http://www.philly.com/r?19=960&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fstage.www.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F Editorial and commentary from the Inquirer en-us Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT 2009-11-19T08:01:00Z en-us http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70444317&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091119_Daniel_Rubin__Leading_city_kids_to_classical_awareness.html At Penn Wynne Elementary, everybody got to pick out an instrument in fourth grade. Ben Raper chose the trumpet. Lower Merion paid for the rentals back then, so the boy's horn came free, as did the lessons, once a week, held in his school. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT 517b44141468570d0bd6cf441f41da28 2009-11-19T08:01:00Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70444217&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091119_Case_s_main_question_will_be_about_torture.html Last week, the government announced it would prosecute alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four coconspirators in federal court. Given the government's acknowledgment that Mohammed and his codefendants were subject to harsh interrogation techniques, including repeated waterboarding, the decision puts the issue of torture squarely before the federal courts. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT 69da3c302bde0947fc01b8b86ac2fbd0 2009-11-19T08:01:00Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70444247&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091119_Unenviable_duty_for_jurors.html A television reporter once asked Charles Peruto Sr., the dean of the Philadelphia criminal defense bar, for his opinion on television cameras in the courtroom. Chuck enthusiastically endorsed the idea with these insightful words (which I quote from memory): "I would point to the television camera and dare the jury to look into it and tell my client, 'Mad Dog' DiFrancesco, that he is guilty!" Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT fd788e016d240658a1fd0215a5b1f509 2009-11-19T08:01:00Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70444242&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091119_Editorial__Asking_questions.html Congressmen are getting cranky about the work of a new independent House ethics board, and that's a good sign. The nonpartisan Office of Congressional Ethics was created at the urging of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) in March 2008 to look into complaints against lawmakers and, if necessary, refer them to the House Ethics Committee for possible discipline. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT 24c73089d6e331e80c4e529817cab5e6 2009-11-19T08:01:00Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70444222&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091119_The_Elephant_in_the_Room__Diversity__but_at_what_cost_.html Six U.S. Naval Academy students were to form the color guard at Game 2 of the World Series, played Oct. 29 at Yankee Stadium. Everything was going fine until the academy brass discovered something terribly amiss, and Capt. Matthew Klunder jumped into action. Klunder, the commandant of midshipmen, ordered that two members of the color guard be replaced. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT a6b7eb023a6e5358d80cfc1bc154acac 2009-11-19T08:01:00Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70444237&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091119_Letters_to_the_Editor.html A strong message: Trial in New York When I headed the Navy antiterrorism unit that was created in response to the attacks of Sept. 11, it was my mission to bring Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to justice. I am pleased to see that he and his cohorts will now face proper justice in a federal court ("N.Y. trial ordered for 9/11 detainees," Saturday). Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT e23e30f4e0aa89338c30eace29fc1450 2009-11-19T08:01:00Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70444252&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091119_Editorial__Road_warriors.html Imagine living in a home for 40 years, and one day waking up to discover that what used to be a two-lane country road was being widened to make way for a five-lane highway that will enable exhaust-belching cars and trucks to speed past your front door. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT c692a82ea52b118a4338e354dd54f0f5 2009-11-19T08:01:00Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70444227&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091119_Letters__Pa__needs_assurances_that__fracking__is_safe.html In "Money, it's a gas" (Nov. 11), The Inquirer rightly tongue-lashed the state legislature and Gov. Rendell for caving in to Big Gas. A separate story that day reported a great leap backward: 32,000 more acres of state forest lands are leased for gas drilling. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT 86091cba9df511f247dfbac2bf933326 2009-11-19T08:01:00Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70349892&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091118_Don_t_forget_renters_-_again.html Now that the $8,000 federal tax credit for home buyers has been extended, it's time for Congress and the president to move quickly on another front: providing resources to develop rental housing for low-income Americans. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT 453fd063293bf12285c388c824d4ee04 2009-11-18T08:01:00Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70349907&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091118_Can_we_retrain_terrorists_.html As the Obama administration continues struggling with how to close Guantanamo, it finds itself with few options. The recent announcement of plans to prosecute Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other detainees in federal court is a positive step, but it also reminds us that little headway has been made on most of the Guantanamo detainees. About 75 are deemed too dangerous to release, and 90 are suitable for transfer but have no place to go. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT 3719cb5d9df6ff42668434fcc0c41930 2009-11-18T08:01:00Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70349877&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091118_Worldview__Afghans_await_a_sign_of_American_support.html KABUL, Afghanistan - The residents of the Afghan capital, both native and foreign, are waiting for President Obama - to make up his mind. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT 7f17e691761c023b569298243f744cbc 2009-11-18T08:01:00Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70349902&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091118_Editorial__Can_we_boldly_go_.html Maybe someone should stick a copy of The Right Stuff into the DVD player tomorrow night on President Obama's long flight back from his mission to Asia. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT 55cfa329e9843f68e8ea89946b5889b2 2009-11-18T08:01:00Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70349897&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091118_Letters_to_the_Editor.html Compensate couple for their home Re: "County wants their front yard for Route 322," Monday: Some old homes such as those in Mullica Hill were built at a time when people sat by the side of the road and counted the cars that drove past. It was an event when a car went by! No one realized that more than two lanes would ever be needed. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT 196e7591968a3fd4b74641c36b79763f 2009-11-18T08:01:00Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70349912&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091118_Editorial__Stagnant_pool.html Facing mounting debts and legal bills and drowning in bad publicity, the Valley Club in Huntingdon Valley plans to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, perhaps marking the end to an ugly racial incident that was poorly handled and gained national attention. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT 51b3aaf25ea05368f1bba750069c5586 2009-11-18T08:01:00Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=166881&44=70349882&32=3796&7=195517&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Fopinion%2F20091118_Letters__Pa__schools_have_shown_dramatic_improvement.html Normally I don't respond to letters sent to The Inquirer, but I feel compelled to do so because of a letter sent by Abhilash Samuel of the Commonwealth Foundation. In his letter, Samuel complained about the increase in public school per-pupil spending, while he said "academic performance has remained stagnant." Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:01:00 GMT 15f43e976484dea80b9aa3b715e8ad75 2009-11-18T08:01:00Z