Politics here are messy. John Street got only one-third of the vote, hardly anything to celebrate. This city needs to pull together; otherwise, Sam Katz will be the first Republican mayor.
RICH BLUMBERG, Philadelphia
Barbershop politics
Before there were newspapers, TV, radio or Internet, there was barbershop talk.
Blacks, whites, Latinos and Asians come to my barbershop. We took an early poll, which gave John Street the victory.
Many politicians - City Council members, government officials, congressmen - come through the door. This primary election was discussed as one of the most historical in Philadelphia's history - five very qualified opponents running for mayor, three of them black. Some would consider this election to be a race about race, but thanks to the different communities and nationalities, we are seeing the dawning of a new day. The endorsement of John Street by the Inquirer and Daily News gave the voters an even brighter view.
Yes, people are talking barbershop talk from many perspectives, but the message is still the same. We Americans are beginning to see the light. People need people of all nationalities. I thank thinking people of all races for overlooking the race issue and staying focused on the real issue - our future.
Just like our 76ers, the City of Brotherly Love has better days to come.
ROBERT WOODARD, Philadelphia
"The Wynnefield Barber"
Marty pitted 'us' vs. 'them'
In a TV commercial, the Marty Weinberg campaign repeatedly used the racially polarizing terms, "us" and "them." My fiancee and I kept asking questions we knew the answers to: Who is "us"? Who is "them"?
Such sleazy tactics have no place in a campaign. In employing such prehistoric campaign tactics, might Weinberg have underestimated the intellect of the voters he was trying to convince? The right man won.
I am black and my fiancee is white. We couldn't decide whether she was "us" or I was "them." If Weinberg was trying to become mayor of Philadelphia, shouldn't it have been "we"?
ONDRE D. HUNT, Yeadon
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Would someone tell Marty Whine-berg to stop crying?
Marty is the perfect example of what is wrong with America - all you have to do is be white and in the right place; white supremacy will take care of the rest. Marty and Vince Fumo played the race card, but not all white people went along with it.
Now Marty is bragging about how close he came. We aren't playing horseshoes, Marty. You wasted millions of dollars and strengthened the ties between race and politics. Great victory, Marty!
JON MITCHELL, Philadelphia
Rendell will be missed
Many years ago, when I was a teen-ager driving back and forth to college, everywhere I looked, there were vacant lots with piles of trash and high weeds. I love Philadelphia but was not very proud of its conditions. This great city, full of potential in economic development, was neglected.
Eight years ago, the people of the city elected an aggressive mayor, and the city started to glow and grow. It's a shame this good mayor must leave office. Aggressive developers emerged in response to Mayor Rendell's leadership. The new housing developments are beautiful and old dilapidated factories converted to senior citizen apartments was a wonderful idea. With financing secured through the help of the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation and the Redevelopment Authority, one can obtain grants and subsidies together with private float loans to make a dream come true in the City of Brotherly Love.
What a great city!
MILAGROS MILLIE PADILLA, Philadelphia
Editor's note: The writer is a Redevelopment Authority employee.
