Stu Bykofsky Takes on MOVE/Mumia

Stu Bykofsky | Readers have the write stuff

YOU KNOW what I like?

Letters that call me a genius, that praise my perceptions.

You know what I like better?

Letters that argue with me.

Here are excerpts from a few, with my responses in italics:

Re: "Some ideas for the French, who just love our criminals" (5/25):

We know that because you're an American Patriot, it's hard for you to understand anything that's not dictated to you by your government's propaganda, but you need to try to stop and think about this - the U.S. is the U.S., France is France, and not the U.S.

When are you people gonna get it thru your heads you don't control the world. There's a whole world out there outside of the U.S., full of people who have their own cultures, their own way of life and they haven't asked for, nor do they need, the U.S. dictating to them how to think and how to live.

Look at how you're trying to trash Saint-Denis because they named a street after Mumia Abu-Jamal. Talking about Saint-Denis had riots, like that is a blight on the character of those people and the reason why they would do such a thing like name a street after Mumia, who, to quote you, is a "criminal."

One thing is for sure, however, that is you don't know nothing about Mumia Abu-Jamal, but you do know a lot about being unfair, even though you are Jewish and you and your people are always crying about the Holocaust, expecting people to be sympathetic with you over Adolf Hitler and Nazis, but here you are being the Adolf Hitler, the Nazi, trying to kill off Mumia, a Black man, just like Hitler tried to kill off Jews, your people.

- Nick Africa, for MOVE

Only a Mumidiot sees a parallel between a cop-killer who got a trial - plus endless appeals and who is alive 20 years after the crime - and the mass murder of innocent civilians, Jews among others.

I'm not even going into the fact what my opinions about Mumia Abu-Jamal are because that seems to be a little beside the point here because you seem to exert more hatred toward the French than toward Mumia.

It seems a bit pompous for you to be the judge after who streets should be named.

- Tim Ianna, Turnhout, Belgium

They are free to name streets for cop-killers. I am free to criticize.

Re: "Battle of the Border" (4/17):

You make it sound so simple: Illegal immigration is wrong! Think about that the next time you're sitting at home, which was probably built by illegal immigrants. The next time you go to enjoy a meal, think about the people that picked the vegetables, butchered the meat, cooked the meal, cleared the table and washed the dishes after you left. I would bet illegal immigrants played a big role in getting your meal.

Illegal immigration is necessary, that's why we live so well in the U.S.

- Manuel R. Murillo, Fort Worth, TX

You don't know who built my 30-year-old condo, but I doubt it was illegals. You know what's "necessary"? LEGAL immigrants. I'm all for them.

Re: "Smoking ban in Philly? Don't hold your breath" (4/6):

When you go out to dinner and pay the high prices that you can expect today, the last thing you want to smell is tobacco smoke as you introduce yourself to your filet mignon.

Where are the rights to breathe clean air? Who, Stu, should have these rights? The smokers or the nonsmokers?

- Glen Kozemchak, Wyndmoor

Since most restaurants already ban smoking, Glen, there's no shortage of choice for nonsmokers. This will be a moot point if Mayor Street signs the anti-smoking bill on his desk.

E-mail stubyko@phillynews.com or call 215-854-5977. For recent columns:

http://go.philly.com/byko.