Philadelphia International

Yesterday, Houston and Philadelphia were axed from the USOC's short list of potential US bid cities.  I'm hugely disappointed, especially since the main reason proferred was that we weren't in the same leagues as the survivors (LA, SF, and Chicago) when it came to international cache. 

Don't get me wrong: we've got a lot to celebrate on this issue.  From Live8 to Dali to the bike race, we're getting ourselves out there in positive ways to the international community.  For goodness' sake, National Geographic Traveler called us the new "it" city on the cover of a recent issue.  We're reaching that place of metropolitanness that is taken for granted in world cities like New York and Toronto.

But we still have a ways to go, as the USOC snub so painfully points out.  We're not a very welcoming place for immigrants: witness the recent media ado over Joey Vento's "speak English" sign in front of Geno's.  We still cast a leery eye at tourists who sound, smell, or look "different" than us.  We're doing well but can do better in the kinds of high-tech industries that tend to attract cosmopolitan workers. 

We have nothing to be ashamed of in our bid.  Our effort was an A+, even though we got flunked.  Like a bad grade to a good student, this experience can instruct us as to where we can improve.  I only hope we can have that kind of attitude, and sustain the momentum that was built around this campaign.  Let's hope so.  In the meantime, if you live in Philly and have friends or family who live outside the US, sell them on our city . . . and be nice to strangers.