Letters to the Editor | Oct. 3, 2022

Philly has too few public bathrooms, and sometimes miscalculates the number of porta johns, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and cleanouts needed for an event.

My suggestion works in other countries: pay to go. You need to pay to get in the door. The money collected goes toward upkeep.

The upkeep can be a periodic visit from a sanitation worker or a staffed restroom for the more troubled areas.

To take it a step further, add cameras in the common access area outside the stalls.

Who cares if they are on camera washing hands or checking for food stuck in their teeth in the metal mirror?

Barry Beck, Turnersville

The Republican nominee for Pennsylvania governor said if elected, he could appoint a secretary of state who can reject the winner of a free and fair election and replace the fairly elected person with a preferred individual. Ridiculous. Why commit the time and expense of an election when the results only count if the governor replaces the winner with his/her preferred person?

I have voted in elections for 60 years and never experienced a verifiable rigged/flawed election. Sadly, all the election denial misinformation today stems from the lie of one man who’s regularly made proven lies and false statements for over five years.

I believe election officials’ statement that the 2020 general election was the “most secure in American history.” I also believe the U.S. has the best election system anywhere. Why aren’t Republican election deniers concentrating on positive legislation for voters instead of conspiracy theories?

Robert Turnbull, Hatboro

In Thursday’s Inquirer, Marcus Hayes’ touching and brilliant column summarized why the U.S. couldn’t stop its citizens and children from being murdered by guns. That primary reason is the Republican Party continues to cater to its fanatical gun fringe and gun manufacturers’ profit. Frustrated, Hayes believes we will do nothing. I share his frustration.

Even under these illogical existing conditions, perhaps we can do something. But first, the community must compromise if we’re to make progress under the nonsensical current gun laws. As too many adults and kids freely walk around with unlicensed guns, it’s on the street where the action must occur.

So there’s only one way to make a quick dent in this gun situation. As undesirable as it is, specially trained police must be allowed to patrol in unmarked vans and “stop-and-frisk” suspicious individuals. In addition, all the necessary computer equipment should be in the vans to immediately scan for existing warrants.

“Police state,” you scream. Well, maybe halfway there. Would you say OK if it saves one child’s life? Do you know of a faster and better way?

Dave “Fizzy” Weinraub, Cherry Hill

Coming of age amidst the climate crisis, climate change will limit my generation’s ability to thrive. One of climate change’s biggest culprits is methane. Last fall, the Environmental Protection Agency released a proposal to curtail methane emissions from the oil and gas sector, the United States’ largest source of industrial methane pollution. While this is a step forward, it fails to close loopholes allowing companies to continue polluting.

The EPA needs to close these loopholes to ensure effective methane standards. Regular inspections of smaller wells should be required. These wells can leak over 100% of their reported gas production into the atmosphere, and as a result, are responsible for approximately half of well methane emissions. Inspections will bolster the new rule and hold companies accountable.

Methane is a key driver of climate change, and the EPA’s proposal has the potential to reduce methane emissions by almost 41 million metric tons. We need immediate action to strengthen this proposal to protect our communities. Pennsylvanians who care about our planet should submit a comment to the EPA to support the proposal and petition to close loopholes. At this critical moment, we are responsible for holding the government accountable for addressing the climate crisis.

Sara Melley, Philadelphia

Earlier in September, Tiffany Fletcher, a worker at a Philadelphia recreational center, was caught in a cross fire. On Tuesday, the day after Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney spoke at her funeral, Kenney signed an executive order banning guns from the city’s indoor and outdoor recreation spaces.

Unfortunately, the ban applies to people who illegally carry guns and law-abiding citizens with concealed handgun permits. But because people with illegal guns aren’t likely to follow the law, the mayor’s gun-free zones will accomplish the opposite of what he wants.

By contrast, permit holders are extremely law-abiding and are rarely convicted of firearms-related violations. The ban encourages criminality, as criminals know armed civilians will obey the ban and be unable to protect themselves. Gun-free zones serve as magnets for attacks.

Creating lots of gun-free zones makes it difficult to legally carry a gun, as people may have to frequent those areas just to go about their daily lives. Law-abiding people will now be defenseless going to or from those gun-free zones.

John R. Lott Jr., president, Crime Prevention Research Center, Swarthmore

. . .

I applaud Mayor Jim Kenney for signing an executive order banning all firearms inside city-owned recreation centers, parks, playgrounds, fields, and swimming pools. It’s bitterly ironic that the mayor’s executive order came one day after the funeral for a rec center employee who was shot and killed while at work and the same day heavily armed people opened fire on a group of Roxborough High School junior varsity football players walking off the field after a scrimmage. A 14-year-old boy died; four others were hospitalized. We are experiencing an unprecedented, gun-related epidemic of violence here in the city and across America. The mayor’s courageous act will undoubtedly rile up the NRA and gun rights advocates. I get it, many building trades members who I work with are responsible gun owners. But no one needs to have a gun in a city rec center, playground, field, park, or pool. No one. The lives of innocent children and dedicated city workers are far more important than a gun owner’s right to bear arms.

Frank Keel, North Wales

The Democratic Party’s agenda includes:

The Republican Party’s agenda includes:

Voting Democratic empowers liberty and progress under the rule of law in our democratic republic of America. Not voting supports the Republican agenda of autocratic rule of a dictator, as does voting for any primary-selected Republican.

Wayne Williams, Malvern

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