Fired mine off tonight as follows:
Hello,
I was recently linked to the article you wrote about how 9 out of 10 scrappers use methamphetamine. I personally take offense to this statement. I am a mother of 3 and have been ''scrapping'' for 2 years now. I work on this 7 days a week to help put food on the table and pay bills. It also teaches my children, family and friends how important recycling is. I have, through hard work, a friendly face and perseverance built up a steady clientele of people who trust me to recycle their product safely. It is insulting to hear such a blanket statement made about scrappers when what it *should* have said was ''9 out of 10'' meth users get their drug money from selling scrap they stole. There is a big difference in that description don't you think?
Have you seen the economy lately? An increase in people turning in scrap is due to the increase in unemployed workers who need food every day. Scrapping brings me a weekly income which my family needs when jobs are scarce. I don't use drugs. What I do do though, is help clean up the environment and educate how important recycling really is and how it benefits everyone involved in the process from start to finish. I really hope you don't support Mr. Watson's stance on scrappers, if you do shame on you. Maybe you should have done a little more research before making such a blanket statement about scrap metal recyclers.
Copied below for reference are the comments I found most offensive.
Thank you,
Cindy Gesaman
"Ninety percent of people involved in scrapping use methamphetamine, Nelson estimates, and they often have warrants out for their arrest."
"It seems that it (the increase in scrapping) is really an increase in the number of people that are on drugs," Watson said. "A lot of the guys that come through, my personal belief would be that they are on meth."
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