Nonviolent offenders
deserve jail alternative

Thanks to reporter Tony Messenger for pointing out an incredible wrong within our criminal justice system in his story "Two worlds collide at sentencing" (Nov. 18). On Nov. 17, two defendants appeared before Judge Carol Jackson for sentencing; both had obstructed a police investigation.

Former state Sen. Jeff Smith repeatedly denied his involvement in breaking election law by planning campaign flyers attacking a political opponent.

Tina Rohr was not truthful in an investigation on her charge that she bought pseudoephedrine with the intent to make methamphetamine to support her habit.

Both appeared before Judge Jackson in suits.

While Smith was dressed in a nicely pressed dark blue pinstripe suit, Ms. Rohr wore a bright orange jail jumpsuit. Just prior to sentencing her to 97 months, Judge Jackson admitted, "But for the obstruction, you probably would not be looking at a sentence like this."

In comparison, Smith was sentenced to 12 months and one day.

Although I don't know Ms. Rohr, I know women like her based on my 15 years as a volunteer in the criminal justice system. These women express anguish at being away from their families, especially their children, and express anguish at leaving jail. They fear the temptations to commit similar crimes because they lack community resources and family support.

Ms. Rohr doesn't have the more than 100 supporters that Smith had to write letters on her behalf. All she had when she went before Judge Jackson was her orange jumpsuit.

Ms. Rohr doesn't need a 97 month sentence. She needs guidance and a chance to start over again. For seven years, I've served on the board of Center For Women in Transition, an organization that can offer Ms. Rohr a second chance. The center works with women in the criminal justice system who are convicted of nonviolent crimes to assist them in making a transition back into their family's lives and into society.

For those of us familiar with women incarcerated for a nonviolent offense and the Center For Women in Transition, it's painful and unjust to see a woman get such a long jail sentence. The center offers an alternative to jail that is proven successful for the woman and for society and that has a 5.5 percent recidivism record, which is much lower than the national average.

I hope and pray that others like me will see Ms. Rohr's potential and rights as a human being and consider an alternative sentencing, such as the center provides, for her nonviolent offense.

Sherri A. Coleman — Richmond Heights

Board member, Center for Women in Transition



The pressure
of keeping it in

I was rooting for Heather Ellis, the woman on trial in Kennett, Mo., for allegedly disturbing the peace and assaulting a police officer in a Wal-Mart store. She had defended her place in line after being elbowed by someone trying to get ahead of her.

The prosecutor offered a plea bargain, but Ms. Ellis insisted that she had been wrongly accused. She said her rights had been trampled and the other woman in line and the police should be on trial.

I read with dismay that while the jury was deliberating, she agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor ("Plea ends trial in Bootheel," Nov. 21).

All in all, everything worked out pretty well for Ms. Ellis, the police, the rude line-butting customer and the Bootheel.

But why did this happen?

Race relations have a long way to go in this country — and even farther to go in Missouri's Bootheel. The irony is that all of our civil rights would be less significant, less respected and less protected if our ancestors had not disturbed our peace. And it was a peace that was kept by those in power using power.

I've been in many checkout lines and have developed a pretty good strategy to defend against the would-be butt-in-ski. My strategy never has led to a physical confrontation, probably because it is easy for me to yield. There just isn't that much at stake if I occasionally have to let a butt-in-ski have his way. It just takes a little longer to get out of the store.

But, if I were African-American, not only might I want to get out of the store, but I also might be carrying the frustration of generations wanting to get out of a society that still doesn't quite see me for who I am or respect me for my unique history and contributions to this reluctantly tolerant country we call America.

And, if I were an African-American female, well, I may have a few more frustrations.

I wanted to see Ms. Ellis win her case triumphantly or be able to castigate a guilty verdict for the latent racism it would have been.

I'll have to settle for contemplating how difficult it must be to bear the burden of all that frustration. This is the legacy of Gandhi and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and probably even Jesus, but it sure isn't an easy path.

Ms. Ellis may have stepped over a line. But I hope she knows that some of us understand (even if we don't share) her frustration. I hope she knows justice is coming.

Barnet M. McKee — St. Louis



The 'liberal tax' is source of sour economy

The source of the economic problems we are going through now and that were well identified in the editorial "The dislocated" (Nov. 22) is the ongoing leftward move, politically. I call it the liberal tax.

Here is how we could right the economy relatively quickly:

— Lower the cost of energy instead of raising it. Wind and solar power are 15th-century sources of power, not 21st-century. Immediately begin building nuclear plants, open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration, and engage in offshore and natural gas drilling. Low energy costs would generate millions of good energy-industry jobs and spur good jobs in other manufacturing industries as costs fall and American goods become more competitive.

— Free American business by reducing regulations and taxes. Make a little of the stimulus billions available for business loans with very few strings attached, a fair interest rate and reasonable payment terms. Investment would explode and many more millions of jobs would follow.

— Refinance home loans through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to keep people in place and promote a sense of security.

— Improve the failing education system by instituting school choice (and not just government-run schools). Only a government employees union such as the National Education Association could fail spectacularly and ask for more money every year. Let's see how they do in a competitive environment. The good teachers will thrive; the poor ones will find a different job.

— Reduce the cost of health care through tort reform and by allowing more choice in insurance policies.

Left-wing groups will scream about these policies. Environmentalists, teachers union members, trial lawyers and government regulators would be incensed, but jobs would be plentiful and the economy would roar back to life.

Gary Duff — Granite City



Automotive woes

A reader writes that our nation's current financial recession can be directly attributed to consumers buying foreign-made automobiles. His statistics are impressive, and I would agree with all that he says. I have add a couple of thoughts to add, though.

Domestic manufacturers built their fortunes by selling cars with planned obsolescence in both style and quality in order to keep us coming back at a pre-determined rate. When we had the choice to get more for our buck, well, consumers are not stupid.

Detroit was too slow to adjust, but new domestic cars today seemingly are equal in quality to foreign ones. Is it too little too late?

Consider also that Detroit orders a fair percentage of its own parts from foreign sources and, in some cases, even assembles in other countries. It's all part of the same picture.

As Pogo Possum says, "We have met the enemy and it is us!"

Bob Arnold — St. Peters



AARP: Acting
in its own interest

The AARP's support for the health care reform bill in the Senate is being cited as proof that it is good for seniors. In fact, AARP does not represent the interests of seniors, especially those in the Midwest.

The bill establishes commissions charged to cut Medicare benefits by hundreds of millions of dollars. In addition, the popular Medicare Advantage program could be gutted. Why would the AARP endorse the health care reform plan?

AARP received $18 million in stimulus funds to retrain workers. That apparently has nothing to do with its charter and could be perceived as a payoff.

AARP has morphed into an insurance company, becoming the largest provider of Medi-Gap insurance in the country. It stands to garner hundreds of millions if the health care reform plan becomes law. Its offerings compete with Medicare Advantage.

The AARP mission statement is: "We lead positive social change and deliver value to members through information, advocacy and service." This high-minded statement shockingly doesn't mention older Americans, senior citizens or retired persons.

AARP is governed by a 23-member board; only three of the board members are from middle America.

Whatever your position on the health care reform bills, have no doubt that the AARP does not represent the interests of older Americans. It is an organization that is only acting in its own self-interest at the expense of its membership.

Steve Claggett — Union



Unattainable parenting standards

"Driver finds girl, 3, wandering along road" (Nov. 14) told of a 3-year-old child who was found naked and wandering outside after her mother fell asleep. Both the 3-year-old and the mother's other child, a 7-year-old, were removed from her custody pending completion of a child endangerment investigation.

Jefferson County Capt. Ralph Brown said that a parent must be in control of his child 100 percent of the time, and if the mother was too tired from working on a school paper the night before, she should have made other arrangements for someone to watch the child.

I have been haunted by this story since its publication. As a 59-year-old mother of three adult children, two grandchildren and an ex-wanderer myself, I can say that no parent, no matter how loving, attentive and diligent, can live up to his standards. This case has produced two children who have been traumatized and a mother who probably is grief-stricken fearing for the emotional well-being of her children while they are in "state custody."

It is chilling that the state can remove children from their home when something terribly unfortunate, but unpremeditated and accidental, has occurred.

Jan Reilly — Ballwin



We're capable
of showing class

"Paving paradise for a parking lot" (Nov. 18) was an eloquent and important commentary. The commentary was a plea to keep the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers free of development, including a casino for that location that recently was given first-round approval by the St. Louis County Council.

It is very backward and short-sighted to develop land near the Chain of Rocks Bridge — our region's most beautiful spot — and the rivers' confluence. I hope the region will not be so unattuned to history, the environment and the living communities nearby as to squander what is irreplaceable for the sake of what is short-term, tacky and squalid — another casino.

The new CityGarden has shown that we're capable of having some class. Let's show it again by saying no to a casino at the confluence of two of the world's most important rivers.

Suzanne Rhodenbaugh — St. Louis