To the Editor:
What I’m about to say may seem like an irrational and irate tirade but I assure you it’s not.
As residents of South 11th Street — between Cantrell on the north and Winton on the south — we are mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore.
My wife, who’s heart is pure and energy level is astounding, just went out early on a Friday morning and cleaned up — with standard broom, push broom, dust pan and trash receptacle — every bit of dog waste and trash on our side of the street. And I can assure you there was a ridiculous amount to gather.
It is absolutely amazing to me how much apathy people have when it comes to this neighborhood and the city as a whole. For example, we’ve seen people fi nish a bag of chips and toss it on the ground without thinking twice. And this is unspoken — fi nding feces to step in is as easy as walking out the front door. It infuriates me!
Our dog, in the six years we’ve had him (in Pennsylvania and Michigan), has never left his business behind for someone else to fi nd. Why? Because my wife and I have the common sense and respect to clean up after him.
Seriously, is this too much to ask? We moved to Philadelphia about three years ago. At that time she said, “you know it’s funny; one of the nicknames here is “fi lthadelphia.” Since then I’ve grown to know why. We have another thing we tell visitors about the city: “Many people here just don’t care.”
In the meantime, I’ll continue to walk past those signs that warn of a $300 fi ne for not cleaning up after your dog, grin sarcastically and say, “I’d love to see someone get a citation for that.” The folks all the way down in Citizens Bank Park would hear me cheering.
Anthony (Tony) Reese
South Philadelphia
My mother always told me, “don’t talk to strangers.” I usually do as I’m told. Today though, on the No. 40 bus going east on South Street, everything my mother told me went in one ear and out the other.
To the Editor: Let me get this straight. The City of Philadelphia is having a major financial crisis and the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Arlene Ackerman, receives an annual salary of $338,000 with an expected bonus of $65,000. She is also eligible for a 3 percent raise by the end of the year. Does anyone see anything wrong with this picture?
To the Editor: What is at stake in the current controversy about the building of an Islamic Center in New York is more than religious freedom. It is about fueling hatred and continued terrorism. The Islamic religion is not our enemy.
An Open Letter to SEPTA: On Aug. 5, my 9-year-old granddaughter and I were riding on the No. 11 trolley coming from Center City at about 5:30 p.m. when a gentleman sitting in front of us began talking extremely loud on his cell phone.
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1. Janice said... on Sep 1, 2010 at 03:04AM
“Tony is exactly right! It is called Filthadelphia because the shit of the city has no pride in their own property let alone anyone elses. I moved out of the city 8 years ago to the far suburbs and LOVE IT!!! I have grass, trees, neighbors who have respect for their property as well as yours. This city has gone to shit and the city officials don't care. My favorite are the trash collectors. You know what im talking about; they empty the trash in the big old truck and whatever falls out, they just leave in the street. There is more trash on the steet after the trash collectors pick up then there was before they picked up. Filthy, you can have it.”
2. Dottie C. said... on Sep 19, 2010 at 11:28PM
“I agree with #1 and also Anthony Reese. When I drive along Ritner St. from around 5th St. to 8th St. it's pure filth. Doesn't anyone own a broom in that area? Where do these people come from? It's a disgrace. That area of the city NEVER looked like that until the Asians and Mexicans moved into it. I guess where they come from it's an everyday thing to just throw their trash on the ground and ignore it. I will never understand that mentality. I honestly feel like driving in that area with a loud speaker and ask those people, why can't you clean your streets? When I was younger people had respect for each other and at times cleaned their neighbor's property along with their own. When those decent people moved away, this is now the end result. No respect for anything whatsoever.”