To the Editor:

Crime is just the end result of seeds that were planted years ago. They have been watered and have grown to the end result that we now see in our community. The culture as well as the nation has changed and there is no going back. To think that the mayor, city council or any other elected official (city, county, state or federal) can produce a cure-all to end crime is just wishful thinking. It is not the mayor of Selma’s job to do away with crime. That starts at home! In essence it is our responsibility.

If we placed all new people in every office the problem would remain. It is the nature of the beast. The truth is there is not anything in this area that will generate the funding that would even begin to address the problems in this area of crime, schools, etc.

We operate a business in downtown Selma. In the last few years we have seen once abandoned, run down buildings now refurbished and operating as businesses. That is progress, not a mass exodus.

George Thames

Valley Grande