More Mass. Mentality

Straight from the pages of the Tax-and-Spend Liberal Do-Nothing Feel-Good Political Handbook, comes the latest turd, disguised as a crime-fighting initiative, to roll down Beacon Hill:

Greater witness protection urged.

Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley urged state legislators yesterday to give more protection to victims and witnesses and to more harshly punish those who try to intimidate them.

The issue here isn't about our benevolent leaders giving protection to the victims, you assknob, it's about undoing the actions taken by the state legislators' in the past which have deprived these people of the means to effectively protect themselves from violent thugs.

Witnesses are intimidated in 90 percent of cases involving guns, gangs, and serious violence that pass through his office, Conley said. He recounted the story of one woman who worked up the courage to testify, only to turn around and flee when she saw friends of the defendant, a gang member, sitting in bench after bench in the courtroom.

"She cried to the Victim Witness advocate from my office that she might as well just put a bull's-eye on her back," Conley told members of the Joint Committee on Public Safety, who called the hearing to explore possible legislative solutions to surging gang violence throughout the state.

Legislative solutions? Who the hell do you think is responsible for creating this mess? What did you think the result would be after years of legislative efforts dedicated solely to disarming the law-abiding citizenry?

I've got your legislative solution right here, Mr. Conley. Allow me to introduce to you Senator Smith & Wesson...



...and Representative Remington.



And of course, no legislative solution would be complete with out the obligatory dip into the taxpayers' pockets.

Witnesses are especially critical to police when it comes to solving crimes committed by gang members, Conley said, so the Legislature must allocate funding so the district attorney's office can pay for emergency relocation and housing for witnesses.

Aaah yes, the tried and true Massachusetts solution - throw money at the problem until it goes away. Guess what, it hasn't worked before, and it's not going to work this time. But what do they care? It's not their money.

(State Senator, Jarrett) Barrios said he plans to pursue the matter. "I sincerely hope that the governor, who talks tough about preventing gang violence, will come through with the resources communities are going to need to combat gang violence," Barrios said in an interview.

Senator, can you tell me how much this latest "solution" will cost the taxpayers of the Commonwealth? And just how effective will this program be? Do you plan on permanently relocating these people (away from their friends and loved ones) or is this a temporary fix? Assuming you are able to keep these people safe from harm through the duration of their testimony in court - then what? How long will it be until it would be considered safe for them to return home?

These are questions that Mr. Conley and Senator Barrios won't ask, nor do they wish to answer. The only thing they're concerned with is the convincing the voters that they are doing something constructive to fight crime in their community.

You will not make the streets any safer by uprooting the law-abiding citizens and sending them away from their homes, depriving them of contact with their friends and neighbors from the neighborhood.

Here's a radical thought - uproot the criminals and send them to taxpayer-funded housing, the kind surrounded by high concrete walls and razor wire.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go break something.