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It’s not too late to

repeal the pay raises

Having been active in Democratic Party politics for more than 35 years and having run for state representative against Rep. Sue Cornell, I am very disappointed in our leaders in Harrisburg concerning the illegal pay raise.
I am also appalled at the reaction of legislators to the public outcry. Many of our elected officials have insulted the public and talked down to the citizens of the commonwealth.
We have a failure of leadership in both parties. Any good works they have done recently have been tainted by their moral failure in not recognizing that you don’t take what is not yours.
The retributions, lack of understanding and self-interest lamely justified have shaken our faith in our elected officials.
It is never too late to change. These leaders, including Governor Rendell, House Speaker Perzel, House Majority Leader Smith, Democratic House Leader DeWeese, Senate Majority Leader Brightbill, Democratic Senate leader Mellow and Senate President Pro Tempore Jubelirer can restore their fellow citizens’ faith in our institutions of government by calling a special session now, repealing the legislation, holding debates and passing a reasonable bill.
If not, then the leadership needs to be changed, and I urge legislators to have the courage to elect new leaders for our General Assembly as soon as they reconvene this week.
If the rank and file members fail to act, it will be up to us, the voters, to elect an entirely new general assembly in 2006.
President Lyndon Johnson once said, "Doing what’s right isn’t the problem. It’s knowing what’s right."
Legislators, please have the courage to admit your ethical lapses and make it right.
Ross Schriftman
Maple Glen, Pa.




Flea market marred by

a pair of petty thieves

I would like to thank the hard-working auxiliary of the Frankford Hospital’s Torresdale Campus for another wonderful flea market. It was held on Saturday, Sept. 17.
The staff consistently provides a clean and spacious environment as well as hot coffee and fresh doughnuts and hoagies. And don’t forget all the smiles and pleasant conversation.
I am always able to find homes for my former treasures and look forward to meeting many fine people, both sellers and shoppers. However, there was a slight blemish to this otherwise enjoyable time:
A shopper, well-dressed and mature, asked a seller for a price of an item and was told $3. As soon as the seller turned her head, the shopper placed the item in a shopping bag carried by her daughter on her shoulder. She never paid for the item, and continued on her way. How tacky!
Both the seller and her daughter noticed the incident, but in the interest of harmony, said nothing. These two refined women are typical of the sellers at this flea market.
The shoppers were an unfortunate aberration. They now know that they were seen. It’s such a shame that you had to take something without paying. It was obviously deliberate. Otherwise, it was a wonderful day. I am looking forward to being there again in May 2006. Again, thank you to the auxiliary. Well done!
Vikki Jupin
Wissinoming




Thanks for helping out

The neighborhood in Mayfair on the 2800 blocks of Gilham and Hellerman streets held its 14th annual block party on Sept. 10. What is significant is we thought of the flood victims that have nothing. We took up a collection and raised $270 from our generous neighbors, family and friends who attended the block party.
This was then sent to the Salvation Army in Jackson, Miss., to be put to good use for the flood victims. We would like to thank all who participated for their generosity. A good time was had by all who came to our party. We are a selfless block and look out for each other and for people who are in need.
We hope that this will do some good for these people. Now with Hurricane Rita, they are going to be in need of even more help. Thanks to all of you for a successful contribution.
Josephine Siefert
Mayfair




Memo to anti-Bushers

This is for the President Bush haters and welfare moochers: For the people who claim Mr. Bush hates blacks, I say, shove it. For the people who hate Bush, I say, drop dead. And for the welfare moochers — blacks, whites, whatever — go to work and quit having babies. Get a life. The taxpayers can’t take it anymore.
Jerry Foglia
Wissinoming




Confusion clouds anger

Which is it, Ms. D’Alonzo? In your Sept. 8 letter you wrote, "With more and more juveniles committing deadly crimes, whether intentionally or by accident, there has to come a time when they are held accountable." Then last week you wrote, "For the record, I believe Megan Miller is nothing like those who killed Jason Sweeney — they intended to commit a crime."
Your own words show the confusion and anger that clouds your logic. Megan Miller admitted her guilt, was adjudicated and judged to have made sufficient restitution. Through this whole ordeal, Megan Miller has exemplified accountability.
You fail to differentiate the intentional from the accidental, because to do so would rob you of your justification for a pound of the Millers’ flesh. Rich Miller’s fate has yet to be determined, but at the very least he will be judged by a judicial system that sees those differences.
Brian P. Tait
Mayfair




On race, Price

is not right

In response to Tom Price’s letter in last week’s edition about Mayor Street bringing victims from Katrina-ruined areas here to Philadelphia, I have to say I am quite appalled.
What does race have to do with anything? Do you know, Mr. Price, that white people were displaced by Katrina as well? White people looted stores in New Orleans as well. And guess what — white people have helped ruin our neighborhoods right here in Philadelphia, too.
As a WHITE woman living in the Northeast and attending Temple University (which, by the way, is right alongside the site in which these victims are being housed), I am absolutely ashamed of people like you being considered fellow Philadelphians. I don’t like Mayor Street any more than the next Philadelphian, but you are an absolute ignorant racist. I am shocked that the Northeast Times even published your letter.
Only 37 victims were brought here, and as I pass by their temporary home four to six times a day, they have not once caused a problem. All these people want is a warm, dry, place to sleep and bathe and food to eat, and stay out of the public eye — even as the media beat down their door to put their faces on the news almost daily.
Thirty-seven people, Mr. Price, some of whom are elderly and children. Please tell me how that equals more prisoners and more police on the streets.
These people needed help, and we gave it. I should hope if a tragedy like this ever ripped apart your life and your family, you’d be left somewhere to die, too.
No matter what color, what religion, what sex, etc., these people have experienced a horrible tragedy and they needed somewhere to go. Perhaps it is not "the blacks" as you say that bring down the quality of our city, but ignorant, unwilling-to-help, close-minded racists like you.
Lauren Andrews
Walton Park

• • •

I was hurt and shocked by Tom Price’s letter. It is 2005, Tom, get a life. You called our mayor an idiot for opening up the city to people who lost everything to a horrible act of nature, and putting the city in harm’s way of looting and shooting.
What do you expect people to do who are basically left to fend for themselves and no help is in sight? I don’t believe those people that were down there looting got up and said, "You know what? Today is a good day to go steal my family something to eat because the government is not going to come and rescue us no time soon!"
And what makes you think the only people that came to Philadelphia were blacks, you racist? For your information, there were whites that also came to Philadelphia on that plane. Nature does not in any way separate us by color, race or creed. These people lost family, pets and their livelihood.
You should be glad that the city took the initiative and opened up its heart to the people of New Orleans. They didn’t move next door to you; they’re staying in a school.
May God have mercy upon your soul if for some reason this would have happened in Philadelphia. What would you say or how would you feel if this was you, coming to a city you knew nothing about nor had anyone here as far as family?
If you wanted to protest about something, protest about how Bush cheated his way into the White House and how he lied and got our young kids over in another country dying for some bull****.
Remember, Clinton lied, but nobody died. Life is so short and so many other problems exist. The last thing we need is separation. Hatred is an act taught, you are not born with it.
If you desire a world where only whites live, I suggest you move. Good luck finding such a place.
Ericka Thomas
Oxford Circle




Katrina and Rita: Just the

tip of the iceberg?

Guest Opinion
Gabriel Brandis

Be it the wrath of an angry God, or the result of global warming, the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast — and Hurricane Rita — is just one consequence of the impact of the human presence on the environment.
Since at least the 1960s, visionaries whose perceptions go beyond the mere quest for financial gain have been crying out for a reform of consciousness. Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters are indications of humanity’s disconnect with nature.
It would be so easy to blame the Bush administration for the catastrophes of the fledgling 21st century — certainly, this administration has been more of a self-serving regime than an asset to global well-being — but the truth is that the impact has been escalating for a very long time.
Now, with satellite technology, we can measure such impacts as the year-to-year melting of the polar ice caps, and the expanding Sahara Desert, where life of any kind is becoming increasingly scarce.
All the blights that plague the world "out there" — poverty, disease, war, famine, etc. — are now creeping upon our homeland.
Isn’t it ironic that our fellow Americans in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast are up to their ears in water, yet are dying of dehydration due to a shortage of potable water? This is a clear example right before our eyes of how we are out of harmony with nature.
Hurricane Katrina, brushing the edge of America, is only the tip of the iceberg of what may be coming our way as the result of global warming.
Historically, every nation or culture in the world has had its moment in the sun — England, Spain, the Roman Empire (Italy), Persia (Iran/Afghanistan), the Mayans, Incas and Aztecs of what is now Mexico and Central America, as well as the ancient empires of India, Egypt and Ethiopia — and they have all collapsed. The list goes on.
What makes Americans think that we have unlimited natural resources at our disposal to exploit and market?
As the poet T.S. Elliot said, ". . . this is the way the world ends, not with a bang but with a whimper." The plague is already encroaching upon American soil. It’s time to be afraid, and to be aware.
Americans, we pride ourselves as trendsetters influencing global standards. Commercial empires vie with one another for profit and power. Actually, political leaders at all levels are merely figureheads orchestrating policy to cater to the greed of a few, measurable by the widening gulf of disparity between rich and poor. Shouldn’t all Americans — why, all peoples of the planet! — be able to partake of the earth’s bounty?
Whether Republican, Democrat, capitalist, Communist or Socialist, from a satellite perspective we share more similarities than differences in ideology. Our society may not be ready for a political party such as the Green Party, those who speak for ecological-sustainability and caretaking of the earth’s resources, including human well-being.
The Green Party may be better suited to lifestyle choices than politics. But it may be time to research and adopt some Green Party values, as individuals and communities, before decertification of energy-resources completely reduces our luxurious lifestyles to dust.
One by one, let’s put the words of Genesis before us wherein the Divine grants "dominion over the earth and all its resources" to humanity. In small, seemingly insignificant ways, let’s do our part to make Planet Earth a cleaner, healthier and more pleasant home while we still have the opportunity.
Support small businesses over corporate giants when you can; you may pay a little extra, but you’re keeping profits in the community, not feeding the insatiable corporate machine. Let’s make littering a stigma, and domestic violence something to be embarrassed about. Let’s celebrate Earth Day — every day.
Some Green Party values for a healthier, happier society are ecological sustainability, social justice for all, grass-roots democracy, and non-violence toward any living being.
Although seemingly utopian, consider how content one feels when in a natural, pristine setting relatively untouched by the motive for profit.
It may be difficult for our generation to devote much energy to cleaning up our world, but perhaps we can instill ecology values amongst the Harry Potter crowd. The future of life upon this fragile planet may depend upon it. Hurricane Katrina is a warning, a whisper in the wind.
The Green Party’s Web site is worth reviewing for ideas on what we can do to create the utopian society that we often dream about. The party’s Web site address is www.GreenParty.org ••

Gabriel Brandis is a native of Northeast Philly. He advocates thinking globally, acting locally. He is the author of Servant of the Lotus Feet. For more information, go to www.ServantoftheLotusFeet.com

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