Category: Philadelphia

I have strong disagreements with the Boy Scouts of America because of their anti-gay policies.  I think City Council’s decision to give a local Scout Troop the boot because of this is taking opposition a bit too far.

In a 16-1 vote, the council approved a resolution that would terminate the Scout’s rent-free lease on a building at 22nd and Winter streets. Exactly when the organization would be forced to leave the building remained unclear.

I do hope the Boy Scouts of America will reconsider their position on homosexuality and atheism, even though I fully support their right to exclude people who they don’t feel represent their values.  I may disagree with the BSA’s position here, but I think it’s wrong to punish local scouts for the actions of the national organization.  Scouting provides a lot of positive experiences, especially these days when it’s less politically correct to be a boy and act like one.  I hope City Council will reconsider, and find other ways to persuade the national organization to change its policy.

As I’ve said before, I am not in favor of making abortion illegal, however, it’s good to see that Philadelphia City Council has such a good handle on the cities other problems that it has time to make useless declarations about being a “pro-choice” city.

Pro-choice, that is, if you want to cut a fetus out of your body.  If you choose to carry a gun for self-protection, that’s a choice, if Philadelphia got its way in Harrisburg, that City Council wouldn’t allow you to make.

Three Republicans and five Democrats voted against the resolution Thursday, including Councilwoman Marian Tasco, an abortion-rights advocate.

“We ought to respect all views and not to label the city one way or the other,” Tasco said.

Kudos to Councilwoman Tasco.   I feel the same way.  Even Nutty Nutter agrees with with me here!

If it wasn’t for the Philadelphia City Council, and the cities inept media culture that doesn’t do it’s research and ask the hard questions, I wouldn’t have nearly as much to write about. Today’s stupidity is centered around amalgam fillings:

The City Council committee okayed a bill requiring dentists to inform patients when fillings contain mercury, and to buy devices that dispose of mercury from recovered fillings. The measure goes to the full Council.

I’m glad they didn’t go as far as banning them, but I’m not in favor of forcing dentists to tell people the fillings contain mercury with the idea that amalgam fillings are not safe. This will likely scare people into unnecessarily getting the more expensive composite fillings, and many people who live in the city could use the savings.

Amalgam fillings have been in use for more than a century, and study after study have shown them to be safe. Here’s what the ADA has to say:

Dental amalgam is a stable alloy made by combining elemental mercury, silver, tin, copper and possibly other metallic elements. Although dental amalgam continues to be a safe, commonly used restorative material, some concern has been raised because of its mercury content. However, the mercury in amalgam combines with other metals to render it stable and safe for use in filling teeth.

While questions have arisen about the safety of dental amalgam relating to its mercury content, the major U.S. and international scientific and health bodies, including the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization, among others have been satisfied that dental amalgam is a safe, reliable and effective restorative material.

That’s good enough for me. We have laws being passed by City Council based on junk science and anecdotal evidence. Maybe they should hire a few fortune tellers and astrologers to advise on further laws.

Classical Values has something on Philadelphia’s bee problem.

Apparently during today’s election, Democratic mayoral candidate Tom Knox’s headquarters was robbed by a gunman:

Two armed gunmen robbed a Knox campaign office in the 4600 block of Frankford Avenue. Police say the robbers were wearing red “Knox for Mayor” t-shirts when they entered the office.

Investigators say one robber showed a gun in his waistband and demanded money from the workers.

I guess if you’re a criminal, it’s safer to rob the campaign headquarters of a candidate has steadfastly supported gun control, than it would be to risk that the guy you pick off the street might be one of the 32,000 people in the city with a license to carry a concealed pistol. 32,000 in a city that size are still pretty good odds, but it would have been a pretty sure bet that no one in Knox’s campaign was strapped.

On the ballot currently in today’s Philadelphia city elections:

CHARTER CHANGE QUESTION 7 (Bill No. 060849)

“Shall the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to state the citizens’ view regarding the mission served by U.S. troops in Iraq and that the citizens of Philadelphia urge the United States to make year 2007 the time to redeploy U.S. troops out of harm’s way in Iraq?”

The ballot measure was passed 72% to 29%, or thereabouts.  Now keep in mind that Republican turnout in this election was way way down.  The shocking thing to me is that close to 30% of people, mostly Democrats, in Philadelphia actually voted no.  I thought this would pass a lot more overwhelmingly.   But still, a fantastic victory for the folks who want the whole Iraq project to be for naught.

Personally, I have a suggestion: Why don’t we have the troops who are actually fighting the war vote on whether or not they want to come home, or complete the mission?

Michael Nutter, at this point, appears to be walking away with the Democratic nomination for Mayor of Philadelphia.  By a healthy margin, too.  This means that he will be the next Mayor of Philadelphia.