LETTERS - May 31

Bad Boyd plan

The Philadelphia Historical Commission wisely stopped the wanton destruction of the Boyd Theatre movie palace last week ("Boyd plan is not worthy of the block," May 21). The developers, apparently ignorant of the elegant, French Art Deco architecture, showed total disrespect for the city's cultural heritage by needlessly leveling what could have extended the life, value, and usefulness of this still-viable facility.

The developers should not be allowed to use what's left of the structure for a facad-ectomy, a phony ploy to get financial credits for so-called building conservation. Instead, they should be required to take whatever is left of this once-handsome structure to build and support a museum of Art Deco style.

Theaters serve to exhibit the current culture. They are a benefit to civilization, not something to be turned into condominiums.

Prices shouldn't be up and down thing

The airline industry's policy of raising fares based upon the seats available stands alone among industries ("Airfares shot up after derailment," May 28). We don't pay more when a train is almost full, or a movie theater has only a few seats remaining, or an auto dealer has only one car in a particular color on the lot, or if there are only two suits in a certain size on the rack, or only a few parking spots left in a parking garage.

While I understand the law of supply and demand, air travel is not a luxury option for many; it is a necessity. To create financial hardship for ordinary people because only a few airplane seats are available is cruel. So are the seasonal variations that double fares, or more. It would be preferable if we all paid a bit more for every ticket sold throughout the year, and not have air fares unpredictably fluctuate, commonly hour-by-hour, out of reach for many.

Rod Meyers, Bryn Mawr, rodmeyers@aol.com

Where are your papers? Stuck in Harrisburg

Well-intentioned regulations in response to the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal are creating havoc for people having to get child-protection clearances for their jobs. Trying to reach the state's ChildLine to get duplicate documents - since my originals never arrived in the mail - resulted in being on hold for hours and, as is typical, being cut off due to the volume of calls. And there is no website where one can click to get duplicates.

No one who will accept responsibility for this mess. Acting Human Services Secretary Ted Dallas - the new guy - blames the Corbett administration. That's not helpful.

Meanthwhile, the law says we must have these documents, and two out of three won't cut it. So even though I know I was cleared, one of my documents is in limbo and so is my job. I'm quite sure I'm not alone.

Kate Johnson, Jenkintown, katemacjoh@aol.com

None better than warriors know cost of war

A recent letter writer's perception that honoring protesters on Memorial Day would dishonor the fallen seems to offer a limited view ("Observance would risk dishonoring the fallen," May 25). Veterans and others who become antiwar protesters do not protest the fallen; they are opposed to the war that caused them to fall. On Memorial Day, or any day, they are protesting war, not the warriors. And in calling for an end to war, they are making a plea for peace.

Rather than urge that protesters stay home, we ought to urge everyone to protest war and work for peace - and fewer fallen.

Jean Haskell, Philadelphia jean.haskell205@gmail.com

Wide of the goal on 2008 crash accounting

It's amazing that the U.S. Department of Justice can mount a wide-ranging attack on corruption in the world soccer monopoly, yet is unable to bring a single indictment against the Wall Street tycoons whose crimes have affected every American ("Soccer officials charged with taking bribes for tourney sites," May 28).

Walter Fox, Philadelphia, wjfoxjr@verizon.net