Letters to the Editor | Oct. 8, 2023

Columnist Inga Saffron raised some serious concerns about the logistics of getting thousands of people to a planned warehouse hub where a refinery once sprawled. But the bigger questions remain unasked. As climate change batters our planet, why is Hilco setting up a facility that will burn tons of fuel to handle plastic products destined to clog landfills or pollute our oceans? Walk anywhere in Philadelphia and the most striking feature is the sheer bulk of trashed goods and packaging, the jetsam of the online buying economy. A brief examination shows most of these items were worthless when new; it’s no surprise they ended up next to the gutter nearly as quickly as they were purchased, shipped, and plopped on a porch.

As we try to farm out our thinking and creativity to artificial intelligence chat systems, is the best employment for future Philadelphians to work alongside robots, sorting boxes of imported junk inside a windowless box for one-hour delivery to impatient consumers? The development’s leadership team painted a rosy landscape, but did this group of visionaries even read Greta Thunberg’s 2019 address to the United Nations? If so, they’ve forgotten her concise condemnation of the future they dream of: “People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!”

Michael McGettigan, Philadelphia, nfo@trophybikes.com

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s decision to terminate Pennsylvania’s long-standing contract with a nonprofit organization that supports pregnancy help centers has far-reaching consequences, particularly for women and children of color. Shapiro claims that he supports a woman’s freedom to choose, but by funding only one option, the state severely restricts choice, leaving little room for alternatives.

Real Alternatives, launched in the mid-1990s with the support of the late Gov. Bob Casey Sr., has been a vital lifeline for pregnant women throughout Greater Philadelphia. It has consistently received funding increases under the leadership of both political parties. These pregnancy support centers do more than merely advocate for one choice. They offer free ultrasound testing, counseling services, and baby necessities to vulnerable pregnant women. Some even provide housing. Moreover, they provide sustained support, helping these mothers rebuild their lives. Cutting funding jeopardizes essential services and compounds the challenges faced by higher-risk pregnancies, increasing the trauma for low-birth-weight babies, fatherless families, and impoverished communities.

In his zeal to support Planned Parenthood and discredit pregnancy resource centers, Shapiro seems to have forgotten about the mothers who want to keep their babies but need help to do so. These pregnant women, who choose to continue their pregnancy, now find themselves in the crosshairs of his decision. The governor’s choice to cancel Real Alternatives, an organization that has diligently served Pennsylvania’s women in need for the past 25 years, clearly missed its mark. We urge you to call your local and state representatives and emphasize the need to continue supporting vulnerable mothers who choose life for their babies.

Tom Stevens, president and CEO, Pro-Life Union of Greater Philadelphia

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.