The new Old West

There are a number of candidates for sheriff of Stevens County who promote and believe that the county sheriff is the highest legitimate law enforcement official in the land and, in order to protect the community from the evil and tyrannical federal, state, and local governments, the sheriff needs to draw a line around the county, and make it abundantly clear to other law enforcement agencies that he will only enforce those laws that his posse agrees with.

This seems to be very popular with constitutionalists, armed militias and pseudo-libertarians, who fortunately only make up about 15 percent to 20 percent of our county population.

The idea reminds me of an old Western. No doubt Rowdy Yates would get a little nervous about a lynch mob that just went to the dry goods store and there was a rope sale. People really seem to enjoy watching movies with violent lawlessness and vigilantism.

Please research the candidates and check out their spurs. We don’t need to make a movie or a miniseries in Stevens County.

James Perkins

Colville