Should you fear being pulled over by Metro?

To the editor:

Congratulations to Vin Suprynowicz for his fine Sunday column ("Some questions for Metro police"). He brought out most of the questions that must be asked and answered about the Erik Scott case -- although I would like to know why anyone has to carry a gun, legally or not, in or near Costco.

But more must be said than, "Let's have an open, fair inquest."

First, why is it that so much attention has been given to the Scott incident when Mr. Suprynowicz reminds us of the many other cases that seem to demonstrate a "shoot first" attitude on the part of the police? Is it not because Mr. Scott was a graduate of West Point and otherwise apparently a solid citizen working for a major medical company?

What about black and poor men and boys killed on the street in even the best areas in town? Are their cases heard again?

In sum, one has to have status and perhaps a strong, caring father to get the kind of attention the Scott case is receiving.

Second, there is much expressed fear and anger these days about a federal authoritarian, totalitarian government robbing us of our liberties. But we should look closer to home for threats to our civil liberties. If the police can act like the Gestapo, we live in a police state with great reason to fear -- not just a far-out potential threat we can deal with at the polls, but an immediate danger close to home.

I don't want to overstate the case, but neither should I have to fear being pulled over by the police -- and I am white, drive a nice car and live in a gated area.

Stuart Weiss

Las Vegas