Letters: Why Sonia Sotomayor isn't a racist

IT SEEMS almost laughable that conservatives are accusing Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor of being a racist. Her comment, "I hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often that not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life" is being completely, and very slyly, taken out of context.

She's NOT saying she's part of some master Latin race or white males are inferior. I believe she is saying that her life experiences as a female minority give her a unique perspective in her application of the law as compared to what a white male may have.

As an African-American female, I know where she's coming from. As for the white men calling her a racist, I say look in the mirror.

Michele Evangelist, Aston

A bag solution for all

To improve our environment, City Councilmen DiCicco and Kenney won support for a measure that proposed a 25-cent fee for plastic bags from retail stores, but had to pull back from a final vote because Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. "had concerns about how the 25-cent fee would impact low-income shoppers." Why can't "low-income shoppers" bring a bag with them like other shoppers of all incomes?

Bill Paci, Philadelphia

Missing South St. ingredient

Columnist Ronnie Polaneczky writes about the "Rampage of thousands of youths around South Street." But she fails to use the word "African-American" to describe them. Is the word banned in her column, or censored?

Bob Bender, Broomall

Some stories less equal

I find it disturbing that you spend two days' time and passion on the murder of a doctor who bragged about performing 60,000 abortions, including ones of babies able to survive outside the womb, yet you find no room to print anything about the murder of Army soldier Pvt. William Long by a Muslim terrorist convert right here in this country.

All civilized people condemn the murder of George Tiller, yet here is a man who made millions performing late-term abortions so gruesome that only two other abortionists - not a squeamish bunch - in the entire country would perform them. Yet, you ignore the murder of a soldier in America by a homegrown Muslim terrorist.

Mike Rafferty, Philadelphia

A less-'juicy' Phil

Phil Goldsmith wrote about Mayor Nutter's comments on the Ethics Commission. Mr. Goldsmith was a city official with enormous clout and strong opinions, even after he left government and stayed involved in Philadelphia's political and civic activities.

I had great admiration for him.

Now, however, he's made the decision to move to Wynnewood, sad for the city, but his absolute right. We miss him, but he's lost his "juice" now that he's moved.

Betsyann Carter, Philadelphia