April 25-May 1, 2002

mailbag

Letters to the Editor

by the Readers

City Deal

I have only lived in Philadelphia for four years now and I could say that I have built a love/hate relationship with the city. Lately the feelings have been more hateful and frustrated with the John Street's short-term relief effort called the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative (NTI). Somehow the mayor thinks that the flight of the middle class, 13 percent since 1990, will reverse itself when a chunk of decaying houses gets leveled. The mayor is missing the big picture. NTI will not make Philadelphia an attractive product to the average middle-class consumer.

These are the consumers that like to have and buy stuff. Capitalistic consumerism is not necessarily such a bad thing. We, the hard-working citizens of this country, are all consumers looking for the best deal in life. Right now, unfortunately, the best comprehensive deal in life is outside the city's boundaries. Face it, the suburbs have better schools, lower taxes and the good jobs. Who needs what the city has to offer when you can get what you need in Doylestown or Narberth?

In fact, middle-class families will not even blink an eye when NTI is complete. It is the same reason why a customer at Circuit City would not buy a stereo with one dented speaker and a busted tuning knob. After NTI is finished, the middle class will still only be offered a below-average product. NTI is trying to fix this broken stereo with a huge amount of debt that may be enough to cover all of the legal bills and "consultants' fees." I know this because I worked for one of the most "prominent" CDCs in the Northwest section of Philadelphia. As a young naive real estate developer, I thought that our CDC could really revitalize Germantown. Unfortunately, in my three years at the CDC, I saw $6 million go into lawyers' pockets, executive payrolls and inflated operating expenses. The CDC's total accomplishments: an apartment complex and six rehabbed houses. For who, for what? Low-income families who moved from across the street, out of their crumbling houses into new ones. Don't get me wrong, this is a good cause in its own right. Unfortunately, we never sold one property to a middle-class family who was moving back into the city.

This is why I think NTI to me is a big joke. I think that changing a city takes more than bringing down some old houses. Pumping more money into places like Kensington and Strawberry Mansion will not do a thing to bring the middle class back to the city. What is ignored in the NTI plan is that the city can't fight the choices that people have to move away from the problems in the city. Capitalism gives people the choice to move away from people who don't share the same values.

But really, can you blame these people who participate in urban sprawl? I don't think they will ever move back into the city, do you? If they do move back, will they really want to live next door to vacant lots, put their kids in poorly run schools and live next to people who litter and don't take care of their property?

The bottom line is that we are all consumers looking for the best deal. We shop for what will do the best for us. Right now, Philly cannot provide people with the best deal. Philly will never be a good deal unless the bulldozers demolish large sections of the city, then Toll Brothers builds suburban-style housing with walls around the small developed quadrants with easy access from the quadrants to the highway.

Just some thoughts from a city dweller who became jaded.

J. Evans
Philadelphia

Peirce-ing Image

(Re: "Art Attack," by Jenn Carbin, April 11)

I share the view of Historical Commission Acting Chair Jim Cuorato regarding the mural on 410 S. 15th St. I walk past it every day on my way to and from work, and I consider it a valuable part of my neighborhood. I am at a loss to understand why Peirce College officials object to it.

It can't be the partially clothed human figures; the sculptures that adorn City Hall display much more nudity.

It can't be because the artist failed to follow the proper administrative process; Peirce officials themselves failed to follow proper process when they missed the deadline to appeal the vote of the Historical Commission.

And it can't be the subject matter; parts of the city are dotted with "R.I.P." murals that memorialize murdered drug dealers and gang members. Certainly these are much more objectionable. And I doubt their artists got the appropriate approvals before they put paint on the walls.

Philadelphia is a city rich in diversity, and that diversity is celebrated with murals in every neighborhood. However, the Mural Arts Program cannot be expected to line up corporate support to reflect the totality of that diversity. Individuals, such as artist Dee Rosado and building manager Michael Sher, should be thanked for partially filling this need.

One can only conclude that Peirce officials don't like the mural because it does not conform to their notion of "good taste." Therefore, they should spend their students' tuition dollars on buying blinds for their windows, not on forcing their artistic values on their neighbors.

Paul Hanson
Philadelphia

Don’t Ask Y

(Re: "Let My People Go," by Daryl Gale, April 11)

I read with interest your article on the Christian St. YMCA. I have never set foot in this Y branch, but have been a member of the Central Y for many years. The concept of corporate tyranny applies to the Central Y as well.

The Central Y has not had an operating swimming pool since June 2001. The attitudes of corporate and the Central Y administration have been indifferent to arrogant concerning the pool. Membership and line employees at Central have become frustrated and disheartened.

Let's give all of the YMCAs back to the community and the membership.

Owen B. Sindler
Philadelphia

I have to say that the comment that Mrs. Rooney had made was completely taken out of context. I was a student of Mrs. Rooney's and remember her to be a very warm and caring individual to all people -- students, adults, children and colleagues alike. I also spent much of my time in school alongside her son who, as I remember, was the most pleasant person to be around in addition to being very kind. Wouldn't he represent the same qualities of his mother? Of course. To me, that doesn't sound like the villain that people have made Mrs. Rooney out to be in the article.

Jennifer Lisacek
Philadelphia

War Stories

(Re: Slant section, April 11)

It is with great interest and appreciation to your paper that I read the comments of Rania Awwad on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict -- or Sharon's War, as it is called by many. In this conflict we need to be concerned about the total indifference to the rules and standards established and accepted by the international community. One country cannot be above the law. Nor can the U.S. afford to support such a country without losing our own credibility and standing in the world -- not to mention the forfeiture of our own principles.

D.M. Richards
via e-mail

I'm extremely offended by the anti-Arabic commentary by Sharon Nader-Sloan, an attorney who is Lebanese-American. Does she believe that being an attorney and of Lebanese descent gives her some moral high ground?

Ms. Sloan incorrectly states that the United States invaded Afghanistan because Afghanistan destroyed the twin towers in New York. I don't believe any of the terrorists were from Afghanistan. Most of the terrorists were Saudis. So by her logic we should have invaded Saudi Arabia. Actually, the reason we invaded Afghanistan, routed the Taliban, and installed a heroin cartel in charge has more to do with oil than justice, but that's another story.

As for Ms. Sloan's remarks about Palestine never being its own country and therefore shouldn't be a separate state, the same should be true of Israel, which only became a state in 1948. But not before Jewish terrorists bombed hotels, cafes and apartment houses, killing innocent British women and children, forcing the British to relinquish control of what is now Israel.

Palestinians are demanding their own state because they can no longer tolerate the brutality heaped upon them by the Israeli army and police. The Israeli government has forced hundreds of thousands into exile or refugee camps. Israel has razed thousands of Arab homes, murdered men, women and children and tortured thousands of prisoners. Ms. Sloan has the audacity to call Israel's invasion less harsh than most countries', whereas Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, has called Israel's brutal tactics during this present invasion despicable.

That Palestinians strap explosives to themselves and detonate them in crowded areas in Israel shows how desperate Palestinians have become. If Israel wants peace it can have it by sitting down and honestly negotiating a settlement that guarantees some form of safety for both Palestinians and Israelis.

Harry Schmidt
Holmesburg