Letters to the Editor | Oct. 20, 2022

Since Angel L. Ortiz became the first Latino City Council member elected to office in 1983, there has never been more than one Latino representative serving at the same time in the city legislature. That’s nearly 40 years waiting for our turn to have more representation on Philadelphia City Council.

It’s now 2022, and the Philadelphia Democratic City Committee still continues its traditionally insular practice of picking candidates, which usually excludes Latinos, who are overwhelmingly registered as Democrats in our city. If the Democratic Party of this city is to live up to its professed values of diversity and inclusion, it needs to stop ignoring the Latino electorate and acknowledge our right to participate and be equitably represented.

Israel Colón, Philadelphia

Am I the only one who is outraged at the prospect of Penn students being “disciplined” for actively protesting the university’s stand on issues in the community and the world? Isn’t this prestigious university (my alma mater) supposed to encourage students to think for themselves, and to take an active leadership role in their communities?

Why should students be intimidated when they are calling on their university to stop divesting in fossil fuels, a critical issue for these young people who hope to have a future on our planet? Why should they be threatened and monitored for calling on their university to protest against the continual displacement of minority residents in their neighborhoods? Is the university embarrassed to have light shed on its inertia in giving any support to its West Philadelphia neighbors who are about to lose their homes?

Or are we mimicking Russia and this is just another step in chipping away at our democracy?

Jean Haskell, Philadelphia

I’ve seen letters concerning Wawa stores in Philadelphia. One person even wrote that neighbors should pay for security for these stores. Obviously, this person, and some others in favor of Wawa, don’t live near a Wawa. I do. A Wawa store across the street from me causes double-parking traffic jams, which in turn causes horn blowing. Noisy arguments and aggressive panhandlers are a daily occurrence. The Wawa delivery truck comes at all hours, blowing its air horn. Due to trash from overflowing trash receptacles outside the Wawa, our maintenance people have to clean our sidewalk every day. A meeting between Wawa and neighbors yielded us nothing. I believe closing some stores is more a financial move than a security issue for Wawa. Maybe it should pursue its dream and build more “super” stores in the burbs and allow mom-and-pop stores in the city to make a comeback.

Vaughn Cook, Philadelphia

If I’m dreaming, don’t wake me. We may have hoped for this Phillies run, but few of us truly expected it. Not this year. The most we dared wish for was an end to a playoff drought. But not the Phillies players. Not Rob Thompson and the front office and coaching staff. They believed. They prepared. They executed. And now they have me and most everyone else believing, too. In a time when most of us wake up bracing for the next heartbreaking headline, sports or otherwise, it’s beyond refreshing to have expectations exceeded and once again feel awash with Phillies pride and joy.

Cheryl Rice, Glenside

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