"The brothers and sisters are running this city. Running it!"

Philadelphia Inquirer (philly.com) | 17 April 02 | Cynthia Burton

[Lancey Howard]

Philadelphia Mayor John Street Again Apologizes

By Cynthia Burton
Inquirer Staff Writer

Mayor Street stirred up debate with comments to the NAACP on Saturday.

A subdued Mayor Street apologized again today for his remark that "the brothers and sisters are running this city" but stuck to his pride about having helped African Americans attain important city jobs.

Speaking at the much-awaited swearing in of Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson at the Convention Center, Street softened his rhetoric, saying, "I am proud that the leadership of our administration represents the diversity of our great city."

That statement was delivered in a monotone, compared with his rousing, bring-the-crowd-to-its feet declaration Saturday at an NAACP convention here.

At that training conference before 700 people from up and down the East Coast, he had declared:

"The brothers and sisters are running the city. Oh, yes. The brothers and sisters are running this city. Running it! Don't let nobody fool you, we are in charge of the City of Brotherly Love . . . We have lifted the glass ceiling . . . It never ceased to amaze me that there seemed not to be the opportunity in certain strategic places for people of color. You can't say that anymore."

But today, after two days in which many criticized those remarks as racially divisive, Street appeared somewhat chastened.

Asked if he thought his comments Saturday were a mistake, he said, "I don't know whether I made a mistake. All I know is if people are offended, I regret anybody being offended and I don't intentionally offend people."

He added that "anytime you say anything about race in this city, people's attention is gathered and sometimes in an unprecedented kind of way."

Contact Cynthia Burton at 215-854-5778 or
cburton@phillynews.com.

[mseltzer]

My Mom grew up on Fairhill.

[mseltzer]

That's true, I have moved as many times as I've brushed my teeth.

[Mo1]

It boggles my mind that people would choose to raise their children in Philadelphia when and if they have the choice to move out.

Well in general it comes down to money .. a lot of folks can't afford to move out of the city ..

Then there are those who don't know anything different .. generation after generation are born there and die there

But a lot of the neighborhoods are changing a lot and are not the same as they use to be ..

There are many things that I miss about not living in Philly .. Like no one up here can make a decent cheese steak .. and we don't have deli's like in Philly ..

[Mo1]

I was in the "Badlands" this morning

Oh my .. why in the world would ya go there .. lol

[mseltzer]

Ever been to Koch's?

You're right about that. I absolutely hate looking at a menu around here and seeing "Phiily Cheesesteak" written in. It's such a fraud. I feel like going to someone eating one and asking "Do you really think you're eating a Philly cheesesteak?" That's the thing I miss the most, not the crime or dirt.

[mseltzer]

I especially miss Oregon Steaks

[Lancey Howard]

My Mom grew up on Fairhill.

It's a long street. Runs up from South Philly, through Northern Liberties, Kensington, Hunting Park/Feltonville, Logan, Olney, and East Oak Lane.

[MissAmericanPie]

Yes the brothers and sisters are ruining the city.

[mseltzer]

I know. She was from South Philly, a few houses north of Oregon.

[Mo1]

Ever been to Koch's?

No haven't been there .. But you are right .. nobody makes them like Philly does .. IMO .. it's all in the greese .. lol

[Lancey Howard]

Believe me, I would rather not go there but my work occasionally takes me there. I travel around the whole 5-county Phila. metropolitan area and there are some neighborhoods in Philly that I only make morning appointments for.

[mseltzer]

That's because they have been using the same grease for generations. I know, my veins are still clogged with it.

[southern rock]

Then there are those who don't know anything different .. generation after generation are born there and die there

Yep. I tried to move to southern Texas for a while but because of family reasons, I can't seem to get a steady foothold down there. It's like that line from Godfather 3, "Everytime I think I'm out, they pull me back in". LOL!!

I was born in NYC, which I hate, but because my mom is elderly and alone, my wife (parents from Philly ironically enough) and I, find ourselves still mired down in the Northeast. I hope by the time we have children, we are able to break free and move out west like I have always wanted. It's really hard , however. I am begining to realise how some of these ehtnic Irish and Italian families end up living on the same friggin' block for 8 or 9 gererations. It's pathetic, but I can see how hard change is (not just emotionally, but logistically).

[Mo1]

I remember seeing the ads showing a little of his "interesting" background.......

LOL .. yep just a little .. But hey nobody can be worse the Wille B. Goode .. that man drove the city into the ground

Say what you want about Ed Rendall .. but he pull this City out of the gutter

[mseltzer]

Rendell is a dispicable Clinton ass-kisser. It is almost impossible to go to an event in Philadelphia without running into him shaking hands and taking pictures with "the people."

[Mo1]

It's really hard , however. I am begining to realise how some of these ehtnic Irish and Italian families end up living on the same friggin' block for 8 or 9 gererations

LOL .. YEP

In my family we made a deal with my sister .. she takes care of mom and gets to keep the house after she is gone

It's a win win for us cause that stuborn old hoot would never move .. lol

[Lancey Howard]

Ah, Whitman.
That area is holding up pretty well, and Pennsport is very solid also. Generally, the closer you are to Front St., the better.

By the way, did you ever go up to what?, 10th and Federal I think, for Pat's Steaks? The last steak I got there was chewy and tough so the next day I got one across the street at Gino's and it was great. Competition is healthy.
I like my steaks "wit".

[mseltzer]

I hope she lives a long time.

[southern rock]

I have moved as many times as I've brushed my teeth.

I'd love to know how you pull it off. See my #53.

[mseltzer]

I've been to Pat's Gino's and the rest, but Oregon Steaks was my favorite. I always took an extra steak home. It's under different ownership now and sucks. But it used to be comforting to know that I could get in the car at 4AM and get a great steak.