Letters to the Editor | Aug. 10, 2023

I find that SEPTA’s effort to restore a sense of safety for riders and staff still has a long way to go. I became another robbery statistic recently at the Broad Street Line City Hall station when a teenager forcefully snatched my iPhone and digital camera in a small bag after harassing me to let him make a call. I was bigger and stronger, but I only had the handle of the bag that broke and he ran off. He was laughing and showed no fear of potential consequences. I reported it right away to Philly police and later to SEPTA police. Later, while I was unsuccessfully looking for my likely discarded phone using iCloud, someone was sitting atop the Dilworth Park SEPTA Key booths, openly selling $1 swipes, and no one was doing anything about it.

John Corbett, Philadelphia

Community programs such as the Kindergarten Readiness Experience are a great starting point in establishing programs that prepare children for school; however, such efforts should be more widespread and accessible to all kids in Philadelphia. This is only possible through city funding and support. As The Inquirer has previously reported, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a large drop in kindergarten enrollment in Philadelphia, likely due to the difficulty of navigating new challenges for many parents. This led to significant changes in children’s educational and social development. We, as a community, need to make up for the damage and lost time. The Kindergarten Readiness Experience is relatively new and runs on a community-based scale, targeting the most heavily impacted neighborhoods of West Philadelphia. However, all children were impacted by the pandemic and deserve access to educational programs to help them get ready for school.

Aditi Kale, Philadelphia

In his recent op-ed, Irv Halter challenged us to read the indictment of former President Donald Trump to understand how he tried to cancel the vote in Pennsylvania and other states that he lost. Our vote is the soul of American self-government and the essence of American exceptionalism. We the people are the government, and we govern ourselves with universally free elections. Halter wrote that no friend of America would fail to walk away from Trump in anger and disgust. Personal liberty and justice for all die when the vote is taken away from any citizen. A losing candidate who strives to overthrow the results of a legitimate election is a candidate who would have this government of the people, by the people, and for the people to perish from this Earth. Voting for such a candidate puts the rule of law at risk in favor of the rule of man. Our vote is our voice. Canceling our vote silences our voice.

Wayne Williams, Malvern

Perhaps actors, singers, and celebrities should field all questions with “no comment.” The onslaught of apologies and apologies for the apologies for fear of cancellation after voicing their opinions is nauseating. Free speech isn’t so free. Funny how this doesn’t apply to politicians. One can mock women, say disparaging things about people of color, the disabled, and the LGBTQ community without impunity, and not be canceled. Some can even run for president.

Kenneth Patterson, Philadelphia

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