WRONG ABOUT METHADONE

As an educator, nothing infuriates me more than someone who
demonstrates his or her ignorance in print or orally. In his letter to
the editor, published Dec. 18 in the Bristol Herald Courier, Mr.
Rosenbalm has done this concerning methadone clinics.

Does God not hope for his work to be everywhere, may it be a church,
school, jail, street corner or methadone clinic? Who cares what we and
our families drive by. Have you not ever been offended by a tacky
store front, vulgar billboard or church, if you are an agnostic?

The people you see at a methadone clinic are the very ones you see in
church, at Wal-Mart, at the check-out counter at Food City, cleaning
your teeth and behind the desk, giving you your second mortgage on
your home.

These people did nothing on purpose to join this club of addiction, an
addict of any kind does not even know they are an addict until they
indulge and then it is too late. Addiction is cruel and the world of
an addict is one of mental and physical torture.

God gave man the ability to create a drug that can help this cancer
growing on our society, whether it be our old, our young or our middle
America. We should be on our knees, praising the Lord for this gift
and accepting every clinic, with minds, hearts and arms opened, that
will be good enough to help our area cope with this burden.

Please be aware of what you are trying to work against; the methadone
clinic might be the salvation for your family member or loved one and
then you will certainly suffer for your ignorance.

Dorothy C. Jones

Lebanon, Va.