Northeast Times Letter Of The Week

I don’t know, guys. I think I’m calling BS on this one:

What’s happening to Somerton?

There are about four shopping centers in Somerton that have really turned around, but you could only appreciate that if you were Russian.

It seems to me that all the American stores have been shut down and taken over by Russian business owners who don’t seem to realize that they are in America and that American people need to understand what they are selling in their stores.

I even heard if you aren’t Russian, you aren’t able to work there. Plus, I don’t think any American people could stand to go in these stores. Something has got to give.

Yes, it’s possible people in Northeast Philly are going to start hating on Russian immigrants now, too. But I don’t know. This just seems a little over-the-top. Thoughts?

Letters to the editor Feb. 5, 2009 [Northeast Times]

‘Northeast Times’ Celebrates Obama Election The Only Way It Knows How

Some news: The Northeast Times‘ website is now part of Philly.com’s MyCommunity section! Obviously! And for some reason all the stories are in Courier New.

That being said, let’s cut to the quick: This week’s editorial, about the inauguration of Barack Obama.

OK, racists of all colors, you can drop the hatred act now. Your gig is up. You can shut your filthy mouths now, for is officially colorblind. Barack Obama, ’s [sic] “first black president,” is now just “President Barack Obama.”

This of course means the time has come to disband groups and causes that are reserved for one race or another. No more “black colleges.” No more “United Negro College Fund.” No more “Black Journalists Association.”

What better way to celebrate the inauguration of the nation’s first black president than by calling for the end of all black colleges! I honestly can’t tell. Is it being tongue-in-cheek? It really doesn’t seem so, but it’s so absolutely insane that I’m wavering. (I’ve heard this argument before, though, too.)

Who knew that the point of the United Negro College Fund was to one day elect a mixed race man as president? The only private organization that should be demolished with the election of Barack Obama is the Group To Elect One — And Only One — Hawaiian President.

The editorial goes on to talk about how Obama’s race is irrelevant, and that he shouldn’t really deal with race at all. That it begins by calling for the end of the Black Journalists Association proves, I think, that Obama will be addressing race issues throughout his presidency.

Editorial: Hail to the chief [Northeast Times]

Northeast Times Letters Bonanza!

Thanks to the holiday the Northeast Times is already out this week. Best part of Thanksgiving! Let’s take a look at the letters page, which opens with the headline above.

Dismayed by behavior of our city officials

I agree 100 percent with your editorial A city in crisis that was in the Nov. 13 edition of the Northeast Times.

I am very disappointed in Mayor Nutter and the way

I guarantee this will not be the closing of libraries or pools or whatever. It will be something stupid.

he had turned his back on the situation with Councilman Wilson Goode Jr. and his aide, Latrice Bryant.

Ding ding ding! I want you to know that I didn’t look ahead.

Pin thief deserves a lot of misery

I hate thieves! Recently, we found the perfect Charlie Brown pumpkin to place out front of our house. It was only there a few hours before it disappeared. Shortly after, someone stole the ghost ornament out front, also. How pathetic for someone to have to steal such things.

Recently, I attended a 100th birthday party for my dear neighbor at a lovely country club in Upper Dublin for my dear neighbor. It was a lovely affair with a small gathering of friends, neighbors and family.

My coat was placed in the coatroom there. I’ve had a beautiful heart pin on my coat that belonged to my sister Anna when she was alive. She passed away nine years ago after spending many years in St. John Neumann Nursing Home, where her husband had visited her every day.

At that time, their home in Port Richmond was broken into twice by dope fiends in the area. They stole everything of value, including my sister’s jewelry. A few mementos were left undiscovered, and that pin was one of them. I treasured it because I loved my sister so much.

At first I didn’t realize the pin was gone, but soon missed it. Someone took it off my coat in the coatroom, and that broke my heart. I hope that miserable vulture has nothing but misery because of their thievery of that treasure and anything else they may have stolen!

This is historic, people: Someone in the Northeast Times complaining about the suburbs! I’m way past the stage where I question why the NE Times prints any letter, but if you’re still there, this might be a good one to noodle on.

Let them eat at home

I’m in agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture’s ruling about restrictions on food programs to our schools.

For the life of me, I can’t understand why parents can’t be responsible for providing food for their children. Isn’t it basically a parent’s responsibility to provide clothing, nourishment and house for their kids?

I realize that some families have problems and require help, but this shouldn’t be a massive problem. But to charge taxpayers, especially in this economy, to pay en masse for these programs is ridiculous.

If people can’t provide breakfast, lunch and dinner for their children and they show proof of financial difficulties, then by all means we will feed your kids, but no one should have carte blanche to these giveaway programs.

Like our letter writer here, of all the government spending and waste, I believe “feeding children” is the one we really need to cut first.

How to solve parking problem

Rather than just increasing the parking fees at Center City parking meters, why not start enforcing parking violations on non-metered streets in residential areas throughout the city?

On any given day or night on my block, there are at least 10 or more cars parked on the wrong side of the street facing opposing traffic; two parked trucks when NO TRUCK PARKING ANYTIME is clearly posted; one car parked directly in front of the fire hydrant down the corner; another car parked beyond the stop sign up the corner; and sometimes, a car or two double-parked with no flashers on for hours at a time.

Why not have two police officers for an hour or two on each shift in each police district start ticketing these illegally parked vehicles? It’s a no-brainer — end the free-for-all illegal parking epidemic on our residential streets while increasing much-needed revenue.

I predict “ongoing free-for-all illegal parking epidemic” is number 86 in Phillymag’s December issue.

But How Patriotic Is Chase Utley?

A letter in this week’s Northeast Times:

Regarding your editorial last week, Curse of the Phillie, yes, I agree that Chase Utley should not have used the language he did at the Phillies celebration parade.

You were right when you said our children and grandchildren should not have had to hear that language. However, our children and grandchildren had to hear Barack Obama’s “mentor” say “It’s not God bless America, it’s God damn America.” I and my entire family took great offense to that. Something like that will remain in their minds forever, but I’m sure Chase Utley’s bad language will not last as long.

Oh, goodie, I guess we’re going to keep hearing about Rev. Wright forever and ever and ever now, aren’t we? I do commend this letter writer for the stretch she had to make to get anti-Obama material into a letter about the Phillies. And for having a family that is somehow traumatized by something they heard a preacher say on the teevee.

Man, it would have been awesome if Chase Utley got up at the parade and went, “World ‘GOD DAMN AMERICA’ Champions!”

NE Times: Repeal 8th Amendment

Oh, I just knew there’d be something good in there this week! From the Northeast Times editorial this week:

After Congress and the president finally find a way to avert another Great Depression, they should turn to approving a constitutional amendment that would lift the ban on cruel and unusual punishment and allow states to torture repeat hard-core criminals and vicious, cold-blooded murderers.

Um, guys, I’m pretty sure we already torture people, just not on the books. (Gitmo, prison rape, etc.) However, I do appreciate your choice of an appropriate headline for your editorial.

More madness [Northeast Times]

Local Elections Heating Up

It’s not just Sarah Palin’s visit that is heating up the election scene in Philadelphia this week. (I have no idea what “the election scene” means. But it sounds kind of catchy, so I’ll keep it.)

In the Northeast Times, there’s a letter to the editor about the tight Matt Taubenberger-Brendan Boyle state house race:

On a recent Saturday night, I was home with my family when a car came up my street and stopped in front of my home. As we were not expecting company, we guessed they were looking for an address and would move on. Our street is very quiet with little traffic, and when the car did not move my daughter looked outside. What she saw shocked her and my whole family.

A man ran onto our lawn and stole the sign placed there supporting Brendan Boyle for Pennsylvania state representative. The man then jumped back into the car and sped away. No one bothered the opponent’s sign on a lawn two doors away, leading me to believe that this was not a juvenile prank. The next morning I noticed several Brendan Boyle signs missing from my neighborhood. I have heard that more than 50 signs were taken that weekend.

My family and I are disappointed to think that Brendan Boyle’s opponent’s staff or volunteers would behave as if this was a contest for junior high school class president and not Pennsylvania representative. We will replace the sign, and hopefully the public’s knowledge of these actions will discourage any further childish actions from these individuals.

Stealing signs! Sigh. That would shock my whole family, too. What is happening to Philadelphia?

The letters page also has this headline:

Yes. Yes, they do.

$6.95 Sure Sounds Like a Deal

There’s a certain subgroup of Philadelphians who read the Northeast Times’ letters page for unintentional comedy. I never really understood the appeal, until I read the latest edition, which is truly a mirror into the collective soul of a nation. From a letter entitled, “He has a yen for better Chinese food”:

As a lifelong resident of the Northeast one thing bothers me — the quality of the Chinese food that the Chinese restaurants serve in our area. Never in my life have I had such horrible food.

Chinese cuisine is one of the world’s greatest, but you would not know it by the slop served at our local Chinese places. I know that what is served is considered “Americanized,” but the quality still should be there. Given the price of gas, I cannot afford to run down to Center City.

Is there any Chinese restaurant owner that takes pride in what they serve? Would you as an owner eat your own food? I don’t think you would. The big problem is that most people cannot differentiate between good quality and bad. Are all Chinese sauces over-thickened, salty and inedible? Do you really think you’re getting a deal for $6.95?

I love that this hits upon quality of Chinese food in a distinct region, gas prices, the Americanization of foreign cultures and civic pride all in one fell swoop. Expect an investigative report on the deliciousness of Asian cuisine in Mayfair to be forthcoming from the Northeast Times.

Letters to the Editor [Northeast Times, Fourth Item]

Black, White And Dead Behind The Eyes

Okay, the Northeast Times is just baiting, now. First off, there’s a letter in this week’s edition titled, “Stop the injustice against the MOVE 9!” Right. Then, there’s this:

The debate continues, in black and white

In response to Melissa S. Tulin’s letter in the July 3 edition (She’s tired of the stereotypes), I suggest that she comprehend what my original letter stated before she claims others are racist simply because they disagree with her.

This way of thinking is exactly what I was talking about. Once again, African-Americans claim that they want to be “judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin,” when reality proves otherwise.

You state that some studies suggest that white women are the main beneficiaries of affirmative action, but you somehow omit the fact that on the whole, they outscore the African-American applicants.

Secondly, you correctly state the fact that unemployment is higher among black people, but you never mention why. Statistically, blacks score lower than others and a higher percentage are incarcerated. If you were an employer, who would you hire? Lastly, as a whole, crime and the quality of life is negatively affected when African-Americans move in. If you need proof, ride throughout the city and tell me different.

Yep. And when you let white people write letters to the editor, you get the stupidest argument styles possible. If you need proof… etc., etc.

Letters to the Editor 6.24.08 [Northeast Times]

Letter Writer: Teens Are Ugly Opium Eaters

Did you guys read the current issue of the Northeast Times yet? If you didn’t, you missed this letter, possibly the best one the paper has ever printed. (And it is really a tough contest.)

Sick and tired of the teens in Fox Chase

I am writing in response to Miss Sondra Lorino’s letter last week (Memo to bike-seat thief: You’re a coward). Frankly, I think it is utterly ridiculous that these hoodlums stole an innocent girl’s bike seat. I myself am sick and tired of the teenagers in this neighborhood. Last week I was walking my beloved Boston terrier Otto though the path at Burholme Park, when he cut his paw open on a broken beer bottle left by ignorant teens. It’s bad enough they’re hurting the neighborhood, but now small children and animals? Luckily my dog was OK, but who’s going to pay the vet bill? Maybe next time instead of buying a case of Zima or whatever they’re drinking these days, they can reimburse me for Otto’s left paw.

I also noticed Ms. Lorino’s concern about the recreation center. This too makes me very angry. It’s a recreation center meant for the youth, but it’s filled with teenagers and drugs. It’s beginning to remind me of an opium den in Taiwan. It’s occupied with ugly-looking teens and little kids using playground equipment. Does this make any sense? You tell me!

Who’s here to stop all these? Fox Chase Town Watch? Where are they? We would be better off having a blind version of the A-Team minus Face and Mr. T. Sure, I do see them patrolling, and they do help out a lot, but we need more. We need to reinforce the curfew laws. I see kids no older than 14 running around the neighborhood at 4 in the morning all souped up on God-knows-what. They’re out there throwing pennies and apples at people. Also I see the young girls walking around drunk with grown men. Where are the parents? Remember, the world revolves around action and responsibility.

Ahh, yes, the ol’ “blind version of the A-Team minus Face and Mr. T” reference. And I think it’s silly this letter writer doesn’t get why the young girls are walking around with grown men: As he proved in his previous paragraph, teenagers nowadays are ugly. Plus grown men can get something better than Zima, which not even teenagers drink anymore.

With apologies to Vogt Playground, which isn’t even in Fox Chase. Eh.

Now This Is A Way To Start An Editorial

Thank you, Northeast Times:

It’s time for the vocal minority of tree-hugging, narrowminded naysayers who live in fantasy land to put up or shut up. Come up with a cure for cancer or step back and let Fox Chase Cancer Center do its job unfettered.

Ahh, the ol’ “find a cure for cancer” demand.

A crucial decision [Northeast Times]