Political Cartoon: Safe injection sites all over South Philadelphia

Yesterday morning I interviewed people at the corner of South Broad and Snyder Avenue, as well as blocks farther away, about the safe injection site about to be opened nearby. The reaction I heard, as has been reported by others, was mixed, but about half were positive and eloquently so. One Parking Authority employee cheerfully said, “Yes! If it’s properly patrolled and regulated, I don’t see anything wrong with it. I’m three and a half years in recovery. Anything to help.” An older man said, “I feel good about it. It gives them [drug users’ someplace they can drop their needles in a safe place.”

A 23-year-old headed to work in fire recovery disagreed: “You can’t help people who don’t want to be helped." And, he added, South Philadelphia is now known as “baby Kensington.” Though he said “I can’t even walk with my three-year-old," he gave props to the police.” And a young woman headed to work with her little boy was a no vote. She looked down at her boy and said there were too many drugs around.

Those who were OK with the site mentioned wanting a safer city without rampant drugs and free-roaming drug users on the streets. Officials promise to keep the peace around the new safe injection site. Residents critical of the site might feel more charitable if City Hall offered more evidence that it can keep the peace anywhere in the city of brotherly love.

Editorial cartoons from this week include: