apparatus. It is a cruel and heartless system, and not at all sensible at the most crucial moments in life.