Letters to the Editor | Jan. 17, 2023

The Jan. 12 editorial cartoon showed President Joe Biden with a document stamped “Misplaced,” no doubt referring to classified documents — including secret and sensitive information about Iran, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine — found in a closet inside a University of Pennsylvania-affiliated research center. Next to him is President Donald Trump. His document is marked “Stolen,” referring to documents he had in his Mar-a-Lago home. But how could Trump have “stolen” them? A sitting president has the absolute power to declare any document unclassified, which Trump maintains he did, and no one has proved otherwise. He was completely entitled to remove such documents from the White House, as previous presidents have done. How ironic that the cartoon ran the same day it was revealed that Biden had more classified documents, unsecured, in his Delaware home. Will Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray order dozens of armed FBI agents to swarm Biden’s house and haul away boxes of documents, including his medical and personal records, as they did with Trump? I won’t hold my breath.

Nick O’Dell, Phoenixville, nickodell16@yahoo.com

As quoted in The Inquirer, Transit Forward Philadelphia’s Yasha Zarrinkelk suggests that SEPTA should do more “coaxing and messaging” regarding bus route changes. Riders don’t need to be “coaxed,” they need to be respected and included in reevaluating and changing the plan to work better for riders and the city. SEPTA should pause the plan and engage the public in a series of meetings to discuss the plan and receive ideas from the public for improving it. Regular riders have insights that outside experts don’t have, and SEPTA will be able to explain and discuss its ideas and constraints. A dedicated contact is needed to do outreach, take comments and ideas, distribute materials, and coordinate meetings. This person or team will be charged with rebuilding trust and making sure that information from the public is used, not discarded, in any revised decisions. Working together, SEPTA and the public can develop a mutually acceptable plan.

Lisa Hastings, Philadelphia

Most teachers and students in Bucks County public schools begin each school day reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, which proclaims a guarantee of “liberty and justice for all.” This promise is not only made to those whom we like or understand or admire, but also to everyone, including those whom we dislike, do not understand, or hold in contempt. Those who are gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, queer, transgender, and cisgender equally deserve to have that promise of liberty and justice fulfilled without any marginalization. Those adults in Bucks County who see differences as threats and challenges to their personal worldview would do well to teach their children to love others regardless of how different they appear, to respect those who live with different worldviews, and to show compassion to everyone they meet. No child deserves less.

Thomas Dwyer, Jenkintown

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