Letters: Guns & respect: How it once was

RE: "GUN VIOLENCE Debate Continues" (Stu Bykofsky column, Jan. 14).

I am 78 years old and was raised during World War II. The column brought back vivid memories of my childhood. My dad had a .22-caliber rifle and he made a firing range in our cellar. He taught me how to fire it, take it apart and clean it. He would do the same for all the neighborhood kids with their parents' permission. He had a glass case where he kept the rifle, but never locked the case. All of us kids never went near the case without Dad's permission.

There was such a word back then in the dictionary as "respect." If someone was arrested for carrying a weapon illegally, the odds were they went to prison for a fairly long stretch. Threaten a police officer with a weapon? The accused went "up the river" for life. Shoot an officer? Well, the accused received an automatic death sentence . . . I don't mean by a trial in court, either.

Times were different, but crime was nowhere what it is today. Oh yes, the good guys carried; the bad guys were pretty much afraid of what would happen to them if they got caught carrying. There was no fooling around back then.

Tom Woodruff

Oreland

It's garbage, Mayor

Re: "It's A Trashy Way to Treat Citizens" (letter, Jan. 29).

This is outrageous. I am a senior citizen. I was born in Philadelphia and it's getting worse and worse. To fine people for putting trash out before 7 p.m. is ridiculous. In the summer I put my trash out before dark and in the winter earlier for safety's sake. What is the problem?

Mayor Nutter, thank God you won't be here for another term.

Josephine W. Bostick

Philadelphia

Send bad judges to jail

Re: Ticket fixing

I want to see how many judges get some sort of jail time. Remember, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Lock the crumbs up!

Pat Panichelli

Philadelphia

He gets the picture

Re: "Ready For His Close-up" (Jenice Armstrong, Feb. 4)

I read with great interest the story on Mr. Mendelsohn. I am a retired photographer formerly with the city of Philadelphia. I can understand his love for photography because it satisfies a certain lust to get that unforgettable shot. As a professional, he will tell you that he misses the darkroom work, just as I do. I, like Mr. Mendelsohn, carried a camera with me at all times although it was a point and shoot. I am 91 years of age, but I never lost the desire to take that one great shot. Good luck to Mr. Mendelsohn.

P.S. Tell him D76, he will understand.

Walter H. Williams

West Oak Lane

God & the Super Bowl

On the first day, God created light. On another day, after he made all the essential stuff, God created football. But he didn't intend for the game to be played indoors at night. That's why he messed with the light on Sunday night. He was sending the NFL a message.

Jim Acton

Collegeville

More operators, more $

Mayor Nutter, I have a solution to collect some of the monies owed to the city of Philadelphia: Hire more people in the tax-collection office.

Every, every, every time I call to pay what I owe, I always get a busy signal, no matter what time of the day. It is very annoying and then I forget to call back. It's a very simple solution . . . hire people who answer the damn phones.

Bobby LaVelle

Philadelphia

Guv's private thoughts

Does Gov. Corbett think we are that stupid? I am referring to his selling the liquor stores and then saying the money would be used for education. Cut me a break, as I would be willing to bet that little or any of it would go to education. What better way for him to get support than to say it would benefit the children of this state. In my humble opinion, Corbett has done little or nothing as governor. If he wins re-election, we deserve what we get.

He wants to give the lottery to a private company, and were we told if any lottery workers would be laid off? Of course not. How many people would be hurt if liquor stores are sold? What would happen to the employees who currently work in the liquor stores? If large chain stores were permitted to sell beer, what would happen to the beer distributors? Wal-Mart selling beer would put them out of business since Wal-Mart would get better prices.

Corbett needs to find another job - one that is outside the state of Pennsylvania.

Steve Vogel

Oxford, Pa.