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Low-income
housing? No!
When did the Lower Northeast sign up to be a ghetto? I’ve been volunteering for several years now and I can honestly say I missed that meeting. The very first initiative from our new mayor, a mayor of "change," is to secure funding to put MORE low-income housing in Tacony, Mayfair and Holmesburg. Does this sound like change to you?
A news conference on March 18 secured funding by U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz to provide more funding for an apartment building on the 6400 block of Keystone St. and the 8000 block of Ditman St. to provide housing for formerly homeless people who have mental and physical disabilities.
This is an absolute outrage. How can this type of facility be placed with no alert to the community as our property values decline? Who is held accountable?
Anyone who votes for these people has got to be out of their mind, or a beneficiary of this constant flow of assistance.
Camille Capobianco
Tacony
The power
of prayer
They told my mom and dad that my heart was not good and I would need multiple surgeries. You prayed for me, and I still don’t need heart surgery. They said my muscles were so weak I wouldn’t be able to lift my head or crawl. You prayed for me. I can get up on all fours and crawl. They told mom and dad a lot of things I won’t be able to do. You prayed for me and still pray for me, and I just keep doing. My name is Will. I am 15 months old.
Jennifer and Bill Schreiber, Will’s parents
Burholme
Thank you for helping
to stir the pot of opinions
A comment on last week’s editorial, Just say something: Clap, clap, clap. The editor is so right.
Increasingly over the years, more of us have either quietly complained to one another or simply remained silent despite the dissatisfaction and in some cases, outrage, in nearly all of our hearts. The silence becomes deafening when people are not made aware of the issues and no dialogue occurs, dialogue necessary for change.
Additionally, while we would all think that in this day and age we have more information than ever, we also overlook the increasing misinformation that comes along with it. Each of us has a civic duty to improve our communities, warn each other of threats, share our experience and correct the wrongs. That cannot occur with silence.
My hat’s off to the Northeast Times editors for giving us a place to in fact "Just say something!" And clearly, the content shows that the editors take a great deal of time in thought, inclusion and opportunity for rebuttals. What the Northeast Times does oh so well is provide our community a forum for dialogue on a wide variety of issues.
For example, in last week’s issue, we saw letters about crime, animal kindness and cruelty, abusive and self-seeking politicians, racism and hate in our community, successes of a swim team, police hiring standards, trash, politics and police abuse. We saw new opinion and rebuttal. All of these people just said something about issues that stirred them to speak out and in doing so, educate and stir us all.
Thank you, Northeast Times, for doing your part. And to all the readers: find something that you’re passionate about and please do "Just say something!" Join the forum, write a politician and get involved in your community. You and our entire community benefits.
Raymond J. Dougherty Jr., Esquire
Pine Valley
More outrage
over Verna’s pick
With regard to your editorial of March 13 (Shame on Anna Verna), I would like to express my outrage of the appointment of Edgar Howard as director of the city’s office of veteran affairs over Robert Politz, who has more than 20 years of experience. This appointment was made by City Council President Anna C. Verna.
My husband and thousands of other Philadelphians are veterans and deserve better than an unqualified ward leader being appointed to this position.
Please, Ms. Verna, reconsider your appointment and do the right thing and appoint Mr. Politz as the new director.
Mary Ellen Atwell
Fox Chase
We like our cops
the way they are
In response to Anthony Porta, who wants to criticize Philadelphia from Florida (March 20 letters, How’s the weather down there, Officer?), I am the father of a Philadelphia police officer. My son is highly decorated. His height does not matter, nor does the height of every other police officer I saw recently being decorated at the FOP.
These officers are trained to do the job. When you are in need of an officer some day, you will be glad to see an officer that is 5 feet 6 inches tall. Criticize all you want from Florida — us real Philadelphians like our officers at any height.
Thomas M. Corcoran
Millbrook
Barack Obama has
what it takes to lead
It is not often that I express my opinion to media, but holding the convictions that I do, I am compelled to write why I support Sen. Barack Obama.
As a voter for many years, there has only been one other candidate that I have admired, and that was President John F. Kennedy. Many years hence I am proud to voice why I support Barack Obama. He is inspiring, a man of integrity, experienced for a man his age.
Like Lincoln and Kennedy, he is one of our most inspiring and beloved leaders. The president’s most important role is not commanding the Army, answering the telephone at 3 a.m. or balancing the budget, but sensing the spirit and needs of the times and leading the nation to act accordingly.
When we consider our greatest presidents, we do not think of their "executive skills." What we revere is their ability to see farther than the rest of us — to use their charisma and political skill to inspire and nudge us to do the right thing.
Our greatest presidents, Lincoln and FDR, goaded and inspired us to do what we had to do despite great inertia and extreme resistance.
What America needs is to reignite her beacon of hope. Does Sen. Clinton, who has taken four years "triangulating" her position on the War in Iraq, have the same ability to inspire?
What the country now needs is to elect someone who is intelligent, has vision and perspective and the ability to unite and not polarize. Our country is in a deep moral crisis.
Obama’s experience compares well with that of his chief Democratic rival and measures up on the scale of history. To this I add intelligence, vision, charisma and perspective along with the judgment to appoint good and expert people to fill the gaps in his own experience, including gaps in military and foreign policy affairs.
He is also realistic enough to follow the advice of experts — not political hacks — where he is the amateur. These traits alone would have saved us from the pain of Iraq. It is time we cleaned the White House. We don’t need the same dynasties governing our country.
It is time for new and younger blood. No other candidate measures up or has the ability to lead our nation in the right direction.
Lisa G. Ryan
Cheltenham
Not these troops, not
this war, not this time
IVAW — Iraq Veterans Against War — revisits past shame by taking a page from the 1971 Vietnam Veterans Against War (VVAW) Winter Soldier Investigation (WSI). The IVAW recently held its own Winter Soldier Investigation at the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Md.
The unverified allegations by the original Winter Soldier Investigation were made famous by John Kerry’s congressional testimony where he characterized American soldiers as "razing villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan."
Unproven statements from the membership of the VVAW managed to smear the reputation of an entire generation of honorable soldiers. Decades later, Vietnam veterans are still reeling from the egregious mischaracterization of their service by the Vietnam Veterans Against War.
The Iraq Veterans Against War (formed under Veterans for Peace) are attempting to do the same to this generation of men and women serving in our military. Select IVAW members are scheduled to make statements, and will do so without swearing an oath or signing legally binding depositions, affidavits or official reports. In essence, the IVAW is denying these individuals the basic right of American citizens to due process.
A study released in February by Harvard University found that insurgent attacks are increased roughly 5 to 10 percent after a media spike in war-critical statements. If these statements by the membership of the IVAW are less than factual, our soldiers run an increased risk of really being maimed or killed for a lie.
Several pro-troop organizations are campaigning to counter the forthcoming IVAW Winter Soldier Investigation. This new generation of winter soldiers will NOT have the opportunity to smear our troops with impunity. They will be held accountable for their statements.
Tania Ciolko
Torresdale
Let the Iraqis sort
things on their own
I applaud Harvey Chanin’s letter in the March 13 edition, Bring the troops home, congresswoman.
Mr. Chanin hit the nail right on! We are no more or less in line to bring all the troops home now or continue to see them coming back home in caskets!
The Iraqi people have never accepted us ever since the days of the Crusades. The three-division religious country has been at odds with each other since time and will always be that way. We made a pre-emptive strike into that country due to faulty reporting about weapons of mass destruction.
How many more lives, both U.S. and Iraqi, are to be sacrificed to the God of wars before people here and there wake up? Bring all the troops home now and let the Iraqis sort it out between themselves. We are five years into this disastrous war and no apparent ending!
Carl P. Fasciocco
Mayfair
Think before you vote
for the stud’s wife
We have a woman, Mrs. Hillary Clinton, who would like to be president of the United States. This means complete control of the 50 states. This woman cannot control her husband, Bill the Stud. How can she possibly control the United States?
Ladies and gents, please think very hard before you vote for her. There is much to lose here. Her second-in-command will probably be Bill the Stud.
We have lost so much with the ones controlling things, Bush-Cheney. We cannot be too careful.
James Toland
Somerton
Spitzer’s friend is the
Million Dollar Woman
I watched a biography on the History Channel recently about Nero and the demise of the Roman Empire. All along the streets the "common people" had written "Our greed will destroy us."
These words were not unfamiliar to me as an American in 2008. The recent situation with New York’s former governor, Eliot Spitzer, and his prostitute are a sad embarrassment. I cannot judge either of them for their actions, which I believe are rooted in greed. I also am not oblivious to the fact that these sorts of scandals happen and will continue to happen. However, I am disturbed by the reaction of the music industry, business and the "common" people in this country.
Ashley Alexandria Dupre’s music is selling as million-dollar contract deals are pouring in for her. Has prostitution now become a steppingstone for women? What empowerment is this?
Our great mothers of the 1960s and ’70s must be very disappointed. Some people who hate Americans are calling our country "The Great Prostitute," and in a way I can understand why.
Lisa Henry
Mayfair
Put the job fair
on your schedule
On Wednesday, April 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., along with the Willow Grove Chamber of Commerce, I will host a job fair at Williamson’s Restaurant on Route 611 in Horsham. Admission to this job fair is free.
The job fair will feature a common set-up with many prospective employers. It will also feature seminars on job search, interviewing and related topics.
I invite anyone searching for employment, either as a first-time job-seeker or as a person in-transition, to attend and to meet with our prospective employers. Job-seekers are reminded to bring copies of their resumes.
If anyone has questions about this program, you may call me in my district office at 215-674-3755.
Thomas P. Murt
State Representative, 152nd Legislative District
Editor’s note: Rep. Murt’s district includes a portion of Somerton.
Mayor: Let’s unite
to clean up our act
When I was a young boy growing up at 55th Street and Larchwood Avenue, I remember Saturday morning cleanups on my block during the spring and summer. We would spend a few hours outside, washing the stoop, sweeping the walk and picking up trash. Perhaps most importantly, we talked to each other and shared stories from our week.
We kept our blocks clean — but it was about much more than that. We took responsibility for where we lived, we cared about our neighborhoods and our neighbors, and by doing it together we showed respect for each other.
As I visit neighborhoods around the city I sometimes feel like we have lost some of that basic respect for each other, and respect for our city.
When I see a person drop trash on the street rather than place it in a trash can, I wonder what happened to that collective civic pride that I remember growing up as a boy. I think about what we can do to reclaim that sense of ownership and respect for Philadelphia — the place that we are all so proud to call home.
Well, let’s start this process of cleaning up our city together. On Saturday, April 5, we’re going to have the biggest citywide cleanup in Philadelphia’s history. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., I want people in neighborhoods across the city to join me in a day of service to turn Philadelphia into the beautiful place we know it can be.
With the help and leadership of our community organizations, we’re going to work together in areas across this city to clean up Philadelphia — street by street, block by block and neighborhood by neighborhood.
You can volunteer to clean up right in your own neighborhood. For example, we will be cleaning up the Frankford Avenue Corridor at Bridge and Pratt.
Please get involved. Organize a "Clean Team" with your friends, families and neighbors to clean up the areas where you live. Visit www.PhillyCleanup.com or call 215-683-CLEAN to sign up and find information on the nearest cleanup site.
It’s going to be a great day, and all those who participate are invited to a barbecue hosted by the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field to celebrate a day of Philly solidarity. Volunteers can show their wristband at the subway turnstile and get a free ride down to the stadium on SEPTA.
Remember that April 5 is only just the beginning — this is not a one-time-only event. This is the first weekend in an ongoing cleanup effort that will continue through the summer and into the fall, a campaign that we call "Love Where You Live." Please stay involved throughout the cleanup season.
This isn’t just about picking up a few bits of trash and making our streets look nicer. If we show respect for our neighborhoods then we show respect for each other — a clean city is a safe city. If we create more beautiful surroundings, we attract more people to Philadelphia to visit, to work, to live and to raise a family — a clean city is a prosperous city.
And if we combine removing the trash from our streets with planting more trees and creating more open spaces to enjoy, then we will have a more livable Philadelphia — a clean city is a happy city.
Let us come together as one Philadelphia and say with one voice — We Love Where We Live.
Michael Nutter
Mayor of Philadelphia
No free ride
for PennDOT!
Regarding the closure of Interstate 95 last week, the news media portrayed PennDOT as the heroes in this closure for working around the clock to reopen the interstate. They are taking no heat or responsibility for the fact that because of their failure to correct the problem that was known as far back as October 2007, this catastrophe was allowed to happen.
That part of the roadway could have been reinforced as it is now, before it got to the point of near collapse, and repaired with no interruption to the flow of traffic and the headaches it caused to thousands of drivers.
PennDOT’s negligence was the cause of this, and they should be held accountable!
Gary Menei
Port Richmond
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