To the Editor:
What ever happened to social responsibility?
My 16-year-old son went shopping and upon returning from a popular urban clothing store at the new strip mall, 23rd Street and Oregon Avenue, I was shocked and disgusted when he showed the T-shirt he'd purchased.
After more than 240 murders and hundreds of shooting victims in Philadelphia this year (mostly African American) and given the public's anger regarding the violence, how is it my son was able to purchase a T-shirt depicting a black male with a handgun pointed to the head of anther black male? The inscription read "Saturday Night Special.”
I immediately drove my son back to the store to return the shirt. In my anger, I found myself verbally beating the manager and questioning his level of social responsibility.
Of course, he declared he was just doing his job and no one forced my son to purchase the shirt.
At that point I realized: He was right.
The problem falls to me and every other responsible adult and parent who allow any establishment to come into our communities and discard their social responsibility by selling our children garments with such violent messages. Moreover, the reason why you cannot find this garbage in other communities is because they do not allow it - and neither should we.
-Hameen Z. Nuriddin
South Philadelphia
Justice has blinders
To the Editor:
I was so angry after reading in Police Report ("Charged with teen's murder," Aug. 10) about senior citizen Barry Mason charged with murder after some teen snatched his jewelry. Mr. Mason should have been labeled a hero for standing up to this ongoing, escalating terror these ghetto punks are raging upon South Philadelphia.
I have witnessed many occasions where gangs roam through neighborhoods, looting, stealing and vandalizing. Mr. Mason must have had enough. I know what he was feeling. I was robbed many times by punks on bikes. If Mr. Mason is convicted in any way, shape or form, this judicial system is geared for the criminal and not for the law-abiding citizen.
-Dave Lloyd
South Philadelphia
War of words
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The credibility gap
