Letters | Two topics of interest

IWOULD LIKE to address two issues:

The first is how wonderful I think it was that they brought to America the contents of King Tut's tomb. It was appropriate that they did it during Black History Month. (The shortest month of the year, by the way.)

King Tut, like all the ancient pharaohs and queens of Egypt, is the ancestor of African-Americans. I hope the untruth that Cleopatra looked like Elizabeth Taylor, or Claudette Colbert, has been realized as just that: An untruth! A myth!

And we rarely if ever hear anything about the most beautiful, fascinating and famous of the ancient Egyptian queens. Her name was Nefertiti, King Tut's stepmother. His mother, Kia, was a minor wife of his father, who was cast out of Egypt after Tut's birth by Nefertiti.

We African-Americans have a history that obviously is absolutely intriguing to white people. Fascinating, isn't it! I want to thank whoever is responsible for bringing one of our ancient African-American ancestors to this country during Black History Month.

The second thing: How our mayoral candidates, Tom Knox and Bob Brady in particular, want to put more police officers on our streets.

That is a good idea. In fact, a great idea - if you are going to put them on foot, in our neighborhoods. Please, the only good thing that will come out of putting more police on the streets is if they are going to be on foot.

We don't need them sitting in their patrol cars, or in police wagons on the corner. We need them on foot, people.

Their visible and physical presence will be far, far more valuable in cutting crime in our communities!

I have seen police called to a location, and 10 officers show up. One officer in each car! That's ridiculous!

If you're going to put more police officers on the streets of Philadelphia, put them on foot, and out of their cars!

Please!

Charlotte J. Mears

Philadelphia