Letters to the Editor | Jan. 12, 2023

Without being disrespectful of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his personal sacrifice, and his legacy, the holiday associated with his birthday should be renamed National Civil Rights Day. By renaming this holiday, we would embrace every American who died fighting for civil rights. Activists such as Octavius V. Catto, Elbert Williams, Maceo Snipes, Harry and Harriette Moore, the Rev. George Lee, Lamar Smith, Medgar Evers, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, Jimmy Lee Jackson, the Rev. James Reeb, Viola Liuzzo, Jonathan M. Daniels, Samuel Leamon Younge Jr., Vernon Dahmer, and hundreds of others who were murdered for what we now take for granted would get their due.

National Civil Rights Day would also encompass multiple unwitting catalysts for change. Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray, Eric Garner, Eric Harris, Walter Scott, Akai Gurley, Jamar Clark, Sandra Bland, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Daunte Wright, and others would be immortalized.

My vision for National Civil Rights Day — which should continue to be celebrated on the third Monday in January to forever keep its nexus to Dr. King — would be akin to what we now call Presidents Day. Next month, we will honor all our presidents, not just Washington and Lincoln, the only ones honored decades ago. Dr. King was a great man deserving of every accolade he received. He’ll forever be the face of the movement — but changing the holiday’s name will make everyone realize that King’s work benefited every American, not just African Americans.

Paul L. Newman, Merion Station

The recent discovery of classified documents left unattended in then-Vice President Joe Biden’s off-site office, and the White House’s attendant reaction, is yet another example of the hypocrisy so regularly exhibited by our politicians these days: “Do as I say, not as I do.” The claim that the documents were “locked in a closet” and that there were fewer than a dozen such papers does nothing to justify the facts or excuse this irresponsible and potentially dangerous act. Recall that in September, Donald Trump was properly excoriated for possessing such sensitive material locked in his (attended) home in Florida. Biden was asked about Trump’s transgression back then and commented in a 60 Minutes interview that it was inconceivable to him how anyone could be so irresponsible. Maybe it is clearer to the current president now.

H. Madeira, Berwyn

The proliferation of Philadelphia’s outdoor dining spaces (“streeteries”) was one of the few positive consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. They could have been viewed as a wonderful addition to urban life and supported accordingly. They could have been helped to survive and flourish. Instead, it appears that they are being hounded out of existence by a regulatory process that has been ill-considered, thoughtlessly developed, poorly communicated, and incompetently executed. Sadly, this turn of events is not a great surprise. The current city administration never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

Andrew Gelber, Philadelphia

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