To the Editor:

When a man’s heart is vindictive and revengeful, no amount of truth and information will stop him from feeding the negative rumor mill.

The city of Selma works, very, hard to provide ways and means to lift the standards and living conditions for its’ citizens and about 8,000 other families earning their living in Selma.

The city of Selma spends countless hours trying to be fair and inclusive and diverse in its’ workplace. I usually make decisions based on records and other reliable sources.

Some people are determined to look for negative stuff, only. When there is no negative available they create some by providing misinformation and in my opinion knowingly untruthful jabs at the city of Selma chief administrators.

I don’t understand the rationale of those I see poking. If we could bring Selma in complete sanction with the ideal American Dream today it would be a blessing for all, including the Negative Rumor Mill Feeders.

Further, I don’t understand how the elected official of Selma, having taking an oath to uphold the constitution, can openly fight everything that good for Selma and our country.

A clear example of this (puzzle me) is Mr. Gene Hisel who is a member of the Crime Task Force, appointed by Councilman Reid Cain. The Crime Task Force has been meeting every week for months.

Mr. Hisel has had access to all the data and all the information.

But on the very same day The Selma Times Journal reports the positive news about crime being down in the city as reported by the judge and district attorney, Mr. Hisel comes out his editorial stating the same negative rumors that were addressed during the Town Hall meeting. The really sad part about this whole matter is that during the Town Hall meeting, another Mr. Smith, no relation, accused the STJ of not reporting the truth about crime in Selma.

He had to be making the accusation at the meeting at the same time the STJ was printing the exact same false statement in Mr. Hisel’s editorial.

Coincidence? I don’t think so.

The good news is that Dr. Monica Newton clearly stated that she heard the rumor and decided to check for herself and found the rumor not to be true.

Mr. Hisel and Dr. Newton, both, serve on the Crime Task Force. One chose to feed the rumor mill and the other chose to tell the truth.

Mr. Byrd Loper threw his brick at city hall about the police department elevator at the same Town Hall meting at the same time the STJ was printing Mr. Hisel’s editorial throwing the same brick at city hall. Coincidence? I don’t think so.

Selma, if you look closely, you will see the same faces and names surrounding all the negative “put -downs” on our community.

You will see council-members voting against Voter Rights Act, the sign that promote Inclusiveness in Selma. Selma (I’m speaking to every ethnic group) wake-up, get-up, and speak-up telling good ole “throwbacks” of the “good old boys” days are far more limited than they think.

Frank Smith

Selma