To the Editor:

Recently, City Councilman Cecil Williamson wrote an editorial entitled “Make West Selma a separate city.”

Here he suggests that the West Selma area incorporates itself into a city so that it will be removed from the problems (mainly crime and violence) that plague the City of Selma.

He goes on to create a utopia where persons who want to live in West Selma “could have a quiet and peaceful town where whites and blacks live in harmony on clean streets and in secure neighborhoods”

My friends, many American citizens want a world like Mr. Williamson.

I really do!

Life, however, is not lived in a vacuum.

“Leave it to Beaver” was pulled off the television shelf because real life and death issues were taken seriously.

Problems arise both in personal and communal living.

Some people use drugs and alcohol to escape reality, rather than to deal with it.

But this only creates a greater problem called a ‘habit,’ while their original problems still stare them in the face.

For those in West Selma, I beg of you not to waste your valuable time nor exhaust your energy to become incorporated.

Why?

Because wherever there are people, problems will exist.

Problems will find their way to your front door, even in West Selma.

The Framers of the Constitution wanted “a more perfect Union.” They worked hard at it.

Yet, they failed to see themselves as being a part of the problem with their attitudes and mindsets towards those who were different.

There are a myriad of problems in Valley Grande, Prattville, Maplesville, as well as Selma and other areas.

So, instead of running us from problems, we need to take a stand, look at ourselves first, work vigilantly with others in the community to resolve the problems.

And I declare that we will be a part of history where people will say “This was our brightest and glorious moment!”

Rev. Michael Henson

Pastor, Ward Chapel AME Church