Letters to the Editor | Dec. 11, 2023

The University of Pennsylvania’s motto is Leges sine moribus vanae, which translates to “Laws without morality are in vain.” This profound principle was in stark contrast to the recent congressional testimony by the presidents of Penn, Harvard, and MIT. Their collective befuddlement at what constitutes calls for genocide was not just disappointing, but deeply troubling. In a nation that vehemently opposes the annihilation of any group based on race, religion, national origin, or sexual identity, their stance on what constitutes hate speech was particularly jarring. It’s perplexing how institutions highly sensitive to microaggressions among students and faculty could somehow rationalize proposed genocide as acceptable “in context.”

This dichotomy raises profound ethical questions about the moral compass guiding these esteemed universities. Our Constitution is anchored in moral values, striving for justice. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. acknowledged the limitations of our legal system, emphasizing that the courts are courts of law, not justice. We pursue justice under the law, yet certainty in finding justice is not assured. Our collective understanding of morality within our culture is clear, yet these university leaders’ interpretations seem misaligned with this ethos. Their views of law and morality would be more at home in Moscow, Beijing, or Tehran — where violence and the threat of violence prevail. We are better than that, are we not?

Leon S. Malmud, Jenkintown, leon.malmud@gmail.com

Conservative columnist Jennifer Stefano cites the benefits of capitalist consumerism at Christmas that benefit everyday people. I find this sudden concern for struggling consumers this time of year quite rich indeed, considering she sides with the political party whose economic philosophy opposes an increase in the minimum wage, opposes the very idea of universal health care as a human right, opposes Medicare negotiating for lower prices for many lifesaving medications, opposes debt forgiveness for struggling college students while approving Paycheck Protection Program loans for the rich, opposes legislation that would mandate equal pay for women, opposes more mandated paid sick leave and paid family leave for employees, and opposes unions because they may cut into the profits of billionaires. No, this is not the time of year, nor any time, to express concern for struggling workers and the poor while espousing support for a party whose policies have historically hurt ordinary working Americans.

Anthony Ciampoli, Voorhees, archamp123@comcast.net

I fully agree with the Editorial Board’s view that Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker needs to focus on revitalizing the city’s economy. There are many approaches she can take, and obviously, there is no one action that will accomplish this goal. However, if Parker can support a project that would revitalize a struggling area of Center City, and it is being privately funded, wouldn’t that be a good start? Sure, the 76ers arena wouldn’t open for several years, but the jobs it would create in short order would kick-start the economy now. Let’s be pragmatic, let’s make sure that the concerns of Chinatown are addressed, and let’s get this project approved in the first 90 days of the Parker administration.

Scott Applebaum, Philadelphia

Recently, I heard Philly broadcasting icon Larry Kane imparting wisdom about this “season of giving.” He noted that simple acts, rather than material things, reflect a giving spirit in the simple act of kindness. Knitting a blanket, forgiving someone, or making a phone call to a friend in need were great examples. Worldwide, more than 100 million people are facing hunger, and lifesaving humanitarian aid is needed more than ever. Existing programs that assist local communities in adapting to climate change offer a “leg up” so that, with improved farming techniques, families can survive the ravages of drought, floods, and poor soil conditions.

This type of foreign aid comprises only a tiny percentage of the U.S. budget. Yet year after year, it faces the threat of being the victim of shortsighted scrutiny in spending negotiations. In reality, these expenditures provide an efficient, long-term solution to addressing hunger in poverty-stricken regions. We can all take a role in giving our struggling sisters and brothers hope by asking Congress to prioritize this great nation by taking a leadership role and taking action in climate change adaptation efforts. It’s an act of kindness, and easy to do. Write a letter or reach out using your representative’s website. This holiday season, why not raise your voice and give the gift of hope to millions of hungry people around the world? It’s simple, and it’s free.

Larry Blankemeyer, Catholic Relief Services, St. Vincent de Paul, Richboro chapter

The recent editorial about keeping speed cameras operational did not mention an important side issue that needs to be addressed. Whether you agree with the practice or not, more and more motorists are deliberately obscuring their vehicle’s license plates to make them unreadable. Drivers place a medallion to partially cover their plate number, use steel wool to rub off the characters, or use a plastic cover, usually tinted, although the tint isn’t really necessary because of the deliberate glare. Our turnpike loses tens of millions of dollars because of unreadable plates. There is no legitimate reason for this, and such plates should not be able to pass inspection. It should also be a moving violation with a hefty penalty.

Matt Zuzelo, Warminster

Hamas and cancer share similarities. Cancer evolves from normal cells that undergo transformation into a malignant state, evade the immune system, proliferate locally, cause tissue destruction, and later metastasize. Comparably, people can become transformed or radicalized into terrorists, live within the population, evade detection, cause local devastation, and subsequently spread mayhem and violence worldwide. Cancer treatments not only kill cancer cells, they cause collateral damage, resulting in the death of normal cells. Typically, all cancer cells are not eliminated, and many remain dormant, escape immune detection, develop resistance to therapies, and later proliferate and injure the host. Likewise, eliminating all terrorists is not possible.

The devastating Oct. 7 attack on Israel evaded that nation’s “immune” detection through a profound intelligence failure. The “treatment” response has been a sustained bombing campaign and ground incursions. This has caused widespread collateral damage to innocents trapped in the middle. The present paradigm won’t work. It will be impossible to eradicate all terrorists. Analogous to cancer treatments leading to treatment-resistant cells that later proliferate, the damage of the bombing campaign will lead to the making of more terrorists both locally and beyond.

Cancer prevention, detection, and targeted treatments that limit collateral damage are rapidly advancing. We need to do something similar with terrorism. Regarding prevention, there needs to be ongoing and better dialogue, communication, education, tolerance, and understanding among all peoples of the world. On detection, intelligence efforts need bolstering. As for treatment, terrorist infrastructures need to be dismantled more precisely, and humanitarian efforts maximized. Cancer, just as terrorists, may never be totally eradicated. However, we can do much better in controlling both to a level that neither will pose an existential threat.

Mark R. Goldstein, Paoli

A recent Inquirer article reports that Hunter Biden offered to testify publicly before the House Oversight Committee. However, committee Chairman James Comer (R., Ky.) rejected the offer, saying Biden is subpoenaed to appear at a closed-door deposition on Dec. 13. If reliable evidence of President Joe Biden’s actions with his family members represented impeachable wrongdoing, then Comer would be derelict in his oversight duty for not publicly — as Hunter Biden offered — shining the light on such high crimes and misdemeanors. On the other hand, if the committee does not have proof for impeachment, and its aim is to keep the topic in the news for the duration of the 2024 presidential campaign, that plan would likely collapse if public testimony revealed the deception of unreliable evidence.

Wayne Williams, Malvern

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