Can pope help Eagles?
Thanks for the Tom Stiglich opinion cartoon in the Northeast Times on Sept. 16, depicting Pope Francis consoling the lad wearing the Phillies hat with the caption in Latin “There’s always next year.”
I think we need Pope Francis to help with the Eagles this year. Don’t forget, the last time a Pope visited Philadelphia — John Paul II in ’79 — the Phils’ went on to miraculously win their first ever World Series, and the Eagles went on to their first Super Bowl appearance.
Frank Murphy
Somerton
Let’s elect a billionaire
When we look into our past history, we see that the United States was in a depression in the 1930s, and our elected officials in Washington, D.C. could not rebuild our economy here in the United States.
Then a person who was a billionaire became president of the United States and rebuilt our economy and started our Social Security that we have today. Then another billionaire became president in the 1960s and did many things, including placing the United States on our moon in 1969.
Then again, a famous movie star who also was a billionaire became president of the United States and told Russia to take down the Berlin Wall and open the doors to the world. And the Berlin Wall came down.
It is these billionaires who become presidents of the United States and do fabulous things and must be elected president of the United States.
Walter Pieczynski
Oxford Circle
Panhandling on Boulevard
I would like to know why the Philadelphia police are not doing anything about all the people that are panhandling on Roosevelt Boulevard. I drive on the boulevard every day and there are people all over begging for money saying they are homeless. Most are young people just looking for money for their next fix.
One girl sits in a wheelchair in front of Walmart at Whitman Drive, blocking traffic while she begs. I saw a black SUV pick her up a few times and believe me, she walks just fine. It’s time the city does something about this problem. Other cities don’t put up with this crap.
Brian Marshall
Holland
Religious beliefs are not being violated
An orthodox Jew’s religious beliefs say it is wrong to eat pork. But would it be wrong for him or her to deny a Christian his right to eat pork?
An atheist does not deny the right of a Catholic to attend church and the Catholic does not insist that the atheist attend.
When a Muslim flight attendant will not serve liquor to passengers and a Christian clerk will not issue marriage licenses to same-sex applicants as their jobs require and the law allows, and as a result, they are challenged, they claim that their religious beliefs are being violated. Not so.
If your personal religious belief is that same-sex marriage and drinking alcohol are wrong, don’t do it. But you have no right to deny another person their legal rights simply because they go against your personal beliefs.
Forcing a person to follow your religious beliefs is what ISIS and the Taliban do.
People cannot decide which laws they will follow and which they will not. That’s anarchy.
If an employee cannot, in good faith, carry out their legally mandated job duties, they are free to resign from their jobs.
We are fortunate that in America we have the freedom to seek happiness and meaning in our lives as long as we do no harm to others. That is what makes America great. Our founding fathers believed in freedom of religion as well as freedom from religion.
Mel Flitter
Somerton
