Letters to the Editor | Jan. 21, 2024

Every time I hear or read about people, especially Republicans, who question President Joe Biden’s ability to perform the duties of his office because he is more than 80 years old, my blood boils. I am 88, and I can dress myself, feed myself, climb stairs, walk through my community without help, and read and understand newspapers. I can drive my car, even at night. I play tennis, pickleball, and golf regularly, and go fishing when the weather allows. I can communicate my ideas to others and understand their messages to me.

Do I walk a little slower than I used to? Yes. Do I occasionally search for the correct word that conveys my message? Yes. Please don’t disregard older people’s abilities just because of their age. They bring wisdom, calmness, patience, understanding, and more to the table. They do not castigate, berate, ignore, or threaten others who disagree with them, nor do they believe they are above the laws of the United States. It’s what people do — not their age — that defines their character and usefulness to this nation. When someone (who is 77 but shall not be named) shows you who he is by his actions and words, believe him. We older people do.

James Seyboldt, Warminster

Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels reportedly said, “If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it, and you will even come to believe it yourself.” It can now be argued that a very effective (criminal) propaganda campaign is occurring right now in our country. The American people watched in horror, in real time, on television, the attempt to overthrow the United States government. They watched, in real time, orders be given to march on the U.S. Capitol Building and “fight like hell” to “take back our country.”

Millions saw it, it really happened. But as Goebbels knew and the MAGA machine quickly learned, if you tell a lie over and over again, many will begin to question what they saw and what they heard and then deny or justify dangerous actions. Millions of people are now denying what they saw on Jan. 6, 2021. They are doing so because a cult leader and an effective propaganda “machine” keep telling them to not believe their eyes and ears.

Goebbels instilled fear in the German people. He promoted hatred, he convinced these previously rational individuals to seek retribution. Constant propaganda was his weapon. As he stated, “You will even come to believe it yourself.” Does this tactic sound familiar? Repetition is the strength of propaganda. The only way to counter the repetition of a lie is to counter it with the repetition of the truth. Jan. 6 did happen, and it is the responsibility of every patriotic American to repeat and expose that truth. It is imperative that Goebbels’ tactic not be allowed to win in our country.

Michael J. Makara, Mays Landing, N.J.

While the decision to terminate the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts’ degree programs will be a difficult transition for students and faculty in those programs, it is reassuring that academy president Eric Pryor has announced his intention to restore PAFA’s certificate program. This certificate program, discontinued in 2017, emerged under Thomas Eakins and evolved to provide two unique qualities that explain why so many alumni (me included) hope the effort to restore it will succeed.

The certificate program was a focused and undiluted educational experience, consisting of technical courses in the skills needed to create art, intensive studio experience developing those skills, and formal and informal critical discussions with faculty, and among students, which refined the ability to create the form, meaning, and content of an art object. In practical terms the certificate program’s second quality was just as crucial: it was affordable. Artists do not make money, artists make art. The academy must deal with its financial realities, but so does every artist. I hope that PAFA, freed of the administrative overhead of a degree program, will be able to provide an affordable educational experience so its students can emerge as artists and unburdened by crippling debt.

Nicholas James Harris, Philadelphia

I am so glad Philadelphia finally has a mayor who will dedicate time, effort, and funds to the ever-growing epidemic of homelessness, fentanyl overdoses, and crime in general in Kensington and the surrounding areas. As we have seen, former Mayor Jim Kenney declared an opioid emergency but never followed through on the plan to rid the city of this scourge or help the people struggling with addiction to get lasting help. Now, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has stepped up the game and has plans in place to be initiated within the next 30 to 45 days.

This takes fortitude to follow through on, backbone to get done, and muscle to enforce the new policies and procedures that will help the people and the city return to a somewhat normal way of life and security. After all, declaring a public safety emergency is one thing. Solving the crime and drug problem is another. Still, I applaud the new mayor and sincerely pray for her success. There are a lot of things left over to fix from the previous administration. I just hope that they’ll be completed within a reasonable time.

Jane Sell, Dover, Del.

Columnist Jennifer Stefano’s suggestion to appoint a charter advocate to the Philadelphia Board of Education and to promote educational savings accounts will do little to alleviate charter school failures. Under the Philadelphia Board of Education, the Charter School Office oversees charter schools and follows Pennsylvania Department of Education guidelines for “academic success, organizational compliance and viability, financial health and sustainability.” When the standards aren’t met, the Board of Education closes the charter school. To evaluate, analyze, and remediate failing schools, charter schools should be required to follow the same guidelines as public schools. The Charter School Office and board need to be transparent in order to discourage charges of political favoritism. The education of our children requires that we all work together to find solutions. The question is not whether Cherelle L. Parker can deliver justice for Philly kids. The question is: Can we deliver justice for Philly kids?

D. Cernig, Voorhees

Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 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.