FBI Standoff in Montana
Kind of ironic isn’t it? Now that the feds have adopted a kinder-gentler approach to standoffs with gun-toting, separatist yahoos, complaints start coming in that they’re not acting fast enough (March 29-30). Turns out that neighbors of the “freemen,” fed up with their menacing threats, had formed a large posse and were preparing to “take care” of the situation on their own--not ruling out the use of deadly force. Now that’s what I call local government.
JIM MALLON
Morro Bay
* The response of government authorities to the freemen standoff puzzles me. In the inner cities, police break down doors and then dare anyone to so much as twitch, but when dealing with white ultra-rightists such as the freemen, the FBI declares publicly its desire to find a peaceful solution.
This can no doubt be traced back to the criticism leveled against the FBI and the ATF during last year’s Waco hearings, which featured the bizarre spectacle of some Republicans voicing support for child rapist and wacko David Koresh. Enough playing politics. The FBI should end its mollycoddling of these terrorist thugs and give them 10 minutes to either walk out or be blown out.
RONALD O. RICHARDS
Los Angeles
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