Letters to the Editor | Aug. 7, 2023

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to whitewash, minimize, or remove those parts of American history from textbooks that supposedly may make students feel “uncomfortable.” The uncomfortable fact is that much of American history revolves around the very uncomfortable horror of slavery and the Jim Crow laws that followed Reconstruction. It also concerns the breaking of treaties with Native Americans and their systematic removal and slaughter in one of the greatest holocausts in human history.

American history is taught in schools not so much to like or dislike but to learn from our past. If that past makes us feel discomfort, that is a good thing, in that we will be less likely to make the same mistakes. Teaching history accurately helps students learn that it was precisely that feeling of discomfort that motivated and inspired heroes such as Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, who, in turn, inspired ordinary citizens to act and become part of the unsung heroes of true American history. This should ease the supposed discomfort of DeSantis and students and ultimately make us all feel better about our history — both the good and what we can learn from the bad.

Anthony Ciampoli, Voorhees

A recent letter to the editor makes the reader think that public charter schools are getting money for things such as buildings and repairs while public district schools are not. In reality, a charter school student only costs the district $16,000 per year vs. the almost $25,000 per year that a district student receives. Yet schools like Independence Charter (which the letter writer spotlights) can manage their budgets, prioritizing what is necessary for their students’ physical and academic needs. Perhaps that is why the demand for schools such as Independence is so high. The question parents need to ask is: Why is my charter student worth less money than a district school student? Give them the money that is staying with the School District. Wouldn’t that mean fair funding for all?

Janine Yass, cofounder, Boys’ Latin Charter School, president, The Yass Prize for Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding and Permissionless Education

Thank you for the recent article, “Homebuyer beware.” While not nearly as vast in scope, costs, frustration, or anxiety, my wife and I just went through a challenging situation with a kitchen renovation contractor. We’ve won a small claims case against them by default, but in the words of the judge in our case, “Judgment is the easy part. Collecting is the biggest challenge.” Our experience shows the system is horribly broken.

Summarized, when it came to permits, our contractor was lying to us from day one, and continued to do so after the Department of Licenses and Inspections flagged permit violations on the job. He then disappeared. Our assigned inspector, Jian Chen, was incredibly helpful and patient throughout the entire process. But without him saying so, it quickly became apparent that his hands were tied. The homeowner is on the hook for all violation remediation and fines when a contractor acts fraudulently.

While varying types of penalties for fraud and negligence might be written in the books, licensed and unlicensed contractors in the city know they can deceive customers and get away with it. In a city of this size, there are only 12 suspended contractors on L&I’s list, yet somehow every Philadelphian I know has a renovation horror story. The due diligence required by homeowners is significant, and once completed, it still offers little to no protection. I know this town has a myriad of critical problems, but I am hopeful the next mayor and City Council president prioritize fixing this system.

Jeremy Stock, Philadelphia

How is it possible for someone to plead not guilty when the entire world was witness to the crime committed? A president who lost reelection and cannot accept defeat goes on to stimulate his delusional followers to commit insurrection, causing death, destruction, and panic in the hallowed halls of our government. Donald Trump is a danger to this country and should never be allowed to govern ever again. In my 85 years, I’ve never been this fearful for my country.

Sandra Soltoff, Philadelphia

With elections approaching, every candidate on the ballot should support democracy, commitment to the rule of law, and respect for the outcome of the election. In May, antidemocracy candidates competed in county commission primaries across Pennsylvania. These candidates pose a danger to democracy, but there’s good news: They’re losing at the ballot box. In seven of eight counties where democracyFIRST PAC engaged, the pro-democracy candidate prevailed in their primary. We are again getting involved, and we’re asking candidates to make four commitments: support every eligible citizen’s freedom to register and vote; denounce any attempt to intimidate, harass, threaten, or incite violence; reject lies and misinformation about the election; and accept the ultimate result. This is the democracyFIRST promise.

To help restore faith in our democratic institutions, we can’t exclusively rely on Democrats, and democracyFIRST is continuing to elevate pro-democracy voices in the GOP. After all, these shouldn’t be partisan ideas. One of the first to pledge his support for democracy was Republican Seth Bluestein, one of Philadelphia’s incumbent city commissioners. So far, more than 40 county commissioner candidates and incumbents from roughly 20 counties have also made the promise. We encourage more candidates from all political parties to participate as a simple way to show they’re on the side of democracy and the rule of law.

Jordan Wood, executive director, democracyFIRST

Donald Trump’s attempt to overthrow the 2020 presidential election hit close to home for Pennsylvanians, as special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment shows. It had been confirmed that Pennsylvania had a safe and secure election, with Joe Biden as the clear winner, but Trump and his coconspirators attempted to invalidate our choice for president. I take it personally, and every citizen of Pennsylvania should be irate at Trump’s bid to steal their constitutional right to the ballot. The indictments do not prevent Trump from running for president — not even a conviction can prevent that. I can only hope the charges convince enough informed Pennsylvanians that Trump is undeserving of their support.

Bill Maginnis, North Wales

A jury sentenced Robert G. Bowers, the Tree of Life gunman, to be executed for his heinous crime. The United States is one of the few countries that still has the death penalty on the books, although there are more than 20 states that have abandoned it. Every country in Europe except Belarus has allowed this cruel and unusual punishment — and useless crime deterrent — to fall by the wayside. Taxpayers will likely pay more than $1 million in court time and lawyers’ fees spent on the many pleas dictated by our laws.

It costs much more to execute than the cost of life in prison without parole. Then there’s the mental anguish suffered by the victims’ relatives as the case drags on. The average wait time for a death penalty case is more than 10 years and may stretch to 20. Bowers, vile as he is, will probably die a natural death in prison. The death penalty is motivated by revenge. How much will Bowers suffer as a needle is quietly inserted into his arm and he peacefully goes to sleep? I wonder if this was explained to the jury.

Ralph D. Bloch, Jenkintown, ralphdbloch@yahoo.com

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.