How was this letter racist? I don't think he mentioned any race by name in his letter.

People read into what they want to with these letters. Mr. Saltzburg, like me, is Jewish and from the Northeast. We're proud of an area that our parents moved into when it was "new". This isn't the first thing like this I've read about Oxford Circle. The more affordable these areas become further and further North and East in Philly, the quicker many different races and creeds of people will try to "escape" the areas they originally came from -- and that have turned into cesspools. The main thing to always, always remember, and this is true in any city comprised of neighborhoods: PEOPLE make a neighborhood or a community. When PEOPLE stop caring, the neighborhood/community turns into a cesspool. I see Mr. Saltzburg's point totally. Parents make their children who they are. When these children grow up in a violent, dirty household, that's what they're gonna become. I don't care what you are. You're a product of your environment. If you wanna crap up the Northeast simply because 1) you can afford to live there and 2) you assume that "the man" will clean up everything there politically, figuratively and literally -- well, you don't live right and you're just friggin' lazy. And I say this to all our new immigrants and people who came from what they used to call "bad" neighborhoods.

This is simply amazing. How anyone can consider that letter rascist is beyond me but be that as it may it is my observation and I will stand by it.

Well, usually "I don't want to sound politically incorrect, but..." is code for "Boy, there sure are more black people in Northeast Philly now, and that sucks!" in the Northeast Times letters. (I don't know what else it could mean.) Which is what I was going off of.

However, if that's not what you meant, then my apologies, etc., etc. I still heart Northeast Philly, no matter who lives there.

I could not care less who lives in Northeast Philly or anywhere else for that matter. Color or race played no part in the above letter. My complaints were that the City does not seem to want to be bothered mowing the grass on the Boulevard or offering sufficient police protection. Who is defacing the properties that I mentioned and those responsible for shooting innocent people are the ones I was addressing whether they be white, black or brown. Those things just had no place in the Northeast part of the city years ago. People took pride in their neighborhood and had respect for their homes and neighbors. Obviously that has changed.

You guys should check out Raj for president or something. John street is awsome! Short Phila all the way down to zero.

The lower northeast is shit due to one problem..Anyone with common sense can and already has figured this out. I sometimes wonder if these no good people who came here via section 8 from west philly even realize(since they obviously dont care) that they are the reason all of the lower northeast has become one of the worst places in this country to live.
I just wish that all the long time residents did`nt get up and move as quickly as they did, it made it to available the filth that now resides there, too many empty properties for the investers that love to rent to section 8 for that extra pocket change. For the ones that have stuck it out, they live in fear and their children are tortured by these low life kids who have trashed this whole section.
People need to stop being scared and stand up for their communities, it is not being racist. I am so sick of people pulling out the race cards. Thank god MR.I had a dream left this planet when he did..If he would have left sooner things here in the northeast would still be clean and serene..

Barry Saltzburg is a pompous, bigmouthed asshole with far too much to say. someone should go to philly.com and check the archives for the fifteen years he served for arson and other crimes. Therefore, he should be accustomed to living in filth with blacks...later......

It looks like this article has attracted a not too happy ex, reference: doesn't matter. What price one must pay for a woman scorned,