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NO
Intolerance in Powelton (NIP)
Certain members of our community have been
targeted because they are viewed as different.
Most of the residents here have CHOSEN Powelton
Village to reside in, for a variety of reasons.
For me, it has been the joy of acceptance --
acceptance of all people.
Powelton has a long history of acceptance...of
acceptance of differences be they religious,
ethnic, racial, sexual preference or mental/social
abilities. For me, Powelton Village expresses
the REAL WORLD, and I find that most comforting.
Recently there have been attacks made against
members of our community and these attacks jeopardize
Powelton’s historic climate of acceptance.
I feel violated. I wonder if other neighbors
feel the same way? If any one of us is threatened,
are we not all threatened?
Several neighbors would like to start a project
to display banners publicly to make a statement
that we will not tolerate discrimination in
any form. Each of us can decide personally on
what the banner means perhaps it represents
respect for gays & lesbians or for homeless
folks or for interracial families or for the
mentally challenged...whatever. But this project
of displaying Rainbow Banners will say that
we are a community of acceptance and tolerance
of ALL human differences.
Whether you choose to join in expressing this
view to the outside world or not is clearly
up to you. But it is important that everyone
in the community understands why and what these
banners stand for in the Powelton community.
Rainbow Banners will be made available through
the PVCA (Powelton Village Civic Assoc)
which meets every third Monday at 7:30 p.m.
at the CEC (Community Education Center,
3500 Lancaster Avenue.)
Giovanni’s Room, whose owner lives in
Powelton, has offered to provide these banners
at cost:
- a 3 x 5 ft. banner costs $13.00
- a 2 x 3 ft. banner costs $9.50
As of this notice, we do not have poles available.
However, depending on response to this call
for action, we may be able to source poles reasonably
as well.
PVCA & Drexel administrators have already
begun dialogue on this issue and we are hoping
that other institutions will do so as well.
Meanwhile, all of us, as residents, are provided
this opportunity to advance understanding about
the meaning of living and participating in our
“human family.”
I am hopeful that members of this neighborhood
will speak out against intolerance and hatred.
Perhaps we might designate ourselves a NO INTOLERANCE
ZONE??
But at least this notice informs all Powelton
Village residents of the meaning behind the
banner display project.
Let us unite to NIP INTOLERANCE IN POWELTON
IMMEDIATELY!!
THank you,
Betty Baumann
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