Letters: Meek Mill's not for everyone, but give him his props

I ENJOYED your take on Meek Mill's visit to Boys' Latin. I want to commend both Ronnie Polaneczky and Jenice Armstrong for having the courage to address the topic. That's a special quality.

From my seat, both do an superb job inspiring, empowering, educating and motivating women and minorities.

I'm painting a picture for you with a different brush. I can barely draw stick figures, so my painting will be paint by numbers:

1. So many, for a litany of reasons (crime, drugs, poverty, broken homes, prison, etc.) don't feel as if they have a voice, don't know how to properly use their voice, and don't know whom to voice their concerns to.

2. You both and Meek seemingly to have more in common than the article led on. You each start dialogue and give community residents a voice. Meek clearly does that for a segment of the community around the world. Primarily for the younger generation.

3. I was a little shocked that you both weren't impressed that Meek decided to settle down with a woman who is a bigger star, was his boss for the summer while he was the opening act on her world tour, makes music for a much wider audience, and has sold substantially more albums than him. If you are a reflection of the company you keep and your partner is a reflection of you, Meek appears to be trying to get his act together.

4. Trust me, I clearly understand why you both would be turned off by his lyrics. However, he does have three Billboard No. 1 albums, corporate sponsors, several businesses, and young people who listen to his every word. I was fortunate enough to follow Jay Z during his career. He helped me change clothes, work with small businesses, and reconsider the type of woman I wanted to settle down with. Jay and I had 19 years to get to that point. Along the way, he had some pretty nasty lyrics directed at women, stabbed a man, and bragged about selling drugs. Time has allowed him to rap about art, business deals, and his daughter.

It feels awkward to be called a good kid and later a great man because of the mistakes I didn't make. Most times it's a jab at those men who made mistakes because they weren't encouraged, guided or nurtured by cool, white women who like jazz and beautiful black women who have a way with words!

I noticed the hurt in their eyes then and I notice it now, when I meet with the "Meek Mills" who never were taught how to get where they want to go.

I agree that it isn't fun to see anyone, let alone an influential and talented millionaire, make childish mistakes. We grow at our own pace. Even rap stars who fail to realize young people are watching and mimicking their every move.

Music is subjective, so I completely understand you not getting Meek Mills' music. His influence on young people and effort to give back to his community (even if it's partially for his own benefit) is pretty clear.

Oleta Adams said it best: "I don't care how you get here, just - get here if you can."

Akeem Dixon

Philadelphia

Gay-bash coverage

is appreciated

I appreciate the work Julie Shaw has done in keeping us informed throughout the progress of the trial of Kathryn Knott and the other two hooligans who thought they could come in to Center City to get drunk and viciously beat two local citizens on our streets.

As a Center City resident, I feel safer knowing this woman is in jail and that she along with Kevin Harrigan and Philip Williams are all banned from Center City.

Richard W. Lewis, Sr.

Philadelphia

Going to bat

to fight Zika

The World Health Organization has determined the Zika virus is a global emergency. Zika is spread to humans by mosquitoes. In efforts to battle this disease, I hope people can learn to be kinder to bats, who are insectivores. Just one bat can eat over 600 mosquitoes an hour. The wonderful animals can be great allies in the effort to fight Zika, as well as saving us billions of dollars in pesticides. They also are natural pollinators and seed spreaders. Sadly, because of humans and disease, they are battling extinction around the world. I hope people will consider helping bats by getting or making bat houses. When placed properly, they are usually occupied within one year, and will help to get rid of lots of mosquitoes.

Ann Ogle

Wallingford, Pa.

Reading your Clout retrospective made me feel nostalgic and old. Twenty years goes by in a flash, and I bet I never missed one installment of this running soap opera that captured the inane nature of our political environment.

Congratulations to all the fine journalists who have contributed to Clout over the past 20 years, as well as their sources and the people crazy enough to be quoted.

But a special thanks goes to Gar Joseph, who was and will always be the intellectual and humorous heart of those fine pages. May we enjoy Gar and Clout for a long time to come.

Larry Ceisler

Philadelphia