Two Perceptions of Anti-Drug Rally Featuring Bush and Gates

I recently had the privilege of attending the anti-drug rally held in Santa Ana where President Bush was a guest speaker. My 15-year-old son also attended. I couldn’t think of a better lesson he could learn than hearing firsthand the President of the United States, as well as some of his other heroes, Chuck Norris, Jim Everett and others, saying: “We support Sheriff (Brad) Gates’ programs on making Orange County drug-free.” Chuck Norris had to be so proud of his own son, Chris, for being able to speak publicly of his own past drug problems. It really was an incredibly moving day to say the least.

As a parent of a teen-ager, I’d like to thank Sheriff Gates, his staff and Assistant Sheriff Walt Fath for caring so much about my son and the sons and daughters of other parents of this county. There is so much pressure on these teens today, that we parents need all the help we can get, to help fight this hideous war on drugs. And if Sheriff Gates feels so strongly about this issue, that he is willing and able to bring the leader of our country to talk to our children, then I, as a concerned parent, will do everything I can to support his efforts.

When I see stories from his critics shouting their concerns about Sheriff Gates’ possibly using secretarial time for personal business, or use of business phones to conduct personal business, I get really concerned. I believe officials have to be made accountable, and cannot have a free rein. But for each hour Sheriff Gates spends justifying his actions over these petty matters, he is not free to concentrate on programs such as the anti-drug rally. And frankly, I feel my son’s future, and the future of the other teens of this community, is a whole lot more important than worrying about whether Sheriff Gates called a real estate agent on his business phone or went down the street to a pay phone.

NAN LIEBSACK

Santa Ana