To the editor:

Let me tell you a story about one day of my life. I attended the city

council meeting on Nov. 28, 2005.

The meeting began with a councilperson failing to join the others in paying proper tribute to the American Flag. The meeting ended with some council people yelling slanderous remarks and accusations at each other.

Between the opening and closing of this meeting the mayor entered in and out of the council chambers numerous times commenting to those in attendance his opinions about various items under discussion. His remarks ranged from intimidating to the usual political rhetoric.

He told the audience he was standing up for the lower paid employees. His interruptions were very distracting to me and seemingly disruptive to the council agenda.

Several council members attempted to force the discussion from a business level to a personal level.

I heard one council person voicing the opinion that some city employees were trying to get rich through these proposed raises.

Some may. The discussion however was concerning those at the bottom wage scale of the city.

After listening with disgust at what had just happened at the meeting I departed. As I entered my vehicle my cell phone was ringing. It was my daughter who told me that there had been an attempted burglary at my business.

This had happened just 10 minutes after she had closed for the day and departed.

She had been working late in order to allow me to attend the meeting I had just left. After spending a near sleepless night, I read in The Selma Times-Journal the next morning that there had been a rape in the immediate vicinity of our city’s new walking track.

At that point I realized the lack of concern and respect for one another that some of our leaders too often display seemed to be spilling over into the behavior of too many of our citizens. We must find a better way.

May God bless Selma.

Gene Hisel

Selma