Media must lead charge for answers

In response to your editorial regarding the drunk driving sentences, I couldn't agree more. The answer to your question of why, is the same answer as most of our sentencing problems: the judges.

Those of you in the print media, the radio media and the television media must lead the charge against ridiculous sentencing, not just for drunk driving but for all crimes. If not you, then who?

This also is the answer to the ridiculous letter to the editor regarding gun control. There are thousands upon thousands of gun laws already on the books. The problem, once again, is that the judges are not properly sentencing criminals with the laws already on the books.

If my history lesson memories are correct, the whole purpose of the free press instituted by our founding fathers, was to be a government watchdog. The judicial system is certainly part of our local, state and federal government. You, sir, are the appointed watchdogs. I propose that you start naming the judges who are handing out these light sentences and calling them to task. Pressure from the "people" would go a long way in starting to fix this problem. The people, incidentally, would be the same people mentioned in the "... of the people, for the people, by the people ..." phrase that we are all so familiar with.

Ask yourself, what would a member of the press have done in the late 1700s, if a judge had let an admitted, convicted child molester loose? They would have crucified him on paper, and I imagine an outraged community would have had him thrown off the bench.

You and your peers have a lot of work to do. Go to it.

Ann Marie Gajewski

East Amherst