George Anderson writes that the Academy Awards need to be color-blind when it comes to judging movie performances.
To the Editor:
I think the "racism" controversy over a lack of minority acting nominees in this year's Academy Awards is completely ridiculous.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization behind the awards, nominates actors, actresses and filmmakers for Oscars based on the quality of their performance -- not skin color.
Yes, there were some films and performances by African-Americans that may have been worth a nomination, such as Will Smith's in his recent movie "Concussion."
Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, is the person who elevated this controversy by calling for an Oscar ceremony boycott and essentially accusing the Academy of racism. But has anyone ever considered that maybe this year's nominees represented the best performances in their categories?
This ridiculous controversy runs contrary to everything the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke out about and stood for. He strived for African-Americans to be judged as equals based on their merits, character and achievements.
You can't win anything just for being black. You win something by striving for a goal to be the best at whatever you do.
That's how success works.
George I. Anderson
Millville
Income equity op-ed ignored truths
To the Editor:
The South Jersey Times' Jan. 21 print edition featured a Tribune News Service column by Jay Ambrose with the headline "How the liberal goal of income equality can actually breed poverty."
I recognize that commentaries are opinion; however, the Times should not publish commentaries that are as misleading as Ambrose's. He claims that income redistribution in the direction of greater equality, as promoted by liberals, will somehow ruin our country.
Actually, the opposite has already happened. The rich and powerful have influenced laws and regulations, as well as their enforcement, to unfairly favor themselves. According to Forbes magazine, the top 400 individuals now have as much wealth as the bottom half of Americans -- more than 150 million people.
It is difficult to understand how Ambrose could write an article on income equality that fails to acknowledge such disparity, or why the Times would publish it. Does any reasonable person believe the 400 wealthiest people, or the top 1 percent for that matter, have done anything to deserve their outlandish wealth?
Our government creates the capitalist market, and the capitalist market has been rigged to favor the rich. Liberals are simply arguing that we should reverse the income and wealth redistribution that has occurred over the last 30 years. Our capitalist market rules should not be biased toward the rich.
In many ways, liberals are arguing for a return to regulations in place during the middle-class expansion after World War II, but without that era's biases involving race, ethnicity or gender, and with full recognition of the importance of environmental sustainability.
Jess Everett
Pitman
Rowan parking: What about the students' cars?
To the Editor:
Regarding recent Times articles announcing Rowan University's latest building projects on Rowan Boulevard, and the purchase of a home outside Glassboro for the university president:
While I applaud Rowan's expansion and the opportunities for business and employment it brings, I am troubled by the lack of concern for Glassboro residents.
One new project is an 850-vehicle parking garage in Rowan Boulevard's commercial area. Great idea, but will students be permitted to park there? Will this relieve the on-street parking by students day and overnight?
I've been a Swarthmore Road homeowner for 55 years. "The Ridge" neighborhood has become a rental community for students. Our property values have suffered, but that is a separate issue. Borough streets, not just in the Ridge, are full of student vehicles. On-street parking ordinances cannot be enforced due to the volume of cars.
Where is Rowan in addressing this problem? I recently spoke with a Rowan commuter student. She has great difficulty in finding a parking spot every day. I am sure this is true for most students. Rowan continues to build where there were formerly parking lots, but has provided no replacement facilities for student parking.
Regarding the newly purchased $925,000 presidential home in Harrison Township, I was really "touched" by Rowan spokesman Joe Cardona's justification for buying a near-million-dollar home. Cardona addressed the current residence (in a Glassboro over-55 development) and functions that are held there. I quote: "(The house is) not meeting the needs of the president, We're filling the streets with parking. It's not a good situation for the neighbors."
If someone from Rowan wants to answer this letter, I would appreciate it. But there is no excuse for the lack of respect for Glassboro residents. If wonderful plans are coming for student parking, great!
George H. Armstrong
Glassboro
Settle Millville City Council vacancy
To the Editor:
I am neither a citizen nor a taxpayer of Millville. So, Millville citizens, don't get twisted because of what I've written. It's only my opinion.
The government of Millville consists of five city commissioners. Currently there are only four members. These four people are gridlocked on agreeing on a person to replace Jim Quinn (who resigned to take a Cumberland County freeholder seat).
Two commissioners want James Parent to replace Quinn and two commissioners would like Robert Tesoroni to have the seat. In the last council election, in 2013, Tesoroni placed sixth and just missed gaining one of the five seats. There were 2,351 votes for Tesoroni. He should be supported by all four commissioners because was next in line.
The problem here is that the two commissioners who will not vote for Tesoroni have made this into a political football. The Millville City Commission has only until Feb. 4 to replace Quinn.
If they do not come to an amicable agreement by then, the commission will have just four members until the next election on Nov. 8, 2016. The citizens of Millville will end up being shortchanged by not having a full slate of commissioners.
David M. Levin
Vineland
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