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The high price
of security
President Bush’s presidential campaign must really be bankrupt of any positive ideas. Ninety percent of the content of his ads are spent ripping and criticizing John Kerry.
If I heard it once that Kerry flip-flopped, I heard it 15 times so far. Kerry’s ads are more positive, stating his goals for the country. It would be really refreshing if the Bush campaign spent some time telling us what they will do to make life better for Americans.
The Bush administration loves to tell us that we need them to make us secure. Saddam Hussein has been deposed, yet we now have tens of thousands of security officers and the cost of tens of millions of dollars for protection at the Democratic and Republican national conventions and the Olympics.
We are not very secure if we have to do that.
Walter Desher
Lawndale
Peace of mind
in New Jersey
I am saying goodbye to my neighborhood where I was born and raised for 42 years — 30 in Holmesburg and 12 in Tacony — and my family roots go back over 100 years.
Section 8 is destroying the solid family neighborhood structure. Police are afraid to do their job and to respond to a quality of life. The 15th Police District is a shameful operation. Schools in the public school system are a danger for many children.
Yes, I did move to New Jersey because the schools are great for education and safety, and the cops respond like police officers should.
Peace of mind is worth every penny, and I don’t have to spend lots of money on a Catholic education here.
Dino Parlapiano
Bellmawr, N.J.
For John Perzel,
the praise fits
I felt it necessary to respond to a recent letter to the editor and the authors’ poor attempt to be a comedy writer (Rendell & Perzel: Perfect together, July 29 edition.)
The writer suffers from an obvious lack of knowledge regarding the history between the Northeast Community Center and House Speaker John Perzel.
In 1996, when every political figure in this city (including then-Mayor Rendell) refused to get involved with reopening the old YWCA, which had closed two years prior and become an abandoned, graffiti-riddled, eyesore property, state Rep. Perzel was the only person who believed it was possible.
It was John Perzel who helped get us the funding to purchase the property out of Bankruptcy Court.
It was John Perzel who set up meetings with City Controller Jonathan Saidel, who in turn got our foot in the door with Councilwoman Joan Krajewski.
It was John Perzel who put us in touch with the banks that financed the initial renovations so we could open this once fabulous facility and give it back to the community.
Through the help and support of John Perzel, grant funding has enabled us to continue to grow, and more than 2,000 members in the community have an Arthritis Foundation-certified (warm water) pool to use year-round.
Working parents have affordable state licensed pre-school, after-school and summer camp programs keeping them off the streets.
The physically fit as well as the physically and mentally challenged, or just those trying to get in shape, have a new fitness center at their disposal, as well as educational and recreational programs for the entire family.
This is why our board of directors has chosen to name the fitness center after the man who made it possible, John M. Perzel. And by the way, he and his family are dues-paying members.
Stan Cohen
Executive director, Northeast Community Center
Capture that
coward terrorist
I was born and raised in Northeast Philly but now live in suburban Pennsylvania.
I am one man in one nation. But what puzzles me is a rumor, or perhaps a thought of closing our fire stations here at home, and opening new ones in Iraq. That thought is a contradiction to homeland security.
Homeland security starts in the hearts and minds of its people.
As I am one man standing on my own two feet, I encourage Iraq to stand on its own two feet. I believe that the time to bring the troops home is now, today, not an attitude of "we’ll see how it goes."
As a homeland security expert, I practice vigilance. I’ve been a member of homeland security since joining the Cub Scouts more than three decades ago. Not long before that the president made a commitment: "I believe that this nation should commit itself, before this decade (1960s) is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth."
I encourage that you contact your friends and neighbors to talk up the thought of returning our troops home today.
Today is not yesterday. We can assist the government of Iraq via e-mail and bring our hearts home to the homeland. We can talk to other nations and encourage them to do the same.
While in patience, with a united peaceful front, we can follow our resolve and work together to snare that coward terrorist hiding under that rock.
I believe I will see the capture of that coward terrorist before this year is out, because there is no time like the present, and we can apply our hearts and minds to the business at hand.
Pat McLaughlin
Coplay, Pa., and former Somerton resident
A question
about impeachment
If we can impeach a president for lying about personal affairs of the heart — or boudoir, as it is — would it be legal, moral and ethical to impeach a mayor for implementing racial profiling in the appointment process of high-ranking city officials, some of whom are being investigated by federal authorities? Just a thought.
Peggi Barratt
Pennsauken, N.J.
Veteran cherishes
freedom of speech
We have freedom of speech so people like Barbra Streisand, Alec Baldwin, Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Moore and the rest of the Hollywood elite can vent their dislike for America—yes, I said dislike.
Why, you ask, would I make that statement? Most of the above mentioned said if George Bush won the 2000 election they would move out of the country. But they still live here and are still making U.S. dollars!
If I may, let me take you back 60-plus years to Dec. 7, 1941. Sunday morning, quiet and sunny, 2,100 Marines were walking up to start their duties and church.
All of a sudden the lives of all were changed forever. Most died, some burned and some lost limbs.
My godfather is entombed on the USS Arizona. At that moment no one was a Democrat or Republican, they were all Americans. They fought side by side. Most of them would never experience being husbands, fathers or grandfathers, taking the kids to ballgames and all of that good fun. Yet they fought all over the world, in places they couldn’t spell or pronounce — Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, the small, nameless islands in the South Pacific and in Europe, Normandy, Bastonge, Anzio, and throughout Europe.
They fought and died to give people the right to dissent and say how bad America is. I don’t think they would like what’s happening today and hearing that we have two Americas. Also, the country that we liberated doesn’t have good things to say about us. Thanks a lot.
Being a veteran, I want to thank all who gave their lives and limbs so we could have all that we have.
To all of the protesters, they gave you that right. Thank them, don’t blame them. And to all those who think we were wrong in going to Iraq, don’t forget 9/11.
Ralph Andracchio
Pine Valley
Senate race:
Liberal vs. liberal
In the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania, the incumbent liberal running as a Republican needs a Democrat opponent.
Given Mr. Specter, he of Scottish law fame, is a lock, who does the party nominate to oppose?
Now is not the time to waste a future star, if they have one, but rather someone who will accept the defeat without rancor.
Perfect solution, Joe Hoeffel. An obscure congressman. A man without an original thought in all his long service to the Democratic Party. The man will carry the party line as dictated by the Democratic National Committee as if it were other people’s Bible or Torah or Koran. Joe will only be too happy to take one for the party and given his 15 minutes of fame, thank them for the opportunity.
So there we have it. A Senate campaign of an unknown Democratic Party loyalist aptly named Joe vs. the incumbent and virtually unbeatable liberal masquerading as a member of the Republican Party named Arlen.
With the exception of the mud Joe H. will be directed to sling not at his opponent but at the president, it may be the most dull of all campaigns. You need to wonder if the DNC will provide Joe with the funds to tour the entire state. After all, they have a win-win situation in this election — no need to throw good money after bad. What the heck, Joe’s the kind of guy who will understand.
Ray Dolan
Morrell Park
Where there’s smoke,
there’s fire
Mr. Thomas O’Drain, president of the Philadelphia Firefighters Union Local 22, needs to get back to the basics of Firefighting 101 — where there is smoke there is fire.
The definition of a hero is "a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities." State Sen. Michael Stack III is NO hero! Mr. O’Drain neglected to mention the fact that Sen. Stack (Democrat) is surrounded by allegedly fraudulent voting practices. The senator’s father, Michael Stack Jr., the 58th Ward leader, along with two aides, have been indicted for allegedly forging voters’ signatures in the 2003 election.
The stench of the voter fraud resonates from Sen. Mike Stack’s camp like smoke from a smoldering fire. A reasonable person could wonder how much the senator knew about the orchestration of this fraudulent event and when he first became aware of its execution. A real hero doesn’t find himself surrounded by family members and associates who are indicted for allegedly breaking the law via voter fraud. Mr. O’Drain, let us not lose focus. The real heroes are the firefighters, not Sen. Stack.
The comment made by Sam Mirarchi, Republican candidate for state Senate, which Mr. O’Drain referenced in his letter in the July 29 edition of the Northeast Times, appears to have been taken out of context. Selective editing of this nature to misconstrue the accuracy of a statement does not serve the best interest of the community.
Good luck to you, Sam Mirarchi, in the November election. Be sure to double-check the signatures on the votes cast for your opponent!
Carol O’Brien
Holmesburg
Editor’s note: Sen. Stack has not been implicated in the forgery case.
Democrats are out of
touch with the taxpayers
To state Rep. Michael McGeehan:
Your endorsement of a candidate, Brendan Boyle, in a district neither you nor he knows anything about is a typical sign that you Democrats are out of touch with the taxpayers of our city.
George Kenney is one of the most active, professional and dedicated state representatives we have in this state. He works for all classes of people — that’s what elected officials are supposed to do. The funny thing is the Republicans seem to be the only ones that actually do what they’re supposed to, and they are taken to task for it.
All the Democrats seem to do is jump on the bandwagon when the fearsome foursome of state politics — Kenney, Dennis O’Brien, John Taylor and John Perzel — sponsor the majority of the important bills in the House, and all deserve re-election.
You and Mike Stack are like bench players coming to share or take credit; for example, the firefighters. I strongly agree with Sam Mirarchi’s recent letter to the editor that Stack’s involvement was lip service, and anyone that lives in this district knows it!
What good would a study do, when the facts were already there? Tom O’Drain, your defense of the two strongest Street supporters shocks me; the two guys you are praising were working hard for the mayor’s re-election; he’s the guy trying to close our fire departments and recreation centers, and I believe you supported Sam Katz.
Mr. O’Drain, my firefighter family and neighbors agree with Mirarchi’s letter, so what you need to do is go to the sponsored bills and see which ones Stack and McGeehan have introduced for your firefighters. Also, Mr. McGeehan, if you are such a wonderful state representative, why are all of your constituents moving out of your district and into George’s? Your district is a Section 8 paradise under the watch of you and Joe Hoeffel.
This is what I see, not hear, and everyone in the Northeast should start voting with their eyes, not based on lip service and recommendations of a failed party and its candidates.
Anthony Mattia
Bustleton
The case of the
disappearing literature
Recently, I witnessed one of Allyson Schwartz’s many negative campaign tactics. While I was going door to door, spreading the good word about Dr. Melissa Brown’s campaign for Congress by putting Dr. Brown’s literature in railings and between doors, an Allyson Schwartz staffer took Brown literature from where I put it.
Once I saw this happen, I did not approach that woman nor did I say anything to her — I simply went back and replaced the stolen literature with a new piece. I was sickened when I saw that. It just goes to show that the Schwartz campaign knows that if Melissa Brown’s message gets out there, Melissa will overwhelmingly win — why else would Schwartz try to block Melissa’s message like that?
David M. Kralle
Modena Park
Editor’s note: The writer is a member of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Teenage Republicans.
Letter got readers’ goat:
It’s animal warfare
Betsy Kirkwood’s letter entitled Keep animals on the farm (July 22 edition) made me realize how ignorant people really are.
She said that 24 chickens produced one ton of manure a year. Well, we better make a law banning dogs, because I can only imagine what one dog can produce in a year. And if you take away dogs, I guess all of the people producing waste must leave, too — c’mon, get real!
It’s not the animals’ fault for making a yard unpleasant; it is the owners for not cleaning up after it. Attack the owners for not taking responsibility for their pets.
When I had my goat it never smelled badly. There were more droppings in my yard from my dog than my goat. People have the false impression that farm animals carry disease. Look around — do you know how many people have AIDS, hepatitis C, cancer, etc.? We aren’t afraid of them, so why be afraid of animals?
There are too many problems in Philadelphia to be complaining about animals. Well, Betsy, wouldn’t you rather smell animal droppings coming in your window than marijuana, crack or pollution?
Fix something in Philadelphia that is bringing the community down, not something for people too ignorant to realize that a chicken, goat or pig to some people is no different than a dog or cat. That’s almost like saying black people are different from Asians or whites. The only difference is their appearance.
The animals were in Philadelphia before us. They made room for us, now let’s make room for them. What gives us the right to say they aren’t allowed here? They have the same feelings as us or dogs or cats. Many farm animals are even more intelligent than humans.
"Man is the only animal for whom his own existence is a problem which he has to solve," Erick Fromm said.
Work on Philadelphia’s problems first, then the animals.
Martha Rogalski
Academy Gardens
• • •
Betsy Kirkwood’s rationale for banning small farm animals is grossly flawed. Our own health department testified before City Council that there is no appreciable health threat in keeping animals in Philadelphia, and that necessary ordinances are in place to deal with any potential problems.
Chicken droppings, like any other waste, pose a health threat only when handled improperly. I would be more concerned, Betsy, with the neighbor’s cat using little Johnny’s sand box as a litter box.
The OSHA requirements for ventilators in chicken raising operations exists because (obviously unbeknownst to you, Betsy) our chicken and egg industry occurs mostly indoors, where the chicken never sees the light of day, and lives on a diet high in steroids and antibiotics... Mmmm!
So thanks, Betsy (and special thanks to Councilman Brian O’Neill) for being so quick to deny Philadelphians their right to raising more wholesome foods within the law. You’ve really squashed a truly bright spot in so many good folks’ lives. This is a sad day for Philadelphia and its children.
Betsy, it’s obvious you are disgruntled about someone. A neighbor perhaps? I heard about that lady y’all have been trying to shut down for years up there. You just don’t like the animals, or the smell.
That’s the real issue, isn’t it? You were probably one of the very few people who complained to O’Neill’s office over the years, and somehow got him on this misguided crusade.
Bill #040566 was not passed based on the will of the people. Almost everyone spoke against it.
All liberty comes with a small amount of risk, Betsy (and Councilman O’Neill), but I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty, than to those attending too small a degree of it.
Lastly, a riddle: If 24 chickens produce a ton of manure in a year, how many tons of manure a year do 17 City Council members and one Philadelphia mayor produce?
William Kitsch
Fox Chase
Up with firefighters, down with politicians
If the mayor and fire commissioner are able to restructure the fire department the way that they want, there will be fewer firefighters on duty in the city every day. That’s not safe for the citizens who pay for the service, and it isn’t safe for firefighters.
How can we even contemplate having fewer firefighters or first responders in this post-9/11 world? I agree that the city needs more paramedics, but why should we have to sacrifice firefighters to get them? The city should look for other ways to save money. Maybe the politicians who have the nerve to call themselves "public servants" could do a public service and stop voting for pay raises for themselves, or better yet take a pay cut. After all, they are the ones who mismanaged the city’s finances and created this mess. Where did the surplus under Mayor Rendell go?
Firefighters are the true public servants; politicians only serve themselves. More firefighters and less politicians, I say!
Joe Yannuzzi
Parkwood
CLIP is making a big difference
Guest Opinion
By Thomas Conway and Christopher Creelman
It has been some time since we updated you on the Community Life Improvement Program’s (CLIP) goals and accomplishments in Northeast Philadelphia.
As you may recall when the program started, the compliance rate for quality-of-life violators was at 35 percent. Now the compliance rate hovers around 90 percent. The CLIP concept is a huge success and we thank you for supporting your program. The goal of CLIP is to improve the quality of life for all residents and to encourage everyone to be responsible property owners and good neighbors.
We believe CLIP has done a good job of enforcing exterior quality-of-life violations, but we are striving to improve in certain areas. For instance, CLIP will begin to hold administrative hearings at our Northeast office in the fall, for property owners that continue to be in violation of city codes. If they refuse to comply, we will take further legal action.
CLIP was never just about enforcement, it was also about beautification of our neighborhoods. Shortly after CLIP was created, we worked closely with the state government to secure grant funds to be used solely to beautify our community. Thus, the Major Artery Revitalization Committee (MARC) was formed. MARC’s board is comprised of representatives from Mayfair, Holmesburg, Wissinoming and Tacony.
One of our first projects was to purchase American and sports team flags and place them on our major arteries. This year, state Rep. Mike McGeehan assisted in securing state grant dollars for additional community projects. We were able to transform ugly and dull trestle overpasses into neighborhood themed gateways. We hired 20 local youths to assist with the cleaning and beautification of our gateways. Have you noticed the beautiful flower boxes? Thank these hard-working young men when you see them on the street; they are making their parents, as well as the community and us, proud.
Partnerships are important for our community to succeed. CLIP has formed many partnerships over the last few years with community and business organizations. We agree with the Mayfair CDC that our community is "a nice place to live and work," and partnered with them to place tree beds along Frankford Avenue. The benches and tree planters they purchased truly enhance the avenue’s appearance.
We would be remiss if we did not thank our state and local elected officials. Without the support of Councilwoman Krajewski and funding from Mayor Street’s Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, CLIP would not exist. Without state dollars funneled to our neighborhood through Rep. McGeehan and state House Speaker John Perzel, Mayfair CDC and MARC would not be possible. We are grateful for your support and look forward to our continued partnership.
We thank all of you for your support; together we ARE making a difference. oo
Thomas Conway is deputy city managing director and MARC president. Christopher Creelman is chief legislative aide to City Councilwoman Joan Krajewski and MARC treasurer.
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