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18 Cent Forum itkereaderswrite jLaw and orderEditor:It was with heavy heart that I learned of F.H.P. Trooper Ken Harsey’s hospitalization in critical condition after being run into by an apparently intoxicated motorist who was himself killed in the collision. Trooper Harsey is one of the most dedicated and compassionate police officers I have ever known and deserved better than this.This tragedy points up once again the fact that the criminal justice system cannot begin to cope with the problems generated by our society which we have designated as crimes — whether it be drunken driving or murder. In the words of Pogo: “We have found the enemy and he is us.”In swearing their sacred oaths to the Constitution, our forefathers did not foresee the society of today which seems to be based almost completely on the question of “what’s in it for me?” rather than the Judeo-Christian ethic upon which our “more perfect union“ was founded more than 200 years ago. From our pernicious welfare system to our criminal justice system, the first consideration is invariably, “Whose ox is being gored?” If it is our son, our daughter, our wife or husband who is charged with a crime, we weep crocodile tears, in may cases condemn law enforcement, and demand that we or ours be given a break. On the other hand, if we have been the victims of a violator, we condemn the criminal justice system and its members for having compassion or mercy and demand strict law enforcement and mandatory sentences to prisons that everyone wants* built somewhere else than in their community.Government cannot and should not in the basic nature of things be forced to meet these conflicting demands of society. Until we return to a time where ethics, morality, integrity, and personal responsibility once again rule our individual actions, I am afraid that our beloved country will continue to sink deeper and deeper into a morass of lawlessness and anarchy that can only end in disaster and catastrophe.In the meantime, my thoughts and prayers will be with Ken Harsey and every other law enforcement officer who, usually alone and unthanked, is doing his or her best to protect us from ourselves.Edward A. Miller, Atty.1232 Jenks
Newspaper Details
Panama City News Herald
Panama City, Florida, US
Thu, Oct 22, 1981
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Jordan H.
USA 21 Apr 2025
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