Unwelcome visit
During a recent trip to Delaney Hall — the detention facility in Newark, N.J., where those arrested by immigration agents are held — it was heartbreaking to see what visitors must endure for a chance to see their loved ones for 15 minutes.
Those who are granted permission for visits must arrive early in the morning — with some coming from great distances after using several modes of public transportation. Visitors then wait for hours in cement-paved lots with minimal shade from the sun and no bathroom facilities.
The visitors who drive there — and the good Samaritans who show up to give out food, snacks, clothing, and other items — are regularly ticketed for parking on both sides of a completely empty street constantly patrolled by Newark police officers. Those who park in a lot next door to the detention center are often towed.
When someone asked a police officer if it was OK to park a half mile away, he was told there was no guarantee the car would not be ticketed. There are no exceptions for older people or anyone with children. These conditions are harsh, shameful, and unnecessarily cruel.
Is it possible that the governor, the senators, the representatives, the mayors, and other elected officials take some action to ensure common decency prevails?
Arlene Mayeski, Oaklyn
Occupy Philly?
President Donald Trump’s latest political theater has federal agents deployed to the District of Columbia where, notwithstanding his demonstrably false claims, crime is markedly lower in recent years. Videos show groups of bored-looking FBI agents in tactical gear meandering about D.C. sidewalks on the lookout for evildoers. One agent was recently assaulted with a hoagie tossed by a federal employee.
In 2020 Trump proclaimed: “Bad things happen in Philadelphia.”
Given his abiding antipathy for Philadelphia, it is wise to prepare for further Trumpian overreach. His D.C. action is a “proof-of-concept” occupation to demonstrate to “blue” cities that he can bully wherever he pleases. He will likely use the semiquincentennial as a pretext to federally occupy Philadelphia to make it “safe” for visitors on July 4, 2026.
Given the high likelihood of an unwarranted federal occupation here, it is essential we Philadelphians continue to peacefully exercise our constitutional rights to legally push back. It is also essential for our current elected officials and other community leaders to work together to flex our political muscles in defense of our fundamental right to self-determination, and to thwart this very dangerous president’s demagoguery.
Robert Boucher, Philadelphia
Tough on crime
A man who was apparently angry that federal agents are policing the streets of Washington, D.C., threw a sandwich at one of the officers.
Not a nice thing to do. But criminal? Really? This “felony” brought comments from all over the MAGA-verse. Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, said in a video posted to social media, “We’re going to back the police to the hilt. So there, stick your Subway sandwich somewhere else.” Classy. But what more can you expect from a reality TV star? The best was the response from our president: The White House said in a statement to CNN, “Assaulting a law enforcement officer is a crime.” That was followed by White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson who said, “The Trump Administration will always stand up for law enforcement officers and hold those accountable who seek to do them harm.”
If you haven’t figured out where I am going with this you need to take your head out of the sand and scrape the “Trump Won” bumper sticker off your car. Donald Trump granted blanket clemency to nearly all of the people — about 1,500 or so — who were convicted of, or were awaiting trial or sentencing for, offenses related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on our nation’s Capitol. Much like the hoagie the nice man wasted on the agent, this is all just too much to swallow.
Ed Truncale, Mays Landing
...
Regarding the Washington, D.C., man who is facing charges of assault of a federal officer after he allegedly threw a sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection agent during a confrontation this week:
I’m old enough to remember Bernhard Goetz, who was dubbed “The Subway Vigilante” in 1984 after shooting a gang of would-be muggers on a New York subway.
Because the D.C. man threw what looked like a supersized Subway sandwich, maybe he’ll go down in history as “The Foot Long Flinger.”
Regardless, I agree that assaulting any member of law enforcement in any capacity is wrong and that justice must be swiftly served to those that do.
I do wonder, though, if The Foot Long Flinger will face a stiffer penalty than the Capitol rioters who pelted police officers with their fists, assaulted them with bear spray, and speared them with flagpoles on Jan. 6, 2021.
Perhaps, as many of them did, The Flinger will receive a presidential pardon — especially if he promises to also toss a few orders of burgers and fries through the window of the Oval Office.
Vin Morabito, Scranton
Summer melt
The Philadelphia School District reported recently that 40% of 2024 high school seniors who said in the spring that they planned to go to college did not end up enrolling after all. This so-called summer melt, long known to school officials as well as external college prep providers, is mainly because of the absence of support from guidance counselors and other staffers in the summer when vexing issues related to financial aid, housing, registration, and course selection arise.
Instead of losing 40% of its aspiring collegians, the District should identify counselors or contract with nonprofit programs to maintain contact with the students to address these issues.
This modest investment will be a smart return on the District’s four years preparing students for college as well as a huge increase in the students’ lifetime earnings as a result of the inherent boost in wages that a college degree provides.
Debra Weiner, Quakertown
Utility rate increase
What is driving the increase in water and electric rates for renters and homeowners? Many experts trace the increase in demand to online AI data centers which generate cryptocurrency or support artificial intelligence.
One bit of irony here is that as a result of the pricing structure set by public utility commissions, customers with bigger usage rates — like, say, the folks behind AI data centers — pay less proportionally when compared to smaller users. This outcome penalizes millions by distributing the cost of the usage increases across all users.
Use more pay less, use less pay more. As usual, the big guys profit and the little guy falls further behind.
Joel H. Beldner, Glenmoore
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