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Justice for
Officer Barclay
To letter writer William Kitsch (Don’t prosecute Officer Barclay’s assailant, Sept. 20 edition): Have one of the many parolees in this city paralyze you and then take a seat for 40 years. After that, have someone resubmit your opinion in regard to the mistreatment incurred by Mr. Barnes.
There is a problem with our justice system and it has little to do with Mr. Barnes’ re-prosecution. Justice can never be served in these situations. However, an effort should at least be made.
I can’t speak for Officer Barclay’s family, but if that were my father, sending Mr. Barnes through a tree chipper would make the days a bit brighter.
Karl Zenak
Rhawnhurst
It’s protection
at a low price
In his letter to the editor last week, Comcast holds us ransom, Jack Miller wrote, "Either subscribers accept all their rate increases (which are constant) or go somewhere else."
Well, my friend, you just answered your problem. Go somewhere ELSE!! I don’t see Comcast forcing anyone to stay with them. Direct TV, Verizon and others are available to the public in most if not all areas. If the increase you’re referring to is the new Service Protection Plan, this is to help offset the cost of sending technicians out for trouble calls. It costs Comcast an average of $70 for each truck roll. And the protection plan is optional.
To me, a mere $3.30 or so a month for peace of mind is more than worth the cost of a potential future problem. Just call Verizon or Direct TV and ask them about protection plans and service call pricing.
Anthony Dorwart
Somerton
Postal workers appreciate
aid for their colleague
We, the staff at Fox Chase Post Office, wish to extend our deep appreciation to those in our community who helped and supported one of our co-workers this past Sept. 11 and continue to offer their thoughts and prayers.
In addition to the tragedy that befell all of us on this now infamous date, we incurred an added loss when our friend and co-worker, Matthew Zebin, lost control of his postal vehicle before it crashed into a tree on Oxford Avenue.
Several residents came to his aid, offering him blankets and even a shirt off of one’s own back in order to help and comfort him after he was ejected from his vehicle.
At Fox Chase Station, many of us talked and joked with Matt earlier in the day, totally unaware of his accident until the news arrived, jolting everyone into complete shock and horror. Matt died about an hour after his tragic mishap.
We offer our thanks to members of the local community, customers, and fellow postal employees who have come to our station, called or written to us as well as Matt’s family in order to offer support, prayers and hope during our time of grief and profound sorrow.
Thank you for coming to Matt’s aid and for your support during one of our darkest moments.
The staff of Fox Chase Station
MARC says thanks . . .
Dear Neighbors:
The Major Artery Revitalization Committee (MARC) would like to take this opportunity to inform you that it was an honor to sponsor the 2007 Tacony History Day Parade on Saturday, Sept. 15.
Thanks to Mother Nature, the sun broke through the clouds just as the parade began and the beautiful weather helped make this neighborhood celebration the most successful to date.
MARC would like to commend all of the volunteers for their time and dedication to this event.
We would especially like to thank the Historical Society of Tacony for co-sponsoring this event with us. The enthusiastic performances by all who participated in the parade were outstanding. These groups brought smiles and joy to the hundreds of residents lining the parade route.
Events such as the History Day celebration set the great neighborhood of Tacony apart from other communities. Once again, a heartfelt THANK YOU to all who made this a spectacular day!
MARC board of directors
. . . as does Harriet . . .
To the 15th Police District: A big thank-you for your fast service and true professionalism in helping me and the capture of my assailant on Sept. 2.
We never think in our busy lives that we may need you. Thank you, and it is an honor to share my neighborhood with you all.
Harriet Brennan
Mayfair
. . . and Jacqueline!
Thanks to the good Samaritan who was kind enough and caring enough to return a cell phone to the Verizon wireless store at the Roosevelt Mall.
Getting it back is very much appreciated and saved me the cost of a new cell phone.
I will keep you in my prayers, and God bless you.
Jacqueline McArthur
Somerton
Checks on illegal
immigrants help fight crime
Guest Opinion
Councilman Brian O’Neill
Almost two months ago, three young college students were forced to get down on their knees in a Newark, N.J., schoolyard and were shot execution style by six savage criminals. The ringleader of this brutal assault was a 28-year-old illegal alien who had been previously arrested and released on bail after being charged with the attempted molestation of a 5-year-old child.
While it boggles my mind that a judge would see fit to release a suspect charged with the attempted rape of a child, I am equally disturbed when you realize that the murder of these innocent college students could have been avoided, if Newark police had been diligent in conducting an immigration-status check while this child-rape suspect was in their custody.
In reaction to the heinous murder of these three young people who had their whole lives ahead of them, I introduced a resolution in City Council calling on the Philadelphia Police Department to begin checking the immigration status of all suspects arrested on felony charges. My resolution called on our local police to notify the federal immigration authorities if they determined that a suspect was here illegally.
As was printed in the local press last week, according to statistics reported by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2000, "roughly one third of criminal aliens go on to commit more crimes."
If our police apprehend a suspect, common sense would dictate that the officer would check if there are any outstanding warrants on the suspect, along with whether the person is here illegally.
Let’s not confuse the facts. My resolution to check the immigration status of all suspects arrested on felony charges is about fighting crime — plain and simple. It has nothing to do with opposing legal immigration or profiling minorities. I am the great-grandson of immigrants who emigrated to Philadelphia from Ireland. They came through Ellis Island like the millions of other immigrants who came to this country and who continue to come to America legally — and make us the nation we are today.
My resolution would provide law enforcement with another tool to help fight the ever-escalating murder and crime rate in our city. In spite of the opposition that defeated my resolution, I believe it was a reasonable measure that should be standard operating procedure for local police to check the immigration status of all suspects arrested on felony charges.
I want to thank my Council colleagues Joan Krajewski, Frank Rizzo and Jack Kelly for standing up and joining me in taking a strong and independent stand to help protect our constituents and our neighborhoods. oo
Councilman O’Neill, a Republican, represents the 10th district. He faces Democrat Sean McAleer in the Nov. 6 general election.
Two racial wrongs
don’t make a right
The so-called black leaders, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, are always looking for an excuse to look stupid. I guess they found another one.
They never cease to amaze me how they will always play the race card no matter what — O.J. Simpson, Michael Vick and now the "Jena Six," and possibly O.J., Part II, just to name a few.
Don’t they know that by leading protests in this latest issue, they are sending messages that under certain circumstances it is OK to beat the crap out of someone? However, if the situation were reversed, they still would be marching, but this time it will be for the death penalty for the white boys that beat up on one black boy.
I don’t know what the thing is with the "white tree," but in this day and age it’s a little weird to have one tree where only one particular race can hang out under. However, if it was widely known across campus that this was where the white students have always hung out, it seems a little suspicious why he needed to sit under this particular tree when there were so many other trees to sit under.
Even though he had the right to sit under this public tree, why borrow trouble? It seems to me he may have been trying to get a reaction of some kind. Granted, the hanging of the nooses from the tree was a sign of ignorance, among other things, and as long as there are people breathing on this Earth, there will be enough ignorance to go around, not just for black people.
However, how can one boy being beaten and stomped on by six boys be justified no matter what the reason? I’m sorry people, but his is an assault crime and should be treated as such. If these so-called "Jena Six" were all that they said they were, why didn’t they do the mature thing and press charges if they felt so strongly about the ignorance and stupid actions of others?
The way it should work is that no matter who or what you are, you are responsible for your actions. The punishment should fit the crime for everyone, no matter what color.
The hanging of nooses was a sign of ignorance and a little threatening, but the ganging up of six on one, I believe, was the real hate crime here. Both sides were wrong, and these two wrongs will never make it right.
Diane McDowell
Parkwood
It’s time for Donovan
McNabb to grow up
I am so glad that Donovan McNabb has cleared up the confusion of why we as fans have had a problem with his play on the field. I thought that we were upset with him because he couldn’t complete passes to wide-open receivers, which happened too often in the first two games. I’m glad he straightened that out for me. Now I understand. We don’t like him because he is black.
Now that he has cleared that up for all of us, can he get that racist chip off his shoulder long enough to play football and win some games? This is Philadelphia, Donovan. We want to win. We don’t care if you are black, white or purple. We want to win. You can ask all the black athletes that have played here and been adored, like Reggie White, Doctor J, your teammates like Trotter and Dawkins and many more. They are winners and did everything to succeed without whining about it.
If you think you are the only athlete in this city that has been chastised, you need to talk with Ron Jaworski, Mike Schmidt, Del Ennis and many more, and ask them if they felt loved here. But you know what, Donovan? Most of them love this city, because they understood that if they perform they will be loved no matter what their color or anything else.
I e-mailed you three years ago about getting over the draft time booing. I said I also didn’t want them to pick you at #2. I didn’t want Ricky Williams. I wanted Mike Ditka’s trade for all those picks and players. I still thought we would get you with the fifth pick that we would get in that trade.
I always thought that you handled yourself with class and dignity. I am so sorry that you have taken that away from us. I guess Steve Young and some other white quarterbacks that ran the ball are probably a little confused right now as to where they came from. After all, you obviously believe that blacks are the only quarterbacks that run the ball and are expected to make plays any way they can to win football games.
You were drafted because you were a multi-talented player. Now you just want to stand in the pocket and pass, because you don’t want to be known as a black quarterback.
Donovan, this is football. You do anything your abilities allow you to do. You are a great athlete. Use that to win some games. I seriously hope you grow up soon.
Rus Slawter
Bustleton
L&I is OK!
I am so grateful to Licenses & Inspections. I recently spotted Carlos and Clayton, who work for L&I, removing the many union stickers from light poles on Townsend Road.
I got out of my car and told them "I love you!" If you haven’t yet noticed, all the stickers have been removed east of Roosevelt Boulevard on Southampton Road, McNulty Road and Townsend Road. The community looks so much better! Thank you very much!
Margaret Philippi
Far Northeast
Jesus would have
done it differently
Reading Charles Tschopp’s letter (Blame St. Leo’s woes on registration, Sept. 13 edition) infuriated me so much I had to respond. As a parent with two children at St. Josaphat’s, I would like to ask him what was I to do when St. Leo’s refused to let my children attend first grade?
The reason was that they were not baptized Roman Catholic (they are baptized Catholic Apostolic).
It was all right for them to attend pre-kindergarten and kindergarten (the most expensive years), but not first grade.
What also infuriated me was his lack of intestinal fortitude to name the "other" local school. Maybe because they are also Roman Catholic and St. Josaphat’s is Ukrainian Catholic? You know that whole "if you’re not Roman Catholic, you’re not Catholic" attitude — the very pompous arrogance that had a lot to do with St. Leo’s closing.
St. Leo’s has no one to blame except Father "show me the money" Farry, who continually raised tuition beyond the norm. The same man of the cloth who removed the senior citizen group and the Boy Scouts.
However, renting the building to a non-faith based school when he turned children away who were not baptized Roman Catholic is a blatant display of hypocrisy and greed. Maybe Father Farry did not want to see the need for change in policies because he saw the financial benefit of the future, which is now.
Think about it. No matter if one or 1,001 people enroll in the new school, he still receives his rent money. No teachers to pay, no benefits to worry about. St. Leo’s closing its school doors on children enabled a vault door to open. So maybe your anger is misdirected. I can’t help but think, what would Jesus have done? Refuse children an education and a Christian way of life? I don’t think so, yet St. Leo’s made it a habit.
The ability of St. Josaphat’s to separate Catholic religion prejudice for spirituality is what makes it special. All children are welcomed no matter what your style of Catholicism is. Mr. Tschopp is right about one thing. St. Leo WAS a home to many students. St. Josaphat IS a home to many students NOW.
If St. Leo is the heart of Tacony, then St. Josaphat must be the beating heart of Tacony. Or maybe the soul, since Father Farry sold yours long before its doors officially closed.
How dare you accuse other schools of taking students away from you when it was your inability to be open-hearted and open-minded. So instead of saying what is good for the goose is good for the gander, in your case maybe it was the chickens coming home to roost.
Timothy P. McDevitt Sr.
Tacony
Drop the plastics,
focus on real issues
The proposed ban on plastic shopping bags is another smokescreen to avoid talking about the real and more serious issues. Other smokescreen bills/proposals: smoking ban, trans-fat foods, removing duck livers from restaurants, proclaiming Philadelphia a pro-choice (pro abortion) city and canceling leases of large groups/organizations.
City Council should be concerned with and find ways to improve education, safer schools, stopping the violent culture, preparing kids for high-paying jobs, educating and training prisoners who are being put back on the streets, lower gun crimes/crime, lower taxes, job training, job opportunities, cleaner and safer recreation centers and parks and keeping and bringing back more small and large businesses.
Gary Grisafi
Republican candidate, 7th Councilman District
Kick chaos out
of school, Mr. Perzel
State Rep. John Perzel recently spoke of the improvement in our schools. He should spend some time in some of the high school classrooms, where there is so much chaos it’s almost impossible to learn. There is little or no discipline.
My grandsons had to transfer to a public high school when my son could no longer afford to keep them in a Catholic school. They were so disgusted, they are presently home schooling, but would much rather be in a classroom. If you really want to see improvement in our public schools, please use your influence to insist on more discipline so that a student can be safe as well as well taught.
Claire Orr
Pennypack
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