Letters to the Editor | April 28, 2023

Frank Kummer’s recent piece shines much-needed light on the failings of the Philadelphia LNG Task Force. The fact that committed community members were literally locked out of the conversation is appalling. It’s yet another example of environmental justice communities being denied a voice in decisions that will impact their health and safety for generations to come. But it’s not just residents of South and Southwest Philadelphia who are at risk. This proposed liquefied natural gas hub at the Philadelphia port threatens our entire city. In fact, continued reliance on gas threatens our entire world. Up to 90% of LNG is methane. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that drives global warming about 87 times as much as carbon dioxide in the short term. If we are to take meaningful steps to solve the climate crisis, we can no longer force communities to shoulder the immediate effects of polluting industries. We must move away from polluting fossil fuels. It’s not about jobs or the environment — it’s about jobs and the environment. It’s time to transition to green, renewable energy that can bring good jobs and lower energy costs to Pennsylvanians.

Susan Patrone, Philadelphia

I think it’s a great idea to put the Ten Commandments in schools, as Texas lawmakers are trying to do. When we see what is happening in the streets of our country, where kids are gunning down other kids and adults, I believe it is because there is no good being taught to these kids. The Ten Commandments are basic in their wording. They teach that doing the right thing is best for all: respect your parents, don’t steal, don’t kill, don’t bear false witness. If this was instilled in every one of us from the very beginning until we graduate college, I believe there would be less violence and deception. I am not a religious person, but I do believe in providing positive teachings to our kids so that we all can have a better and brighter future.

David Rabin, Upper Chichester, dbrabin@verizon.net

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The Texas Senate passed a bill that would require the prominent display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. “Require,” as in, there is no choice. I can’t think of a clearer example of needlessly forcing one’s personal religious views on others. This is not acceptable, and I thought there were laws against it. Unless it is a religious school, there should be no religious affiliation. No signs. No praying. That should be done elsewhere. I’m sure they are not planning to give all other religions equal space and time, nor should they. Sadly, the problem is the majority in power feel they have the right to trample the beliefs of others. In this case, there is absolutely nothing to be gained by this bullying except to provide a clear example of how they think.

Ted Swirsky, Erial

In 2021, hate crimes against Asians increased 339%. And while Jews are only 2% of the U.S. population, antisemitic incidents in Pennsylvania increased by 65% last year. As anti-Asian hate and antisemitism plague our communities, Asian Pacific and Jewish Americans have joined forces to make a difference. Proudly standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, May was declared Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month to pay tribute to the generations of Asian Pacific and Jewish Americans who helped form the fabric of American history, culture, and society. Our experience in America is a story of diligence, faith, courage, adversity, and moving toward fulfilling the American dream. That dream embodies the belief that anyone — regardless of where they were born, or what class system they were born into — can succeed. The American dream is achieved through sacrifice, risk-taking, and hard work. We honor our dual heritages, both past and present — l’dor v’dor (generation to generation) — by weaving the strength and accomplishments of our ancestors into the tapestry of American identity. For years, Asian Pacific and Jewish Americans have fought to be accepted as leaders, pioneers, teachers, neighbors, and friends. We have persisted and will continue to shape our country into a homeland for anyone seeking peace and freedom who’s willing to work for American ideals.

Stephanie Sun and Alan Hoffman, cochairs, Pennsylvania Asian Pacific American Jewish Alliance, and Marcia Bronstein, regional director, American Jewish Committee, Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey chapter

The U.S. Supreme Court’s approval rating is at a historical low. It has lost credibility, yet Chief Justice John Roberts has declined to appear before Congress. He has said publicly that he does not understand why Americans have lost faith in our highest court. Is he concerned that Clarence Thomas is under scrutiny? Is he concerned there are no ethical constraints for justices? The answer appears to be no on both accounts. Moreover, there is a major concern that the court is driven by personal ownership of religious principles rather than constitutional analysis. The scale of justice is no longer balanced.

Bill Pelle, Haverford, bill.to.write@gmail.com

Reading the recent letter to the editor by the chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation brought back memories. It was 1994, and I was deployed to the former Yugoslavia. One of our missions was to conduct “normality indicator surveys” of the war-torn towns in our sector, reporting back as to what resources would be required to return these places to prewar “normalcy.” One of the villages we surveyed was surrounded by high mountains, with only one road in and out. A dozen or more houses sat up on the hillsides, while the large flat plain between the mountains was planted with neat rows of corn and wheat, all of which had gone to seed. The homes were abandoned, and many of them were either severely damaged or destroyed. The steeple of the one church carried an Orthodox cross, identifying this as a former Serbian town. Next to the church was a small cemetery with gravestones reflecting the countless generations of Serb families who had once occupied this small village. Like the field of crops below, these tombstones were now overgrown with weeds, the surviving families never to return to care for them. As I think back on this sad and solemn memory, I am reminded of the final scene in the movie Gangs of New York, when the camera pans over a 19th-century cemetery on the banks of the Hudson River containing the gravestones of poor Irish immigrants. The gravestones gradually become overgrown, topple over, and finally disappear, leaving only the image of a grassy knoll, with the skyline of modern-day Manhattan appearing in the background. Despite the valiant work of the advisory council, such is — and will be — the fate of many of these sacred sites. I have seen it happen.

R.J. O’Brien, retired, lieutenant colonel, U.S. Army

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