Letter to the Editor

Hampton citizen concerned about selective discrimination

     I fail to understand the reasoning for selective discrimination that goes on in the City of Hampton. What is done to one individual should be done to all individuals alike with no prejudice. I understand case-by-case situations, but those are even selectively discriminated against with prejudice.

     You have individuals who repeatedly receive ordinance violations for alleged violations year after year while you have individuals who have far worse ordinance violations year after year who have never received an ordinance violation – ever! It is as if selective individuals are repeatedly sought out while others are allowed to do as they please with no ordinance violations given to them period.

     You have selective individuals who receive ordinance violations and when after they paid for a copy of the quoted ordinance they find out that the ordinance violation should have never been issued or even written. Did the individual who wrote the incorrect ordinance violation ever apologize or take back the written ordinance violation, nor stop reporting the written ordinance to the local newspaper when brought to their attention – no!

     You have selective individuals who terrorize their neighborhood with ordinance violations and cause damages to neighbors’ property, and this has gone on for years and not one ordinance violation nor citation has ever been issued nor charges filed either! When your personal property is repeatedly damaged by selective individuals and no charges nor citations are ever issued and you repeatedly have to repair the damage, you get a little upset and discouraged because I see it being discriminated against with prejudice.

     I do not want to hear that unless an individual calls in and registers a complaint nothing is done! There are allegedly reasons for laws and ordinances, which have individuals who are required to enforce them and are paid by the taxpayers to enforce them with no prejudice or discrimination.

     When nothing is done unless an individual calls in and registers a complaint, it tells me that the individuals who are required to do a job that the taxpayers pay them to do are not unless the taxpayers does their job for them. It is not very hard when driving by residences that violations can be seen and to do nothing is a wrong answer.

     I would expect every individual to be treated equally with respect and no discrimination nor prejudice. That is what I would like to see in the City of Hampton instead of some of the apparent selective discrimination or prejudice.

     All the above is my personal opinion and how I perceive laws and ordinances are enforced in the City of Hampton.

     Shirley A. Smith

     714 6th St. SW

     Hampton