September 4-10, 2003

mailbag

Letters to the Editor

by the Readers

Kiss My Ashcroft

I just read your article ["Print Out," Pretzel Logic, Howard Altman, August 28, 2003] and disturbing it is. What we need is more alternative media.

I haven't watched TV in five years and even find myself avoiding newspapers these days. Most of what I need to know I find via BuzzFlash.com and like-minded online sites. I know the most important news immediately, days before I hear it on NPR and weeks before I see it in paper.

Sigh.

The dumbing down of America is not funny anymore.

Just wanted to say thanks for your article.

Good luck with the bastards.

Coco Conn

via e-mail

When Ashcroft tries to sell us on his abuse of power under the Patriot Act, he says that he needs to fight a terrorist with the same powers he uses against mobsters.

Interesting, at what point will he start referring to us Christian U.S. citizens, (who do NOT support the Patriot Act), as "mobsters"?

P.A. Crone

via e-mail

I am equally appalled that AshKKKroft limited his press conference audience to handpicked personnel. The pen gets on the Internet and goes well beyond the limits of a 30-second media blitz. Indeed, given the Internetís power, the pen -- or in this case, the computer -- is mightier than AshKKKroftís selected TV crew. Case in point: Iím in California reading your article.

It is cited on a number of Democratic news blurbs dispersed by BuzzFlash.com and Democrats.com.

Thanks for your bravery for writing. General AshKKKroft looks to the day when he no longer must contend with thinking people who speak truth to power. As your kind of bravery spreads nationally among journalists, the Bush administration will become history sooner rather than later.

Ana Maria Rosato

via e-mail

I read your article about not covering Mr. Ashcroftís sales pitch for the Patriot Act, and for what itís worth, I am truly horrified by the implications -- and in these times, for any single thing to stand out from the wallpaper -- nay, landscape -- of horror, thatís saying something.

What kills me is the way so many people shrug this stuff off. Maybe since most people donít exercise their constitutional rights daily they donít notice how these new laws and orders and policies are consuming their freedom. To me the right to report the truth and the right to speak out are like having fire extinguishers -- and I smell smoke. How are we going to put out the fire and get everybody out of the building in time?

Rosamond Fogg

Hermosa beach, calif

I just read your piece about the appalling treatment meted out to print reporters by Ashcroft's SS. And this question occurred to me: What would happen if the TV guys had refused to go along with that disgusting game? What if they said to Ashcroft, either include the print reporters, too, or we won't cover you either? And what if they then reported what happened?

Wouldn't that be refreshing? Of course, some months ago, I was wondering what would happen if the reporters at Bush's infamous scripted press conference had refused to participate in that journalistic disgrace. Or if one of them had had the guts to ask an unscripted question.

Jack McCain
Durham, ct

Katz Got His Vote

My sincere thanks go out to Mr. Gale and moreover to the Urban Professionals ["Meeting of the Minds," Gale Warning, Daryl Gale, August 28, 2003]. I too come from a family of lifelong Democrats and to vote Republican has always been taken as a sure sign of diminished capacity, at best.

However, I share the exact opinions expressed by the people in that group. I do not want to live in a city that is, to quote the Southern philosopher George Clinton, "standing on the verge of getting it on." I want to live in a city that is already a vibrant, progressive community with a defined vision for the 21st century with all its complexities. Sam Katz has demonstrated that he can bring both a specialized and comprehensive skill set to the job, one that is required by a city of our magnitude. I too applaud the job that Mayor Street has done for the City of Philadelphia but I am convinced that we should not reward anyone with a second term in any office who has not demonstrated a masterful game plan of the future challenges, as well as the present conditions, that face their constituency. I and many other people who were raised in fiercely Democratic households now find they are having to do something extremely challenging to those around us, thinking and voting with our consciences, not by conditioning.

P.S. I saw with my own two eyes Sam Katz buying three Richie Havens records on vinyl in Kensington three weeks ago at a salsa show. He told me he caught Richie's gig at the Main Point back in '74. (Damn, I missed that show).

Aaron Luis Levinson
fishtown

Shirt Hurt

"Philadelphia -- The place that loves you back" -- but hates your tourist T-shirts [Tourist Chic," Debra Auspitz, August 21, 2003]. I think that Ms. Auspitz needs to be a little less concerned with tourists' fashion sense and a little more concerned that they buy at all. Tourist T-shirts are exactly that -- tourist. Visitors from all over the world travel to destinations and want to bring back a memento or souvenir for themselves or their loved ones. As far as the specific designs on the shirts, well, that's all about personal preference. What you consider to be "tacky" might be considered attractive by other people. That's what makes each person an individual.

If you had done any research prior to writing this article, you'd know that all purchases in the Independence Visitor Center store fund Independence National Historical Park. It is because of this sponsorship that the visitor center can operate and continue to service the millions of visitors that have graced this beautiful city. Personally, I'd much rather spend my hard-earned money in a place that supports the preservation of our national heritage. For that I don't mind paying a little more, and believe it or not, there are still people out there who like denim, and don't think that it's "too much."

Tourism has enormous economic impact in our area by boosting sales and profits, creating jobs, amplifying tax revenues and increasing incomes. So before you knock the tourist and his "dorky" taste in souvenir apparel, think about the nearly 4,000 jobs he created (1999), and the $9.2 billion he spent in the Philadelphia area (1999).

Statistics taken from GPTMC's "Philadelphia: Tourism Promotion Analysis," April 2002.

Jennifer Murphy
via e-mail

Folks Before Volkswagens

Interesting juxtaposition of writing [CitySpace, August 28, 2003]. Now wouldn't it be great if the area around the 30th Street Station had a huge Parking Authority lot and then shuttle buses into Center City, prohibiting car traffic or making a charge (as London is doing) for inner-city car traffic. Then we could rid ourselves of the ugly parking lots on prime real estate such as Eighth and 15th on Chestnut, proposed 19th and Walnut, and Jefferson's 10th and Chestnut monstrosity and encourage parks and restaurants on the street level. Then tourists as well as residents would love us back. A land-value tax would help as an incentive to do all this if City Council and the Tax Reform Commission would see the light.

A second suggestion to keep city-urban type folks in our neighborhoods, since porch-fronts are not in vogue (but wouldn't it be great for the communities if they were), would be to forbid "garage-houses" which don't add to street parking but do prevent tree plantings and give off unfriendly signs (like "Your car will be towed") and add more pollution.

Joan Sage
philadelphia

Correction

In last week's Fringe guide ["Site Specific," Aug. 29, 2003], it was incorrectly stated that Sulimay's diner is located in Northern Liberties. It is in fact in Fishtown.