Opinion of Peter Children of Mason City –
I stood witness to the orchestrated assault against George Barlas that took place during a City Council meeting. I watched in total disbelief as the police dragged out their Dog & Pony show in which they ran dashboard film showing unrest outside of Chop. Mayhem instigated by blacks from out of the state who are currently residing here. Of late there has been a large influx of “welfare recipients” who were attracted to Iowa due mainly to liberal public assistance laws.
These new arrivals are for all practical purposes unemployed if you don’t count dealing dope as gainful employment. While we all now these activities are illegal we also know the enforcement of dealing dope is to be shouldered by the police…..good luck with that. From what I see our police are more interested in shutting down Chop than dealing with the dealers. How many cities our size do not have a drug dog? Clear Lake has one, Forest City has one. Is that fact a signal to drug dealers that drugs are not a priority of the Mason City police? Does anyone recall any drug raids on the North End where this enterprise emanates? Was I out of town on the day our “Drug Taskforce” mounted an assault against this stain on society? No there was no raid no effort that I can recall that might interrupt this blatant activity that has caused such heartache in so many families. Yet careful preparation was prepared against this local merchant, that fact was more than evident as the police lined up to provide testimony one after another telling how they laid in wait parked across the street at the ready….sitting inside their cars watching to compile any and all evidence against Chop but being carful not to arrest any drug dealers during the process. How God damn pathetic was that? Is there an actual list of those arrested outside of Chop? I doubt it; if it exists publish it.
Shouldn’t the primary issue here be shutting down the drug dealers, or do you think shutting down a merchant who pays property taxes and provides employment in this community should be the main issue? That infamous council meeting is on tape….thank God as it will stand as witness to the total madness that took place that dark night in this small farming community when common sense had left the room…..
And now the rooms at Chop are dark and the ovens are cold. Twenty people are now unemployed; no criminals are behind bars and rejoicing is the order of the day with the city administrator and the council.
