Letters to the Editor

by the Readers

Slant Rant

I must say that I am outraged by the manner in which the respondents to your recent Carl Singley cover story [Slant, "Niggah, Please!," Tarcistah Buetta Maddalay Dray-Mae Deville and Carol D. Tart, Jan. 23, 2003] felt the need to express themselves.

There's an old saying that "it's not always what you say, but how you say it." Not only did they discredit themselves by the manner in which they communicated, they did a significant disservice to the African-American community by muddying the waters of debate with profanity and expletives that have no place in public forums.

As African-American women, I cannot imagine why they would utilize expletives that have been hurled indiscriminately and disrespectfully at other African-American women. They have done a grave disservice to African Americans throughout the city by reinforcing the idea that the only way we can communicate is by resorting to profanity and uninformed references to each other.

David Marshall
Philadelphia

The response to Carl Singley's and John Street's fallout was difficult to read. The choice to transcribe the conversation between City Paper and Carl Singley was understandable, however, in that it does summon the exact spoken words of one side of this story. To have the other side spoken of by two women who are obviously angry at Carl Singley, for no good apparent reason, was a mistake. The article written by these women is laced with, I had thought, offensive language to minorities and only demonstrates the fact that Mayor Street and his supporters have no basis of constructive dialogue with which to improve this great city. It is an angry Slant filled with spite for that which is not Street. It lacks substance and is filled with divisive rhetoric, supporting a mayor that successfully alienates important people within his own political party.

The fact that there is no forthcoming response or simply a comment from Mayor Street's office indicates exactly why Mr. Singley and legions of other Democrats in this city are now calling for John Street's displacement. His administration is closed-circuit, non-forthcoming, unprepared and not qualified to run this city. I'd advise Mayor Street's office to issue statements and responses to articles such as Carl Singley's interview, lest he be judged by statements issued by uninformed, spiteful and perhaps politically motivated journalists.

Corey Neale
Philadelphia

Bigger and Better

For whatever reason, these days I don't seem to want to read clear through a big article but such was not the case when I read your interview with Carl Singley ["The End of a Beautiful Friendship," Jan. 16, 2003]. Must say, I wish this piece was longer, because of its extreme information quotient. In my opinion, Howard Altman and Daryl Gale created a monumental piece of journalism.

Mitch Deighan
Northern Liberties

Correction

Due to an editing error, there was a mistake in a concluding paragraph of last week's Slant.

The paragraph read: "Before we go, ponder this: ŒWe [ghetto blacks] are never included in the planning process, but we're dependent upon it for the success of the plan.'"

The paragraph should have read: "Before we go, ponder this: ŒWe [ghetto blacks] are never included in the planning process, but we're depended upon for the success of the plan.'"

City Paper regrets the error.