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Your Views: A crime is a crime; support our law officers
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Yes, I am of the older generation but the rules should still apply. You do the crime, you do the time. Don't put our law enforcement personnel down, shoot at them or call them derogatory names for doing the very thing they have been hired to do.

If you don't want them stopping you to check out something they may consider an illegal act, stay off the road or stay home. If you haven't done anything wrong, then why worry and verbally abuse them? Be thankful they are out there putting their lives on the line to ensure our safety. This safety applies to all who have not committed a crime regardless of your sex, race or ethnic origin.

If land is posted as private, "No Trespassing" or any phrase that means "keep out" or "stay off," and you cross over it, or enter a person's home - (the U.S. or anyone's residence) without permission, that is illegal.

Stealing another person's money —  as in government benefits to illegal immigrants or from someone's wallet — is illegal. Aiding a criminal — giving jobs to illegal immigrants or supplying someone with money, a gun or burglary tools — in committing and continuing to commit a crime is illegal. Harboring a criminal — renting or selling homes and or apartments to illegal immigrants or giving someone who is a wanted criminal a place to live — is illegal.

A crime is a crime, regardless of how it may be worded. You may be able to change the wording of a crime; for example, entering a person's home without permission can be called breaking and entering, burglary or home invasion with intent to commit a felony. Receiving government benefits when you are not entitled (illegal immigrants or anyone who falsely fills out the applications) is fraud, and that is a felony.

Support and respect our laws and our law enforcement. I personally have had family and friends who worked law enforcement and became disgusted when they would arrest a criminal and some judge would, in essence, smack them on the hand, tell them not to do it again and send them back on the street.

Yet they stayed with it in hopes of helping a few people. And they did.

Thank you to all law enforcement, be it city, county or state.

Hazel Kimbrell
Gainesville