Letters to the Editor | Feb. 6, 2023

Inquirer restaurant critic Craig LaBan considered, but declined, taking the initiative to review a new restaurant within the Union League of Philadelphia for several reasons. First mentioned was his personal decision to avoid participating in dining experiences within any club not open to the general public. LaBan noted the Union League’s $6,000 annual dues, in contrast to other social dining clubs whose annual dues are in the range of $25. Those he considers affordable and therefore accessible to the general public, thus justifying his reviews of those dining venues. As a critic, LaBan could have limited his decision to avoid dining and reporting about his food experience at the Union League based on the narrow grounds of it being a publicly inaccessible club (which, of course, has every right to set its own dues and maintain privacy for its members). But courageously, he did not. Instead, he ventured into the political arena by concurring with more than 100 Union League members who protested the league’s award to a politician whose public positions are anti-gay, anti-immigrant, and anti-democracy. Like millions of others, I look forward to civil debate among politicians disagreeing and ultimately governing in the best interests of our constitutional democracy. We’ll get there sooner than later when citizens speak out beyond their narrow job descriptions or formal political registrations.

Norman Haase, Media

A new subway line along Roosevelt Boulevard would decidedly be a huge benefit to the throng of potential riders, as well as a huge capital outlay of billions of dollars to create. Why isn’t a surface light rail line part of the discussion, at a significantly lower cost than a subterranean rail line? Yes, there are challenges with automobile conflicts at intersections, but insurmountable? Cleveland has operated the surface rapid transit lines for decades, and that seems to work fine.

Richard W. Holmes, Huntingdon Valley

I was surprised and disappointed to read in The Inquirer that former Mayor Michael Nutter reduced mayoral candidate Jeff Brown’s credibility to a sound bite during his questions as part of a panel hosted by the Philadelphia Citizen. Nutter suggested that the public deserves someone “who knows and understands government,” and how that is very different from “running a grocery store.” As we’ve seen with Mayor Jim Kenney, knowledge of city government doesn’t necessarily translate to competency in job performance. Does Nutter think that his own prep high school and Wharton business degree background weren’t as impactful on his political career as his time on City Council? Brown has run successful businesses, has been a member of several boards, and has demonstrated his ability to develop and execute successful strategies that make programs work for underserved communities. The former mayor used his opportunity to question Brown to “go low.” I expect more from someone who is a professor at Columbia University. Recently, it was reported that Nutter was considering another run for mayor, which was quickly refuted. Who could blame him? Who would want to clean up this mess that the current administration will leave to the next? I’ll tell you who: Jeff Brown.

Kathleen English, Glassboro

Racism, built into the fabric of American culture, is protected by those who live and further it. Some knowingly, some not. The majority of those involved in the killing of Tyre Nichols, and countless others, long to fit in and be accepted by the powerful who endorse this malignant expression of hate, the deadliest of emotional cancers. Owning and confronting this truth, the myriad ways (both covert and overt) racism continues to be expressed, and the necessity of coming together to right a horrific wrong — for which we continue to pay a deadly price — is crucial to America’s endurance.

SaraKay Smullens, Philadelphia

There have been more than 40 mass shootings in the U.S. since the start of 2023. The majority of efforts to stop mass shootings focus on gun control. However, I believe that focus is not adequate. As an example, the worst disaster in the United States in school violence occurred on May 18, 1927, when a bomb in an elementary school, planted by a disgruntled school board member, killed 38 elementary school children. Anger is the driving force behind many of these attacks. Another factor in mass shootings is that the shooters often show signs of what they intend to do. These can be verbal, written, or other means of communication. In the threat assessment literature, these are called “pre-incident indicators.” Communities could be trained to notice these pre-incident indicators and report these to authorities, which is an immediate response to stop the mass shootings. There is a way to address mass shootings, but it will take a coordinated effort of government and private agencies to overcome this.

Ronald J. Coughlin, New Jersey Violence Prevention Institute, Mercerville

Kudos to Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick on his brave, moral stance in voting to oust Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) from her post on the Foreign Affairs Committee because she exercised her right to free speech. Or maybe this was just plain, old-fashioned political retaliation by the Pennsylvania Republican because the Democrats had booted Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar from committees because they advocated violence against Democrats. Perhaps it was just because she is an immigrant and a Muslim? Fitzpatrick is no moderate. Just another follower of the antidemocratic MAGA tribe. I may not agree with all Omar says, but she has a right to say it.

Bruce E. Endy, Wynnewood

Israeli Cabinet Minister Orit Strock, a far-right politician, recently said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken “needed to respect Israeli sovereignty. We’re not the 51st or 52nd state of the U.S.” Ironically, it’s not Blinken, but a handful of American conservative donors who are undermining Israel’s history of democracy by funneling money to right-wing organizations that drive Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to reshape the judiciary system. It’s been reported that the principal donors, two billionaire founders of the Susquehanna International Group, are from right here in Bala Cynwyd. Even famed lawyer Alan Dershowitz, a staunch defender of Israel, opposes the proposed judicial reforms as a threat to civil liberties and minority rights. An article about how these Pennsylvania billionaires are funding the far-right, extremist agenda in Israel would be eye-opening to readers.

Caren Levin, Philadelphia

The Inquirer Editorial Board would have us “Think more ambitiously” about a Roosevelt Boulevard subway, and compares it with New York’s Second Avenue subway extension. But SEPTA’s CEO says that “the math doesn’t work.” So let’s see some math. The Second Avenue subway Phase 1 gave New Yorkers 1.8 miles of subway for $4.5 billion. Phase 2 will add 1.5 miles of subway for $6 billion, giving a total cost per mile, completed and planned, of $3.16 billion. At that rate, the 15-mile Boulevard project cost would be $47.5 billion. Now let’s halve that sum because of easier construction. That makes $23.7 billion over the project period, with lots of competing ways to spend it. I strongly recommend that we bring rapid transit to the Boulevard using a phased approach, based on bus rapid transit. That will be thinking more ambitiously but affordably.

Robert P. Sechler, Media

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