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Contributed by: Gerry Benner on 7/22/2007

I visited the Lest We Forget Landmark honoring the tragic event in 1927 that happened at the Columbine Mine up near Highway 7. Six miners were killed by state police. The miners were standing up for their "rights and dignity," but government took the side of a "special interest" group--the mine owners, who I'm sure had the law on their side--much like the drug smugglers who testified against two Texas border guards who shot him had the law on his side. The problem I see is that some laws are written to appease the few, rather than adhere to the desires of the many. Prosecuters are then left to enforce laws, which may not represent the will of the people.

So, who are these special interest group today? How does the media foster new tough laws? And when do laws start infringing on our rights and freedoms?
Unfortunately I believe many lawmakers are reactive, making or proposing laws based on emotional special interest groups that are demanding action. Often, studies don't happen to better understand the situation, and laws and decisions are made without involving the voice of the people (townhall meetings, etc.).
Unfortunately some prosecuters blindly follow the law and apply it to situations even though the lawmakers didn't intent it to apply that way. Two things need to happen: lawmakers need to be specific about when laws apply and when they don't; and prosecuters need to open their eyes to the will of the people (the many), not special interest groups (the few).

Lest We Forget helped me understand that folks get upset, they make mistakes, but we shouldn't kill them for it. Punishments for mistakes is one thing, and punishments for willfully breaking the law is another. Those in government need to take off the blinders and apply the law with common sense, without intimidating folks who made a mistake with even more charges that really weren't meant to apply to a certain situation (just to get a conviction). If prosecuters understood the situation and understood the will-of-the-people, then maybe they wouldn't have gone after 15-year sentences for the US border guards, and maybe they wouldn't have ever got into a deadly confrontation with Colorado's Columbine Coal Miners 80 years ago. Let us not forget that government and laws are suppose to be of the people, by the people, and for the people.

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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Gerry Benner

Thornton , CO

Gerry Benner has posted 8 stories and 9 comments since joining on 3/5/2007. Gerry Benner 's average story rating is 4.75.

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