This website is no stranger to open letters. You may have read one we wrote a while back that seemed to stir up a bit of controversy. No need to link back to it, but it still exists on this site, so feel free to find it on your own.

We now have another one for you to enjoy.

Dear Philly,

Please stop being so provincial. We love how much you have to offer. Beyond just the cheesesteaks and Rocky that we are known for, we know there’s so much more of your beauty to be explored. You allow visitors an opportunity to take a beautiful stroll through Independence Mall, take in a history lesson at the National Constitution Center or enjoy some of the best and authentic Italian food this country has to offer.

So it pains us to see your citizens want that selfishly all for themselves. Why is that every time a nationalized event comes to town you must push them away instead of opening your arms and showing the world all you have to offer?

And we know it’s not just those from out of state that get pushed away. Even your own neighbors aren’t welcomed from time to time. Whether it’s classifying DelCo as not quite “Philly enough”, or watching Villanova take the college basketball world by storm, getting the world wrapped up in Nova Nation, while you cast them off as “not a Philly school”. It’s as if your zip code does not start with a 1 and a 9 that you are unwelcomed here.

We personally loved how the NFL Draft showed off the city. In fact there’s talks of it being the greatest draft host ever! Or how about the buzz that was created by the Pope’s visit. Even Washington’s elite felt you were worthy enough to host the Democratic National Convention.

And what happens when one of these events takes over for a weekend or longer? Your citizens fight back and are frustrated by being bothered. We won’t make an argument defending the financial impact events like these have, because we’re not an expert in this field. However look how amazing you look when all eyes are on you.

Photo credit @PHL_Influencer

Don’t you want to be proud of that?

And now the running community is getting this backlash. In a few days 40,000 people will flood the streets running down your main artery. For a few hours on Sunday morning Broad Street will be shut down for a 10+ mile stretch from W. Fisher Avenue to the Navy Yard. And the grumblings have already started about how angry your citizens are because of this inconvenience.

What happened to Philly being the birthplace of America? At one point in this countries history Philadelphia wasn’t just one of many cities in the United States it was the city in the United States. Instead of being a city who is proud to be showcased we have somehow transformed into the number one “get off my lawn” city in the country.

It’s time we leave the curmudgeons with the provincial way of thinking behind. Instead of fighting for these national events to find another host city, we should welcome them with open arms.

You are a beautiful city, you deserve that much.

With Love,

A Proud Philadelphian