Letters to the Editor | Sept. 3, 2023

Regarding the recent Inquirer article, “Philly changed the way the world views heat disasters and may have saved thousands of lives,” thank you for remembering Haresh Mirchandani, who defended his groundbreaking decision to add “heat-related deaths” to the lexicon of causes of mortality. I was privileged to have been the health commissioner during part of his tenure as Philadelphia’s medical examiner. The city’s rowhouses, with black rooftops and closed windows, became the equivalent of brick ovens during heat waves. The danger of heat led to a citywide effort with a heat hotline, cooling centers, home visits, fan distributions, and media warnings — all of which continue today. Heat-related deaths are preventable, and a prime example of the power of community public health to reduce mortality here and across the world.

Walter Tsou, Philadelphia

The family of 20-year-old Sahmya Garcia — who was tormented and beaten by Marcus Burney and murdered after she ended their relationship — has every right to be “disappointed” by her killer’s plea deal, which spared him from life imprisonment. The family has every right to be enraged. I surely am. Garcia’s murder occurred just moments after the police were unsuccessful in delivering Burney a protection from abuse order. However, even if they had been successful, history shows that this order is not a deterrent for someone determined to kill. These murders are carried out by those who lose control of their rage once they lose their power to dominate their partner. In Burney’s case, fury and lawlessness were palpable, but some who murder for these reasons appear to be model citizens. A response to the following question is long overdue: Why is the abuse and murder of women less important than the protection of their killers?

SaraKay Smullens, Philadelphia

Thank you to Jonathan Zimmerman for his column on the value of college newspapers. I would like to put the message into a larger context. Zimmerman’s arguments could and should also be applied to high school publications. One can easily imagine restrictions placed on student journalists today in the many districts where zealous school boards are curtailing or dictating what teachers can teach and what students can read or write about. In defense of civics, as it once was taught and valued, the student press has another friend. For almost 50 years, the Student Press Law Center (SPLC) in Washington, D.C., has helped protect free expression, working with lawyers, legislators, and professional journalists whose time and expertise have supported hundreds of student journalists and their publications.

Complementing the contributions made by Philadelphia’s Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), the SPLC has led state-based activists striving to frame and pass New Voices laws in support of student expression. In March, West Virginia became the 17th state to approve such legislation. Ten other states, including Pennsylvania, are working on similar laws. The student press deserves encouragement and public support. What a shameful school or college environment it would be if our young citizens were shackled and forced to focus on what they can’t think or say or question.

Tom Eveslage, Philadelphia, eveslage@temple.edu

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