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Justice for all

| February 2, 2005 11:00 PM

To the editor,

It seems that Eric Kaplan, our city attorney, received special treatment when he was recently cited for drunk driving.

He did not have to spend the night in jail, as have others cited for the same crime.

Instead, Mr. Kaplan got to call Columbia Falls Chief of Police Dave Perry, who then took our drunken city attorney into his personal care.

It is my opinion that if Eric Kaplan or any other city, county or public official drives drunk on the same roads and streets that the rest of us do, they should be given the same treatment as the rest of the drunks, a night in jail, drunk drivers school and/or chemical dependency treatment program.

We frequently hear that public officials are held to a higher standard of conduct than the rest of us. An equal standard of justice and punishment would suffice.

Larry Bump

Columbia Falls

No yakking

To the editor,

On the subject of a bus driver chatting on the cell phone, back in the early 1970s, I coached the fighting East Glacier Bobcat grade school basketball team in East Glacier Park, and drove them to Babb, Browning and other locations though snow, ice, poor visibility and generally horrible winter driving conditions.

Yakking on a phone rather than giving your full attention to the road is irresponsible. You don't yak on the phone or drink coffee while the bus is moving. You give 100 percent of your attention to driving the bus in a safe manner for the kids who trust you.

Dave Smith

Bisbee, Ariz.