Letters to the Editor

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Published: Sep 8, 2010

QUIT WHINING

As a "freelance writer" who's had [to pay] the city of Philadelphia's mandatory Business Privilege License for 30 years so that I could work as a journalist out of my apartment or rowhouse, this boo-hoo, bloggers-are-being-taxed-by-city-meanies brouhaha seems, well, a manufactured tempest in a teapot [Naked City, "Pay Up," Valerie Rubinsky, Aug, 19]. Philadelphia has always applied this tax to writers, artists and, indeed, everyone who conducts a "business" from their home and elsewhere. This means bloggers, too. It seems bloggers want it both ways — they want to be viewed as "citizen journalists" with the emphasis on "journalist," and yet they want to be viewed financially as "hobbyists" not making a living from their work. Well, welcome to the real world. Why should bloggers be exempt from the rigors of professionalism?

Regardless of the good intent of these underpaid street solicitors, I am tired of them [Cover Story, "Idealists for Hire," Isaiah Thompson, Aug. 12]. I live in Center City and can hardly leave my apartment without having to deal with several of them. Even late at night, I have seen them in my neighborhood. I would think after working a certain area for a month or so they would move on. No. They just change the color of their T-shirts and pick up a new "cause"! I wish I could "opt out" instead of crossing to the other side of the street!

Is City Paper on the lookout for Republicans? For a few weeks now, the paper has been quick to jump on Democrats for bullying opponents into withdrawing from races and preventing them from taking their seats as elected committee people, but I'm still looking for the articles that attack Repugs with the same vigor and thoroughness as the articles about Democrats do [Naked City, "When Elections Don't Matter," Holly Otterbein, July 8; A Million Stories, Aug. 12, Aug. 19, Aug. 26]. When Repugs [sic] don't follow the rules, that's considered business as usual by the conservative media. When Democrats do the same thing, it's all over the place.