Letters to the Editor

‘Don’t commit the crime, if …’

Here is the bottom line on proposed “Three strikes” bill (“‘Three strikes’ not the answer,” Bay State Banner, Jan. 26, 2012). As Gov. Deval Patrick has said, this bill will lock up habitual offenders who repeatedly commit “heinous acts of violence” — not drug users, not nonviolent felons, not even first and second time violent offenders.

The Massachusetts bill is not like California’s three-strikes law. Get the facts and judge for yourself.

Instead of opposing this bill, criminal advocates should advise their clients to not commit “heinous acts of violence.” If they don’t want to do time under this bill, they should simply refrain from committing multiple murders, rapes, assaults, arsons, etc.

Criminals’ rights end where our right to public safety begins.

Bill Melissas
Via e-mail

God help America

I have been watching the Republican debates while keeping a firm hold on my nose. American politics, in general, wreak with the stench of deception and lies. But Republican politics in America are especially odious.

Last month Newt Gingrich’s ex-wife told ABC that he proposed to her that they have an open marriage. It seems that he wanted a wife and a mistress and, at least according to Gingrich, the mistress was on board. This, my friends, is Mr. Gingrich’s family values.

Anyone who buys his redemption rhetoric ought to let him govern their household for a while. Gingrich also has a penchant for playing racial politics. The problem is he can only get away with it with his tiny uninformed base of confederate flag wavers.

Those of us in the know realize that Gingrich is simply pandering to an ignorant few who equate welfare and food stamps with lazy black people who drain the system. Never mind that there are significantly more white people on these doles than black.

God help America!

Voy Cooks
Via e-mail