While watching the show Roswell I couldn't help but notice the relationship between the three "aliens". They were looked at as weird and outcasts because they only hung out with each other and didn't interact with the other students. little did everyone else know it was because they had to keep a secret that they were aliens, but non the less that made them a target. It was easy for people or the sheriff to suspect that the boy did something because he was already labeled as an outcast and not many people knew much about him. I think this says a lot because people tend to blame others based on appearance, mannerisms and interests. It is a lot easier to but the blame on someone you don't know rather then a friend or acquaintance. Since it was a small town everyone basically knew everyone. Since the "aliens" were outcasts no one had enough reasoning to defend them.
With that being said the sheriff had his eye out for the boy and started questing him and even pulled him over for no reason just to see his reaction. I think relating back to columbine this show portrayed just how society can target people based on appearance and interests. The sheriff had no reason to question him and target him out of everyone else but because no one really knew him or felt he was an outcast that made him an easy target.
People who are considered "Other" usually form friendships with one another. In a way, this serves as a certain security blanket or a judgement-free zone where they wouldn't have to worry about someone harassing them at every given opportunity. Unfortunately, there are authority figures who use the "Other" packs to their advantage, proving that "safety in numbers" isn't always true. By having the "Others" in their specified group, this makes it easier for these authority figures to "weed out" who they deem is undesirable and impedes on their distorted idealistic perception of how life should be. Thus, authority figures target several groups of their choosing with the "West Memphis Three" and the Columbine Shooters as prime examples. This is seen with the Sherif's obsession with Liz &Co. in having them "caught in the act." While the majority of the population are fine or tolerate the differences of others, there are extremists, like the Sherif, who obsess over 'restoring order' in their unbalanced world. These are all seen in "Roswell," specifically with the example you stated when the Sherif pulled over Max &Co. for no reason but to harass them.
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