Dear Editor,

When I read the article about the house on Pebble Lane, I was shocked and disappointed. Have we as a community become so materialistic that we will vote to demolish another community member’s property without permission?

With the economy as it is now, there are not many people who have extra money to spend. Perhaps these people are doing their best to put dinner on the table for their family. Whatever happened to “Love your neighbor as yourself” or “Do to others as you’d have them do to you”?

These are the sayings we teach all of our children; the morals we want them to have. Yet, what do our children see us do when someone may be having a hard time financially? We are quick to point the finger and judge as long the problem belongs to someone else. Have we become so shallow and materialistic that all we care about is money?

I understand that no one wants property values to go down. I understand that parents may be worried about their children if there is a safety issue with pests, etc.  Perhaps the city could have hired a pest control company and charged the homeowners the monthly fee to keep the raccoons out. To stick someone with a $9,000 bill for demolition of an abandoned home is, in my opinion, an infringement upon human rights and is a true reflection on “what really matters” to us here in the Bible Belt.

Heaven forbid that we have to live with an eyesore. If anyone doesn’t measure up to our standards we’ll decide to take matters into our own hands — except for the bill.

Bonnie Herenu

Alabaster