Letters: AN APOLOGY FROM DeNAPLES ON HIS COMMENTS

IWANT TO make two points about the stories that have appeared about me.

First, as to the charges against me, I reiterate that I am innocent, and I intend to prove my innocence in court.

Second, I want to respond to the references to my testimony before the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board on Aug. 16, 2006, which also has been quoted in both the presentment and Report No. 1 of the Dauphin County grand jury. I am specifically referring to the testimony in which I am quoted as saying: "To me, black people all look alike."

I want to apologize for the insensitivity of this remark. It was wrong, I shouldn't have said it, and I am very sorry that I did. It came during the course of an exhaustive day of testimony, and it occurred as I was being shown a number of black and white photographs and being asked whether I recognized any of the individuals in the photos.

When I answered, I was referring to my inability to distinguish the people in those photos, and I just didn't do a very good job of making that point.

My remark really was in reference to the difficulty I was having identifying anyone in the photos.

But that doesn't make it right. I sincerely regret the pain I have caused anyone with my statement. People who know me know that I believe deeply in the cause of racial diversity and minority participation on the job.

Louis A. DeNaples, Dunmore, Pa.

Citizens first

It amazes me that any voter, Republican, Democrat or other, would approve of the government or any ethnic or religious group that would even consider giving entitlements to illegal immigrants until it is established that every American citizen is first covered by medical insurance, guaranteed college benefits not partial to race and all the retirement benefits they have paid into Social Security for.

Kevin Allen, Philadelphia

Scarytown, USA

So, the Democrats say they can fix the nation's economy. Let's see how they are doing here in Philadelphia:

1. We have almost the highest business taxes in the country.

2. Convention Center expansion is almost stopped because the unions won't train minorities.

3. The mayor is hindering the building of casinos. Guess he'd rather have the drug dealers provide the jobs.

4. The Daily News does a hit on "Philly Live" a day after it is previewed.

5. The governor and mayor support Hillary Clinton.

Even Stephen King's novels aren't this scary.

Tom Bell

Philadelphia