GETTING DRUG DEALERS OFF THE STREETS

I READ with interest the July 11 news article "Bias alleged in drug sweep."

Martin Jeffrey, president of Roanoke's chapter of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People, states that this was a "waste of
taxpayer dollars." Busting 76 drug dealers isn't a waste. It's called
"cleaning up the streets of our community."

Jeffrey said that predominantly "black neighborhoods" and "blacks" are
being targeted. Let me give him the "white" perspective on this:

I lived in one of those "targeted" areas when I was a child. It was safe to
walk the streets without fear of being raped, robbed or killed. Now, you
wouldn't dare do this.

The open hostility to white people in these areas is unbelievable. I drove
by the house I lived in one day (just to see what it looked like). I wished
I had not done so. It was a disgrace. I almost cried. Two black women in a
vehicle passed me and what they were thinking was clear: "Get out of here,
little white girl. You're not welcome!"

Hats off to Police Chief Joe Gaskins and Regional Drug Prosecutor Tom
Bowers. Keep up the good work. Every drug dealer who's taken off the
streets is an improvement to this community.

KITTY L. GRAYBILL, ROANOKE