To the Editor:

My heart hurts at the division of our beautiful city.

I read the Letters to the Editor on April, 20, 2006, and April 19, 2006.

I do not understand why key issues are being forgotten in place of the same black and white issue.

I commend those city officials in their efforts toward youth by offering a summer jobs program.

I strongly agree that our youth need employment opportunities.

My concern is that the funding for the summer jobs program is being taken from the Police Department budget.

I believe these employment opportunities can be found in a strong business community, too.

If our city was a safe place to operate a business, our youth would have jobs all year round, not just for the summer.

Unfortunately in recent years Selma businesses, and for that matter our middle class taxpayers, are leaving Selma and in most cases this is due to the increase in crime.

While there may be those who do not believe crime is an issue, please come to my house on Friday and Saturday night for the shoot out at the OK Corral.

There is rarely a weekend that my husband and I do not have to call our already stretched thin police department to please respond to gunshots fired.

My neighborhood is not black and white to me, my neighborhood is good, law-abiding people, forced to live with a few want-to-be gangsters who are ruining it for everyone.

It was my neighborhood that the gunman fled after robbing an elderly woman in the Old Live Oak Cemetery – not in the middle of the night but in broad daylight.

It was my neighborhood where a woman coming home from work was robbed at gunpoint at her front door.

And let me tell you there is nothing that brings you to reality quicker than to have your next door neighbor call crying for help because she has just been robbed.

With all the recent focus on crime and crime prevention why would our city leaders ask to take funds from those who pledge to keep our streets safe. I want the youth in our city to have the opportunity for a summer job; all I ask is that the funding be found elsewhere.

Is it not possible to have both, safe streets and opportunities for the young people of our fair city?

Shirley Ross