Letters to the Editor | Dec. 30, 2024

I still remember the excitement I felt as a child of about 6 when I believed that a bearded and obese white guy was going to make his way to urban Philadelphia with a blonde Toni Doll and a pair of ice skates just for me. One Christmas Eve, I watched from a hidden perch in our home as my father wrapped packages and my mother arranged them perfectly under the decorated balsam tree in our dining room — but there was no rotund white man in sight. Now, after becoming a mother, a grandmother, and the matriarch of my family, I realize part of me still has a fondness for hearing Christmas carols, seeing a holly wreath in a frosted window, and experiencing the smell of an evergreen tree full of lights and shiny balls.

But as a Black woman, at this stage of my life, Kwanzaa offers time for reflection and memory through its seven principles, which are succinctly and eloquently articulated in the African language of Swahili: umoja (unity), kujichagulia (self-determination), ujima (collective responsibility), ujamaa (cooperative economics), nia (purpose), kuumba (creativity), and imani (faith). For me, being culturally and politically enlightened removes so much of the American smoke screen that obscures the reality of Black life in our nation. The non-glitter of Kwanzaa settles me into a knowledge space and offers a more realistic view of me and my family and our history in this often un-United States of America.

During Kwanzaa, my family honors the memory of our ancestors, including my great-grandfather, who was born enslaved, and my grandfather, who fought in the Spanish-American War. We also remember my mother’s best friend, who was a part of the Women’s Army Corps, a contingent of female military servicemembers founded during World War II — but she was a Black WAC, which meant she experienced the same level of racism while serving her country that she did when she was a civilian. We share these stories about our history and our cultural identity that extend far beyond Philadelphia’s borders and America’s shores. And we share them with young people to help them better appreciate the sacrifices made for them during even more perilous times than what they face today.

Karen Warrington, Philadelphia

And the 2024 Susan Collins Gullible Award in Politics goes to … John Fetterman. If you recall, Collins claimed Donald Trump learned his lesson after his first impeachment trial, and she believed Brett Kavanaugh when he told her abortion access was established law. Now, John Fetterman argues that being opposed to Trump is being opposed to America. It is not. We have a two-party system. So when Mitch McConnell opposed Barack Obama and the Republican Party opposed Joe Biden, were they against America?

Fetterman tells Democrats to chill out and not freak out about Trump’s second term. Was Fetterman paying any attention to what Trump did in his first term? His two impeachments? His harsh and offensive rhetoric? Or Agenda 47, which will be disastrous for America?

Fetterman says he has an open mind about unqualified nominees like Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense and Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence. What is there to keep an open mind about? Fetterman took the prize, topping even the award’s namesake, when he said that likely FBI director Kash Patel told him he would not go after Trump’s political enemies. At least with Kavanaugh, there was room for doubt. Hasn’t Fetterman been paying attention to what Patel has been saying for the past several years, and what Trump has vowed to do?

George Magakis Jr., Norristown

As our society becomes increasingly data-driven, and as social media becomes more of a source of information, it’s important for all citizens to have a basic understanding of key statistical concepts. Too often, I’ve seen data being misused or misinterpreted in ways that can mislead or confuse the public. One common issue is the difference between correlation and causation. Just because two variables are related, it doesn’t necessarily mean that one directly causes the other. Careful statistical analysis is required to establish causal links. Without this understanding, bad actors can twist data to fit their own narrative.

It’s also crucial to grasp measures of central tendency like means, medians, and modes — as well as measures of dispersion, like standard deviations and percentiles. These provide important context for the distribution of data. For example, the average (mean) income in a community may be skewed higher by a few very wealthy individuals, while the median (midpoint) gives a better sense of what most people actually earn.

Unfortunately, many Americans lack a solid grounding in these basic statistical principles. This leaves them vulnerable to having data manipulated or presented in misleading ways. As a society, we need to prioritize improving data literacy through better math and science education. By improving our ability to critically evaluate statistics and data visualizations, we can make more informed decisions — whether in the voting booth, the marketplace, or our personal lives. Quality data and sound statistical analysis are essential for a healthy democracy. I encourage The Inquirer to continue publishing content that helps readers develop these crucial skills.

Preston D. Feden, Philadelphia

As a Regional Rail rider from Devon to Philly, I know SEPTA is facing many challenges, including staffing, maintenance, and budget constraints. Most of the physical stations on the Paoli/Thorndale Line are in horrible shape, and some platforms have support beams that need major repairs. Perhaps SEPTA can consider saving on its ambassadors at city stations? For the most part, the staff are helpful and knowledgeable. However, the ambassadors at 30th Street and Suburban Stations appear to be a waste of resources.

Yesterday I got off at Suburban Station and found a restroom. When I wanted to leave using my Key card, I was told that because I had just swiped out, I had to wait 15 minutes or more to leave the station. Another customer had a similar situation for a different reason. We asked to speak to a supervisor and the ambassador said it would likely take at least 15 minutes to happen. After a few minutes, a gentleman who had this happen to him just pushed the handicapped gate open and we all left the station. We all had senior cards so there was no fare.

On my return trip, I left from 30th Street and asked why the escalator for track four was still out of commission. An ambassador there showed me the gated-off area and said there was no one to fix the escalator. I asked about the elevator and was told it was only for passengers with luggage and/or clearly unable to walk up a flight of stairs. I appreciate Gov. Josh Shapiro covering the current SEPTA deficit, but just throwing more money into a failing system is going to cost the taxpayer more year over year. I want to have a reliable transit system for many more years.

Elizabeth Tucker, Devon

Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 200 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.