Editorial Opinion  by Ernest Henslee

In response to Deputy Shawn Roden's e-mail opinion:

Shawn,

First off I am a citizen just like you stated you are.  I am glad that you have responded.  I and everyone else in this County would love a open S.O. without divulging anything that would jeopardize an ongoing investigation.  I apologize for making the mistake using "Public Service".  A mistake is a mistake, so I will move on. 

We all know that there are some good officers out there who are dedicated to their jobs. You say you are a dedicated officer who is doing his job.  We need officers who do their jobs in a professional manner. We also hear and see where officers are doing sloppy law enforcement, and the people of this county want to know, and are being informed of this. 

When I first started writing "The Star" I found out that there are a lot of citizens, "Who are good Law Abiding Citizens", who were and still are "afraid of the law in this county, particularly the S.O.".  They are not criminals either, but rather law abiding citizens.  "Why are they afraid?"

I was threatened twice by a elected law enforcement official.  I took the proper action to report it, as I will if anything like this happens again, because I say what I think and will continue to do so.  If I feel retaliation, I will report that also.  We all have the right to "Free Speech" under the Constitution.  This is the United States, and "We" being "You and I" have that right whether anyone likes it or not, and "We" have the right to do it without the fear of retaliation  by law enforcement, or any governmental entity.  Law abiding, tax paying citizens should not be "threatened or intimidated" by law enforcement, only criminals should.  I am not a criminal.  I am not afraid, as you can well see, and don't think that anyone is going to try and intimidate or retaliate against me because it would not be beneficial to them, nor would it be legal, besides that it would show just how it is here.  

Now, to Jason.  He was found guilty, and sentenced to the Penitentiary, which is the Texas Department of Corrections, not the Red River County Jail. Why is he here in Red River County running the streets?  Besides that he is not even in Jail here, because he has free run of the place inside and out.