LETTERS - Aug. 21

ISSUE | SCHOOLS

Lose the attitude

How could an Inquirer editorial ("It isn't just city schools," Aug. 17) claim that "the same old anti-Philadelphia mentality" prevented legislation allowing a $2-a-pack city cigarette tax from passing (so far)? Surely the Editorial Board knows that both houses of the General Assembly have already passed bills allowing the city to increase the cigarette tax, and by large bipartisan majorities.

Since the bills differ, they must be reconciled. But there's no reason to think they won't be reconciled when both houses are in session, and no reason to think it's "the same old anti-Philadelphia mentality" that is to blame.

More to the point, how could the Editorial Board have failed to realize that the city schools get more money from the state every year while enrollment goes down? And no one even questions where the money goes.

Let's work together to get the cigarette-tax legislation passed and make sure the millions the district is already getting from the state are well-spent. And lose the "they just don't like us" chip on the shoulder, which isn't helping anybody.

|Kate M. Harper, state representative, Blue Bell, kharper@pahousegop.com

ISSUE | FERGUSON

Police perspective

Last year, there were more than 12 million arrests in this country. The number of police shootings was a little more than 400. And yet the incident in Ferguson, Mo., has some telling us that black men are being hunted down by the police. I don't think so.

Criminals are being sought and people are being protected by the police, who put their lives on the line every day for all of us. The instantaneous decisions that they too often have to make aren't always correct. But until we walk in their shoes, how can we possibly know what exactly happens any time an officer is forced to draw his weapon?

With that in mind, does anyone besides me believe that the people of Ferguson have been misled by race-baiting grievance-industry agitators?

Rodney King said it best: "Can we all get along?"

George R. Kawchak Jr., Phoenixville

Fatal overreaction

I am puzzled by the aftermath of the shooting in Ferguson, Mo., and the lack of appropriate questions. Even if a police officer confronted a young man who refused to obey an order, and even if the officer knew about an earlier robbery that may have involved the youth, does that justify shooting someone who is merely suspected of petty thievery? Shooting him multiple times? Shooting to kill? It seems to me that the police grossly and fatally overreacted in this situation, and that they frequently do so with impunity.

|Peter R. Lantos, Oreland

Air Sharpton

There are many unanswered questions about what happened in Ferguson, Mo. Among them: Does the Rev. Al Sharpton have a private jet constantly standing by, ready to whisk him to the site of the next racial incident?

|Gordon Lawrence, Blue Bell

ISSUE | CHARITY

Bucket list should be longer

ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a horrible disease, and fighting it is worthy of our time, energy, and charity. Lou Gehrig remains an inspirational example of dignity and grace in the face of human suffering. I couldn't help but wonder, though, if Gehrig would have wanted me to pour a bucket of cold water over my head.

I have enough of a sense of humor to understand the appeal of the "ice bucket challenge." There is nothing wrong with having a little fun while increasing awareness and raising money for this worthy cause. What has surprised me is how "viral" this event has gone, which raises the question: Why haven't this many people gotten so strongly behind other such worthy causes?

Maybe we should start a "Stop shooting our kids challenge." Perhaps we should all dump a bucket of ice water over our heads every time a child falls victim to gun violence. Sadly, we would all be very wet and very cold.

Would the residents of all the cities where young people have been the victims of gun violence take up this cause with such vigor? Would athletes, rock stars, celebrities, and presidents take to the streets of Chicago to stop the gun violence that occurs there with such numbing regularity?

Maybe the cold water from this ice bucket challenge will wake us up to the fact that our society needs to address other very worthy causes. Otherwise, we might as well put the empty buckets over our heads.

|Ray Graboski, Harleysville

Where is our generosity?

Who are the thousands of refugee children languishing in crowded detention centers in Texas? Are they seeking better economic conditions, or are they fleeing for their lives? The majority are fleeing violence-torn Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.

What is our response? The U.S. government is seeking funds to further secure the border, improve conditions in detention centers, and expedite deportation of the children.

Where is our hospitality? Our generosity? This is a continent-sized nation with the largest economy in the world. What a contrast with small countries such as Lebanon, which, with a population of about four million, has taken in more than one million refugees from Syria. Perhaps we should try harder to live up to our sense of ourselves as a decent, humanitarian nation.

|Janet Kestenberg Amighi, West Chester, jkamighi@msn.com

ISSUE | HISTORY

Not a good sign

What good is a Historical Commission if it doesn't preserve history in a city that epitomizes the founding and creation of our country, as well as its seat of banking?

The Philadelphia Bank, later Philadelphia National Bank, was founded by George Clymer, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. I was shocked to read that the PNB sign was to be dismantled and removed by its New York-based owners with the so-called Historical Commission's permission ("PNB letters, long an iconic part of the Philadelphia skyline, to be removed Sunday," Aug. 15). While the historic building at 1 South Broad St. still stands, who will recognize it without the PNB sign?

|George D. Norton, Gibbsboro

ISSUE | BLATHER

Let's get back to the game

I enjoy watching Phillies games on television, but like many other viewers, I need relief from the announcers' unnecessary palaver. Sometimes I feel as if I'm in a Statistics 101 class or a clinic on the art of pitching.

It would be greatly appreciated if they would just stick to describing the essentials of what's happening. Vin Scully (no relation), who has been calling the Dodgers' games for 65 years, and who is expected to continue next season, should be studied and emulated by local broadcasters. That way, even a losing Phillies season would be more enjoyable.

Yeah, but is it going to rain?

It is now practically impossible to watch a standard weather forecast. It begins with so much meaningless data that the viewer tunes it all out before he hears the actual conditions for the day.

To prevent people from missing that relevant part, it should come first. And then it could be followed by all the charts, arrows, numbers, and graphs.

If any station were smart enough to simply tell people whether they'll need an umbrella that day, it would easily trounce its competitors.

|Joseph Carducci, Pittsburgh, carducci@hotmail.com