Pollution in US cities

I write in protest of the article "Pollution in US Cities Hits Minorities Hardest," Jan. 7: The article cites examples and then quotes University of California professor, Robert Bullard, as saying, "black neighborhoods were usually the path of least resistance" in the siting of pollution sources.

The article is replete with this type of statement which - while it may be correct - is a misleading half-truth which fans the flames of racism.

The fact is that the article would be equally correct had it substituted the word "poor" for each use of the word black or minority. Blacks often are poor, and all too often poor people get the short end of the stick, but that does not mean racism is involved. "Environmental racism" is a term generally used by people who are searching for examples of racism but who are sloppy with their logic. Let's keep the racism focus on ridding this country of prejudices and injustices that truly are based upon race,

not coincidence. John R. Bermingham, Denver

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