Letters to the Editor | March 3, 2025

The Philadelphia Eagles should not go to the White House. Donald Trump only wants the photo op. Do the players and coaches and managers really think the king and Elon Musk would bother with them if there were no pictures? Now is the time to remember Philadelphia and Pennsylvania history and the king’s Redcoats. Please, don’t go. Fly, Eagles, Fly.

H. Tunney, Huntingdon Valley

It feels painfully ironic that on the same day the U.S. recorded its first measles death since 2015, the Food and Drug Administration canceled a key meeting of its vaccine advisory panel, jeopardizing the production of next year’s flu vaccine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last year alone the flu vaccine prevented 120,000 hospitalizations and 7,900 deaths.

I expect the parents of the child who died believed they were protecting him or her when they opted out of the vaccine. I don’t know whether they would choose differently now, but I do know that, like most Americans, I have elected to vaccinate my children against measles and the flu, a choice supported by decades of research. It appears now, however, that the FDA may be taking the first step toward robbing us of that choice by blocking experts from creating effective vaccines at all. Giving people the choice to opt out of a vaccine is one thing, destroying the option to get one at all is quite another. The FDA must act swiftly to convene vaccine experts and ensure all of us who choose to protect our families from preventable illness and death can continue to do so.

Jenny Williams, Havertown

I knew Donald Trump was a habitual liar and more interested in power than in progress, but his election has brought about a daily dose of chaos that even I was not expecting. Each day my sense of well-being has been challenged by his dismantling of government protections, including consumer and health protections. Will there be a flu shot next winter? A measles outbreak is escalating, and the head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services doesn’t know the statistics. Medicaid and Social Security are both being threatened.

Since Trump was elected, one thing after another is being taken away — except for inflation, which is expected to get worse. Our allies are correcting Trump’s falsehoods and suffering alienation from a country they used to trust. The despair felt by many, including Republicans, is exacerbated by feelings of hopelessness and loss. I blame this on the poor judgment and ignorance of facts of all those who voted for Trump. There will be no unity in this country until this mad MAGA movement dies. I want my country back!

Sandra Detweiler, West Chester

It’s hard to imagine a more troubling article in The Inquirer than one that extols the “joys” of cigar smoking, a practice that has long been shown to be detrimental to human health (including those who choose not to smoke, but are nonetheless subject to its harmful effects via secondhand smoke). The author gushes about the top cigar lounges in the region in glowing terms, describing “an impressive array of cigar lounges, offering aficionados a blend of comfort, sophistication, and camaraderie.”

Anyone paying attention during the last few decades knows cigars and cigarettes are dangerous to one’s health, and carry numerous risk factors including cancers, heart disease, lung disease, and damage to a fetus (low birth weight, premature birth) as well as to the mother. Cigars and cigarettes are required to have prominent health warnings on each package sold in the U.S. It begs the question: What editorial policy has The Inquirer taken to publish such irresponsible drivel? It’s disappointing and inconceivable that such an estimable newspaper could make such a blunder. What’s next: The joys of driving sans seat belts?

Michael Richter, Cherry Hill

There is one segment of the government in Washington that has not been mentioned in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) dash to cut government waste, and that is the bloated U.S. Congress. There are too many senators and House members receiving lucrative salaries, pensions, and other perks paid for by the taxpayers. It is becoming evident Congress has become irrelevant. All legislative duties and policies are performed and executed by President Donald Trump and his copresident Elon Musk. Has there been an accounting of the savings that can be achieved by reducing the Senate to one senator per state and consolidating the number of representatives? DOGE should ask our Congress members for a list of five things they did for their constituents last week.

Edgars Nilenders, Rockledge, ed.nilenders@gmail.com

Our city is filled with children with so much promise. However, too many face immense challenges rooted in systemic inequities. In response to gaps in post-pandemic youth services, local leaders sought out the national nonprofit Friends of the Children as a promising solution. The long-term, professional mentoring organization recently launched a new chapter in our city that deserves the full backing of our community, which I have the pleasure of leading.

Two of our city’s most pressing issues are poverty and violence. Philadelphia remains the poorest major city, with 28% of children living in deep poverty. Generational poverty impacts every aspect of a child’s life and future. Friends of the Children supports youth experiencing significant trauma from violence and other obstacles by building long-term relationships with highly trained, salaried professional mentors, or “Friends.” Each child enrolled will have a mentor from kindergarten through high school graduation who provides consistency and stability, which are crucial for healing trauma.

We’re focusing on three North Philly and Kensington community and school partners first. Dedicated, intensive support to children — and by extension, their families — will promote stronger, healthier communities and improve the overall quality of life for everyone. Our two-generation model prevents child welfare system involvement by working intentionally and simultaneously with the adults in the children’s lives. We invite support from local and national leadership to strengthen our impact and grow our chapter to serve more neighborhoods throughout Philly.

A third-party evaluation of Friends of the Children showed that 83% of program youth graduate high school, 92% of graduates go on to enroll in postsecondary education, serve in the military, or enter the workforce, 93% remain free from juvenile justice system involvement, and 98% wait to become parents until after their teen years. We are glad to be here and look forward to cultivating sustained investment in families and children in Philly so that every child has a chance to have a bright future.

Betty Handy, executive director, Friends of the Children — Philadelphia

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