Letters Oversights Thank you for the excellent, front-page article dealing with SEPTA's funding problems. [See: "Another year, another SEPTA crisis" by Michael J. Mishak, Chestnut Hill Local, June 17, page 1.] I hope that you will permit me to make two points. First, the demonstration on June 8 at the State Office Building was originally called by the Green Party of Philadelphia Hillary Aisenstein, city committee chair of the Green Party, then proceeded to talk the Philadelphia Transportation Campaign (PTC) (www.phillystraphangers.org) into sponsoring the demonstration. PTC is a coalition of several groups, including the Northwest Campaign for Public Transportation (NWCPT), Northwest Greens, and PenTrans. I thought it was an oversight that neither the Green Party nor PTC were mentioned in your reporting. Second, I think it was incorrect for the Chestnut Hill Local to take the "white knight" approach in dealing with SEPTA's funding crisis. While your report on the rally quoted the various speakers accurately, none of those leaders will be able to save the trains or buses on which your readers ride. The decision on dedicated funding will actually be made by people who use SEPTA or who are affected by it. Each of them should tell Harrisburg that public transportation is an economic and environmental necessity. Now is the time for them to write to their State Senator and State Representative. Those of your readers who support SEPTA and want to increase state funding for public transportation can join PTC by contacting 215-843-4256 or nwgreens@yahoo.com. Chris Robinson (chrisrecon@netzero.net) (Ed. note: The Philadelphia Transportation Campaign, along with its organization members NWCPT, Northwest Greens and PenTrans, were mentioned in the article.) Demeanor belied policies Kevin Flynn's response to Jimmy Pack, regarding his June 10 article [in the Local] was an unending stream of personal attacks. He accuses Mr. Pack of "demonizing those who pass to the other side," but Mr. Pack, respectfully and straightforwardly, cut through the mythmaking and propaganda with which the media and political establishment have responded to the death of President Reagan. Reagan was folksy, charming and an effective motivational speaker, but his nice demeanor belied his policies. I remember his cutting vital social programs, such as federal funds for school lunch programs. I was teaching in the inner city when he declared ketchup a vegetable to justify the cuts. Thousands died in Central America when his government illegally funded death squads. He funded and supported right wing dictatorships worldwide. Oliver North and Iran-Contra were under his watch. He defended apartheid in South Africa and showed contempt for the poor at home. His "welfare queen" label reflected his insensitivity. The rise of AIDS and his refusal to address it is also part of his legacy. Millions of workers were angered and alienated by his anti-union position, plus his firing of nearly 12,000 air traffic controllers. His huge tax cuts for the wealthy, his desire to overturn Roe v. Wade, the devastating waste of "Star Wars" and impact of Reagonomics on working folks bear mentioning as well. Judy Rubin Shining the light Another one for Jimmy: "Ignorance is like a shadow. It has no real substance of its own, it is simply a lack of light. You cannot cause a shadow to disappear by trying to fight it, stamp on it, by railing against it, or any other form of emotional or physical resistance. In order to cause a shadow to disappear, you must shine light on it." Shakti Gawain Quiet but powerful force With typical humility Katie Worrall summarized her quarter-century of hard work and devotion to the Chestnut Hill Community Association and the Chestnut Hill Local in an article on page three and in only 468 words. For every one hundred people that read the Local and are pleasantly informed or gratified by it, how many have written a letter, e-mail or called to congratulate the editor? Yet it is commonplace for a reader to harass, complain or accuse the editor of some unintended slight. Being the editor of one of the only independent weekly newspapers remaining in the state of Pennsylvania can be an incredibly difficult and lonely livelihood. Katie began as a volunteer and continues to be a volunteer. She can be seen volunteering at the Pastorius Park concerts, the Fall for the Arts Festival and the Garden Festival, or working with the Rotary. The list goes on and on. Few are aware of all the things Katie did for the Local since she became the editor. She inherited a newspaper with $55,000 of debt. She personally wrote article after article to save money. The editorial budget by her first year's end had saved the Local thousands and thousands of dollars. She personally attended virtually every meeting of the Executive Committee, the Local Management Committee, the Task Force for Financial Responsibility, the Search Committee for the Community Manager and the Local's Business Manager, the Board of Directors meetings, and many other committee meetings. She did this to report to the community what was happening. She did this because she cares for the community, the Chestnut Hill Community Association and its members. Her reporting of these events was honest and straightforward. Never has the community been so well informed about the Community Association. Katie inherited a newspaper that had contributed to rancor and dissension among different groups and members of the community. The tone and attitude in the Community Association today is positive, hard working and forward looking, and Katie has been a quiet but powerful force helping to make this happen. The Community Association will be hard pressed to find another editor equal to Katie Worrall. Douglas Doman |
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