Dear Frontpage;

My concealed-carry permit instructor was a nationally acclaimed expert in the use of judicious lethal force.  During class, he told us, "You all know the old saw, a conservative is a liberal who's been mugged.  I tell you, a liberal is a conservative who's been indicted."  This brought nervous laughter from the class.  We all thought he was kidding.  Only two years ago, I realized he was deadly serious.

In June, 1998, two sheriff's deputies kicked their way into my home without a warrant, roughed up my wife, and made off with our youngest daughter, then age five.  The crime?  A single, well-deserved spanking had left a mark.  Never mind our clean history, the high grades of our then-public-schooled children, or glowing reports from neighbors, teachers, even strangers, on our brood.  None of that mattered.  In the eyes of the system, a mark is abuse.  Period.

The next three months were hell.  Children's Services returned our daughter before they'd caused too much damage.  But all of us had nightmares about strangers in the house.  The kids to this day are fearful of the front door.  My wife faced felony prosecution.  We still get shivers when we see patrol cars.  The episode cost us thousands in legal fees and court-mandated "counseling".  We all got to see the awsome power of the DA's office and the State's Child Protection system, up close and personal.

So, guess what?  When the world is sickened by an Amadou Diallo shooting - and subsequent acquittal of all officers, our family says, "Why are you surprised?  Helloooo?"  We notice the lack of "serve and protect" language on squad cars.  We are no longer blind to the shaved-Aryan look of law enforcement officers throughout the West.  We have a better understanding for the OJ verdict, and the LA riots.  We also understand why we shouldn't try to hold Children's Services accountable for allowing child abuse.

Are we now liberals?  Are we ready to vote for Al?  Not on your life.  But we DO know serious system restraints are all too necessary, even if bad guys sometimes get off.  Society is more poorly served by conservative law-and-order cries of "hang the abuser" and "jail them all", than it is by liberals wedded to Miranda. 

Trust the system?  Nope.  I'm with the 60's hippies on that one.  I'm with them on something else, too.  Activism to change the system for the better is still out of vogue for conservatives.  Most want to hunker down and wait for the Feds to come for their guns.  That's too bad.  Conservatives have much to offer.  When propertly educated, conservatives can offer rare insight into the proper limits on government - classically "liberal" position if ever there was one.  For example, spend a few minutes visiting the website, www.childprotectionreform.org.  Who knows?  Perhaps you will find yourself among the ranks of the former-conservative-now-not-sure-60's-throwback activists.

Sincerely;

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