Letters to the Editor | Oct. 12, 2022

Does anyone else wonder why GOP lawmakers are focused solely on the preservation of the baby? Instead of the very punitive approach of only outlawing abortions, why are they not requiring that the fathers take a role in raising these children — unwanted by mothers unable to raise them for whatever reason?

Rather than condemning most of these mothers to a life of poverty, technology now exists to confirm the identity of fathers, garnish their wages, and enable them to fully participate in the unending, thankless tasks of meals, doctors’ appointments, youth sports, dance classes, band, and scouting activities. Requiring the fathers to finance and support these children in person could relieve the burden on the mothers so they could work more successfully at higher-paying jobs.

I am disturbed by the hypocrisy of the GOP elites, and though I am a registered Republican and, more importantly, a pro-lifer, this will continue to impact my vote.

Catherine Lathbury, Havertown

News that Marty Moss-Coane will be ending her show Radio Times this month is such a loss to the city and the whole radio universe. As the consummate interviewer and radio voice on NPR for 35 years, she has offered a unique and irreplaceable oasis for meaningful topics to be addressed with depth and sensitivity. I consider her my North Star when it comes to excellent research and a humane and intellectually curious approach to her subjects. Even the warmth of her voice creates a welcoming feeling and makes one want to listen attentively.

Her special talents will be very much missed in this increasingly shrill media world.

Judy Hughes, Blue Bell

Today, people throughout the city are asking the question: How can we end the gun violence that has caused so many deaths? My opinion is that we can all learn a lot from one of the latest victims, 14-year-old Nicolas Elizalde.

I didn’t know Elizalde but learned about his life from The Inquirer article by Ellie Rushing and Kristen A. Graham. Although Elizalde lived in Havertown, he apparently was attracted by the relative diversity of Philadelphia and attended Saul High School. He also made his voice heard in the struggle against injustice. He participated in demonstrations of Black Lives Matter, abortion rights, climate change, and stopping gun violence.

This article reported that Elizalde had a different approach to the politicians who argue that we need to “get tough on crime.” Elizalde recently wrote a paper saying that people break rules “for higher purposes,” referencing the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi.

Here I believe a bit of history is useful. During the civil rights movement, the focus was on doing away with the laws that made Black people second-class citizens. The songs of that era give us a sense of the sentiment of those days.

They sang, “Woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom.” Then, there were the words, “keep your eyes on the prize.” With that consciousness, there was a focus on the struggle that I believe we need today. Nicolas Elizalde understood this. While his life was too short, there is much we can all learn from the life that he lived.

Steven Halpern, Philadelphia

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