Spotlight
Our weekly round-up of letters published in the Arizona Daily Star.
1
Letter: Honoring Pride Month at Foundations Recovery Network
- Andrea Patton, North side
As the Vice President of Substance Use Disorders at Foundations Recovery Network (FRN), I am proud to recognize June as Pride Month, during which we reaffirm our commitment to providing specialized care tailored to LGBTQ+ individuals. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), LGBTQ+ individuals are almost three times more likely to experience a mental health condition, more than twice as likely to use illicit drugs and almost twice as likely to suffer from a substance use disorder.
This Pride Month, we are highlighting our Pride Institute facility, which was the first addiction treatment center to exclusively serve LGBTQ+ individuals. The Institute was named Best Addiction Treatment Center by Newsweek for the years 2021-2023 and routinely receives referrals from across the United States. Since July 2019, their residential program has assisted 3,428 LGBTQ+ persons struggling with addiction.
At FRN, we are committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity and acceptance, where everyone can receive the compassionate care that they deserve.
Sincerely,
Chad Koller, MBA, MHA, LPC
Andrea Patton
North side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
2
Letter: Is this a joke?
- Eric Gormally, Oro Valley
Juan Ciscomani's TV ad has him saving us from government intrusion into our private affairs. Does anyone remember that he is a loyalist to the guy who overturned Roe V. Wade through his Supreme Court picks? Roe was based on the idea that abortion restrictions before mid-pregnancy are an unconstitutional invasion of privacy. Has his loyalty wavered due to privacy concerns when his mob Boss talks about retribution against those in opposition? Did his loyalty waver when his Boss's past words and actions supported leaders like Putin who invade their people's privacy to maintain power? I think not. His ad is the height of hypocrisy and phoniness. He doesn't represent me and I hope a majority in my district feel the same way. Enough loyalists around the country need to be defeated and Democrats elected to impeach and remove those Justices who took away our right to privacy.
Eric Gormally
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
3
Letter: Congress Must Help New Dialysis Patients
- Carolyn McKeown, Ajo
Kidney failure changes patients’ lives. I see patients battle kidney failure every day as a social worker at a dialysis clinic where they receive life-saving treatment. Unfortunately, physical hardships are only the beginning.
As a social worker, I help dialysis patients deal with insurance companies. It is a challenging task: dialysis is costly, and insurance companies do their best to avoid paying.
Nevertheless, private insurance gives patients the best opportunity to receive kidney transplants. Allowing kidney patients to keep their private insurance gives them the best shot. However, a recent Supreme Court decision allows private insurance companies to push patients onto Medicare before the traditional 30-month coverage window. This leaves patients without choice, without the best treatment options, and perhaps without a way to pay the remaining 20% Medicare does not cover.
That’s why Congressman Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) must support the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act, which allows kidney patients to keep their private insurance for the first 30 months of dialysis treatment.
Carolyn McKeown
Ajo
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
4
Tucson Speaks Out: June 27 letters of the day
- Updated
I care about the community
Re: the June 15 letter “Berkman needs to get a life.”
This letter is in response to the mean-spirited letter by a Conover supporter suggesting I should stop being involved in the race for County Attorney. I am involved because I care about my community and the County Attorney’s office. My public records requests, which the writer complains about, revealed Ms. Conover’s significant ethical violations which resulted in the State Bar taking action against her. To this day Conover is still being dishonest about the Bar charge and the Bar’s reasons for imposing a diversion program. I care that Conover has decimated the office, has run off most of the experienced lawyers, and allows dangerous criminals to run free. I care for victims and I care for public safety. Pima County has been my home for 53 years and I was a prosecutor for 18. I know the importance of an honest and competent county attorney. Laura Conover is neither.
David Berkman
Northwest side
Steller’s blaming Republicans for budget deficit
Re: the June 16 article “Blame income-tax cuts for Arizona deficit.”
The AZ Star’s liberal columnist Tim Steller wrote an article blaming former Republican Governor Ducey and Republicans in the Legislature for our budget deficit of $1.3 billion. The main culprits, income tax reductions for Arizonans, private school vouchers, and a decline in retail sales revenue under Biden’s economy. Budget cuts are being made. I wanted to thank Governor Ducey and Republican legislators. I am a middle-income retiree and the 2.5% flat state tax has saved me about $1,500 a year in paying less state income taxes. It helped defray the disastrous financial effects of Bidenomics that raised the costs of everything. Most doing the vouchers are also paying thousands in county property taxes that fund local school districts and community colleges. As for those earning over $200,000 benefiting from the tax cuts, how many are small business owners filing as LLCs or Sole Proprietors using 1040/140s? Our deficit is nothing compared to California’s $68 billion. They face budget cuts of over $19 billion.
Mary Ann Starman
North side
Honoring Pride Month
As the Vice President of Substance Use Disorders at Foundations Recovery Network (FRN), I am proud to recognize June as Pride Month, during which we reaffirm our commitment to providing specialized care tailored to LGBTQ+ individuals. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), LGBTQ+ individuals are almost three times more likely to experience a mental health condition, more than twice as likely to use illicit drugs and almost twice as likely to suffer from a substance use disorder.
This Pride Month, we are highlighting our Pride Institute facility, which was the first addiction treatment center to exclusively serve LGBTQ+ individuals. The Institute was named Best Addiction Treatment Center by Newsweek for the years 2021-2023 and routinely receives referrals from across the United States. Since July 2019, their residential program has assisted 3,428 LGBTQ+ persons struggling with addiction.
At FRN, we are committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity and acceptance, where everyone can receive the compassionate care that they deserve.
Sincerely,
Chad Koller, MBA, MHA, LPC
North side
Congress must help new dialysis patients
Kidney failure changes patients’ lives. I see patients battle kidney failure every day as a social worker at a dialysis clinic where they receive life-saving treatment. Unfortunately, physical hardships are only the beginning.
As a social worker, I help dialysis patients deal with insurance companies. It is a challenging task: dialysis is costly, and insurance companies do their best to avoid paying.
Nevertheless, private insurance gives patients the best opportunity to receive kidney transplants. Allowing kidney patients to keep their private insurance gives them the best shot. However, a recent Supreme Court decision allows private insurance companies to push patients onto Medicare before the traditional 30-month coverage window. This leaves patients without choice, without the best treatment options, and perhaps without a way to pay the remaining 20% Medicare does not cover.
That’s why Congressman Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) must support the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act, which allows kidney patients to keep their private insurance for the first 30 months of dialysis treatment.
Carolyn McKeown
Ajo
Mike Jette for County Attorney
Re: the June 24 article “The path forward: Conover for Pima County Attorney.”
Recently Supervisor Grijalva wrote an op-ed supporting Laura Conover. Perhaps if she had the experience that our family had with Laura Conover she may feel differently. Last year my grandson, Isaac Benitez was beaten, run over and drug underneath a car for several hundred feet. He died from his injuries. His murderers, one 17 and the other 18, were given probation. Throughout the process, we had no support from the County Attorney’s office. We have met the families of other victims that have had the same experience. Isaac was kind and genuine. He graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA and was headed into the Air Force. In the memory of Isaac, we are speaking out so other families don’t have to go through what we have. I am a lifelong Democrat voter, so is the rest of my family. We regret voting for Laura Conover in 2020. We support Mike Jette. Laura Conover failed Isaac and our family. Victims need voices. Vote for Mike Jette.
Angelina Finn
Midtown
I-11
The Pima County Board of Supervisors, except for Steve Christy, approved a resolution to oppose IH-11 in Avra Valley, citing heavy traffic, commercial and residential development, a gash through the Sonoran Desert, destroying habitat, and interrupting wildlife corridors. Their alternative is to add these problems to IH-10 in Tucson. High priority wildlife habitats are well protected in Saguaro National Park West, Tucson Mountain Park, and Ironwood Forest National Monument. Sonoran desert scrub in Avra Valley is already badly disturbed, poor wildlife habitat. Wildlife corridors are often cited as important, but isolated wildlife populations do well without rare genetic exchanges; corridors are not protected by law. Marana is one of the fastest-growing towns in southern Arizona. Projected exponential growth in the next decades will impact Avra Valley anyway, likely as far south as Ajo Road. IH-11 will guide this development and help manage increasing IH-10 traffic.
Tom Van Devender
North side
Laura Conover has my vote
I served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Tucson from 1997 to 2022 and was the lead prosecutor of Jared Loughner for the January 8, 2011 attempted assassination of Gabrielle Giffords, murder of six Tucson citizens and wounding of scores of other fellow citizens. I prosecuted several cases in federal court which were defended by Laura Conover when she served as a criminal defense counsel. I also worked with Mike Jette, Laura’s opponent in the upcoming Democratic Primary Election for Pima County Attorney, when he was a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I have taken the measure of both candidates. I know who I would trust to put the best interests of the citizens of Pima County above their own self-interests as County Attorney. My vote is for Laura Conover.
Wallace Kleindienst
Foothills
The high road
Although Laura Conover, the current Pima County Attorney, has appropriated Michelle Obama’s slogan “When they go low, we go high,” it is her opponent, Mike Jette, who has taken the high road while Conover’s team has gone low. Jette had the courage and experience to prosecute the rancher who shot a migrant in the back, killing him as he was running away. The Conover team faulted Jette for the hung jury that failed to convict in this case. I believe it was a miscarriage of justice due to widely held bias on the part of some jurors and promoted by an Arizona House bill introduced at the same time that, had it passed, would have legitimized just such a killing. Jette had the courage to actually choose justice and stand in the face of this dark force. Ms. Conover has never prosecuted a first-degree murder case, much less one of this consequence.
Joseph R. Patterson, Ph.D.
South side
Is this a joke?
Juan Ciscomani’s TV ad has him saving us from government intrusion into our private affairs. Does anyone remember that he is a loyalist to the guy who overturned Roe V. Wade through his Supreme Court picks? Roe was based on the idea that abortion restrictions before mid-pregnancy are an unconstitutional invasion of privacy. Has his loyalty wavered due to privacy concerns when his mob Boss talks about retribution against those in opposition? Did his loyalty waver when his Boss’s past words and actions supported leaders like Putin who invade their people’s privacy to maintain power? I think not. His ad is the height of hypocrisy and phoniness. He doesn’t represent me and I hope a majority in my district feel the same way. Enough loyalists around the country need to be defeated and Democrats elected to impeach and remove those Justices who took away our right to privacy.
Eric Gormally
Oro Valley
Why this Democrat is voting for Mike Jette
I am a retired attorney who has lived in Tucson for 46 years. I voted for Laura Conover last election and regret that decision. Given the chaos and dysfunction the Pima County Attorney’s Office has suffered under her administration, she cannot run on her true record. She is instead resorting to a campaign of misinformation and outright lies, including the proposition that Mike Jette is not a “real” Democrat.
The easily determined facts are:
Mike has always been a registered Democrat except for a few months in 2012 when he explored a challenge to then PCA LaWall and during 2008-2023 when he registered as an independent due to the serious public corruption and white-collar crime cases he handled.
Mike opposes the death penalty.
Mike is unequivocally pro-choice and supports reproductive rights.
Mike embraces environmental protection.
As a lifelong Democrat, I will vote for Mike Jette and urge my fellow Democrats to do the same. Let’s protect our community and support victims of crime.
Ronna Fickbohm
Midtown
How well do you know your candidates?
I first met Edgar Soto, a Tucson native, as a student in my second-grade class at Brichta Elementary. Knowing a person since youth provides an insight into their character and values. His leadership skills showed early. For example, Edgar was always a magnet for gathering students in activities. He is very approachable! As the VP at PCC — Desert Vista Campus I observed camaraderie with students, faculty, staff and visitors. His personal qualities and his lifelong work ethic demonstrate a dedication and commitment to service for the betterment of the Tucson community.
Edgar’s participation in the Flinn Brown Civic leadership organization, which honors strong leadership, resulted in Edgar’s selection for honor in Pima County. His promotion of early childhood education at the Desert Vista campus earned him an award for launching a Early Learning Center for student parents.
I support Edgar Soto, a 30+ years educator for District 3 Pima County Board of Supervisors! Please join me in voting for Edgar!
Yvonne C. Clay
West side
My vote is for Mike Jette
Re: the June 25 letter “Pima County Attorney’s race.”
Concerned about Mike Jette’s political party affiliation? May I be so bold as to introduce you to Kris Mayes, the finest attorney general our state has had in a very long time. She was also, until 2019, a card-carrying Republican.
This letter is full of completely unsubstantiated accusations and salacious static that distracts from examining Conover’s deficiencies: transparency, integrity, ethics, and management skills. If you want to criticize Jette, you have to give us more than gossip.
As a lifelong Democrat who once supported Conover, I will be voting for Mike Jette. I have lost all faith in Laura, and most of my friends and neighbors agree that Jette could be as great for Pima County as Kris Mayes has been for Arizona.
Daniel Gardner
Northwest side
5
Letter: Our own worse enemy
- Tom McGorray, Northwest side
For me it all began with thee Rodney King Affair and culminated with the death of Floyd.
Police Brutality became an obsession. We overreacted.
We defunded the police, removed all respect, took them off their pedestals
We forget the years of good police work
and placed them somewhere below our drug dealers.
We forgot the many police officers killed in the line of duty
Trying to make our life safe and secure.
We encourage our officers to abandon their profession, to retire, or to
Change jobs, leaving us terribly short in numbers.
We made the police officer the least desired position in the country.
We placed criminals above the law, with judges and prosecutors
who were soft on crime.
We encourage violent crime in every way.
We truly are “our own worse enemy.”
Tom McGorray
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
6
Letter: Christianity and gays
- Duane Harpet, Northwest side
The way I see it, there are two types of Christians: Those who have read the Bible and treat all God's children with love and respect, and those who use the Bible to justify their own bigotry, the same bigotry found in other very non-religious groups.
Duane Harpet
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
7
Letter: presidential Election
- Frank E Montez, East side
I doubt this letter will be published in the Arizona Daily Star Letters to the editor. It seem the new editor of ADS letters to the Editor has swung to the right. Trump is a threat to Democracy, he did not concede and on January 6th incited an insurrection, period. i am a veteran, who trained under Viet Nam Veterans. To call those at Arlington Cemetery; which I visited "Losers and Suckers" is disgusting. At that visit a Viet Nam vet thanked me for my service and I thanked him and his brothers in arms for training me! This won't be printed because whoever edits these letters has swung right to appear so fair! Frank E. Montez veteran of 32 years ,son of a Korean War combat veteran!
Frank E Montez
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
8
Letter: Commandments and Beatitudes
- Greg Lewis, Midtown
The Alabama State Legislature has passed a new law requiring all public schools to display The Ten Commandments.
This isn’t new. We’ve seen this public Ten Commandments controversy before and, personally, it has led to my wondering why the religious right always insists on Mose’s law rather than something Jesus had to say. They are, after all, Christians.
My personal choice would be Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount.” I’ve heard it called Jesus’ Inaugural Address but it begins with a series of blessings commonly known as the beatitudes.
There are only 7, so they’d save space in a public display: “Blessed are the poor,” Jesus begins. Blessed are those who morn; . . .the meek; . . . they who hunger and thirst for righteousness; . . . the merciful; . . . the clean of heart; . . . the peace makers, for they will be called children of God.
Little different feel. Little different focus. I like it.
Greg Lewis
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
9
Letter: This Pharmacist Says That PBM's Need Reform
- Eden Malki, Foothills
Dear Editor,
As a recently married pharmacist, I'm deeply concerned about medication access in Arizona. Patents have spurred innovation, but high out-of-pocket costs and limited pharmacies create significant barriers. My experience reveals how Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) control drug access, often profiting disproportionately.
PBMs dominate 80% of the drug market, hindering fair access and inflating costs, particularly for independent pharmacists like myself.
Legislation such as the DRUG Act aims to reform PBMs, ensuring fairer drug pricing and access. I aspire to establish an independent pharmacy dedicated to community care, pending these crucial reforms.
I urge lawmakers to support the DRUG Act to restore fair access to medications and enhance community health.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Eden Malki
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
10
Letter: Sane policies indeed needed!
- Kendra Gaines, Foothills
Heartfelt thanks to John Dorschner whose fine article, "Adopt Sane Policies" appeared on 6/21. He stated clearly and succinctly the unvarnished truth about the consequences of ignoring the concept of FINITE resources. As he noted, if we humans persist in destroying our own planet through ignorance and greed--and overpopulation--, no new planet is going to miraculously appear to save us. The right-to-lifers have got it wrong; it isn't just life that matters, but quality of life. With excess quantity, quality begins to be diluted. Certain animal and bird species limit their own numbers when availability of food and water is compromised. Human beings are also happy to limit the numbers of other species when their numbers appear no longer sustainable. But humans are mammals in just the same physical way as animals. Why can we not manage to control our own numbers to match available resources? We are collectively headed down a dangerous path indeed, as Dorschner has eloquently described.
Kendra Gaines
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
11
Letter: Right Facts, Wrong Conclusion
- Mike Carran, East side
A recent letter to the editor published in the Star (6/18/24) points out that climate changing CO2 remains in the atmosphere for an exceptionally long time. He then concludes that, due to this, we should not take any action to limit adding more CO2 to the atmosphere. It is rather like arguing that a forest will take a long time to recover from a forest fire, and therefore, we should set more of the woods on fire. His facts are correct. CO2 does take a long time to leave the atmosphere, but his conclusion is wrong. Bringing our atmosphere into balance will take many years. The correct conclusion is that, therefore, we haven’t a minute to lose in attacking the problem. That means we must stop burning the fossil fuels that are causing the problem.
Mike Carran
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
12
Letter: Infrastructure funding
- Lee Aitken, Northwest side
I read and reread the opinion piece from the Southern Arizona Homebuilders praising Congressman Ciscomani's effort to bring infrastructure funding to projects here in Southern Arizona. What I could not find in the piece was giving credit to the Biden administration for working so hard to get the Infrastructure bill through Congress and distributing the funds across the country including here in Pima County. All around Pima County, these funds have had a positive impact on our local economy. Congressman Ciscomani voted against the Infrastructure bill in the House and he should not be taking credit for bringing the funds here.
Lee Aitken
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
13
Letter: Running Man
- james abels, Midtown
Inaccurate political cartoon! (6/26/24 Pg A7). Can you imagine dough boy Trump running?! He should have been drawn in a golf cart trying to outrun his 30,000+ lies. I do appreciate the word 'Lies' was used and not a euphemism.
And, of course, he's still spreading lies faster than the speed of truth and facts!
james abels
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
14
Letter: Presidential Debate
- Gary Simons, Oro Valley
The presidential debate is about a week away, and I am pleased an audience will not be present and candidate microphones will be muted when the other is speaking. Hopefully, that will lead to a constructive atmosphere for each candidate to speak and respond to the other.
Beyond the typical format of questions, answers and rebuttals - it would be interesting to see a segment where each candidate could ask the other questions leading to a one minute response, and two half minute exchanges between the candidates before the next question is asked. In that scenario, how would Trump respond to – “Why do you:
Feel a need to resort to boorish, childhood behavior to denigrate others?
Reject actual bipartisan legislation to mitigate border migration just to debate it?
Reject longtime allies in favor of dictators and despots?
[Pick one or more] Attack policies of interest to the majority of the public: climate change; reasonable gun control, access to healthcare, etc.?”
Gary Simons
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
15
Tucson Speaks Out: June 26 letters of the day
- Updated
Right facts, wrong conclusion
Re: the June 18 letter “Climate change hoax.”
A recent letter to the editor published in the Star points out that climate changing CO2 remains in the atmosphere for an exceptionally long time. He then concludes that, due to this, we should not take any action to limit adding more CO2 to the atmosphere. It is rather like arguing that a forest will take a long time to recover from a forest fire, and therefore, we should set more of the woods on fire. His facts are correct. CO2 does take a long time to leave the atmosphere, but his conclusion is wrong. Bringing our atmosphere into balance will take many years. The correct conclusion is that, therefore, we haven’t a minute to lose in attacking the problem. That means we must stop burning the fossil fuels that are causing the problem.
Mike Carran
East side
Infrastructure funding
Re: the June 19 article “Ciscomani’s efforts to secure infrastructure funding supports housing.”
I read and reread the opinion piece from the Southern Arizona Homebuilders praising Congressman Ciscomani’s effort to bring infrastructure funding to projects here in Southern Arizona. What I could not find in the piece was giving credit to the Biden administration for working so hard to get the Infrastructure bill through Congress and distributing the funds across the country including here in Pima County. All around Pima County, these funds have had a positive impact on our local economy. Congressman Ciscomani voted against the Infrastructure bill in the House and he should not be taking credit for bringing the funds here.
Lee Aitken
Northwest side
Education funding for all, not just sports
Universities are spending more money on sports in the last few years than providing quality education. Once the players become pro how are they contributing to society except high ticket prices to watch them play. Only the wealthy can now offer to go to a professional sports game. You need to be financially stable to buy good seats for college basketball tickets at the U of A. If not, you are in the nosebleed section. Teachers, Doctors, Nurse’s, Police Officers, and others contribute to society, and they do not get enough compensation. Professional sport players making millions how are they contributing to society? They are not contributing anything except to big TV promotions and the wealthy that can afford to go to a final championship game for football or basketball. I believe funding more money for education is more important than funding for sports. Spending tremendous amount of money on sports scholarships and not enough on the rest of the students who must pay back their loans is injustice.
Don Cotton
Northeast side
Laura Conover
The day Laura Conover was elected as the Pima County Attorney in 2020, there was a breath of fresh air in the court system after the more stringent era of Barbara La Wall. It was a hard-hearted group of prosecutors under her direction. Even when leniency was called for, little was given, not while toughness was the call. Mike Jette is cut from the same cloth, another La Wall cutout in the wings.
Laura has brought humanity and fairness to the office and has worked for justice for the offender and safety for the community. With pluck and purpose, she works for us, her people. A vote for her is a vote for us.
Ron Lancaster
North side
Sustainable policies
Re: the June 21 article “Adopt sane sustainable policies.”
Bravo to proffesor Jon Dorschner for his excellent summary of all the policies we need to fix in our country and Arizona! He is spot on in his assessment that continued economic growth and consumption won’t bring us a better life, but will do just the opposite.
We seem to have forgotten that the desert has a limited supply of water, and we ignore that fact at our peril. Some years ago, I was standing on a small hill at Case Park on the far east side of town. Looking at the surrounding houses, I suddenly saw dead trees and shutters and doors swinging in the breeze — a ghost town. Please people, don’t let that vision come true!
Dorschner covers more important aspects of our society that I don’t have space to respond to here. If you haven’t already, I urge you to read it.
Aston Bloom
East side
Sane policies indeed needed!
Re: the June 21 article “Adopt sane sustainable policies.”
Heartfelt thanks to John Dorschner for his fine article. He stated clearly and succinctly the unvarnished truth about the consequences of ignoring the concept of FINITE resources. As he noted, if we humans persist in destroying our own planet through ignorance and greed — and overpopulation — no new planet is going to miraculously appear to save us. The right-to-lifers have got it wrong; it isn’t just life that matters, but quality of life. With excess quantity, quality begins to be diluted. Certain animal and bird species limit their own numbers when availability of food and water is compromised. Human beings are also happy to limit the numbers of other species when their numbers appear no longer sustainable. But humans are mammals in just the same physical way as animals. Why can we not manage to control our own numbers to match available resources? We are collectively headed down a dangerous path indeed, as Dorschner has eloquently described.
Kendra Gaines
Foothills
Private school fingerprints, ESA Vouchers
Re: the June 23 article “Fingerprint Clearance Card, ESA vouchers.”
Representative Nancy Gutierrez makes a declaration that because the state of Arizona requires only that private school teachers be fingerprinted, public schools are therefore inherently safer (their teachers’ fingerprints are run by the Department of Safety every seven years to check for felonies).
I coach girls’ basketball at a local Christian high school; my school requires that my fingerprints be checked every FIVE years. By casting Gutierrez’s blanket assertions, I can now declare that private schools are safer than public schools. (Actually, most people know it’s true, which is partly why they exist in the first place).
I doubt there are any established private schools that don’t properly vet their employees this way; none would want children to become endangered, nor would they care to be sued for causing it to happen.
“Private school teachers” in Arizona include homeschooling parents. This is the most obvious reason for the “lax” requirement; to claim it as a threat to all private school students is another example of politics at its worst.
Richard Peddy
East side
Marana opinion
Re: the June 23 article “Shooting survivor’s disappointment on bump-stock decision.”
After reading the guest opinion from Katie Woodall, I could feel the bullets, the blood and the pain. It was so well-written, it brought all those emotions to the surface although I’m lucky enough to never have been involved in a mass shooting. My condolences for your pain and especially that you experience such horror in the United States. My wish is that you sent this article to every single member of SCOTUS. Hopefully, they will read between the lines as I did.
Judy Falewicz
SaddleBrooke
UA Athletics should hike prices, cut costs
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again.
The UA needs to focus on filling seats, not increasing ticket prices to solve their financial crisis.
I attended four home football games this past season, and, even though the football team was having an excellent season, there were empty seats all over the stadium.
Furthermore, I agree with Greg Hansen’s opinion that College Football has never been more uninspiring, and that the big money aspect, along with the Transfer Portal is severely hurting the integrity of Collegiate Sport.
Daniel Egan
East side
Un
iversity of Arizona in the Big 12 era
Dear U of A friends,
In the interest of starting the new era in the BIG 12 conference in a positive frame of mind, I suggest that the University of Arizona switch their official colors back to the original Sage Green and Silver. Red and blue are so over used in so many schools. This creative move could possibly help us forget the debacle of Robert C. Robbins’ tenure as President.
Go Wildcats!
Sincerely,
Dan Nelson
Midtown
Commandments and beatitudes
The Alabama State Legislature has passed a new law requiring all public schools to display The Ten Commandments.
This isn’t new. We’ve seen this public Ten Commandments controversy before and, personally, it has led to my wondering why the religious right always insists on Moses’ law rather than something Jesus had to say. They are, after all, Christians.
My personal choice would be Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount.” I’ve heard it called Jesus’ Inaugural Address but it begins with a series of blessings commonly known as the beatitudes.
There are only seven, so they’d save space in a public display: “Blessed are the poor,” Jesus begins. Blessed are those who mourn; … the meek; … they who hunger and thirst for righteousness; … the merciful; … the clean of heart; … the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Little different feel. Little different focus. I like it.
Greg Lewis
Midtown
This pharmacist says PBMs need reform
Dear Editor,
As a recently married pharmacist, I’m deeply concerned about medication access in Arizona. Patents have spurred innovation, but high out-of-pocket costs and limited pharmacies create significant barriers. My experience reveals how Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) control drug access, often profiting disproportionately.
PBMs dominate 80% of the drug market, hindering fair access and inflating costs, particularly for independent pharmacists like myself.
Legislation such as the DRUG Act aims to reform PBMs, ensuring fairer drug pricing and access. I aspire to establish an independent pharmacy dedicated to community care, pending these crucial reforms.
I urge lawmakers to support the DRUG Act to restore fair access to medications and enhance community health.
Thank you for your consideration.
Eden Malki
Foothills
Presidential election
I doubt this letter will be published in the Arizona Daily Star Letters to the editor. It seems the new editor of ADS letters to the editor has swung to the right. Trump is a threat to Democracy, he did not concede and on Jan. 6 incited an insurrection, period. I am a veteran, who trained under Vietnam Veterans. To call those at Arlington Cemetery; which I visited “Losers and Suckers” is disgusting. At that visit a Vietnam vet thanked me for my service and I thanked him and his brothers in arms for training me! This won’t be printed because whoever edits these letters has swung right to appear so fair! Frank E. Montez veteran of 32 years, son of a Korean War combat veteran!
Frank E. Montez
East side
County supervisor vote
Re: the June 22 letter “Rex Scott.”
The decision made by Supervisor Rex Scott to approve rezoning of the Pima Wash was very unfortunate. Traffic increase on Rudasill Road would be a public safety issue and the confined water flow during heavy rains would lead to serious erosion issues.
The neighbors in the area met multiple times with the Supervisor, and were assured that the project would not be approved unless these were addressed.
Supervisor Scott said he would look for a compromise between the homeowners and the developer. We agreed and presented several plans. Yet at the July 2023 Supervisors Meeting the developer’s original proposal without compromise was approved with Mr. Scott voting yes! To say that we were disappointed and felt betrayed is an understatement.
Rex Scott was not a man of his word on this important issue for whatever reasons he cites and should not be returned to a position of trust as a Supervisor for Pima County.
Kevin C. Kiley, MD and Dean Marvin, PhD
Foothills
Hello, is anyone out there?
Is anyone out there? Doesn’t anyone care?
We have the greatest country in the World, shaped and structured by our Forefathers who thought of every contingency to preserve our rights.
An election is coming up Nov. 5, so don’t wait until then to familiarize yourself with the candidates and ballot measures.
Look for integrity, honest and high virtues and someone looking out for our country, not for personal gratification.
Remember, the New President will have the power to appoint new Supreme Court Justices and they are in for life. Once you vote, you cast your vote, you cannot take back your choice and we have to live with it.
John Adams, to his wife Abigail wrote, Nov. 2, 1800 on those moving into the White House, “I pray Heaven to bestow the blessings on this House and on all that shall here after we inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof.”
May the Stars and Stripes wave over the land of the Free and the Brave. Thank you for protecting our Country, these United States of America.
Anita Dwyer
East side
16
Letter: Silence of Al Mawasi
- Valentine Ferraris, Northeast side
Hamas attacked Israel Oct.7th. That means war. During WW1 we bombed Germany and many civilians died. During WW2 we bombed Germany and Japan and many civilians died. Now we have Israel fighting Hamas and many civilians are dying. Israel in not at war with civilians, they are at war with Hamas. Approximately 3 weeks after Oct 7th, Israel proposed a safe zone for civilians, Al Mawasi a territory of Gaza. Al Mawasi was proposed to UN, UNRWA, WHO, ETC.
It could have been a coordinated effort, It would take some time but it would allow food, water, medicine, sanitary, Red Cross humanitarian organizations. It could not happen unilaterally, so Al Mawasi is not a safe zone. UNRWA and the UN turned it down. Too difficult I guess. With out civilians in the war zone the war would be over. Why did they say no. Draw your own conclusions.
Valentine Ferraris
Northeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
17
Letter: Great economy??
- Jack Hingstrum, Marana
Some people claim that Bidenomics has produced a great economy, but Joe's inflation has made many rich and famous people look for a second job to pay their bills. Barak Obama has been forced to supplement his income by going back to work. Perhaps you saw him on TV Sunday night at the fundraiser for Biden. Obama's new job was helping Biden off of the stage as Joe tends to have difficulty doing that by himself. "Visiting Angels" was very pleased with Barak's performance on his first nights work for their company. Jill also called to thank Barak for his help as she was exhausted from doing that job by herself.
Jack Hingstrum
Marana
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
18
Tucson Speaks Out: June 25 letters of the day
- Updated
Silence of Al Mawasi
Hamas attacked Israel Oct. 7. That means war. During WWI, we bombed Germany, and many civilians died. During WWII, we bombed Germany and Japan, and many civilians died. Now we have Israel fighting Hamas, and many civilians are dying. Israel in not at war with civilians, they are at war with Hamas. Approximately three weeks after Oct 7, Israel proposed a safe zone for civilians, Al Mawasi, a territory of Gaza. Al Mawasi was proposed to UN, UNRWA, WHO, Etc.
It could have been a coordinated effort, it would take some time, but it would allow food, water, medicine, sanitary and Red Cross humanitarian organizations. It could not happen unilaterally, so Al Mawasi is not a safe zone. UNRWA and the UN turned it down. Too difficult, I guess. Without civilians in the war zone, the war would be over. Why did they say no? Draw your own conclusions.
Valentine Ferraris
Northeast side
Need a copper mine if you want EVs
A normal Honda Accord needs about 40 pounds of copper. The same battery electric Honda Accord needs almost 200 pounds of copper. Onshore wind turbines require about 10 tons of copper, and in offshore wind turbines, that amount can more than double. The researchers found that between 2018 and 2050, the world will need to mine 115% more copper than has been mined in all of human history up until 2018 just to meet “business as usual.” This would meet our current copper needs and support the developing world without considering the green energy transition.” Note: These are from a report by the University Of Michigan — Copper can’t be mined fast enough. Raul Grijalva and his supporters are against a copper mine in the Santa Rita mountains. But they want everyone to buy an electric car (or two cars for a couple). Can’t have it both ways.
Gary Erickson
Benson
Traffic signal at First & River
I applaud the city planners for implementing red arrows on turn signals in the Catalina Foothills area, especially at First and River. In my opinion, the red arrow needs to be used at all hours. I just had a near miss at that intersection at 8:55 p.m. due to the flashing yellow. The flashing yellow encourages drivers to take chances which is why there are so many collisions. Those of us who prefer to not to turn left on a flashing yellow are pressured by drivers behind to move into the intersection and are subject to horns honking and angry drivers. The far right turn lane cannot see oncoming traffic due to the double turn lane of opposing traffic. This is a dangerous precedent that needs to stop! The city needs a standard for all traffic lights and be consistent throughout the city. Isn’t safety more important than the approval of drivers?
Lisa Williams
Foothills
Where does AZ’s agricultural water go?
Re: the June 16 article “Farm subsidy programs discourage water savings.”
The recent report on Arizona’s award of crop insurance focuses on the program’s priority on subsidizing drought resistant crops over water-thirsty alfalfa. A farmer of 7,500 acres emphasized the need for drilling more wells and subsidies for alfalfa, stating “You can’t have reasonably priced products in grocery stores without alfalfa.”
An important question ignored in this report is who we are feeding with our water. A report by AgEcon Search estimates 10% of Arizona’s alfalfa output is exported to countries such as China and Japan, accounting for about 202,000 acre feet or 8.6 billion cubic feet of our precious underground water.
Do we really need to subsidize farmers to feed cattle in China and Japan? Arizona’s water is too valuable a resource to be shipped overseas.
Bruce Hilpert
North side
Great economy?
Some people claim that Bidenomics has produced a great economy, but Joe’s inflation has made many rich and famous people look for a second job to pay their bills. Barack Obama has been forced to supplement his income by going back to work. Perhaps you saw him on TV recently at the fundraiser for Biden. Obama’s new job was helping Biden off of the stage, as Joe tends to have difficulty doing that by himself. “Visiting Angels” was very pleased with Barack’s performance on his first night’s work for their company. Jill also called to thank Barak for his help, as she was exhausted from doing that job by herself.
Jack Hingstrum
Marana
Kudos to Click
Late last year, I won the second prize in the Jim Click Millions for Tucson raffle. I won two first-class tickets to almost anywhere in the world. We are fortunate to live in an altruistic community that even though donations are down nationwide to non-profit organizations, a local businessman steps up to help boost the coffers of Southern Arizona’s 501 (c )(3) organizations. Kudos to Click! 2024 is the 15th year of his car raffle generosity. Go ahead and buy some tickets which help so many good causes. You have better odds than the Arizona Lottery and please consider my favorite charity — Southern Arizona Greyhound Adoption (SA Greys). Good luck.
Karyn Zoldan
Midtown
Response to letters and local opinions
Since the AZ Star only allows one letter submission per month, at least for conservative writers, I will touch on a few recent letters and local opinions. A letter writer stated that President Biden is taking us in the right direction on climate change, using more carrots than sticks, and that CO2 emissions are slowing and climate scientists are optimistic. Well, the NOAA just reported that 2023 saw no slowing in CO2 emissions, and many climate scientists say we are past the 2C mark is rising temperatures. Biden has imposed all kinds of punitive CO2 emissions dictates, aka “sticks,” on small appliances, manufacturing and vehicles. A local opinion writer essentially stated that Trump supporters are ignorant because they do not watch or read the mainstream media. Maybe that is because the MSM, i.e., ABC, CBS, NBC, WaPo, NY Times, AZDS, are liberal Democrat biased. Another opinion from the Pima County School Superintendent lauded DEI. Does he know that DEI is inherently racist against white straight males? Geez!
Tom Galloway
Midtown
Pima County Attorney’s race
I’m concerned about Mike Jette’s candidacy for County Attorney. His switch to the Democratic Party appears to be just a practicality, but his conservative background says otherwise.
We have been witnessing an effort to reshape our legal system that favors authoritarianism at the expense of true justice. The Federalist Society, et al., are championing this cause, as indicated in “Project 2025.”
Jette appears to reflect this agenda. His prior appearances on right-wing media, conservative donors, and an insincere shift to the Democratic Party raise significant red flags.
Subsequently, Mr. Jette spoke at a luncheon. When the topic of the AZ AG’s election came up, Mr. Jette revealed that he “supported the other guy”, meaning the Trump endorsed, Abe Hamadeh, the Republican AG candidate. This was startling and contradicts Jette’s Democratic affiliation.
Therefore, please scrutinize Mr. Jette and his supposed Democratic platform. It’s crucial, to elect a County Attorney who represents justice and not someone who uses political expediency as a cover for a conservative agenda.
Matthew Capalby
Northwest side
A Fourth of July without fireworks? Yes, please!
The city of Lawrence, Kansas, recently announced it will put on a drone show instead of traditional fireworks this Fourth of July. They’re making the change because firework explosions can be triggering for war veterans, pets and others. And Lawrence isn’t the only one. Flagstaff, Denver and Salt Lake City have all adopted drone or laser light shows over fireworks in recent years. Salt Lake City made the change for environmental reasons: to avoid air pollution and wildfire threats that come with fireworks.
As someone who lives near downtown Tucson, I dread the city’s fireworks because they frighten companion animals and wildlife, including my dog, Herman. Pima Animal Care Center reminds people each year to keep their animals contained during the fireworks event, and yet the shelter is inundated for days afterward with strays who fled their homes in fear.
I desperately hope Tucson will consider adopting a more humane and environmentally friendly approach to its Fourth of July celebration like Lawrence and other cities have.
Kim Flaherty
Downtown
Stay hydrated and keep your cool
Due to the current economic hardships that many, if not most, are experiencing, I imagine that many drivers cannot afford to repair their vehicles’ air conditioning. Being overheated and dehydrated can cause drivers to act out and even pass out while in vehicles that are well over 100 degrees. Many of these vehicles are carrying those who are more susceptible to overheating because they cannot regulate their body heat: the elderly, people with disabilities, and children. I have seen overheated dogs traveling in the backs of open trucks. Beware that dogs might jump out to try to save themselves from their situation. Being overheated can cause headaches and cause people to act irrationally. There are overheated and dehydrated people waiting at Tucson’s bus stops, walking, traveling in wheelchairs, and on bikes and motorcycles.
Drivers need to yield to those who are overheated, for whatever reason, in order to keep everyone safe.
Cheryl Kelli
Downtown
Housing prices
Re: the June 22 article “Why home prices have gone through the roof.”
We can always count on the Heritage Foundation to blame the government for private sector greed. Their piece on rising housing prices is a great example. They point to the government manipulating interest rates when the real culprit is rich people using the housing market as an investment vehicle.
In a seller’s market, it only takes a few home sales at inflated rates to raise prices across the board, especially when cash offers above the asking price dominate. Only the rich have the liquidity to pay cash, so prices keep rising, rich people keep buying, and the masses get priced out.
Legislation barring the rich from speculating in the housing market could lower prices, but the Republicans would never support that. Instead, they offer up a scapegoat to distract from their own culpability in this grift. Between enabling institutional investors, union busting and blocking minimum wage hikes, the Republicans have succeeded in decimating the working class while blaming it on Biden. Apparently, they think we’re all stupid.
Duncan Stitt
Midtown
Water rates
We live in an unincorporated area of Pima County that received illegal water rate increases by Tucson City Water, imposed by the Tucson City Council. About 70,000 of us have paid millions in increased water bills, because of this illegal increase. Pima County sued the city on our behalf, with Supervisor Rex Scott playing a significant role. Residents of the foothills should be supportive of Pima County and Supervisor Scott for his efforts in getting our money returned. It is important to give credit when it is due, and it is due for Supervisor Scott and the Pima County Board.
Dave and Ann Locey
Foothills
Unrestrained growth is short-term thinking
Re: the June 21 article “Adopt sane sustainable policies.”
I wholeheartedly support the editorial published in the Star by Jon Dorschner. Dorschner has directly addressed the critical problem that others have chosen to ignore, that of unrestrained growth and that such growth is necessary to produce wealth. The prevailing attitude of most businesses seems to be, “I’ll make as much money as I can now and never mind about the future.” As a result, we see unrestrained building of houses and related infrastructure, sprawling endlessly across the desert. No thought is given to the limited resources — most especially water — available to sustain this growth. This short-term greed results in painful pollution and congestion, as Dorschner observes. The long-term welfare of the many is being forfeited to the short-term greed of the few.
Eldon Braun
Foothills
Thank you, Gov. Hobbs, for your vetos
I applaud Gov. Hobbs’ decision to veto five water bills passed by the Legislature. These bills would not have addressed Arizona’s housing crisis and would have put Arizona’s groundbreaking 1980 Groundwater Management Act in jeopardy. Some have claimed that the bills were “good for housing.” However, building out more new housing will not address housing issues in our state. According to the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Arizona has 14,000 unhoused people. Yet, there are over 16,000 unsold homes listed in the Phoenix, Mesa and Scottsdale area alone, according to the Federal Reserve Bank. Simply adding to that inventory, without additional policy changes, won’t solve any problems. The state legislature should do more to address water issues in our state than pass bills that primarily benefit property developers.
Garrett Weaver
East side
19
Letter: Returning to the scene of the crime
- James Nesci, East side
Donald Trump met with GOP senators and representatives on Capitol Hill for the first time since January 6th.
I guess what they say is true: criminals actually do return to the scene of their crimes.
James Nesci
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
20
Letter: The second anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade
- Jennifer Dawson, Midtown
June 24 is the second anniversary of the Dobbs decision by the Supreme Court - the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and the ending of 50 years of the right to have an abortion. The results have been disastrous.
A 10-year old child had to be taken to another state to end a pregnancy from rape.
Women have died from sepsis, or forced to carry non-viable fetuses (unable to survive after birth) to term. Some women were brought literally to the brink of death before they were allowed to get an abortion, and some are no longer able to bear children because of it.
Donald Trump boasts of being the one responsible for the end of Roe v. Wade. Now 21 states have bans or restrictions. If he becomes president again, he will make the abortion ban national.
Women: in self-defense, vote for Joe Biden and reproductive rights.
Men: protect your wives, sisters, daughters, mothers. Vote for Biden.
Jennifer Dawson
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
21
Letter: Gifts to federal employees
- Craig Miller, Northwest side
As someone who was an ICU RN for the federal government for over 30 years we we told gifts could not exceed the $ 20 range. Clarence Thomas accepted one vacation that was valued at $500,000 from a Republican donor, among other gifts, makes a mockery of the system.Aliito has also exhibited partisan behavior. The Supreme Court used to be the most independent and respected branch of government. Their needs to be term limits and a real code of ethics.
Craig Miller
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
22
Letter: Justice Jackson's "expensive gifts"
- Glen Vann, West side
A recent letter writer seems quite outraged that Justice Jackson reported earnings from a book deal and a gift of Beyonce concert tickets.
The letter is a shallow attempt to create some sort of false equivalency between Jackson and the investigative disclosures by ProPublica of the gifts Justices Thomas and Alito received. However, the writer lacks some important context, either out of ignorance or deliberate omission.
Setting aside the fact that Jackson VOLUTARILY disclosed the gifts and the other two did not, Beyonce doesn't have any cases before the court. The "gifts" that Thomas and Alito previously failed to report, are far more "lavish", and have come from billionaire activists determined to sway the Court's opinions
Also, book royalties are allowed under the current outside income rules of the court. A fact that Justices Barrett, Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, and Sotomayor have previously taken full advantage of.
While I am accustomed the kind hypocrisy illustrated by the letter in question, I can't wrap my mind around 4 concert tickets costing $3700.
Glen Vann
West side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
23
Letter: More breathing room for America: Oxygen Reform
- Felix Reyes, East side
Many of us take breathing for granted, but some people have to worry about every breath. In fact, there are 300,000 people in Arizona who are living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and some are required to be on supplemental oxygen.
Unfortunately, many of these people – especially those enrolled in Medicare – face challenges in getting the right type and levels of oxygen. As the State Captain for the COPD foundation, and a practicing pulmonologist in Tucson, I work with people facing these issues every day. This is why I am asking for Juan Ciscomani to co-sponsor the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform SOAR Act, legislation to ensure that everyone has access to the right type and levels of oxygen that they need to live normal and active lives.
Supplemental oxygen requires special equipment such as compressed oxygen using a tank, liquid oxygen, oxygen concentrators and portable oxygen concentrators.
Everyone deserves the opportunity to live a full and healthy life. Please join us in helping Arizonans breathe easier.
Felix Reyes
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
24
Letter: CISCOMANI AND MERRICK GARLAND
- Barry Kirschner, Midtown
I am disappointed in the performance of Attorney General Merrick Garland. His delay in aggressively prosecuting January 6 defendants, particularly leadership, allowed the insurrectionists to re-group and gain control of a political party.
But the idea that the Republican majority House of Representatives held him in contempt because a transcript of President Biden’s interview was not accompanied by the audio tape is crazy, or purposefully evil. Garland is an institutionalist attempting to restore the long respected Department of Justice before it was corrupted by leaders like William Barr.
Republican leaders, a number of whom defied lawful subpoenas from the January 6 subcommittee, brought a shameless contempt citation to the floor. My representative, Juan Ciscomani, voted to hold Garland in contempt. Unforgiveable. He needs to be replaced in November.
Barry Kirschner
Barry Kirschner
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
25
Letter: "Definition of Republican" 6/12/24
- Denise Walker, Midtown
Regarding the letter published on June 12, "Definition of a Republican". The writer must also have a definition of a Democrat. It should go something like: A person who believes the government should be run by a career politician who never created a job, never ran a business or served in the military, but made millions along the way; who fought for segregation when it served his purpose and eulogized a high ranking member of the KKK; who stole classified documents and stored them in multiple unsecure locations but is too incompetent to be held accountable; whose foreign policy decisions led to 13 dead service members and billions of dollars in assets left for the Taliban; who opened our borders to millions of unknowns, criminals, and terrorists and an unending supply of fentanyl; who "lost" over 85,000 children in this country illegally; whose policies led to record high inflation and soaring costs; who freezes like a statue, wanders away and can't figure out where to go next without help.
Denise Walker
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
26
Letter: War on Women
- Rachel Rulmyr Ed.D., Oro Valley
We are experiencing a War on Women. The Texas GOP platform is calling for abortion patients to get the death penalty. Republican Senators introduced a bill to create a government-run website to collect pregnant women’s data, and a new report shows how abortion bans have empowered domestic abusers, now able to wield the power of the state to force their victims into pregnancies they can’t escape.
Women and men are now experiencing a War on Birth Control with anti-abortion activists manipulating data so that it won’t show how abortion bans kill women. Republicans are spending millions of dollars to stop voters from having a say in their own freedom over their bodies.
Last week Republicans made their birth control stance very clear, blocking federal legislation to protect access to contraception.
Republicans are fighting to deny women life-saving emergency abortions. Forcing a 10 year old girl who has been raped or a woman carrying a dead fetus to give birth is no freedom at all.
Rachel Rulmyr Ed.D.
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
27
Letter: HONOR OUR HEROS
- John Bingham, Northwest side
I just read another LTE where the letter writer criticizes our president for being "lost in his own world." The first paragraph of his letter made complete sense that we should honor our Heros of the Greatest Generation. He doesn't seem to realize that the former and now GOP candidate, thinks these heros that Jerry writes about were "losers and suckers." I believe that the one's that are lost in their own world's are Jerry and the GOP candidate that don't really care about our country. As a Marine Officer and Veteran of the Operation Desert Storm, I take offense with someone who thinks military service is for losers and suckers. My mother and father met on Oahu on December 10th, 1941 while both serving in the Navy. Neither of them were a sucker or a loser. But both would never vote for someone that made these claims about Veterans.
John Bingham
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
28
Letter: CAMPAIGN RHETORIC
- John Bingham, Northwest side
I just read another Non-Univeristy of Arizona letter writer complaining about gas prices and complaining again, that's it's Biden's fault. Luckily for me I was fortunate enough to be forced to take economics while at the University and I learned what causes things like inflation and rising fuel prices. It's too bad that the letter writer didn't get the same great education I got at UofA. Loren the former prez came into office with a great economy. He wrecked it. He cut taxes for all his rich friends and the current modest estimate is that if we continue his tax cuts, our deficit will increase by $3.9T trillion. Economics can be dauting, but if you don't understand them, don't complain it. The letter writer clearly doesn't understand it, so she's saying,(like all trumpettes) costs were down under his administration. She's wrong of course.
John Bingham
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
29
Letter: Presidential Race
- David Tulanian, East side
To the Editor:
There is no denying that in the last 2 presidential races plus the current one, a number of colorful characters have emerged. But between Hurricane Hillary, Incompetent Joe and Felon Donald, I'll take the felon any day.
President Biden falsely claims that inflation was 9% when he first took office yet I recall that it was a mere 1.4%.
Pinocchio Joe has same explaining to do!
David Tulanian
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
30
Tucson Speaks Out: June 24 letters of the day
- Updated
Campaign rhetoric
I just read another letter writer complaining about gas prices and complaining again, that’s it’s Biden’s fault. Luckily for me, I was fortunate enough to be forced to take economics while at the University, and I learned what causes things like inflation and rising fuel prices. It’s too bad that the letter writer didn’t get the same great education I got at U of A. The former prez came into office with a great economy. He wrecked it. He cut taxes for all his rich friends and the current modest estimate is that if we continue his tax cuts, our deficit will increase by $3.9 trillion. Economics can be daunting, but if you don’t understand them, don’t complain about it. The letter writer clearly doesn’t understand it, so she’s saying, (like all Trumpettes) costs were down under his administration. She’s wrong of course.
John Bingham
Northwest side
Returning to the scene of the crime
Donald Trump met with GOP senators and representatives on Capitol Hill for the first time since Jan. 6.
I guess what they say is true: Criminals actually do return to the scene of their crimes.
James Nesci
East side
The second anniversary of Dobbs
June 24 is the second anniversary of the Dobbs decision by the Supreme Court — the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and the ending of 50 years of the right to have an abortion. The results have been disastrous.
A 10-year-old child had to be taken to another state to end a pregnancy from rape.
Women have died from sepsis or been forced to carry non-viable fetuses (unable to survive after birth) to term. Some women were brought literally to the brink of death before they were allowed to get an abortion, and some are no longer able to bear children because of it.
Donald Trump boasts of being the one responsible for the end of Roe v. Wade. Now, 21 states have bans or restrictions. If he becomes president again, he will make the abortion ban national.
Women: In self-defense, vote for Joe Biden and reproductive rights.
Men: Protect your wives, sisters, daughters, mothers. Vote for Biden.
Jennifer Dawson
Midtown
Gifts to federal employees
As someone who was an ICU RN for the federal government for over 30 years, we were told gifts could not exceed the $20 range. Clarence Thomas accepted one vacation that was valued at $500,000 from a Republican donor, among other gifts, making a mockery of the system. Alito has also exhibited partisan behavior. The Supreme Court used to be the most independent and respected branch of government. There needs to be term limits and a real code of ethics.
Craig Miller
Northwest side
Ciscomani and Garland
I am disappointed in the performance of Attorney General Merrick Garland. His delay in aggressively prosecuting Jan. 6 defendants, particularly leadership, allowed the insurrectionists to regroup and gain control of a political party.
But the idea that the Republican majority House of Representatives held him in contempt because a transcript of President Biden’s interview was not accompanied by the audio tape is crazy, or purposefully evil. Garland is an institutionalist attempting to restore the long-respected Department of Justice before it was corrupted by leaders like William Barr.
Republican leaders, a number of whom defied lawful subpoenas from the January 6 subcommittee, brought a shameless contempt citation to the floor. My representative, Juan Ciscomani, voted to hold Garland in contempt. Unforgivable. He needs to be replaced in November.
Barry Kirschner
Midtown
Watchdog tamed
Somehow, Robert Robbins maneuvered to get the ABOR financial watchdog John Arnold to report to him as Chief Operating Officer of the U of A. Of course Arnold is happy since he will get more than a $200k/year raise to $550k/yr. Does anybody see an Old Boys Network at work here?
Gerald Lavallee
Southeast side
Justice Jackson’s ‘expensive gifts’
A recent letter writer seems quite outraged that Justice Jackson reported earnings from a book deal and a gift of Beyonce concert tickets.
The letter is a shallow attempt to create some sort of false equivalency between Jackson and the investigative disclosures by ProPublica of the gifts Justices Thomas and Alito received. However, the writer lacks some important context, either out of ignorance or deliberate omission.
Setting aside the fact that Jackson voluntarily disclosed the gifts and the other two did not, Beyonce doesn’t have any cases before the court. The “gifts” that Thomas and Alito previously failed to report, are far more “lavish” and have come from billionaire activists determined to sway the Court’s opinions.
Also, book royalties are allowed under the current outside income rules of the court. A fact that Justices Barrett, Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, and Sotomayor have previously taken full advantage of.
While I am accustomed the kind of hypocrisy illustrated by the letter in question, I can’t wrap my mind around four concert tickets costing $3,700.
Glen Vann
West side
Definition of a Democrat
Re: the June 12 letter “Definition of a Republican.”
The writer must also have a definition of a Democrat. It should go something like: A person who believes the government should be run by a career politician who never created a job, never ran a business or served in the military, but made millions along the way; who fought for segregation when it served his purpose and eulogized a high-ranking member of the KKK; who stole classified documents and stored them in multiple unsecure locations but is too incompetent to be held accountable; whose foreign policy decisions led to 13 dead service members and billions of dollars in assets left for the Taliban; who opened our borders to millions of unknowns, criminals and terrorists and an unending supply of fentanyl; who “lost” over 85,000 children in this country illegally; whose policies led to record high inflation and soaring costs; who freezes like a statue, wanders away and can’t figure out where to go next without help.
Denise Walker
Midtown
War on women
We are experiencing a war on women. The Texas GOP platform is calling for abortion patients to get the death penalty. Republican Senators introduced a bill to create a government-run website to collect pregnant women’s data, and a new report shows how abortion bans have empowered domestic abusers, now able to wield the power of the state to force their victims into pregnancies they can’t escape.
Women and men are now experiencing a war on birth control, with anti-abortion activists manipulating data so that it won’t show how abortion bans kill women. Republicans are spending millions of dollars to stop voters from having a say in their own freedom over their bodies.
Last week, Republicans made their birth control stance very clear, blocking federal legislation to protect access to contraception.
Republicans are fighting to deny women life-saving emergency abortions. Forcing a 10-year-old girl who has been raped or a woman carrying a dead fetus to give birth is no freedom at all.
Rachel Rulmyr Ed.D.
Oro Valley
Oxygen reform
Many of us take breathing for granted, but some people have to worry about every breath. In fact, there are 300,000 people in Arizona who are living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and some are required to be on supplemental oxygen.
Unfortunately, many of these people — especially those enrolled in Medicare — face challenges in getting the right type and levels of oxygen. As the State Captain for the COPD foundation, and a practicing pulmonologist in Tucson, I work with people facing these issues every day. This is why I am asking for Juan Ciscomani to co-sponsor the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform SOAR Act, legislation to ensure that everyone has access to the right type and levels of oxygen that they need to live normal and active lives.
Supplemental oxygen requires special equipment such as compressed oxygen using a tank, liquid oxygen, oxygen concentrators and portable oxygen concentrators.
Everyone deserves the opportunity to live a full and healthy life. Please join us in helping Arizonans breathe easier.
Felix Reyes
East side
Out-of-control spending for vouchers
Dear Editor:
Re: the June 1 article “Critics question school voucher spending ahead of budget crunch.”
Wow! The article in the Star (June 1) said money handed out to students to pay for schooling (the Empowerment Scholarship Account Program) had increased from 12,000 students to 75,000 students now. It has turned into an unsustainable economic monster. My mama used to say when beginning a new project or program, “You’ve got to start out like you can hold out.”
Too bad they didn’t follow her advice!
Beverly Rutter
Midtown
6th Congressional District
In the race for the 6th Congressional District between incumbent Republican Juan Ciscomani and the Democrat challenger candidate Kirsten Engel, how long will it take if Ciscomani loses for him to proclaim the election was stolen and the system was rigged in the manner of the Egocentrically Bombastic Felon Former President? Bet it will not take long!
Find out by voting for the superbly qualified Kirsten Engel. Do the right thing!
Stuart A. Ulanoff
Oro Valley
Presidential race
To the Editor:
There is no denying that in the last two presidential races plus the current one, a number of colorful characters have emerged. But between Hurricane Hillary, Incompetent Joe and Felon Donald, I’ll take the felon any day.
President Biden falsely claims that inflation was 9% when he first took office yet I recall that it was a mere 1.4%.
Pinocchio Joe has some explaining to do!
David Tulanian
East side
Desert farming must adapt to climate change
Re: the June 16 article “Farm subsidy programs discourage water savings.”
Thank you for your recent article by Tony Davis. I read this after a recent road trip from Tucson to Santa Barbara, where I drove through hundreds of miles of farmland in Arizona and Southern California.
The temperatures were 100-plus degrees and the desert was blanketed in green fields of alfalfa, corn, melons, orange groves, grape vines, olive trees and more. Most of these crops are high-water crops and I was amazed to see old sprinkler systems and water-pools in the fields — both outdated irrigation practices.
The author writes that the Crop Insurance Program has paid $6B to farmers between 2017-23. Yes, we need to support our farmers, but we must also encourage them to adopt more aggressive water-saving methodologies and drought-resistant crops into their plans.
The author states that “farmers are on a collision course with climate change.” Take a road trip through the Southwest and you will see it for yourself.
Carla O’Hara
Northwest side
Strange bedfellows
Ruben Gallego and Juan Ciscomani both have excellent track records when it comes to constituent services. They get jobs for your kids. They help small companies win government contracts. They straighten out zoning problems, tax problems, benefit problems, problems with foreign governments — all kinds of problems. Granted, one’s a Democrat; the other, a Republican. Lots of people think that’s all that matters. Actually, it doesn’t matter at all. Vote for the “Best Players Available.” This season, it’s Gallego and Ciscomani.
Walter Ramsley
East side
News sources
Re: the June 20 article “Mainstream media still matter.”
I’ve argued that Trump supporters are good citizens but often misinformed. Consequently, I was thrilled by the column by Jeff Hartman, who presents evidence that people who rely on digital websites and social media for their news tend to support Trump, while those who rely on newspapers overwhelmingly support Biden. I read The Daily Star and the New York Times every day. They both provide a system of fact-checking and information verification. And they tell you if they make a mistake. Most importantly, they cover topics that impact my life. When I turn to digital, or FOX news, I find they are mostly ignoring topics I care about (global warming, international news) or presenting highly biased, often fraudulent opinions from scurrilous, even criminal sources (Bannon, Guiliani). Please, Trump supporters, take the time to look at sources that care about truth.
Cheryl Lockhart
Foothills
Honor our heroes
I just read another LTE where the letter writer criticizes our president for being “lost in his own world.” The first paragraph of his letter made complete sense that we should honor our Heroes of the Greatest Generation. He doesn’t seem to realize that the former and now GOP candidate, thinks these heroes were “losers and suckers.” I believe that the ones that are lost in their own worlds are the letter writer and the GOP candidate that don’t really care about our country. As a Marine Officer and Veteran of Operation Desert Storm, I take offense with someone who thinks military service is for losers and suckers. My mother and father met on Oahu on Dec. 10, 1941 while both serving in the Navy. Neither of them were a sucker or a loser. But both would never vote for someone that made these claims about Veterans.
John Bingham
Northwest side
31
Letter: Econ 101
- Robert Diedrich, Northeast side
Ms Hanco*ck states “I remember when “Biden took office the price of gas was half the price it is today”. That is correct. If you remember that was during the pandemic. People stayed home. Few took long driving trips. The demand for gas dropped to record low numbers. As such, the oil companies had a glut of gas supply. They dropped their prices to encourage people to drive and purchase gas. Simple as that.
When the pandemic “ended”, people got back to driving. Oil companies continued to raise prices (as did other companies who lost business during the pandemic) thus causing inflation. It’s as simple as that. Biden didn’t cause prices to rise or inflation to happen. Capitalism did. Biden didn’t release “directives” that caused inflation. Corporate greed did that
Robert Diedrich
Northeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
32
Letter: Ten Commandments in classrooms
- Brian Horn, North side
Do the Louisiana legislators actually understand the Ten Commandments they insist on displaying to students? The first four are most certainly not "foundational documents of our national government" - see the First Amendment to the Constitution. And students must be very conflicted by the fourth commandment - "Remember the Sabbath day ... On it you shall not do any work ...", which is obviously being largely violated every Sunday. The remaining commandments are indeed the basis of a good moral code but are not unique to the Bible - many such codes predate the Bible. In any case, so students can get the whole picture, the display should include the penalties mandated by the Bible for disobedience of the Ten Commandments, including death by stoning for cursing God's name, for working on Sunday, for cursing ones father or mother, or for committing adultery (see Leviticus 20 and 24, Numbers 15, and Deuteronomy 22).
Brian Horn
North side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
33
Letter: A week later, border crossings still exceeding 2,500 daily
- Paula Martin, Vail
President Biden's Executive Order on the border went into effect on June 5. It was meant to halt anyone entering illegally from claiming asylum if the daily average of Border Patrol encounters surpassed 2,500 for seven consecutive days. Well, as of today, June 14, the encounters are at about 3,100 a day. Yet people are still being allowed entry claiming asylum and being released from custody. A new internal memo from CBP stated that anyone entering from 100 Eastern hemisphere countries are to be allowed entry, excluding just seven countries. The ACLU has filed a federal civil suit against the EO, and will likely win based on previous federal court rulings. I am sure Biden foresaw that coming, knowing rulings would likely come after the election. Instead of targeting asylum seekers, Biden's EO should have instead shut down the border to all entering illegally to preclude asylum claims. He has the federal statutory authority to "exclude any classes of aliens" from entering, but not specifically halting asylum claims.
Paula Martin
Vail
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
34
Letter: Re: the June 13. article “Letter: CLIMATE CHANGE HOAX”
- Jan Freed, Downtown
Climate change waits for no man (or woman).. All the slick talk in the world will not keep Florida houses from filling with water.
The good news is that a strong majority of citizens in every state, Red and Blue and Purple have come to accept the science: climate change is real, human caused and a threat to our health and economy. The dismissive, the deniar, the delayer is now an endangered species, at last.
And there are bills in Congress that would effectively limit our emissions, the key to reversing the ever increasing $billion catastrophes and the million of pollution related deaths due to fossil fuels.
So, then, what is the problem? Too many of us would risk the one planet known to support life to avoid putting 'the other guy' into office. And too many politicians are terrified of the wrath of "Agent Orange".who prides himself on ignorance.
Pride goeth before a fall.
Jan Freed
Downtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
35
Letter: Fascism:The fight continues.
- Dr. Michael P.P. Simon, Foothills
I am a naturalized American citizen. In September 1939, my uncle joined the British Army within days of the Nazi invasion of Poland, serving until his demobilization in 1945, my father, at age 17, joined the Royal Marines, serving from 1945-47, my father in law was an RAF fighter pilot, flying Spitfires during the Battle of Britain. All three survived, played their part, like millions of others, and democracy survived and prospered - until now.
In Russia, Putin has crushed domestic dissent and launched a murderous military campaign against Ukraine. But here in the United States, the Republican candidate for president,Trump, is a longtime admirer of Putin, an opponent of aid to Ukraine, an avowed NATO-skeptic, and a man who checks many of the boxes that define fascism: nationalism, the cult of the leader, the cult of violence, racism and xenophobia. Trump is a disgrace, a traitor, and the antithesis of what this country is supposed to stand for. We are better than this.
Dr. Michael P.P. Simon
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
36
Letter: US Federal Debt
- John Schmitz, Marana
Two recent letters published on the Opinion Page extolling the accomplishments of President Biden included statements that he had reduced the national debt. While this may be the author’s opinion, it is absolutely untrue. An article from the Washington Post today stated that the federal deficit for this year will grow to $1.9 Trillion. Last year the deficit was $1.2 Trillion. The national debt was $16.8 Trillion at the end of 2019 and $33 Trillion at the end of 2023. The interest on the national debt last year was greater than the total Department of Defense budget. Today’s Washington Post article forecasts that the national debt will grow to $50 Trillion by 2034. Such news should be on the front page of all the nation’s newspapers and foremost in all national media!
John Schmitz
Marana
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
37
Letter: SCOTUS
- Hal BROWN, Northeast side
AMERICANS OPEN YOUR EYES
Three of our Supreme Court justices have out and out lied at their confirmation hearings, as well as not reporting perks they received from persons or companies, some with cases before them. These judges have not been censured and should have been impeached. We all must be very careful in the upcoming elections to make sure that this cannot happen again. Perhaps if we put the right people into office we can get some proper laws past for all Americans, other than have felons in office passing laws that only benefit them.
Hal BROWN
Northeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
38
Tucson Speaks Out: June 23 letters of the day
- Updated
Gov Hobbs and I-11
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs recently declared that she will not intercede in ADOT’s planning process to locate a future I-11 through Avra Valley.
That isn’t what I expect of a progressive governor.
The proposed route is flawed in so many ways and opposed by the City of Tucson, Pima County, the Tohono O’Odham Nation, and Town of Sahuarita. As well, several conservation agencies, including the Center for Biological Diversity, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, Tucson Audubon Society and Friends of Ironwood Forest are engaged in a lawsuit to oppose this location. Our future here in this delicate ecosystem demands that we do better with critical decisions of this magnitude.
I encourage my peers to make their concerns clear to Ms. Hobbs. Now is the time for the Governor to use the power of her office to require the ADOT to engage in planning that not only addresses the needs of future transportation, but also protects the unique and fragile assets of our Sonoran Desert.
David Barker
Marana
Arizona budgeting
“AZ deal cuts funds for universities, roads, more.” I read this summary of the state budget and the process by which a deal was reached between Gov. Hobbs and Republican legislative leaders with incredulity. Budget surpluses in previous years must have made us all giddy. Now, projected deficits will mean deep cuts to important social programs, planned infrastructure projects, agency programs and support for our three public universities. Some cuts may jeopardize legal settlements. How could this have happened?
Deep reductions in income taxes were enacted during the surplus years. This means a dramatic and continuing reduction in state revenue. What were our legislators thinking? In addition, some obvious expenditure cuts have been declared off-limits by the Republicans. Namely, the exploding school voucher program which may cost around one billion this fiscal year. Please join me in voting for Democratic legislative candidates to untangle this fiscal mess.
Dale Keyes
Northwest side
False statements by Conover again
Laura Conover, her campaign team and even some local Democratic party leaders are reaching out directly to voters to spread lies and divisive statements about Mike Jette. This is very concerning since they have access to a proprietary Democratic database that reports Mike Jette registered as a Democrat since Sept. 17, 2002. Once again, Laura Conover is demonstrating her ongoing lack of integrity and ethics by disseminating false and inflammatory statements about Mike Jette. She recently negotiated, at Pima County taxpayers’ expense, a Diversion Agreement with the Arizona State Bar requiring her to take a mandatory training entitled: Ten Deadly Sins of Ethics. Clearly, the training has had no impact on her as a candidate and, more importantly, as the County Attorney. As a lifelong Democrat, native Tucsonan, and Hispanic, I will be supporting Mike Jette for Pima County Attorney as he is committed to providing safety and prosperity with compassion and integrity.
Isabel Burruel
Southwest side
Border crossings still exceed 2,500 daily
President Biden’s Executive Order on the border went into effect on June 5.
It was meant to halt anyone entering illegally from claiming asylum if the daily average of Border Patrol encounters surpassed 2,500 for seven consecutive days.
Well, as of June 14, the encounters are at about 3,100 a day. Yet people are still being allowed entry, claiming asylum and being released from custody. A new internal memo from CBP stated that anyone entering from 100 Eastern hemisphere countries are to be allowed entry, excluding just seven countries. The ACLU has filed a federal civil suit against the EO and will likely win based on previous federal court rulings. I am sure Biden foresaw that coming, knowing rulings would likely come after the election.
Instead of targeting asylum seekers, Biden’s EO should have instead shut down the border to all entering illegally to preclude asylum claims. He has the federal statutory authority to “exclude any classes of aliens” from entering, but not specifically halting asylum claims.
Paula Martin
Vail
Climate change is real
Re: the May 25 letter ‘The climate change hoax.’
Climate change waits for no man (or woman). All the slick talk in the world will not keep Florida houses from filling with water.
The good news is that a strong majority of citizens in every state, Red and Blue and Purple have come to accept the science: Climate change is real, human-caused and a threat to our health and economy. The dismissive, the denier, the delayer is now an endangered species, at last.
And there are bills in Congress that would effectively limit our emissions, the key to reversing the ever increasing billion catastrophes and the millions of pollution-related deaths due to fossil fuels.
So, then, what is the problem? Too many of us would risk the one planet known to support life to avoid putting ‘the other guy’ into office. And too many politicians are terrified of the wrath of “Agent Orange” who prides himself on ignorance.
Pride goeth before a fall.
Jan Freed
Downtown
Gallego’s commercials
I will probably vote for Gallego in the Senate race, in part because his opponent is a disgrace, but I’m really tired of footage showing his heroism in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Most Arizonans are interested in positions he might take relative to social security, inflation, the price of gas and border problems rather than watching the feats of a warrior in a war long since over. Pay attention to the concerns of everyday Arizonans, Ruben, less touting of your war record.
David Tamme
Midtown
Why I won’t be voting for Wadsack
As a public-school-educated taxpayer, I have chosen to not vote for Justine Wadsack for AZ Senate.
She has shown she is incompetent and is only capable of legislating emotionally versus pragmatically. As a senator, she is to represent all of her constituents including their children. This means you support students of all parties, not vote to defund their schools.
Another reason to withhold the vote from Mrs. Wadsack is her utter ignorance and disregard for Constitutional principles she claims to champion. You would think she would understand the First Amendment protects speech you agree AND disagree with.
She apparently has too thin of skin to hold elected office since she cannot take criticism. She surely can dish it out though with her use of lawfare. It’s time to put someone in the Senate who understands the Constitution and can work with people you disagree with. Vote Vince Leach! I write this as a Civics Instructor and perpetual student of our founding documents.
Noah Webster
East side
Response to ‘Antisemitism on UA Campus’Re: the June 18 article “Antisemitism on UA campus.”
Seek truth and report it — ethical journalism should be accurate and fair, provide context, and take care not to misrepresent or oversimplify. These are a few of the principles of ethical journalism.
The reporter who wrote this article provided the public with unbalanced and inaccurate coverage. In the article, reporter Ellie Wolfe does not provide background or context about why the peaceful encampments happened, nor does she provide information on the demands of the peaceful protesters — which include divestment by the UA from projects and companies that support the ongoing genocide by the state of Israel in Gaza.
She does not address the peaceful protesters’ right to freedom of speech and expression. The facts about the genocide are well documented by human rights organizations, and yet this reporter chose not to provide balance and accuracy in her reporting. Shame! Surely you can do better.
Sarah Roberts
West side
SCOTUS
Americans, open your eyes!
Three of our Supreme Court justices have out and out lied at their confirmation hearings, as well as not reporting perks they received from persons or companies, some with cases before them. These judges have not been censured and should have been impeached. We all must be very careful in the upcoming elections to make sure that this cannot happen again.
Perhaps if we put the right people into office we can get some proper laws past for all Americans, other than have felons in office passing laws that only benefit them.
Hal Brown
Northeast side
U.S. federal debt
Two recent letters published on the Opinion Page extolling the accomplishments of President Biden included statements that he had reduced the national debt.
While this may be the author’s opinion, it is absolutely untrue. An article from the Washington Post stated that the federal deficit for this year will grow to $1.9 trillion. Last year, the deficit was $1.2 trillion. The national debt was $16.8 trillion at the end of 2019 and $33 trillion at the end of 2023. The interest on the national debt last year was greater than the total Department of Defense budget.
Today’s (June 18) Washington Post article forecasts that the national debt will grow to $50 trillion by 2034. Such news should be on the front page of all the nation’s newspapers and foremost in all national media!
John Schmitz
Marana
Fascism: The fight continuesI am a naturalized American citizen.
In September 1939, my uncle joined the British Army within days of the Nazi invasion of Poland, serving until his demobilization in 1945, my father, at age 17, joined the Royal Marines, serving from 1945-47, my father-in-law was an RAF fighter pilot, flying Spitfires during the Battle of Britain. All three survived, played their part, like millions of others, and democracy survived and prospered — until now.
In Russia, Putin has crushed domestic dissent and launched a murderous military campaign against Ukraine. But here in the United States, the Republican candidate for president, Trump, is a longtime admirer of Putin, an opponent of aid to Ukraine, an avowed NATO skeptic, and a man who checks many of the boxes that define fascism: nationalism, the cult of the leader, the cult of violence, racism and xenophobia. Trump is a disgrace, a traitor, and the antithesis of what this country is supposed to stand for. We are better than this.
Dr. Michael P.P. Simon
Foothills
U of A president
Re: the June 16 paid ad on page A8.
I really appreciate the paid advertisem*nt in support of Robert Robbins. The list of people that paid for the advertisem*nt is very useful for me to determine who not to vote for, and which businesses not to support. Thanks again.
Gerald Lavallee
Southeast side
Econ 101
Re: the June 19 letter “Campaign rhetoric.”
The letter writer states “I remember when Biden took office the price of gas was half the price it is today.” That is correct. If you remember that was during the pandemic. People stayed home. Few took long driving trips. The demand for gas dropped to record-low numbers. As such, the oil companies had a glut of gas supply. They dropped their prices to encourage people to drive and purchase gas. Simple as that.
When the pandemic ended, people got back to driving. Oil companies continued to raise prices (as did other companies who lost business during the pandemic), thus causing inflation. It’s as simple as that. Biden didn’t cause prices to rise or inflation to happen. Capitalism did. Biden didn’t release “directives” that caused inflation. Corporate greed did that.
Robert Diedrich
Northeast side
Justice prevails with Conover
Prosecutors are very powerful people who have the ability to completely alter a person’s life. Many of them before Laura took office forgot the meaning of justice. It is not the job of a prosecutor to just make sure he has the most convictions and sends the most people to prison. Those hard liners who think that there should be no mercy for criminals should consider how they would feel if it were their son or daughter who was being prosecuted. Justice should not just be the way we punish people but also the way we try to save them. Laura is the right choice for county attorney.
Robert Murray, attorney
Midtown
Ten Commandments in classrooms
Do the Louisiana legislators actually understand the Ten Commandments they insist on displaying to students? The first four are most certainly not “foundational documents of our national government” — see the First Amendment to the Constitution. And students must be very conflicted by the fourth commandment — “Remember the Sabbath day ... On it you shall not do any work ...”, which is obviously being largely violated every Sunday. The remaining commandments are indeed the basis of a good moral code but are not unique to the Bible — many such codes predate the Bible. In any case, so students can get the whole picture, the display should include the penalties mandated by the Bible for disobedience of the Ten Commandments, including death by stoning for cursing God’s name, for working on Sunday, for cursing one’s father or mother, or for committing adultery (see Leviticus 20 and 24, Numbers 15, and Deuteronomy 22).
Brian Horn
North side
39
Letter: Trump may have killed his chance at Black voters
- Sheldon Metz, Northeast side
Misinformation from Donald Trump and his “people,” (Gangsters of yore never had "friends;" even relatives were suspect), has increased exponentially, exceeding the 30,00+ lies he told during his time in office.
'180 Church' in Detroit was selected to hear Trump speak to attract Black voters. It failed miserably. The city is 80% Black. He claims to have addressed 8,000 church members. The church can only hold 244. The audience was overwhelmingly WHITE, with the majority not being church members or from Detroit, but rather being bussed in for the event. Some were paid.
In his audaciously arrogant manner, he claimed black voters preferred him because he has a criminal record and mug shots; therefore, they could relate to him. "I'm one of them!" He said with a bumptious tone, “I have so many Black friends that if I were a racist, they wouldn’t be "friends." That actually came out of his mouth. In the end, the audience was primarily white. He was speaking to his audience.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
40
Letter: What if
- Ron Lancaster, North side
Woe is us if Trump takes this election. There may be big plans afoot for holding a round-table discussion in the White House for all the major dictators, with Putin and Trump sharing the chair. China, Hungary, North Korea will be well represented, as well as lesser rats around the world.
Items to be discussed are the elimination of the U. N. and how to smother the folly of freedom wherever it springs to life. In this new seat of power, this most august of gatherings could finally have a jolly time with some really good vodka.
Never in history was there ever such a conclave. Washington will be the perfect place for such an event celebrating the start of a thousand-year run.
But for us democrats, it will spark a truly different world with all Americans painted with the same dark brush, as it should be. We let it happen.
Ron Lancaster
North side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
41
Letter: SCOTUS without ethics
- Jack Graef, SaddleBrooke
Addressing John Roberts as “Chief Justice” suggests respect for him, and by extension, the Supreme Court, itself. However, it's painfully obvious (maybe not painfully) that words like “respect” and “SCOTUS” do not belong on the same page, let alone in the same sentence. The recent continuous stream of revelations about the deplorable conduct of associate Justices Clarence Thomas (who has been an anathema to the Court since his dalliances of Anita Hill days) and Sam Alito, make one‘s head spin. If Roberts cared about "respect" for the Court, he would lean heavily on them to make them change their behaviors, or at least to induce them to recuse themselves from ruling on cases in which they have a perceived or actual interest. The SCOTUS is sometimes called the “High Court.” The sad reality is, it’s not so high while Roberts tolerates Thomas’ and Alito’s absence of ethics.
Jack Graef
SaddleBrooke
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
42
Letter: Letter to the Editor
- Carola Myers, Foothills
Can any normal person take this clown seriously? If this country reelects this flawed individual, we will be the laughingstock of the rest of the world. The embarrassment I would feel vis-à-vis my friends and relatives in Europe! Think of countries like Russia, China, and many others – how they would gloat! And just imagine what will befall us when he loses again!
Carola Myers
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
43
Letter: SUPREME COURT GIFTS
- John Bingham, Northwest side
Thank you Haley Roberts for giving us an accounting of the a "liberal" justices gifts/monies they've received while on the court. We all could find out that info on the Supremecourt.gov. For some reason Haley thinks this is bad, because Clarence(I've never turned down a huge gift from a partsian supporter) Thomas has been accused of taking so many gifts from Harland Crow a huge GOP donor. The difference Haley is that Justice Brown reported these gifts as required, whereas good ole "BOY" used by the GOP has not disclosed most of his gifts. Until recently he said, "I didn't realize I was supposed to report these gifts." Nice try Clarence and by default Haley but facts are facts and you don't get to claim your own opinion as a fact. Sorry.
John Bingham
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
44
Letter: A Worthy Commander?
- Ronald Pelech, Midtown
Even MAGAs must realize the folly of allowing their daughters to be unsupervised with creepy predator Donald Trump. Are they willing to sacrifice their daughters to their Minotaur god?
Many MAGAs work to sacrifice democratic elections and justice to satisfy Trump's lust for power and retribution, since a violent mob ransacked the Capitol on January 6 and thugs now threaten judges and juries. Who in their right minds would sacrifice rule of law that permits civilization as opposed to barbarism based on Trump's whims and caprices?
It is shocking that Trump recently held a rally in Las Vegas in near 110 degrees heat. Trump said, "I don't care about you. I just want your vote." A true leader would not sacrifice his people's health and welfare to exploit them for donations and votes. Such a reckless military commander would lose his command. How can we trust callous, uncaring, sociopathic Trump to be commander in chief of our whole nation?
Ronald Pelech
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
45
Letter: An illusion of democracy
- Gerry Maggiora, Foothills
The United States is a democratic country, at least that’s what I’m told. But I’m beginning to have some doubts. Certainly the people speak by electing their representatives. But the issue that is bothering me is do we have what is essential for the existence of a democracy, namely, an informed electorate? There certainly are a plethora of news and other information sources, but unfortunately many of them do not speak the truth. So the issue becomes whether or not the electorate is capable of distinguishing truth from falsity. Based on what I am seeing today I’m no longer sure. RIP, Democracy.
Gerry Maggiora
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
46
Letter: Bump Stock Abortion
- Jim Lombardo, Oro Valley
Ethically compromised justice Clarence Thomas wrote last week’s Supreme Court decision to remove the ban on bump stocks. For context, a rifle modified with a bump stock was used in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting which resulted in the deaths of 58 people and the wounding of 500 people IN UNDER TEN MINUTES! How is this anything other than aborting post-natal humans?
While Thomas purports to be pro-life, he has foisted a decision upon the public which benefits special interest hobbyists and will potentially cause countless deaths in the future.
While there is disagreement about when human life begins, there is little doubt when it ended for the victims in Las Vegas. Weapons of war sold to mentally ill people who use them for purpose of killing as many people as possible as quickly as possible is insanity and nothing more than abortion for sport.
So much for the sanctity of human life.
Jim Lombardo
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
47
Tucson Speaks Out: June 22 letters of the day
- Updated
A worthy commander?
Even MAGAs must realize the folly of allowing their daughters to be unsupervised with creepy predator Donald Trump. Are they willing to sacrifice their daughters to their Minotaur god?
Many MAGAs work to sacrifice democratic elections and justice to satisfy Trump's lust for power and retribution, since a violent mob ransacked the Capitol on January 6 and thugs now threaten judges and juries. Who in their right minds would sacrifice rule of law that permits civilization as opposed to barbarism based on Trump's whims and caprices?
It is shocking that Trump recently held a rally in Las Vegas in near 110-degree heat. Trump said, "I don't care about you. I just want your vote." A true leader would not sacrifice his people's health and welfare to exploit them for donations and votes. Such a reckless military commander would lose his command. How can we trust callous, uncaring, sociopathic Trump to be commander in chief of our whole nation?
Ronald Pelech
Midtown
What if
Woe is us if Trump takes this election. There may be big plans afoot for holding a round-table discussion in the White House for all the major dictators, with Putin and Trump sharing the chair. China, Hungary, North Korea will be well represented, as well as lesser rats around the world.
Items to be discussed are the elimination of the U. N. and how to smother the folly of freedom wherever it springs to life. In this new seat of power, this most august of gatherings could finally have a jolly time with some really good vodka.
Never in history was there ever such a conclave. Washington will be the perfect place for such an event celebrating the start of a thousand-year run.
But for us democrats, it will spark a truly different world with all Americans painted with the same dark brush, as it should be. We let it happen.
Ron Lancaster
North side
SCOTUS without ethics
Addressing John Roberts as “Chief Justice” suggests respect for him, and by extension, the Supreme Court, itself. However, it's painfully obvious (maybe not painfully) that words like “respect” and “SCOTUS” do not belong on the same page, let alone in the same sentence. The recent continuous stream of revelations about the deplorable conduct of associate Justices Clarence Thomas (who has been an anathema to the Court since his dalliances of Anita Hill days) and Sam Alito, make one‘s head spin. If Roberts cared about "respect" for the Court, he would lean heavily on them to make them change their behaviors, or at least to induce them to recuse themselves from ruling on cases in which they have a perceived or actual interest. The SCOTUS is sometimes called the “High Court.” The sad reality is, it’s not so high while Roberts tolerates Thomas’ and Alito’s absence of ethics.
Jack Graef
SaddleBrooke
Supreme Court gifts
Re: the June 14 letter "Justice Jackson accepted expensive gifts."
Thank you to the letter writer for giving us an accounting of the a "liberal" justices gifts/monies they've received while on the court. We all could find out that info on the Supremecourt.gov. For some reason the letter writer thinks this is bad, because Clarence (I've never turned down a huge gift from a partisan supporter) Thomas has been accused of taking so many gifts from Harlan Crow, a huge GOP donor. The difference is that Justice Brown reported these gifts as required, whereas good ole "BOY" used by the GOP has not disclosed most of his gifts. Until recently he said, "I didn't realize I was supposed to report these gifts." Nice try Clarence and by default (letter writer) but facts are facts and you don't get to claim your own opinion as a fact. Sorry.
John Bingham
Northwest side
Rex Scott
Next to the President of the United States, I believe our County Supervisor impacts us more than most anyone.
From roads, police protection, the border, sewer and oversight on our water rates, establishing a budget that meets these priorities, who else is more important? I think we are fortunate to have Rex Scott as our Pima County Supervisor who represents us well on these important issues. It is so easy to get demoralized in today's world with our political representatives, but Rex is clearly a shining star in a dark sky.
Dave Locey
Foothills
Trump
Can any normal person take this clown seriously? If this country reelects this flawed individual, we will be the laughingstock of the rest of the world. The embarrassment I would feel vis-à-vis my friends and relatives in Europe! Think of countries like Russia, China, and many others— how they would gloat! And just imagine what will befall us when he loses again!
Carola Myers
Foothills
Response to letter writer
Re: the June 15 letter "Candidate's words are harmful and painful."
Justice of the Peace candidate Michael Buglewicz, and one other candidate participated in an invited community forum, only two felt the importance to speak with the public. The point mentioned was reference the terms women-of-color and people-of-color. These are commonly used terms to include many or all different racial or ethnic groups. The most important thing you should know about my husband is that he spent his entire professional life helping people, serving his community, serving the Lord. He was raised to be respectful to all people...everyone. He married a woman of color; I am that woman of color. I am Latina and I am Chicana, as are our children and grandchildren. He is thoughtful, respectful and professional. Michael would like to speak to you directly. Please contact us, Michael Buglewicz is an exceptional person. He's the needed change within Precinct 4.
Emmita Buglewicz
West side
Trump and Black voters
Misinformation from Donald Trump and his “people,” (Gangsters of yore never had "friends;" even relatives were suspect), has increased exponentially, exceeding the 30,000+ lies he told during his time in office.
'180 Church' in Detroit was selected to hear Trump speak to attract Black voters. It failed miserably. The city is 80% Black. He claims to have addressed 8,000 church members. The church can only hold 244. The audience was overwhelmingly white, with the majority not being church members or from Detroit, but rather being bused in for the event. Some were paid.
In his audaciously arrogant manner, he claimed black voters preferred him because he has a criminal record and mugshots; therefore, they could relate to him. "I'm one of them!" He said with a bumptious tone, “I have so many Black friends that if I were a racist, they wouldn’t be "friends." That actually came out of his mouth. In the end, the audience was primarily white. He was speaking to his audience.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Bump stocks and abortion
Ethically compromised Justice Clarence Thomas wrote last week’s Supreme Court decision to remove the ban on bump stocks. For context, a rifle modified with a bump stock was used in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting which resulted in the deaths of 58 people and the wounding of 500 people in under ten minutes! How is this anything other than aborting post-natal humans?
While Thomas purports to be pro-life, he has foisted a decision upon the public which benefits special interest hobbyists and will potentially cause countless deaths in the future.
While there is disagreement about when human life begins, there is little doubt when it ended for the victims in Las Vegas. Weapons of war sold to mentally ill people who use them for purpose of killing as many people as possible as quickly as possible is insanity and nothing more than abortion for sport.
So much for the sanctity of human life.
Jim Lombardo
Oro Valley
AZ in the hole
For decades AZ Republicans in the Legislature underfunded public schools, creating a distressed education system. Their solution? The ESA school choice program. It transferred funds from public schools to parents for tuition at unregulated private schools. The AZ education budget is now in the hole for over $600 million.
What is the Republican solution to the problem they created? Cut education funding 2024-2025 K-12. Seeing a pattern? Parents should ask themselves who really values education and vote accordingly.
A tried-and-true political winner for Republicans is “cut taxes.” Republicans drum up a tax problem by claiming that the tax system wasn’t “fair.” We must tax the multi-millionaire almost the same percent as you and me. But Republicans didn’t count the money. The “flat tax” resulted in more than $700 million shortfall.
What happened to that surplus that Ducey bragged about? Squandered by a slim Republican majority in the legislature. You can’t vote for the same party repeatedly and expect different results.
Cindy Doklan
Midtown
Subdivisions cost more than they generate
Re: the June 19 article "Ciscomani's efforts to secure infrastructure funding supports housing."
A recent editorial by the president of a home builders association, you know, someone who makes a buck off new housing, claimed that new subdivisions were great because they generated tax revenue. That is not the full story.
Several years back I was appointed to a long-range planning committee. What we learned about new subdivisions was startling. While they generated tax revenue, in fact they were a net tax drain on the community. Along with those subdivisions came tax costs for local fire, and police departments. There were also tax costs for water and sewer improvements and upkeep, roads, and other infrastructure. The same net drain was true of shopping centers. All of these so-called improvements ended up costing existing homeowners and renters extra taxes to make up the shortfall.
Building on vacant lots in established areas did not have these drawbacks. I am not against all new subdivisions, but let's have an honest conversation about the added costs of these subdivisions and ensuing shopping centers.
Howard Strause
Foothills
Left-turn arrows
First the City of Tucson and Pima County quit using in street traffic detectors such as embedded wires and the old metal plates years ago. They now use cameras which are easier to replace and cheaper to use. Accordingly, they can count the cars in a lane when they determine that is the best solution.
The problem really is that left turns are the most inefficient traffic movement that happens at an intersection. When the light is green for you all thru traffic must stop and wait. So if you are on a six-lane street crossing a four lane street you have tens lanes of traffic waiting for you. In addition the traffic control systems are designed to keep traffic moving as much as possible to reduce congestion. I am no traffic engineer but I suspect that they are just trying to keep the greatest number of cars moving.
Dale Calvert
Northeast side
An illusion of democracy
The United States is a democratic country, at least that’s what I’m told. But I’m beginning to have some doubts. Certainly the people speak by electing their representatives. But the issue that is bothering me is do we have what is essential for the existence of a democracy, namely, an informed electorate? There certainly are a plethora of news and other information sources, but unfortunately many of them do not speak the truth. So the issue becomes whether or not the electorate is capable of distinguishing truth from falsity. Based on what I am seeing today I’m no longer sure. RIP, Democracy.
Gerry Maggiora
Foothills
SEL and DEI benefits
Re: the June 20 article "Unfounded fear of social emotional learning and DEI."
I applauded the clarity and thoughtfulness of the writing by Dustin Williams, Pima County School Superintendent. His precise definitions and explanation of SEL, Social Emotional Learning and DEI, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion was followed by the numerous benefits of each and the misconceptions causing harmful legislation to restrict their use. He notes “some legislators have developed an almost visceral reaction to these terms,” and follows with the faulty logic of those opposing the methods. Noting the benefits for emotional development and critical inclusion for all individuals in the educational system, Williams expands the positives of these methods to society as a whole. He finishes with “It’s time to move past unfounded fears and embrace the transformative potential of SEL and DEI. Amen, Dustin Williams.
Roger Shanley
East side
Those ubiquitous Ciscomani signs
The outsized cardboard presence of Juan Ciscomani on every street corner is a poor substitute for his notable absence in our community except of course for his regular presence at SABHA, Tucson Metro Chamber and Arizona Mining Association meetings.
Sheldon Clark
Vail
Robbins
Dear Editor:
Add my name to the list of people who’d like to see President Robbins remain in the top job at the University of Arizona. As so often happens, people have overreacted to UA’s budget “crisis’’ and politicians tow to the noisiest elements in the room. Getting rid of Bobby Robbins may be the biggest mistake the Board of Regents will ever make. It’s not too late to change course.
Sincerely,
Randal Dix,President, Transwest Properties, Inc.
Foothills
48
Letter: Trump policies
- Valerie Smith, Midtown
A recent letter writer stated support for former President Trump because his policies will be better for the country. What policies? What is he going to do about inflation? Crickets on that one. Ukraine? Let Putin have it. Gaza? Let Netanyahu take care of it. Immigration? Concentration camps and mass deportation --that ought to be great for the economy!. Abortion? Make it illegal nationally. Sorry but listening to him whine about witch hunts doesn't help pay the bills.
Valerie Smith
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
49
Letter: Supreme Court
- Thomas Sitzmann, Oro Valley
So the illegitimate (at least according to Democrats) issued a unanimous opinion on access to mifepristone. I am sure that all Democrats and pro-abortion rights advocates hail this as a great victory. I'm not so sure. While not against the use or prescription of this drug, I think this ruling sets a bad precedent. Basically, the ruling said the plaintiffs didn't have standing to sue over the FDA's disregard of existing protocols and procedures to get a drug greater access. There is a reason those are in place, to protect the public. In this case, it seems that they were totally disregarded by bureaucrats to advance a political agenda. What good are rules, regulations, protocols, or procedures if they can be disregarded on a political whim? Sounds like Biden's version of "democracy" at work
Thomas Sitzmann
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
50
Letter: Childish behavior
- Gerald Schwartz, Foothills
I read the newspaper daily. I know this is election season and tempers get elevated. However, some letter writers appear to be exchanging opinions via the opinion page. Opinion pages should be for adults and not those who appear to be in their second childhood though I am not certain as I don't know the ages. Some writers appear to be a bit more informed than others regarding fascism, antisemitism, etc. in the early 20th century. They appear to have read recent books like Oath and Honor or Prequel written by to people I admire even though they are on the opposite ends of the political spectrum. Forget your party and educate yourselves.
Gerald Schwartz
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
51
Tucson Speaks Out: June 28 letters of the day
Christianity and gays
The way I see it, there are two types of Christians: Those who have read the Bible and treat all God’s children with love and respect, and those who use the Bible to justify their own bigotry, the same bigotry found in other very non-religious groups.
Duane Harpet
Northwest side
Should Trump be president again?
I recently spoke at the dedication of two beautiful new tennis courts at the high school in my hometown of Tombstone. The courts were named in honor of Michael Montijo, my good friend and tennis mentor who gave his life in June of 1969 while serving as a US Marine in Vietnam. As you drive into Tombstone from the west, the first thing you see is a blue flag flying establishment entirely dedicated to the sale of merchandise in honor and fealty to a former president who infamously insulted the respected late Republican Arizona statesman, war hero and true public servant John McCain, who spent five years as a tortured POW in Vietnam, as “not a hero” (according to Trump, “heroes” don’t get captured). The next thing you see after the aforementioned store is the high school with its tennis courts dedicated to Tombstone’s beloved fallen hero. The ironic contrast between the two couldn’t be more palpable or disgusting. Does anybody really think this guy should be the president again?
Louie Levinson
Downtown
Compassion and LaWall
Re: the June 21 letter “County Attorney election.”
A recent opinion regarding the county attorney election commented that Barbara LaWall had no “understanding, compassion, or empathy” while she was county attorney. Ms. LaWall is not running for office but deserves to have this statement corrected.
Under her long and successful administration she expanded the victim witness program to include hundreds of volunteers, many of whom have left under the current administration.
LaWall initiated the children’s advocacy program where abused children could be seen and treated in a secure, comforting and private environment.
Under her administration she also initiated a conviction integrity unit, one of the first in the country, to review old convictions and sentencings and determine if justice was done.
LaWall established community justice boards in which juvenile offenders could be dealt with outside of the court system.
Finally, LaWall insured that there were enough attorneys on staff to deal with cases in a timely and effective manner.
All of these actions demonstrate understanding, compassion and empathy.
Margaret Norem
Midtown
Gov. Hobbs stops Robbins power grab
Gov. Katie Hobbs’ veto of legislation to boost state university presidents’ power should humble lame-duck University of Arizona President Robert Robbins.
Robbins favored the bill so he could eviscerate a Faculty Senate that has called him out for a series of executive blunders.
Hobbs’ veto came despite Robbins’ supporters heralding him in a June 16 Arizona Daily Star advertisem*nt. Implicit in their message: The university was a backwater until Robbins brought it to prominence.
That is nonsense, of course. Former UA presidents John Schaefer, Manuel Pacheco, Henry Koffler, Peter Likins, Robert Shelton and Ann Weaver Hart improved the university by adding to what their predecessors did.
Robbins had that opportunity. But what will most mark his tenure are negligence leading to an unprecedented financial crisis and his ham-handed efforts to blame others.
Michael A. Chihak
West side
Recycling but saving H2O
Re: the June 21 letter “Plastic recycling issues.”
This letter is prompted by the last paragraph of this letter. The letter writer brings up the practice of cleaning plastic items before recycling. This has always posed a dilemma for me. I recycle as much as possible. But when it comes to cleaning items, I have an issue in using our precious water to rinse these items. I believe water conservation to be at the top of my list for things needed to be done to help sustain our existence here in the desert in particular, and on planet Earth in general. I’ve been of the opinion that small amounts of residual debris will be rendered either null or innocuous by the chemical/thermolytic breakdown of plastics during downstream processing of the recycled plastics. I would love to hear experts input into this dilemma.
John Hurley, PhD
Midtown
Uplifting story
Re: the June 23 article “Bridging history with motherly love.”
Congratulations to Tony Velasquez for achieving his request to the Santa Cruz County Supervisors on naming a bridge after his devoted foster mother Lucila Gomez Bejarano. Thank you, reporter Henry Bean, for writing this wonderful story. It is uplifting among the very negative, daily stories written about wars, politics, shootings and killings.
Felicidades a la familias Bejarano y Velasquez y especialment a Lucilita.
Julieta Bustamante Portillo
Downtown
Ciscomani disappoints
Editor,
Congressman Ciscomani’s latest fear-based TV ad offers nothing new. The ad calls for building the border wall and condemns President Biden for open borders.
Today’s ugly, militarized border, where too many die, can hardly be described as open. I’m pretty sure the border was more open when Juan Ciscomani and his family migrated to the United States than it is today.
Migration is a defining characteristic of the United States. Migrants have made our nation richer and better.
We all would benefit in so many ways if we stopped scaring ourselves, spent less time building walls, and spent more time and resources on welcoming and accommodating migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
Instead of building walls, let’s consider un-building walls, as Silky Shah suggests in her new book, Unbuild Walls.
Dave Gallagher
Foothills
Soldiers deserve our respect
Re: the June 23 letter “Gallego’s commercials.”
I don’t share Ruben Gallego’s political views, but any soldier who served in Iraq and Afghanistan — whether or not there were any heroic instances — deserves my and every American’s respect for the rest of his or her life.
Douglas R. Holm
East side
Snopes debunks Charlottesville lie
Left leaning Snopes just came out debunking the Biden and Democrat narrative that Trump had praised Neo-Nazis and the KKK members who marched in a 2017 Charlottesville, VA rally that turned into chaos. Snopes wrote, “While Trump did say that there were ‘very fine people on both sides,’ he also specifically noted that he was not talking about neo-Nazis and white supremacists and said they should be ‘condemned totally.’ Therefore, we have rated this claim ‘False.’ “ My question is why has it taken Snopes seven years to report this? Again, they are a left leaning group. In 2020, candidate Biden announced a main reason for his running for President was because of Trump’s pro-Nazi remarks about Charlottesville. He continues to run campaign ads falsely claiming this. Biden should issue a strong apology to Trump during this Thursday night’s debate moderated by Trump hating Jake Tapper and Dana Bash at Democrat biased CNN.
Rory Smith
Marana
Re: Definition of a Democrat
Re: the June 12 letter “Definition of a Republican.”
I wish people who respond to my letters would quit getting their talking points from the Fox toilet entertainment channel, the same “news” outfit that was sued for $787 million for lying and still do, and the same channel that is owned by the same people who own The National Enquirer. You know the one that published smear stories about Hillary so little Don the con could win the election with “fake news”. You all know the paper “Aliens ate my baby as I made love to Elvis”. Trump left all our equipment in Afghanistan, Robert Byrd was not a grand wizard but a recanted KKK member. You say Biden never ran a business. What happened to Trump airlines, university, vodka, steaks, ice, 4 casinos, all bankrupt with a string of people left penniless from his toxic businesses. who bankrupts a casino? And Biden didn’t wander away, his attention was drawn to a paratrooper that just landed. You Republicans exhaust me.
Terry Louck
East side
Our own worst enemy
For me it all began with the Rodney King Affair and culminated with the death of Floyd.
Police brutality became an obsession. We overreacted.
We defunded the police, removed all respect, took them off their pedestals.
We forget the years of good police work and placed them somewhere below our drug dealers.
We forgot the many police officers killed in the line of duty trying to make our life safe and secure.
We encourage our officers to abandon their profession, to retire, or to change jobs, leaving us terribly short in numbers.
We made the police officer the least desired position in the country.
We placed criminals above the law, with judges and prosecutors who were soft on crime.
We encourage violent crime in every way.
We truly are “our own worst enemy.”
Tom McGorray
Northwest side
In retrospect
As a young couple in the 1970s the only affordable home was 40 miles from work. The home loan rate then was 15% for an ARM that soon went to 17%. Then came the gas crisis. To get gas I left the house at 4 a.m. and spent two hours in line before commuting for one hour to my job. Then came the Vietnam humiliation. And then the Iran hostage crisis. Then within a year came stagflation (high prices, slow growth, high unemployment) that lasted several years. During that period, we were lucky to have jobs but upward mobility was nonexistent. The 1980s and early 1990s were fraught with recessions and economic downturns. The 2008 financial crisis is within recent memory so we won’t expand there. My point is, stop whining about your 7% interest rate and high gas prices — in retrospect, maybe things aren’t so bad.
Carl Foster
Green Valley
Religion in schools
To those who would post the Ten Commandments in schools, I would add: Post the 7 deadly sins alongside.
Lust, Gluttony, Sloth, Anger, Envy, Pride, and Greed.
Sharon Powers
East side
Alito OK with yelling fire in a crowded theater?
So Justice Alito thinks that it is free speech to present lies about a deadly disease that killed over a million American’s. Based on his logic then it is OK to yell “fire.” It’s so obvious that his and Thomas’ ideology is the basis for their opinion. They can opine on and on about how you have the right to say anything as long as it supports the far right’s idea of free speech. But the plain truth is that the administration didn’t make those social media companies pull ads for bogus products or misinformation. They pulled them because they saw a moral obligation to protect the innocent (even the gullible ones). If these justices continue to use illogical approaches to common sense problems, then we are in trouble.
Mike Dai
Midtown
Opposition to construction of I-11
I have deep concerns for the environmental implications of this project, and the fiscal irresponsibility of this project. The current plan involves routing this new freeway through Avra Valley and west of the Tucson mountains by Ironwood Forest National Monument. If developed, it will destroy thousands of acres of pristine Sonoran Desert habitat and will sever the wildlife corridor between Saguaro National Park and Ironwood Forest National monument, violating the purpose for which these lands were designated. In addition, many of the communities which will be impacted are low-income, minority communities whose quality of life will be forever damaged. The West Option is fiscally irresponsible and is projected already to cost more to build than the East Option which would co-locate the I-11 with the I-10 and I-19 through Tucson. The City of Tucson, Pima County and the Town of Sahuarita have all voiced opposition to its construction and yet all these cries appear to have fallen on deaf ears.
Chantelle Khambholja
Midtown
Prognosticators
Over the past several years, your numerous liberal readers have foretold that Donald Trump, if elected, will become a dictator, suspend all laws protecting women and LGBTQ, incarcerate all liberal opponents in concentration camps, eviscerate the legal system so that there is no rule of law, buddy up with Putin, and force migrants to enter the country legally. These strident claims have been made even though four years of actual history indicate this will not be the case. In contrast, the last four years of the Biden Administration provide stark examples of the Biden Administration’s path to anarchy, dissolution of individual rights, and the destruction of democracy. If these same prognosticators who so accurately predict the doom and gloom of a Trump election, what will they predict about a second Biden term when the actual results indicate total disaster? Is the prediction of the future based on actual results or just foretold based on bias, selfishness, and hatred.
Loyal M. Johnson Jr.
Oro Valley
52
Letter: Alito OK with yelling fire in a crowded theater….I guess?
- Mike Dai, Midtown
So Justice Alito thinks that it is free speech to present lies about a deadly disease that killed over a million American's. Based on his logic then it is OK to ‘yell fire’. It’s so obvious that his and Thomas’ ideology is the basis for their opinion. They can opine on and on about how you have the right to say anything as long as it supports the far rights idea of free speech. But the plan truth is that the administration didn’t make those social media companies pull adds for bogus products or misinformation…..they pulled them because they saw a moral obligation to protect the innocent (even the gullible ones). If these justices continue to use illogical approaches to common sense problems, then we are in trouble.
Mike Dai
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
53
Letter: religion in schools
- Sharon Powers, East side
To those who would post the Ten Commandments in schools, I would add: Post the 7 deadly sins alongside.
Lust, Gluttony, Sloth, Anger, Envy, Pride, and Greed
Sharon Powers
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
54
Letter: In Retrospect
- Carl Foster, Green Valley
As a young couple in the 1970’s the only affordable home was 40 miles from work. The home loan rate then was 15% for an ARM that soon went to 17%. Then came the gas crisis. To get gas I left the house at 4am and spent two hours in line before commuting for one hour to my job. Then came the Viet Nam humiliation. And then the Iran Hostage Crisis. Then within a year came Stagflation (high prices, slow growth, high unemployment) that lasted several years. During that period, we were lucky to have jobs but upward mobility was nonexistent. The 1980’s and early 1990’s were fraught with recessions and economic downturns. The 2008 financial crisis is within recent memory so we won’t expand there. My point is, stop whining about your 7% interest rate and high gas prices – in retrospect, maybe things aren’t so bad.
Carl Foster
Green Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
55
Letter: Letter commenting on article: "Unfounded fear of social emotional learning and DEI" (June 20).
- Daniel Pryor, West side
Re: the June 20 article "Unfounded fear of social emotional learning and DEI."
A microcosm of DEI has just played out in Grangeville, Idaho concerning DEI for public school students in K-5 grades. At Grangeville's open school board meeting, one man defended Amplify DEI's mission statement: "We help teachers craft rigorous learning experiences that reflect the diverse histories, culture, and identities their students bring to the classroom.
But a concerned parent speaks differently of that rhetoric: "Amplify sexualizes and desensitizes children, undermines traditional values, as well as parents and their parental rights, refers children to harmful resources and violates natural age appropriateness. It (Amplify) does not represent true diversity and equity and is especially skewed towards non-Christian beliefs.
The problem is it may take generations for the truth of this issue to be realized. Experimenting on grades K-5 on social themes is not the role of public schools. Stick to the three R's: reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic.
Daniel Pryor
West side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
56
Letter: Re: the May 28. article “Tucson Speaks Out: May 28 letters of the day”
- Louie Levinson, Downtown
I recently spoke at the dedication of two beautiful new tennis courts at the high school in my hometown of Tombstone. The courts were named in honor of Michael Montijo, my good friend and tennis mentor who gave his life in June of 1969 while serving as a US Marine in Vietnam. As you drive into Tombstone from the west, the first thing you see is a blue flag flying establishment entirely dedicated to the sale of merchandise in honor and fealty to a former president who infamously insulted the respected late Republican Arizona statesman, war hero and true public servant John McCain, who spent five years as a tortured POW in Vietnam, as "not a hero" (according to him, "heroes" don't get captured). The next thing you see after the aforementioned store is the high school with its tennis courts dedicated to Tombstone's beloved fallen hero. The ironic contrast between the two couldn't be more palpable or disgusting. Does anybody really think this guy should be the president again?
Louie Levinson
Downtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
57
Letter: PROGNOSTICATORS
- Loyal M Johnson Jr, Oro Valley
Over the past several years, your numerous liberal readers have foretold that Donald Trump, if elected, will become a dictator, suspend all laws protecting women and LGBTQ, incarcerate all liberal opponents in concentration camps, eviscerate the legal system so that there is no rule of law, buddy up with Putin, and force migrants to enter the country legally. These strident claims have been made even though four years of actual history indicate this will not be the case. In contrast, the last four years of the Biden Administration provide stark examples of the Biden Administration’s path to anarchy, dissolution of individual rights, and the destruction of democracy. If these same prognosticators who so accurately predict the doom and gloom of a Trump election, what will they predict about a second Biden term when the actual results indicate total disaster? Is the prediction of the future based on actual results or just foretold based on bias, selfishness, and hatred.
Loyal M Johnson Jr
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
58
Letter: Re: Definition of a democrat
- Terry Louck, East side
I wish people that respond to my letters quit getting their talking points from fox toliet entertainment channel, the same "news" outfit that was sued for $787 million dollars for lying and still do, and the same channel that is owned by the same people that own The National Enquirer. You know the one that published smear stories about Hillary so little Don the con could win the election with "FAKE NEWS". You all know the paper "Aliens ate my baby as I made love to Elvis". Trump left all our equipment in Afghanistan, Robert Byrd was not a grand wizard but a recanted kkk member. You say Biden never ran a business. What happened to trump airlines, university, vodka, steaks, ice, 4 casinos, all bankrupt with a string of people left penniless from his toxic businesses. WHO BANKRUPTS A CASINO! And Biden didnt wander away, his attention was drawn to a paratrooper that just landed. You Republicans exhaust me.
Terry Louck
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
59
Letter: Snopes debunks Biden and Democrats' Charlottesville lie
- Rory Smith, Marana
Left leaning Snopes just came out debunking the Biden and Democrat narrative that Trump had praised Neo-Nazis and the KKK members who marched in a 2017 Charlottesville, VA rally that turned into chaos. Snopes wrote, “While Trump did say that there were ‘very fine people on both sides,’ he also specifically noted that he was not talking about neo-Nazis and white supremacists and said they should be ‘condemned totally.’ Therefore, we have rated this claim ‘False'.” My question is why has it taken Snopes seven years to report this? Again, they are a left leaning group. In 2020, candidate Biden announced a main reason for his running for President was because of Trump's pro-Nazi remarks about Charlottesville. He continues to run campaign ads falsely claiming this. Biden should issue a strong apology to Trump during this Thursday night's debate moderated by Trump hating Jake Tapper and Dana Bash at Democrat biased CNN.
Rory Smith
Marana
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
60
Letter: June 23 Letter-Gallego's commercials
- Douglas R. Holm, East side
Regarding the letter "Gallego's commercials", June 23.
I don't share Ruben Gallego's political views, but any soldier who served in Iraq and Afghanistan -whether or not there were any heroic instances- deserves my and every American's respect for the rest of his or her life.
Douglas R. Holm
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
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Letter: Honoring Pride Month at Foundations Recovery Network
- Andrea Patton, North side
As the Vice President of Substance Use Disorders at Foundations Recovery Network (FRN), I am proud to recognize June as Pride Month, during which we reaffirm our commitment to providing specialized care tailored to LGBTQ+ individuals. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), LGBTQ+ individuals are almost three times more likely to experience a mental health condition, more than twice as likely to use illicit drugs and almost twice as likely to suffer from a substance use disorder.
This Pride Month, we are highlighting our Pride Institute facility, which was the first addiction treatment center to exclusively serve LGBTQ+ individuals. The Institute was named Best Addiction Treatment Center by Newsweek for the years 2021-2023 and routinely receives referrals from across the United States. Since July 2019, their residential program has assisted 3,428 LGBTQ+ persons struggling with addiction.
At FRN, we are committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity and acceptance, where everyone can receive the compassionate care that they deserve.
Sincerely,
Chad Koller, MBA, MHA, LPC
Andrea Patton
North side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Is this a joke?
- Eric Gormally, Oro Valley
Juan Ciscomani's TV ad has him saving us from government intrusion into our private affairs. Does anyone remember that he is a loyalist to the guy who overturned Roe V. Wade through his Supreme Court picks? Roe was based on the idea that abortion restrictions before mid-pregnancy are an unconstitutional invasion of privacy. Has his loyalty wavered due to privacy concerns when his mob Boss talks about retribution against those in opposition? Did his loyalty waver when his Boss's past words and actions supported leaders like Putin who invade their people's privacy to maintain power? I think not. His ad is the height of hypocrisy and phoniness. He doesn't represent me and I hope a majority in my district feel the same way. Enough loyalists around the country need to be defeated and Democrats elected to impeach and remove those Justices who took away our right to privacy.
Eric Gormally
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Congress Must Help New Dialysis Patients
- Carolyn McKeown, Ajo
Kidney failure changes patients’ lives. I see patients battle kidney failure every day as a social worker at a dialysis clinic where they receive life-saving treatment. Unfortunately, physical hardships are only the beginning.
As a social worker, I help dialysis patients deal with insurance companies. It is a challenging task: dialysis is costly, and insurance companies do their best to avoid paying.
Nevertheless, private insurance gives patients the best opportunity to receive kidney transplants. Allowing kidney patients to keep their private insurance gives them the best shot. However, a recent Supreme Court decision allows private insurance companies to push patients onto Medicare before the traditional 30-month coverage window. This leaves patients without choice, without the best treatment options, and perhaps without a way to pay the remaining 20% Medicare does not cover.
That’s why Congressman Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) must support the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act, which allows kidney patients to keep their private insurance for the first 30 months of dialysis treatment.
Carolyn McKeown
Ajo
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Tucson Speaks Out: June 27 letters of the day
I care about the community
Re: the June 15 letter “Berkman needs to get a life.”
This letter is in response to the mean-spirited letter by a Conover supporter suggesting I should stop being involved in the race for County Attorney. I am involved because I care about my community and the County Attorney’s office. My public records requests, which the writer complains about, revealed Ms. Conover’s significant ethical violations which resulted in the State Bar taking action against her. To this day Conover is still being dishonest about the Bar charge and the Bar’s reasons for imposing a diversion program. I care that Conover has decimated the office, has run off most of the experienced lawyers, and allows dangerous criminals to run free. I care for victims and I care for public safety. Pima County has been my home for 53 years and I was a prosecutor for 18. I know the importance of an honest and competent county attorney. Laura Conover is neither.
David Berkman
Northwest side
Steller’s blaming Republicans for budget deficit
Re: the June 16 article “Blame income-tax cuts for Arizona deficit.”
The AZ Star’s liberal columnist Tim Steller wrote an article blaming former Republican Governor Ducey and Republicans in the Legislature for our budget deficit of $1.3 billion. The main culprits, income tax reductions for Arizonans, private school vouchers, and a decline in retail sales revenue under Biden’s economy. Budget cuts are being made. I wanted to thank Governor Ducey and Republican legislators. I am a middle-income retiree and the 2.5% flat state tax has saved me about $1,500 a year in paying less state income taxes. It helped defray the disastrous financial effects of Bidenomics that raised the costs of everything. Most doing the vouchers are also paying thousands in county property taxes that fund local school districts and community colleges. As for those earning over $200,000 benefiting from the tax cuts, how many are small business owners filing as LLCs or Sole Proprietors using 1040/140s? Our deficit is nothing compared to California’s $68 billion. They face budget cuts of over $19 billion.
Mary Ann Starman
North side
Honoring Pride Month
As the Vice President of Substance Use Disorders at Foundations Recovery Network (FRN), I am proud to recognize June as Pride Month, during which we reaffirm our commitment to providing specialized care tailored to LGBTQ+ individuals. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), LGBTQ+ individuals are almost three times more likely to experience a mental health condition, more than twice as likely to use illicit drugs and almost twice as likely to suffer from a substance use disorder.
This Pride Month, we are highlighting our Pride Institute facility, which was the first addiction treatment center to exclusively serve LGBTQ+ individuals. The Institute was named Best Addiction Treatment Center by Newsweek for the years 2021-2023 and routinely receives referrals from across the United States. Since July 2019, their residential program has assisted 3,428 LGBTQ+ persons struggling with addiction.
At FRN, we are committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity and acceptance, where everyone can receive the compassionate care that they deserve.
Sincerely,
Chad Koller, MBA, MHA, LPC
North side
Congress must help new dialysis patients
Kidney failure changes patients’ lives. I see patients battle kidney failure every day as a social worker at a dialysis clinic where they receive life-saving treatment. Unfortunately, physical hardships are only the beginning.
As a social worker, I help dialysis patients deal with insurance companies. It is a challenging task: dialysis is costly, and insurance companies do their best to avoid paying.
Nevertheless, private insurance gives patients the best opportunity to receive kidney transplants. Allowing kidney patients to keep their private insurance gives them the best shot. However, a recent Supreme Court decision allows private insurance companies to push patients onto Medicare before the traditional 30-month coverage window. This leaves patients without choice, without the best treatment options, and perhaps without a way to pay the remaining 20% Medicare does not cover.
That’s why Congressman Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) must support the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act, which allows kidney patients to keep their private insurance for the first 30 months of dialysis treatment.
Carolyn McKeown
Ajo
Mike Jette for County Attorney
Re: the June 24 article “The path forward: Conover for Pima County Attorney.”
Recently Supervisor Grijalva wrote an op-ed supporting Laura Conover. Perhaps if she had the experience that our family had with Laura Conover she may feel differently. Last year my grandson, Isaac Benitez was beaten, run over and drug underneath a car for several hundred feet. He died from his injuries. His murderers, one 17 and the other 18, were given probation. Throughout the process, we had no support from the County Attorney’s office. We have met the families of other victims that have had the same experience. Isaac was kind and genuine. He graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA and was headed into the Air Force. In the memory of Isaac, we are speaking out so other families don’t have to go through what we have. I am a lifelong Democrat voter, so is the rest of my family. We regret voting for Laura Conover in 2020. We support Mike Jette. Laura Conover failed Isaac and our family. Victims need voices. Vote for Mike Jette.
Angelina Finn
Midtown
I-11
The Pima County Board of Supervisors, except for Steve Christy, approved a resolution to oppose IH-11 in Avra Valley, citing heavy traffic, commercial and residential development, a gash through the Sonoran Desert, destroying habitat, and interrupting wildlife corridors. Their alternative is to add these problems to IH-10 in Tucson. High priority wildlife habitats are well protected in Saguaro National Park West, Tucson Mountain Park, and Ironwood Forest National Monument. Sonoran desert scrub in Avra Valley is already badly disturbed, poor wildlife habitat. Wildlife corridors are often cited as important, but isolated wildlife populations do well without rare genetic exchanges; corridors are not protected by law. Marana is one of the fastest-growing towns in southern Arizona. Projected exponential growth in the next decades will impact Avra Valley anyway, likely as far south as Ajo Road. IH-11 will guide this development and help manage increasing IH-10 traffic.
Tom Van Devender
North side
Laura Conover has my vote
I served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Tucson from 1997 to 2022 and was the lead prosecutor of Jared Loughner for the January 8, 2011 attempted assassination of Gabrielle Giffords, murder of six Tucson citizens and wounding of scores of other fellow citizens. I prosecuted several cases in federal court which were defended by Laura Conover when she served as a criminal defense counsel. I also worked with Mike Jette, Laura’s opponent in the upcoming Democratic Primary Election for Pima County Attorney, when he was a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I have taken the measure of both candidates. I know who I would trust to put the best interests of the citizens of Pima County above their own self-interests as County Attorney. My vote is for Laura Conover.
Wallace Kleindienst
Foothills
The high road
Although Laura Conover, the current Pima County Attorney, has appropriated Michelle Obama’s slogan “When they go low, we go high,” it is her opponent, Mike Jette, who has taken the high road while Conover’s team has gone low. Jette had the courage and experience to prosecute the rancher who shot a migrant in the back, killing him as he was running away. The Conover team faulted Jette for the hung jury that failed to convict in this case. I believe it was a miscarriage of justice due to widely held bias on the part of some jurors and promoted by an Arizona House bill introduced at the same time that, had it passed, would have legitimized just such a killing. Jette had the courage to actually choose justice and stand in the face of this dark force. Ms. Conover has never prosecuted a first-degree murder case, much less one of this consequence.
Joseph R. Patterson, Ph.D.
South side
Is this a joke?
Juan Ciscomani’s TV ad has him saving us from government intrusion into our private affairs. Does anyone remember that he is a loyalist to the guy who overturned Roe V. Wade through his Supreme Court picks? Roe was based on the idea that abortion restrictions before mid-pregnancy are an unconstitutional invasion of privacy. Has his loyalty wavered due to privacy concerns when his mob Boss talks about retribution against those in opposition? Did his loyalty waver when his Boss’s past words and actions supported leaders like Putin who invade their people’s privacy to maintain power? I think not. His ad is the height of hypocrisy and phoniness. He doesn’t represent me and I hope a majority in my district feel the same way. Enough loyalists around the country need to be defeated and Democrats elected to impeach and remove those Justices who took away our right to privacy.
Eric Gormally
Oro Valley
Why this Democrat is voting for Mike Jette
I am a retired attorney who has lived in Tucson for 46 years. I voted for Laura Conover last election and regret that decision. Given the chaos and dysfunction the Pima County Attorney’s Office has suffered under her administration, she cannot run on her true record. She is instead resorting to a campaign of misinformation and outright lies, including the proposition that Mike Jette is not a “real” Democrat.
The easily determined facts are:
Mike has always been a registered Democrat except for a few months in 2012 when he explored a challenge to then PCA LaWall and during 2008-2023 when he registered as an independent due to the serious public corruption and white-collar crime cases he handled.
Mike opposes the death penalty.
Mike is unequivocally pro-choice and supports reproductive rights.
Mike embraces environmental protection.
As a lifelong Democrat, I will vote for Mike Jette and urge my fellow Democrats to do the same. Let’s protect our community and support victims of crime.
Ronna Fickbohm
Midtown
How well do you know your candidates?
I first met Edgar Soto, a Tucson native, as a student in my second-grade class at Brichta Elementary. Knowing a person since youth provides an insight into their character and values. His leadership skills showed early. For example, Edgar was always a magnet for gathering students in activities. He is very approachable! As the VP at PCC — Desert Vista Campus I observed camaraderie with students, faculty, staff and visitors. His personal qualities and his lifelong work ethic demonstrate a dedication and commitment to service for the betterment of the Tucson community.
Edgar’s participation in the Flinn Brown Civic leadership organization, which honors strong leadership, resulted in Edgar’s selection for honor in Pima County. His promotion of early childhood education at the Desert Vista campus earned him an award for launching a Early Learning Center for student parents.
I support Edgar Soto, a 30+ years educator for District 3 Pima County Board of Supervisors! Please join me in voting for Edgar!
Yvonne C. Clay
West side
My vote is for Mike Jette
Re: the June 25 letter “Pima County Attorney’s race.”
Concerned about Mike Jette’s political party affiliation? May I be so bold as to introduce you to Kris Mayes, the finest attorney general our state has had in a very long time. She was also, until 2019, a card-carrying Republican.
This letter is full of completely unsubstantiated accusations and salacious static that distracts from examining Conover’s deficiencies: transparency, integrity, ethics, and management skills. If you want to criticize Jette, you have to give us more than gossip.
As a lifelong Democrat who once supported Conover, I will be voting for Mike Jette. I have lost all faith in Laura, and most of my friends and neighbors agree that Jette could be as great for Pima County as Kris Mayes has been for Arizona.
Daniel Gardner
Northwest side
Letter: Our own worse enemy
- Tom McGorray, Northwest side
For me it all began with thee Rodney King Affair and culminated with the death of Floyd.
Police Brutality became an obsession. We overreacted.
We defunded the police, removed all respect, took them off their pedestals
We forget the years of good police work
and placed them somewhere below our drug dealers.
We forgot the many police officers killed in the line of duty
Trying to make our life safe and secure.
We encourage our officers to abandon their profession, to retire, or to
Change jobs, leaving us terribly short in numbers.
We made the police officer the least desired position in the country.
We placed criminals above the law, with judges and prosecutors
who were soft on crime.
We encourage violent crime in every way.
We truly are “our own worse enemy.”
Tom McGorray
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Christianity and gays
- Duane Harpet, Northwest side
The way I see it, there are two types of Christians: Those who have read the Bible and treat all God's children with love and respect, and those who use the Bible to justify their own bigotry, the same bigotry found in other very non-religious groups.
Duane Harpet
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: presidential Election
- Frank E Montez, East side
I doubt this letter will be published in the Arizona Daily Star Letters to the editor. It seem the new editor of ADS letters to the Editor has swung to the right. Trump is a threat to Democracy, he did not concede and on January 6th incited an insurrection, period. i am a veteran, who trained under Viet Nam Veterans. To call those at Arlington Cemetery; which I visited "Losers and Suckers" is disgusting. At that visit a Viet Nam vet thanked me for my service and I thanked him and his brothers in arms for training me! This won't be printed because whoever edits these letters has swung right to appear so fair! Frank E. Montez veteran of 32 years ,son of a Korean War combat veteran!
Frank E Montez
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Commandments and Beatitudes
- Greg Lewis, Midtown
The Alabama State Legislature has passed a new law requiring all public schools to display The Ten Commandments.
This isn’t new. We’ve seen this public Ten Commandments controversy before and, personally, it has led to my wondering why the religious right always insists on Mose’s law rather than something Jesus had to say. They are, after all, Christians.
My personal choice would be Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount.” I’ve heard it called Jesus’ Inaugural Address but it begins with a series of blessings commonly known as the beatitudes.
There are only 7, so they’d save space in a public display: “Blessed are the poor,” Jesus begins. Blessed are those who morn; . . .the meek; . . . they who hunger and thirst for righteousness; . . . the merciful; . . . the clean of heart; . . . the peace makers, for they will be called children of God.
Little different feel. Little different focus. I like it.
Greg Lewis
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: This Pharmacist Says That PBM's Need Reform
- Eden Malki, Foothills
Dear Editor,
As a recently married pharmacist, I'm deeply concerned about medication access in Arizona. Patents have spurred innovation, but high out-of-pocket costs and limited pharmacies create significant barriers. My experience reveals how Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) control drug access, often profiting disproportionately.
PBMs dominate 80% of the drug market, hindering fair access and inflating costs, particularly for independent pharmacists like myself.
Legislation such as the DRUG Act aims to reform PBMs, ensuring fairer drug pricing and access. I aspire to establish an independent pharmacy dedicated to community care, pending these crucial reforms.
I urge lawmakers to support the DRUG Act to restore fair access to medications and enhance community health.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Eden Malki
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Sane policies indeed needed!
- Kendra Gaines, Foothills
Heartfelt thanks to John Dorschner whose fine article, "Adopt Sane Policies" appeared on 6/21. He stated clearly and succinctly the unvarnished truth about the consequences of ignoring the concept of FINITE resources. As he noted, if we humans persist in destroying our own planet through ignorance and greed--and overpopulation--, no new planet is going to miraculously appear to save us. The right-to-lifers have got it wrong; it isn't just life that matters, but quality of life. With excess quantity, quality begins to be diluted. Certain animal and bird species limit their own numbers when availability of food and water is compromised. Human beings are also happy to limit the numbers of other species when their numbers appear no longer sustainable. But humans are mammals in just the same physical way as animals. Why can we not manage to control our own numbers to match available resources? We are collectively headed down a dangerous path indeed, as Dorschner has eloquently described.
Kendra Gaines
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Right Facts, Wrong Conclusion
- Mike Carran, East side
A recent letter to the editor published in the Star (6/18/24) points out that climate changing CO2 remains in the atmosphere for an exceptionally long time. He then concludes that, due to this, we should not take any action to limit adding more CO2 to the atmosphere. It is rather like arguing that a forest will take a long time to recover from a forest fire, and therefore, we should set more of the woods on fire. His facts are correct. CO2 does take a long time to leave the atmosphere, but his conclusion is wrong. Bringing our atmosphere into balance will take many years. The correct conclusion is that, therefore, we haven’t a minute to lose in attacking the problem. That means we must stop burning the fossil fuels that are causing the problem.
Mike Carran
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Infrastructure funding
- Lee Aitken, Northwest side
I read and reread the opinion piece from the Southern Arizona Homebuilders praising Congressman Ciscomani's effort to bring infrastructure funding to projects here in Southern Arizona. What I could not find in the piece was giving credit to the Biden administration for working so hard to get the Infrastructure bill through Congress and distributing the funds across the country including here in Pima County. All around Pima County, these funds have had a positive impact on our local economy. Congressman Ciscomani voted against the Infrastructure bill in the House and he should not be taking credit for bringing the funds here.
Lee Aitken
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Running Man
- james abels, Midtown
Inaccurate political cartoon! (6/26/24 Pg A7). Can you imagine dough boy Trump running?! He should have been drawn in a golf cart trying to outrun his 30,000+ lies. I do appreciate the word 'Lies' was used and not a euphemism.
And, of course, he's still spreading lies faster than the speed of truth and facts!
james abels
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Presidential Debate
- Gary Simons, Oro Valley
The presidential debate is about a week away, and I am pleased an audience will not be present and candidate microphones will be muted when the other is speaking. Hopefully, that will lead to a constructive atmosphere for each candidate to speak and respond to the other.
Beyond the typical format of questions, answers and rebuttals - it would be interesting to see a segment where each candidate could ask the other questions leading to a one minute response, and two half minute exchanges between the candidates before the next question is asked. In that scenario, how would Trump respond to – “Why do you:
Feel a need to resort to boorish, childhood behavior to denigrate others?
Reject actual bipartisan legislation to mitigate border migration just to debate it?
Reject longtime allies in favor of dictators and despots?
[Pick one or more] Attack policies of interest to the majority of the public: climate change; reasonable gun control, access to healthcare, etc.?”
Gary Simons
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Tucson Speaks Out: June 26 letters of the day
Right facts, wrong conclusion
Re: the June 18 letter “Climate change hoax.”
A recent letter to the editor published in the Star points out that climate changing CO2 remains in the atmosphere for an exceptionally long time. He then concludes that, due to this, we should not take any action to limit adding more CO2 to the atmosphere. It is rather like arguing that a forest will take a long time to recover from a forest fire, and therefore, we should set more of the woods on fire. His facts are correct. CO2 does take a long time to leave the atmosphere, but his conclusion is wrong. Bringing our atmosphere into balance will take many years. The correct conclusion is that, therefore, we haven’t a minute to lose in attacking the problem. That means we must stop burning the fossil fuels that are causing the problem.
Mike Carran
East side
Infrastructure funding
Re: the June 19 article “Ciscomani’s efforts to secure infrastructure funding supports housing.”
I read and reread the opinion piece from the Southern Arizona Homebuilders praising Congressman Ciscomani’s effort to bring infrastructure funding to projects here in Southern Arizona. What I could not find in the piece was giving credit to the Biden administration for working so hard to get the Infrastructure bill through Congress and distributing the funds across the country including here in Pima County. All around Pima County, these funds have had a positive impact on our local economy. Congressman Ciscomani voted against the Infrastructure bill in the House and he should not be taking credit for bringing the funds here.
Lee Aitken
Northwest side
Education funding for all, not just sports
Universities are spending more money on sports in the last few years than providing quality education. Once the players become pro how are they contributing to society except high ticket prices to watch them play. Only the wealthy can now offer to go to a professional sports game. You need to be financially stable to buy good seats for college basketball tickets at the U of A. If not, you are in the nosebleed section. Teachers, Doctors, Nurse’s, Police Officers, and others contribute to society, and they do not get enough compensation. Professional sport players making millions how are they contributing to society? They are not contributing anything except to big TV promotions and the wealthy that can afford to go to a final championship game for football or basketball. I believe funding more money for education is more important than funding for sports. Spending tremendous amount of money on sports scholarships and not enough on the rest of the students who must pay back their loans is injustice.
Don Cotton
Northeast side
Laura Conover
The day Laura Conover was elected as the Pima County Attorney in 2020, there was a breath of fresh air in the court system after the more stringent era of Barbara La Wall. It was a hard-hearted group of prosecutors under her direction. Even when leniency was called for, little was given, not while toughness was the call. Mike Jette is cut from the same cloth, another La Wall cutout in the wings.
Laura has brought humanity and fairness to the office and has worked for justice for the offender and safety for the community. With pluck and purpose, she works for us, her people. A vote for her is a vote for us.
Ron Lancaster
North side
Sustainable policies
Re: the June 21 article “Adopt sane sustainable policies.”
Bravo to proffesor Jon Dorschner for his excellent summary of all the policies we need to fix in our country and Arizona! He is spot on in his assessment that continued economic growth and consumption won’t bring us a better life, but will do just the opposite.
We seem to have forgotten that the desert has a limited supply of water, and we ignore that fact at our peril. Some years ago, I was standing on a small hill at Case Park on the far east side of town. Looking at the surrounding houses, I suddenly saw dead trees and shutters and doors swinging in the breeze — a ghost town. Please people, don’t let that vision come true!
Dorschner covers more important aspects of our society that I don’t have space to respond to here. If you haven’t already, I urge you to read it.
Aston Bloom
East side
Sane policies indeed needed!
Re: the June 21 article “Adopt sane sustainable policies.”
Heartfelt thanks to John Dorschner for his fine article. He stated clearly and succinctly the unvarnished truth about the consequences of ignoring the concept of FINITE resources. As he noted, if we humans persist in destroying our own planet through ignorance and greed — and overpopulation — no new planet is going to miraculously appear to save us. The right-to-lifers have got it wrong; it isn’t just life that matters, but quality of life. With excess quantity, quality begins to be diluted. Certain animal and bird species limit their own numbers when availability of food and water is compromised. Human beings are also happy to limit the numbers of other species when their numbers appear no longer sustainable. But humans are mammals in just the same physical way as animals. Why can we not manage to control our own numbers to match available resources? We are collectively headed down a dangerous path indeed, as Dorschner has eloquently described.
Kendra Gaines
Foothills
Private school fingerprints, ESA Vouchers
Re: the June 23 article “Fingerprint Clearance Card, ESA vouchers.”
Representative Nancy Gutierrez makes a declaration that because the state of Arizona requires only that private school teachers be fingerprinted, public schools are therefore inherently safer (their teachers’ fingerprints are run by the Department of Safety every seven years to check for felonies).
I coach girls’ basketball at a local Christian high school; my school requires that my fingerprints be checked every FIVE years. By casting Gutierrez’s blanket assertions, I can now declare that private schools are safer than public schools. (Actually, most people know it’s true, which is partly why they exist in the first place).
I doubt there are any established private schools that don’t properly vet their employees this way; none would want children to become endangered, nor would they care to be sued for causing it to happen.
“Private school teachers” in Arizona include homeschooling parents. This is the most obvious reason for the “lax” requirement; to claim it as a threat to all private school students is another example of politics at its worst.
Richard Peddy
East side
Marana opinion
Re: the June 23 article “Shooting survivor’s disappointment on bump-stock decision.”
After reading the guest opinion from Katie Woodall, I could feel the bullets, the blood and the pain. It was so well-written, it brought all those emotions to the surface although I’m lucky enough to never have been involved in a mass shooting. My condolences for your pain and especially that you experience such horror in the United States. My wish is that you sent this article to every single member of SCOTUS. Hopefully, they will read between the lines as I did.
Judy Falewicz
SaddleBrooke
UA Athletics should hike prices, cut costs
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again.
The UA needs to focus on filling seats, not increasing ticket prices to solve their financial crisis.
I attended four home football games this past season, and, even though the football team was having an excellent season, there were empty seats all over the stadium.
Furthermore, I agree with Greg Hansen’s opinion that College Football has never been more uninspiring, and that the big money aspect, along with the Transfer Portal is severely hurting the integrity of Collegiate Sport.
Daniel Egan
East side
Un
iversity of Arizona in the Big 12 era
Dear U of A friends,
In the interest of starting the new era in the BIG 12 conference in a positive frame of mind, I suggest that the University of Arizona switch their official colors back to the original Sage Green and Silver. Red and blue are so over used in so many schools. This creative move could possibly help us forget the debacle of Robert C. Robbins’ tenure as President.
Go Wildcats!
Sincerely,
Dan Nelson
Midtown
Commandments and beatitudes
The Alabama State Legislature has passed a new law requiring all public schools to display The Ten Commandments.
This isn’t new. We’ve seen this public Ten Commandments controversy before and, personally, it has led to my wondering why the religious right always insists on Moses’ law rather than something Jesus had to say. They are, after all, Christians.
My personal choice would be Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount.” I’ve heard it called Jesus’ Inaugural Address but it begins with a series of blessings commonly known as the beatitudes.
There are only seven, so they’d save space in a public display: “Blessed are the poor,” Jesus begins. Blessed are those who mourn; … the meek; … they who hunger and thirst for righteousness; … the merciful; … the clean of heart; … the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Little different feel. Little different focus. I like it.
Greg Lewis
Midtown
This pharmacist says PBMs need reform
Dear Editor,
As a recently married pharmacist, I’m deeply concerned about medication access in Arizona. Patents have spurred innovation, but high out-of-pocket costs and limited pharmacies create significant barriers. My experience reveals how Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) control drug access, often profiting disproportionately.
PBMs dominate 80% of the drug market, hindering fair access and inflating costs, particularly for independent pharmacists like myself.
Legislation such as the DRUG Act aims to reform PBMs, ensuring fairer drug pricing and access. I aspire to establish an independent pharmacy dedicated to community care, pending these crucial reforms.
I urge lawmakers to support the DRUG Act to restore fair access to medications and enhance community health.
Thank you for your consideration.
Eden Malki
Foothills
Presidential election
I doubt this letter will be published in the Arizona Daily Star Letters to the editor. It seems the new editor of ADS letters to the editor has swung to the right. Trump is a threat to Democracy, he did not concede and on Jan. 6 incited an insurrection, period. I am a veteran, who trained under Vietnam Veterans. To call those at Arlington Cemetery; which I visited “Losers and Suckers” is disgusting. At that visit a Vietnam vet thanked me for my service and I thanked him and his brothers in arms for training me! This won’t be printed because whoever edits these letters has swung right to appear so fair! Frank E. Montez veteran of 32 years, son of a Korean War combat veteran!
Frank E. Montez
East side
County supervisor vote
Re: the June 22 letter “Rex Scott.”
The decision made by Supervisor Rex Scott to approve rezoning of the Pima Wash was very unfortunate. Traffic increase on Rudasill Road would be a public safety issue and the confined water flow during heavy rains would lead to serious erosion issues.
The neighbors in the area met multiple times with the Supervisor, and were assured that the project would not be approved unless these were addressed.
Supervisor Scott said he would look for a compromise between the homeowners and the developer. We agreed and presented several plans. Yet at the July 2023 Supervisors Meeting the developer’s original proposal without compromise was approved with Mr. Scott voting yes! To say that we were disappointed and felt betrayed is an understatement.
Rex Scott was not a man of his word on this important issue for whatever reasons he cites and should not be returned to a position of trust as a Supervisor for Pima County.
Kevin C. Kiley, MD and Dean Marvin, PhD
Foothills
Hello, is anyone out there?
Is anyone out there? Doesn’t anyone care?
We have the greatest country in the World, shaped and structured by our Forefathers who thought of every contingency to preserve our rights.
An election is coming up Nov. 5, so don’t wait until then to familiarize yourself with the candidates and ballot measures.
Look for integrity, honest and high virtues and someone looking out for our country, not for personal gratification.
Remember, the New President will have the power to appoint new Supreme Court Justices and they are in for life. Once you vote, you cast your vote, you cannot take back your choice and we have to live with it.
John Adams, to his wife Abigail wrote, Nov. 2, 1800 on those moving into the White House, “I pray Heaven to bestow the blessings on this House and on all that shall here after we inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof.”
May the Stars and Stripes wave over the land of the Free and the Brave. Thank you for protecting our Country, these United States of America.
Anita Dwyer
East side
Letter: Silence of Al Mawasi
- Valentine Ferraris, Northeast side
Hamas attacked Israel Oct.7th. That means war. During WW1 we bombed Germany and many civilians died. During WW2 we bombed Germany and Japan and many civilians died. Now we have Israel fighting Hamas and many civilians are dying. Israel in not at war with civilians, they are at war with Hamas. Approximately 3 weeks after Oct 7th, Israel proposed a safe zone for civilians, Al Mawasi a territory of Gaza. Al Mawasi was proposed to UN, UNRWA, WHO, ETC.
It could have been a coordinated effort, It would take some time but it would allow food, water, medicine, sanitary, Red Cross humanitarian organizations. It could not happen unilaterally, so Al Mawasi is not a safe zone. UNRWA and the UN turned it down. Too difficult I guess. With out civilians in the war zone the war would be over. Why did they say no. Draw your own conclusions.
Valentine Ferraris
Northeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Great economy??
- Jack Hingstrum, Marana
Some people claim that Bidenomics has produced a great economy, but Joe's inflation has made many rich and famous people look for a second job to pay their bills. Barak Obama has been forced to supplement his income by going back to work. Perhaps you saw him on TV Sunday night at the fundraiser for Biden. Obama's new job was helping Biden off of the stage as Joe tends to have difficulty doing that by himself. "Visiting Angels" was very pleased with Barak's performance on his first nights work for their company. Jill also called to thank Barak for his help as she was exhausted from doing that job by herself.
Jack Hingstrum
Marana
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Tucson Speaks Out: June 25 letters of the day
Silence of Al Mawasi
Hamas attacked Israel Oct. 7. That means war. During WWI, we bombed Germany, and many civilians died. During WWII, we bombed Germany and Japan, and many civilians died. Now we have Israel fighting Hamas, and many civilians are dying. Israel in not at war with civilians, they are at war with Hamas. Approximately three weeks after Oct 7, Israel proposed a safe zone for civilians, Al Mawasi, a territory of Gaza. Al Mawasi was proposed to UN, UNRWA, WHO, Etc.
It could have been a coordinated effort, it would take some time, but it would allow food, water, medicine, sanitary and Red Cross humanitarian organizations. It could not happen unilaterally, so Al Mawasi is not a safe zone. UNRWA and the UN turned it down. Too difficult, I guess. Without civilians in the war zone, the war would be over. Why did they say no? Draw your own conclusions.
Valentine Ferraris
Northeast side
Need a copper mine if you want EVs
A normal Honda Accord needs about 40 pounds of copper. The same battery electric Honda Accord needs almost 200 pounds of copper. Onshore wind turbines require about 10 tons of copper, and in offshore wind turbines, that amount can more than double. The researchers found that between 2018 and 2050, the world will need to mine 115% more copper than has been mined in all of human history up until 2018 just to meet “business as usual.” This would meet our current copper needs and support the developing world without considering the green energy transition.” Note: These are from a report by the University Of Michigan — Copper can’t be mined fast enough. Raul Grijalva and his supporters are against a copper mine in the Santa Rita mountains. But they want everyone to buy an electric car (or two cars for a couple). Can’t have it both ways.
Gary Erickson
Benson
Traffic signal at First & River
I applaud the city planners for implementing red arrows on turn signals in the Catalina Foothills area, especially at First and River. In my opinion, the red arrow needs to be used at all hours. I just had a near miss at that intersection at 8:55 p.m. due to the flashing yellow. The flashing yellow encourages drivers to take chances which is why there are so many collisions. Those of us who prefer to not to turn left on a flashing yellow are pressured by drivers behind to move into the intersection and are subject to horns honking and angry drivers. The far right turn lane cannot see oncoming traffic due to the double turn lane of opposing traffic. This is a dangerous precedent that needs to stop! The city needs a standard for all traffic lights and be consistent throughout the city. Isn’t safety more important than the approval of drivers?
Lisa Williams
Foothills
Where does AZ’s agricultural water go?
Re: the June 16 article “Farm subsidy programs discourage water savings.”
The recent report on Arizona’s award of crop insurance focuses on the program’s priority on subsidizing drought resistant crops over water-thirsty alfalfa. A farmer of 7,500 acres emphasized the need for drilling more wells and subsidies for alfalfa, stating “You can’t have reasonably priced products in grocery stores without alfalfa.”
An important question ignored in this report is who we are feeding with our water. A report by AgEcon Search estimates 10% of Arizona’s alfalfa output is exported to countries such as China and Japan, accounting for about 202,000 acre feet or 8.6 billion cubic feet of our precious underground water.
Do we really need to subsidize farmers to feed cattle in China and Japan? Arizona’s water is too valuable a resource to be shipped overseas.
Bruce Hilpert
North side
Great economy?
Some people claim that Bidenomics has produced a great economy, but Joe’s inflation has made many rich and famous people look for a second job to pay their bills. Barack Obama has been forced to supplement his income by going back to work. Perhaps you saw him on TV recently at the fundraiser for Biden. Obama’s new job was helping Biden off of the stage, as Joe tends to have difficulty doing that by himself. “Visiting Angels” was very pleased with Barack’s performance on his first night’s work for their company. Jill also called to thank Barak for his help, as she was exhausted from doing that job by herself.
Jack Hingstrum
Marana
Kudos to Click
Late last year, I won the second prize in the Jim Click Millions for Tucson raffle. I won two first-class tickets to almost anywhere in the world. We are fortunate to live in an altruistic community that even though donations are down nationwide to non-profit organizations, a local businessman steps up to help boost the coffers of Southern Arizona’s 501 (c )(3) organizations. Kudos to Click! 2024 is the 15th year of his car raffle generosity. Go ahead and buy some tickets which help so many good causes. You have better odds than the Arizona Lottery and please consider my favorite charity — Southern Arizona Greyhound Adoption (SA Greys). Good luck.
Karyn Zoldan
Midtown
Response to letters and local opinions
Since the AZ Star only allows one letter submission per month, at least for conservative writers, I will touch on a few recent letters and local opinions. A letter writer stated that President Biden is taking us in the right direction on climate change, using more carrots than sticks, and that CO2 emissions are slowing and climate scientists are optimistic. Well, the NOAA just reported that 2023 saw no slowing in CO2 emissions, and many climate scientists say we are past the 2C mark is rising temperatures. Biden has imposed all kinds of punitive CO2 emissions dictates, aka “sticks,” on small appliances, manufacturing and vehicles. A local opinion writer essentially stated that Trump supporters are ignorant because they do not watch or read the mainstream media. Maybe that is because the MSM, i.e., ABC, CBS, NBC, WaPo, NY Times, AZDS, are liberal Democrat biased. Another opinion from the Pima County School Superintendent lauded DEI. Does he know that DEI is inherently racist against white straight males? Geez!
Tom Galloway
Midtown
Pima County Attorney’s race
I’m concerned about Mike Jette’s candidacy for County Attorney. His switch to the Democratic Party appears to be just a practicality, but his conservative background says otherwise.
We have been witnessing an effort to reshape our legal system that favors authoritarianism at the expense of true justice. The Federalist Society, et al., are championing this cause, as indicated in “Project 2025.”
Jette appears to reflect this agenda. His prior appearances on right-wing media, conservative donors, and an insincere shift to the Democratic Party raise significant red flags.
Subsequently, Mr. Jette spoke at a luncheon. When the topic of the AZ AG’s election came up, Mr. Jette revealed that he “supported the other guy”, meaning the Trump endorsed, Abe Hamadeh, the Republican AG candidate. This was startling and contradicts Jette’s Democratic affiliation.
Therefore, please scrutinize Mr. Jette and his supposed Democratic platform. It’s crucial, to elect a County Attorney who represents justice and not someone who uses political expediency as a cover for a conservative agenda.
Matthew Capalby
Northwest side
A Fourth of July without fireworks? Yes, please!
The city of Lawrence, Kansas, recently announced it will put on a drone show instead of traditional fireworks this Fourth of July. They’re making the change because firework explosions can be triggering for war veterans, pets and others. And Lawrence isn’t the only one. Flagstaff, Denver and Salt Lake City have all adopted drone or laser light shows over fireworks in recent years. Salt Lake City made the change for environmental reasons: to avoid air pollution and wildfire threats that come with fireworks.
As someone who lives near downtown Tucson, I dread the city’s fireworks because they frighten companion animals and wildlife, including my dog, Herman. Pima Animal Care Center reminds people each year to keep their animals contained during the fireworks event, and yet the shelter is inundated for days afterward with strays who fled their homes in fear.
I desperately hope Tucson will consider adopting a more humane and environmentally friendly approach to its Fourth of July celebration like Lawrence and other cities have.
Kim Flaherty
Downtown
Stay hydrated and keep your cool
Due to the current economic hardships that many, if not most, are experiencing, I imagine that many drivers cannot afford to repair their vehicles’ air conditioning. Being overheated and dehydrated can cause drivers to act out and even pass out while in vehicles that are well over 100 degrees. Many of these vehicles are carrying those who are more susceptible to overheating because they cannot regulate their body heat: the elderly, people with disabilities, and children. I have seen overheated dogs traveling in the backs of open trucks. Beware that dogs might jump out to try to save themselves from their situation. Being overheated can cause headaches and cause people to act irrationally. There are overheated and dehydrated people waiting at Tucson’s bus stops, walking, traveling in wheelchairs, and on bikes and motorcycles.
Drivers need to yield to those who are overheated, for whatever reason, in order to keep everyone safe.
Cheryl Kelli
Downtown
Housing prices
Re: the June 22 article “Why home prices have gone through the roof.”
We can always count on the Heritage Foundation to blame the government for private sector greed. Their piece on rising housing prices is a great example. They point to the government manipulating interest rates when the real culprit is rich people using the housing market as an investment vehicle.
In a seller’s market, it only takes a few home sales at inflated rates to raise prices across the board, especially when cash offers above the asking price dominate. Only the rich have the liquidity to pay cash, so prices keep rising, rich people keep buying, and the masses get priced out.
Legislation barring the rich from speculating in the housing market could lower prices, but the Republicans would never support that. Instead, they offer up a scapegoat to distract from their own culpability in this grift. Between enabling institutional investors, union busting and blocking minimum wage hikes, the Republicans have succeeded in decimating the working class while blaming it on Biden. Apparently, they think we’re all stupid.
Duncan Stitt
Midtown
Water rates
We live in an unincorporated area of Pima County that received illegal water rate increases by Tucson City Water, imposed by the Tucson City Council. About 70,000 of us have paid millions in increased water bills, because of this illegal increase. Pima County sued the city on our behalf, with Supervisor Rex Scott playing a significant role. Residents of the foothills should be supportive of Pima County and Supervisor Scott for his efforts in getting our money returned. It is important to give credit when it is due, and it is due for Supervisor Scott and the Pima County Board.
Dave and Ann Locey
Foothills
Unrestrained growth is short-term thinking
Re: the June 21 article “Adopt sane sustainable policies.”
I wholeheartedly support the editorial published in the Star by Jon Dorschner. Dorschner has directly addressed the critical problem that others have chosen to ignore, that of unrestrained growth and that such growth is necessary to produce wealth. The prevailing attitude of most businesses seems to be, “I’ll make as much money as I can now and never mind about the future.” As a result, we see unrestrained building of houses and related infrastructure, sprawling endlessly across the desert. No thought is given to the limited resources — most especially water — available to sustain this growth. This short-term greed results in painful pollution and congestion, as Dorschner observes. The long-term welfare of the many is being forfeited to the short-term greed of the few.
Eldon Braun
Foothills
Thank you, Gov. Hobbs, for your vetos
I applaud Gov. Hobbs’ decision to veto five water bills passed by the Legislature. These bills would not have addressed Arizona’s housing crisis and would have put Arizona’s groundbreaking 1980 Groundwater Management Act in jeopardy. Some have claimed that the bills were “good for housing.” However, building out more new housing will not address housing issues in our state. According to the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Arizona has 14,000 unhoused people. Yet, there are over 16,000 unsold homes listed in the Phoenix, Mesa and Scottsdale area alone, according to the Federal Reserve Bank. Simply adding to that inventory, without additional policy changes, won’t solve any problems. The state legislature should do more to address water issues in our state than pass bills that primarily benefit property developers.
Garrett Weaver
East side
Letter: Returning to the scene of the crime
- James Nesci, East side
Donald Trump met with GOP senators and representatives on Capitol Hill for the first time since January 6th.
I guess what they say is true: criminals actually do return to the scene of their crimes.
James Nesci
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: The second anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade
- Jennifer Dawson, Midtown
June 24 is the second anniversary of the Dobbs decision by the Supreme Court - the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and the ending of 50 years of the right to have an abortion. The results have been disastrous.
A 10-year old child had to be taken to another state to end a pregnancy from rape.
Women have died from sepsis, or forced to carry non-viable fetuses (unable to survive after birth) to term. Some women were brought literally to the brink of death before they were allowed to get an abortion, and some are no longer able to bear children because of it.
Donald Trump boasts of being the one responsible for the end of Roe v. Wade. Now 21 states have bans or restrictions. If he becomes president again, he will make the abortion ban national.
Women: in self-defense, vote for Joe Biden and reproductive rights.
Men: protect your wives, sisters, daughters, mothers. Vote for Biden.
Jennifer Dawson
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Gifts to federal employees
- Craig Miller, Northwest side
As someone who was an ICU RN for the federal government for over 30 years we we told gifts could not exceed the $ 20 range. Clarence Thomas accepted one vacation that was valued at $500,000 from a Republican donor, among other gifts, makes a mockery of the system.Aliito has also exhibited partisan behavior. The Supreme Court used to be the most independent and respected branch of government. Their needs to be term limits and a real code of ethics.
Craig Miller
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Justice Jackson's "expensive gifts"
- Glen Vann, West side
A recent letter writer seems quite outraged that Justice Jackson reported earnings from a book deal and a gift of Beyonce concert tickets.
The letter is a shallow attempt to create some sort of false equivalency between Jackson and the investigative disclosures by ProPublica of the gifts Justices Thomas and Alito received. However, the writer lacks some important context, either out of ignorance or deliberate omission.
Setting aside the fact that Jackson VOLUTARILY disclosed the gifts and the other two did not, Beyonce doesn't have any cases before the court. The "gifts" that Thomas and Alito previously failed to report, are far more "lavish", and have come from billionaire activists determined to sway the Court's opinions
Also, book royalties are allowed under the current outside income rules of the court. A fact that Justices Barrett, Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, and Sotomayor have previously taken full advantage of.
While I am accustomed the kind hypocrisy illustrated by the letter in question, I can't wrap my mind around 4 concert tickets costing $3700.
Glen Vann
West side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: More breathing room for America: Oxygen Reform
- Felix Reyes, East side
Many of us take breathing for granted, but some people have to worry about every breath. In fact, there are 300,000 people in Arizona who are living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and some are required to be on supplemental oxygen.
Unfortunately, many of these people – especially those enrolled in Medicare – face challenges in getting the right type and levels of oxygen. As the State Captain for the COPD foundation, and a practicing pulmonologist in Tucson, I work with people facing these issues every day. This is why I am asking for Juan Ciscomani to co-sponsor the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform SOAR Act, legislation to ensure that everyone has access to the right type and levels of oxygen that they need to live normal and active lives.
Supplemental oxygen requires special equipment such as compressed oxygen using a tank, liquid oxygen, oxygen concentrators and portable oxygen concentrators.
Everyone deserves the opportunity to live a full and healthy life. Please join us in helping Arizonans breathe easier.
Felix Reyes
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: CISCOMANI AND MERRICK GARLAND
- Barry Kirschner, Midtown
I am disappointed in the performance of Attorney General Merrick Garland. His delay in aggressively prosecuting January 6 defendants, particularly leadership, allowed the insurrectionists to re-group and gain control of a political party.
But the idea that the Republican majority House of Representatives held him in contempt because a transcript of President Biden’s interview was not accompanied by the audio tape is crazy, or purposefully evil. Garland is an institutionalist attempting to restore the long respected Department of Justice before it was corrupted by leaders like William Barr.
Republican leaders, a number of whom defied lawful subpoenas from the January 6 subcommittee, brought a shameless contempt citation to the floor. My representative, Juan Ciscomani, voted to hold Garland in contempt. Unforgiveable. He needs to be replaced in November.
Barry Kirschner
Barry Kirschner
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: "Definition of Republican" 6/12/24
- Denise Walker, Midtown
Regarding the letter published on June 12, "Definition of a Republican". The writer must also have a definition of a Democrat. It should go something like: A person who believes the government should be run by a career politician who never created a job, never ran a business or served in the military, but made millions along the way; who fought for segregation when it served his purpose and eulogized a high ranking member of the KKK; who stole classified documents and stored them in multiple unsecure locations but is too incompetent to be held accountable; whose foreign policy decisions led to 13 dead service members and billions of dollars in assets left for the Taliban; who opened our borders to millions of unknowns, criminals, and terrorists and an unending supply of fentanyl; who "lost" over 85,000 children in this country illegally; whose policies led to record high inflation and soaring costs; who freezes like a statue, wanders away and can't figure out where to go next without help.
Denise Walker
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: War on Women
- Rachel Rulmyr Ed.D., Oro Valley
We are experiencing a War on Women. The Texas GOP platform is calling for abortion patients to get the death penalty. Republican Senators introduced a bill to create a government-run website to collect pregnant women’s data, and a new report shows how abortion bans have empowered domestic abusers, now able to wield the power of the state to force their victims into pregnancies they can’t escape.
Women and men are now experiencing a War on Birth Control with anti-abortion activists manipulating data so that it won’t show how abortion bans kill women. Republicans are spending millions of dollars to stop voters from having a say in their own freedom over their bodies.
Last week Republicans made their birth control stance very clear, blocking federal legislation to protect access to contraception.
Republicans are fighting to deny women life-saving emergency abortions. Forcing a 10 year old girl who has been raped or a woman carrying a dead fetus to give birth is no freedom at all.
Rachel Rulmyr Ed.D.
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: HONOR OUR HEROS
- John Bingham, Northwest side
I just read another LTE where the letter writer criticizes our president for being "lost in his own world." The first paragraph of his letter made complete sense that we should honor our Heros of the Greatest Generation. He doesn't seem to realize that the former and now GOP candidate, thinks these heros that Jerry writes about were "losers and suckers." I believe that the one's that are lost in their own world's are Jerry and the GOP candidate that don't really care about our country. As a Marine Officer and Veteran of the Operation Desert Storm, I take offense with someone who thinks military service is for losers and suckers. My mother and father met on Oahu on December 10th, 1941 while both serving in the Navy. Neither of them were a sucker or a loser. But both would never vote for someone that made these claims about Veterans.
John Bingham
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: CAMPAIGN RHETORIC
- John Bingham, Northwest side
I just read another Non-Univeristy of Arizona letter writer complaining about gas prices and complaining again, that's it's Biden's fault. Luckily for me I was fortunate enough to be forced to take economics while at the University and I learned what causes things like inflation and rising fuel prices. It's too bad that the letter writer didn't get the same great education I got at UofA. Loren the former prez came into office with a great economy. He wrecked it. He cut taxes for all his rich friends and the current modest estimate is that if we continue his tax cuts, our deficit will increase by $3.9T trillion. Economics can be dauting, but if you don't understand them, don't complain it. The letter writer clearly doesn't understand it, so she's saying,(like all trumpettes) costs were down under his administration. She's wrong of course.
John Bingham
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Presidential Race
- David Tulanian, East side
To the Editor:
There is no denying that in the last 2 presidential races plus the current one, a number of colorful characters have emerged. But between Hurricane Hillary, Incompetent Joe and Felon Donald, I'll take the felon any day.
President Biden falsely claims that inflation was 9% when he first took office yet I recall that it was a mere 1.4%.
Pinocchio Joe has same explaining to do!
David Tulanian
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Tucson Speaks Out: June 24 letters of the day
Campaign rhetoric
I just read another letter writer complaining about gas prices and complaining again, that’s it’s Biden’s fault. Luckily for me, I was fortunate enough to be forced to take economics while at the University, and I learned what causes things like inflation and rising fuel prices. It’s too bad that the letter writer didn’t get the same great education I got at U of A. The former prez came into office with a great economy. He wrecked it. He cut taxes for all his rich friends and the current modest estimate is that if we continue his tax cuts, our deficit will increase by $3.9 trillion. Economics can be daunting, but if you don’t understand them, don’t complain about it. The letter writer clearly doesn’t understand it, so she’s saying, (like all Trumpettes) costs were down under his administration. She’s wrong of course.
John Bingham
Northwest side
Returning to the scene of the crime
Donald Trump met with GOP senators and representatives on Capitol Hill for the first time since Jan. 6.
I guess what they say is true: Criminals actually do return to the scene of their crimes.
James Nesci
East side
The second anniversary of Dobbs
June 24 is the second anniversary of the Dobbs decision by the Supreme Court — the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and the ending of 50 years of the right to have an abortion. The results have been disastrous.
A 10-year-old child had to be taken to another state to end a pregnancy from rape.
Women have died from sepsis or been forced to carry non-viable fetuses (unable to survive after birth) to term. Some women were brought literally to the brink of death before they were allowed to get an abortion, and some are no longer able to bear children because of it.
Donald Trump boasts of being the one responsible for the end of Roe v. Wade. Now, 21 states have bans or restrictions. If he becomes president again, he will make the abortion ban national.
Women: In self-defense, vote for Joe Biden and reproductive rights.
Men: Protect your wives, sisters, daughters, mothers. Vote for Biden.
Jennifer Dawson
Midtown
Gifts to federal employees
As someone who was an ICU RN for the federal government for over 30 years, we were told gifts could not exceed the $20 range. Clarence Thomas accepted one vacation that was valued at $500,000 from a Republican donor, among other gifts, making a mockery of the system. Alito has also exhibited partisan behavior. The Supreme Court used to be the most independent and respected branch of government. There needs to be term limits and a real code of ethics.
Craig Miller
Northwest side
Ciscomani and Garland
I am disappointed in the performance of Attorney General Merrick Garland. His delay in aggressively prosecuting Jan. 6 defendants, particularly leadership, allowed the insurrectionists to regroup and gain control of a political party.
But the idea that the Republican majority House of Representatives held him in contempt because a transcript of President Biden’s interview was not accompanied by the audio tape is crazy, or purposefully evil. Garland is an institutionalist attempting to restore the long-respected Department of Justice before it was corrupted by leaders like William Barr.
Republican leaders, a number of whom defied lawful subpoenas from the January 6 subcommittee, brought a shameless contempt citation to the floor. My representative, Juan Ciscomani, voted to hold Garland in contempt. Unforgivable. He needs to be replaced in November.
Barry Kirschner
Midtown
Watchdog tamed
Somehow, Robert Robbins maneuvered to get the ABOR financial watchdog John Arnold to report to him as Chief Operating Officer of the U of A. Of course Arnold is happy since he will get more than a $200k/year raise to $550k/yr. Does anybody see an Old Boys Network at work here?
Gerald Lavallee
Southeast side
Justice Jackson’s ‘expensive gifts’
A recent letter writer seems quite outraged that Justice Jackson reported earnings from a book deal and a gift of Beyonce concert tickets.
The letter is a shallow attempt to create some sort of false equivalency between Jackson and the investigative disclosures by ProPublica of the gifts Justices Thomas and Alito received. However, the writer lacks some important context, either out of ignorance or deliberate omission.
Setting aside the fact that Jackson voluntarily disclosed the gifts and the other two did not, Beyonce doesn’t have any cases before the court. The “gifts” that Thomas and Alito previously failed to report, are far more “lavish” and have come from billionaire activists determined to sway the Court’s opinions.
Also, book royalties are allowed under the current outside income rules of the court. A fact that Justices Barrett, Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, and Sotomayor have previously taken full advantage of.
While I am accustomed the kind of hypocrisy illustrated by the letter in question, I can’t wrap my mind around four concert tickets costing $3,700.
Glen Vann
West side
Definition of a Democrat
Re: the June 12 letter “Definition of a Republican.”
The writer must also have a definition of a Democrat. It should go something like: A person who believes the government should be run by a career politician who never created a job, never ran a business or served in the military, but made millions along the way; who fought for segregation when it served his purpose and eulogized a high-ranking member of the KKK; who stole classified documents and stored them in multiple unsecure locations but is too incompetent to be held accountable; whose foreign policy decisions led to 13 dead service members and billions of dollars in assets left for the Taliban; who opened our borders to millions of unknowns, criminals and terrorists and an unending supply of fentanyl; who “lost” over 85,000 children in this country illegally; whose policies led to record high inflation and soaring costs; who freezes like a statue, wanders away and can’t figure out where to go next without help.
Denise Walker
Midtown
War on women
We are experiencing a war on women. The Texas GOP platform is calling for abortion patients to get the death penalty. Republican Senators introduced a bill to create a government-run website to collect pregnant women’s data, and a new report shows how abortion bans have empowered domestic abusers, now able to wield the power of the state to force their victims into pregnancies they can’t escape.
Women and men are now experiencing a war on birth control, with anti-abortion activists manipulating data so that it won’t show how abortion bans kill women. Republicans are spending millions of dollars to stop voters from having a say in their own freedom over their bodies.
Last week, Republicans made their birth control stance very clear, blocking federal legislation to protect access to contraception.
Republicans are fighting to deny women life-saving emergency abortions. Forcing a 10-year-old girl who has been raped or a woman carrying a dead fetus to give birth is no freedom at all.
Rachel Rulmyr Ed.D.
Oro Valley
Oxygen reform
Many of us take breathing for granted, but some people have to worry about every breath. In fact, there are 300,000 people in Arizona who are living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and some are required to be on supplemental oxygen.
Unfortunately, many of these people — especially those enrolled in Medicare — face challenges in getting the right type and levels of oxygen. As the State Captain for the COPD foundation, and a practicing pulmonologist in Tucson, I work with people facing these issues every day. This is why I am asking for Juan Ciscomani to co-sponsor the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform SOAR Act, legislation to ensure that everyone has access to the right type and levels of oxygen that they need to live normal and active lives.
Supplemental oxygen requires special equipment such as compressed oxygen using a tank, liquid oxygen, oxygen concentrators and portable oxygen concentrators.
Everyone deserves the opportunity to live a full and healthy life. Please join us in helping Arizonans breathe easier.
Felix Reyes
East side
Out-of-control spending for vouchers
Dear Editor:
Re: the June 1 article “Critics question school voucher spending ahead of budget crunch.”
Wow! The article in the Star (June 1) said money handed out to students to pay for schooling (the Empowerment Scholarship Account Program) had increased from 12,000 students to 75,000 students now. It has turned into an unsustainable economic monster. My mama used to say when beginning a new project or program, “You’ve got to start out like you can hold out.”
Too bad they didn’t follow her advice!
Beverly Rutter
Midtown
6th Congressional District
In the race for the 6th Congressional District between incumbent Republican Juan Ciscomani and the Democrat challenger candidate Kirsten Engel, how long will it take if Ciscomani loses for him to proclaim the election was stolen and the system was rigged in the manner of the Egocentrically Bombastic Felon Former President? Bet it will not take long!
Find out by voting for the superbly qualified Kirsten Engel. Do the right thing!
Stuart A. Ulanoff
Oro Valley
Presidential race
To the Editor:
There is no denying that in the last two presidential races plus the current one, a number of colorful characters have emerged. But between Hurricane Hillary, Incompetent Joe and Felon Donald, I’ll take the felon any day.
President Biden falsely claims that inflation was 9% when he first took office yet I recall that it was a mere 1.4%.
Pinocchio Joe has some explaining to do!
David Tulanian
East side
Desert farming must adapt to climate change
Re: the June 16 article “Farm subsidy programs discourage water savings.”
Thank you for your recent article by Tony Davis. I read this after a recent road trip from Tucson to Santa Barbara, where I drove through hundreds of miles of farmland in Arizona and Southern California.
The temperatures were 100-plus degrees and the desert was blanketed in green fields of alfalfa, corn, melons, orange groves, grape vines, olive trees and more. Most of these crops are high-water crops and I was amazed to see old sprinkler systems and water-pools in the fields — both outdated irrigation practices.
The author writes that the Crop Insurance Program has paid $6B to farmers between 2017-23. Yes, we need to support our farmers, but we must also encourage them to adopt more aggressive water-saving methodologies and drought-resistant crops into their plans.
The author states that “farmers are on a collision course with climate change.” Take a road trip through the Southwest and you will see it for yourself.
Carla O’Hara
Northwest side
Strange bedfellows
Ruben Gallego and Juan Ciscomani both have excellent track records when it comes to constituent services. They get jobs for your kids. They help small companies win government contracts. They straighten out zoning problems, tax problems, benefit problems, problems with foreign governments — all kinds of problems. Granted, one’s a Democrat; the other, a Republican. Lots of people think that’s all that matters. Actually, it doesn’t matter at all. Vote for the “Best Players Available.” This season, it’s Gallego and Ciscomani.
Walter Ramsley
East side
News sources
Re: the June 20 article “Mainstream media still matter.”
I’ve argued that Trump supporters are good citizens but often misinformed. Consequently, I was thrilled by the column by Jeff Hartman, who presents evidence that people who rely on digital websites and social media for their news tend to support Trump, while those who rely on newspapers overwhelmingly support Biden. I read The Daily Star and the New York Times every day. They both provide a system of fact-checking and information verification. And they tell you if they make a mistake. Most importantly, they cover topics that impact my life. When I turn to digital, or FOX news, I find they are mostly ignoring topics I care about (global warming, international news) or presenting highly biased, often fraudulent opinions from scurrilous, even criminal sources (Bannon, Guiliani). Please, Trump supporters, take the time to look at sources that care about truth.
Cheryl Lockhart
Foothills
Honor our heroes
I just read another LTE where the letter writer criticizes our president for being “lost in his own world.” The first paragraph of his letter made complete sense that we should honor our Heroes of the Greatest Generation. He doesn’t seem to realize that the former and now GOP candidate, thinks these heroes were “losers and suckers.” I believe that the ones that are lost in their own worlds are the letter writer and the GOP candidate that don’t really care about our country. As a Marine Officer and Veteran of Operation Desert Storm, I take offense with someone who thinks military service is for losers and suckers. My mother and father met on Oahu on Dec. 10, 1941 while both serving in the Navy. Neither of them were a sucker or a loser. But both would never vote for someone that made these claims about Veterans.
John Bingham
Northwest side
Letter: Econ 101
- Robert Diedrich, Northeast side
Ms Hanco*ck states “I remember when “Biden took office the price of gas was half the price it is today”. That is correct. If you remember that was during the pandemic. People stayed home. Few took long driving trips. The demand for gas dropped to record low numbers. As such, the oil companies had a glut of gas supply. They dropped their prices to encourage people to drive and purchase gas. Simple as that.
When the pandemic “ended”, people got back to driving. Oil companies continued to raise prices (as did other companies who lost business during the pandemic) thus causing inflation. It’s as simple as that. Biden didn’t cause prices to rise or inflation to happen. Capitalism did. Biden didn’t release “directives” that caused inflation. Corporate greed did that
Robert Diedrich
Northeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Ten Commandments in classrooms
- Brian Horn, North side
Do the Louisiana legislators actually understand the Ten Commandments they insist on displaying to students? The first four are most certainly not "foundational documents of our national government" - see the First Amendment to the Constitution. And students must be very conflicted by the fourth commandment - "Remember the Sabbath day ... On it you shall not do any work ...", which is obviously being largely violated every Sunday. The remaining commandments are indeed the basis of a good moral code but are not unique to the Bible - many such codes predate the Bible. In any case, so students can get the whole picture, the display should include the penalties mandated by the Bible for disobedience of the Ten Commandments, including death by stoning for cursing God's name, for working on Sunday, for cursing ones father or mother, or for committing adultery (see Leviticus 20 and 24, Numbers 15, and Deuteronomy 22).
Brian Horn
North side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: A week later, border crossings still exceeding 2,500 daily
- Paula Martin, Vail
President Biden's Executive Order on the border went into effect on June 5. It was meant to halt anyone entering illegally from claiming asylum if the daily average of Border Patrol encounters surpassed 2,500 for seven consecutive days. Well, as of today, June 14, the encounters are at about 3,100 a day. Yet people are still being allowed entry claiming asylum and being released from custody. A new internal memo from CBP stated that anyone entering from 100 Eastern hemisphere countries are to be allowed entry, excluding just seven countries. The ACLU has filed a federal civil suit against the EO, and will likely win based on previous federal court rulings. I am sure Biden foresaw that coming, knowing rulings would likely come after the election. Instead of targeting asylum seekers, Biden's EO should have instead shut down the border to all entering illegally to preclude asylum claims. He has the federal statutory authority to "exclude any classes of aliens" from entering, but not specifically halting asylum claims.
Paula Martin
Vail
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Re: the June 13. article “Letter: CLIMATE CHANGE HOAX”
- Jan Freed, Downtown
Climate change waits for no man (or woman).. All the slick talk in the world will not keep Florida houses from filling with water.
The good news is that a strong majority of citizens in every state, Red and Blue and Purple have come to accept the science: climate change is real, human caused and a threat to our health and economy. The dismissive, the deniar, the delayer is now an endangered species, at last.
And there are bills in Congress that would effectively limit our emissions, the key to reversing the ever increasing $billion catastrophes and the million of pollution related deaths due to fossil fuels.
So, then, what is the problem? Too many of us would risk the one planet known to support life to avoid putting 'the other guy' into office. And too many politicians are terrified of the wrath of "Agent Orange".who prides himself on ignorance.
Pride goeth before a fall.
Jan Freed
Downtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Fascism:The fight continues.
- Dr. Michael P.P. Simon, Foothills
I am a naturalized American citizen. In September 1939, my uncle joined the British Army within days of the Nazi invasion of Poland, serving until his demobilization in 1945, my father, at age 17, joined the Royal Marines, serving from 1945-47, my father in law was an RAF fighter pilot, flying Spitfires during the Battle of Britain. All three survived, played their part, like millions of others, and democracy survived and prospered - until now.
In Russia, Putin has crushed domestic dissent and launched a murderous military campaign against Ukraine. But here in the United States, the Republican candidate for president,Trump, is a longtime admirer of Putin, an opponent of aid to Ukraine, an avowed NATO-skeptic, and a man who checks many of the boxes that define fascism: nationalism, the cult of the leader, the cult of violence, racism and xenophobia. Trump is a disgrace, a traitor, and the antithesis of what this country is supposed to stand for. We are better than this.
Dr. Michael P.P. Simon
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: US Federal Debt
- John Schmitz, Marana
Two recent letters published on the Opinion Page extolling the accomplishments of President Biden included statements that he had reduced the national debt. While this may be the author’s opinion, it is absolutely untrue. An article from the Washington Post today stated that the federal deficit for this year will grow to $1.9 Trillion. Last year the deficit was $1.2 Trillion. The national debt was $16.8 Trillion at the end of 2019 and $33 Trillion at the end of 2023. The interest on the national debt last year was greater than the total Department of Defense budget. Today’s Washington Post article forecasts that the national debt will grow to $50 Trillion by 2034. Such news should be on the front page of all the nation’s newspapers and foremost in all national media!
John Schmitz
Marana
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: SCOTUS
- Hal BROWN, Northeast side
AMERICANS OPEN YOUR EYES
Three of our Supreme Court justices have out and out lied at their confirmation hearings, as well as not reporting perks they received from persons or companies, some with cases before them. These judges have not been censured and should have been impeached. We all must be very careful in the upcoming elections to make sure that this cannot happen again. Perhaps if we put the right people into office we can get some proper laws past for all Americans, other than have felons in office passing laws that only benefit them.
Hal BROWN
Northeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Tucson Speaks Out: June 23 letters of the day
Gov Hobbs and I-11
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs recently declared that she will not intercede in ADOT’s planning process to locate a future I-11 through Avra Valley.
That isn’t what I expect of a progressive governor.
The proposed route is flawed in so many ways and opposed by the City of Tucson, Pima County, the Tohono O’Odham Nation, and Town of Sahuarita. As well, several conservation agencies, including the Center for Biological Diversity, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, Tucson Audubon Society and Friends of Ironwood Forest are engaged in a lawsuit to oppose this location. Our future here in this delicate ecosystem demands that we do better with critical decisions of this magnitude.
I encourage my peers to make their concerns clear to Ms. Hobbs. Now is the time for the Governor to use the power of her office to require the ADOT to engage in planning that not only addresses the needs of future transportation, but also protects the unique and fragile assets of our Sonoran Desert.
David Barker
Marana
Arizona budgeting
“AZ deal cuts funds for universities, roads, more.” I read this summary of the state budget and the process by which a deal was reached between Gov. Hobbs and Republican legislative leaders with incredulity. Budget surpluses in previous years must have made us all giddy. Now, projected deficits will mean deep cuts to important social programs, planned infrastructure projects, agency programs and support for our three public universities. Some cuts may jeopardize legal settlements. How could this have happened?
Deep reductions in income taxes were enacted during the surplus years. This means a dramatic and continuing reduction in state revenue. What were our legislators thinking? In addition, some obvious expenditure cuts have been declared off-limits by the Republicans. Namely, the exploding school voucher program which may cost around one billion this fiscal year. Please join me in voting for Democratic legislative candidates to untangle this fiscal mess.
Dale Keyes
Northwest side
False statements by Conover again
Laura Conover, her campaign team and even some local Democratic party leaders are reaching out directly to voters to spread lies and divisive statements about Mike Jette. This is very concerning since they have access to a proprietary Democratic database that reports Mike Jette registered as a Democrat since Sept. 17, 2002. Once again, Laura Conover is demonstrating her ongoing lack of integrity and ethics by disseminating false and inflammatory statements about Mike Jette. She recently negotiated, at Pima County taxpayers’ expense, a Diversion Agreement with the Arizona State Bar requiring her to take a mandatory training entitled: Ten Deadly Sins of Ethics. Clearly, the training has had no impact on her as a candidate and, more importantly, as the County Attorney. As a lifelong Democrat, native Tucsonan, and Hispanic, I will be supporting Mike Jette for Pima County Attorney as he is committed to providing safety and prosperity with compassion and integrity.
Isabel Burruel
Southwest side
Border crossings still exceed 2,500 daily
President Biden’s Executive Order on the border went into effect on June 5.
It was meant to halt anyone entering illegally from claiming asylum if the daily average of Border Patrol encounters surpassed 2,500 for seven consecutive days.
Well, as of June 14, the encounters are at about 3,100 a day. Yet people are still being allowed entry, claiming asylum and being released from custody. A new internal memo from CBP stated that anyone entering from 100 Eastern hemisphere countries are to be allowed entry, excluding just seven countries. The ACLU has filed a federal civil suit against the EO and will likely win based on previous federal court rulings. I am sure Biden foresaw that coming, knowing rulings would likely come after the election.
Instead of targeting asylum seekers, Biden’s EO should have instead shut down the border to all entering illegally to preclude asylum claims. He has the federal statutory authority to “exclude any classes of aliens” from entering, but not specifically halting asylum claims.
Paula Martin
Vail
Climate change is real
Re: the May 25 letter ‘The climate change hoax.’
Climate change waits for no man (or woman). All the slick talk in the world will not keep Florida houses from filling with water.
The good news is that a strong majority of citizens in every state, Red and Blue and Purple have come to accept the science: Climate change is real, human-caused and a threat to our health and economy. The dismissive, the denier, the delayer is now an endangered species, at last.
And there are bills in Congress that would effectively limit our emissions, the key to reversing the ever increasing billion catastrophes and the millions of pollution-related deaths due to fossil fuels.
So, then, what is the problem? Too many of us would risk the one planet known to support life to avoid putting ‘the other guy’ into office. And too many politicians are terrified of the wrath of “Agent Orange” who prides himself on ignorance.
Pride goeth before a fall.
Jan Freed
Downtown
Gallego’s commercials
I will probably vote for Gallego in the Senate race, in part because his opponent is a disgrace, but I’m really tired of footage showing his heroism in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Most Arizonans are interested in positions he might take relative to social security, inflation, the price of gas and border problems rather than watching the feats of a warrior in a war long since over. Pay attention to the concerns of everyday Arizonans, Ruben, less touting of your war record.
David Tamme
Midtown
Why I won’t be voting for Wadsack
As a public-school-educated taxpayer, I have chosen to not vote for Justine Wadsack for AZ Senate.
She has shown she is incompetent and is only capable of legislating emotionally versus pragmatically. As a senator, she is to represent all of her constituents including their children. This means you support students of all parties, not vote to defund their schools.
Another reason to withhold the vote from Mrs. Wadsack is her utter ignorance and disregard for Constitutional principles she claims to champion. You would think she would understand the First Amendment protects speech you agree AND disagree with.
She apparently has too thin of skin to hold elected office since she cannot take criticism. She surely can dish it out though with her use of lawfare. It’s time to put someone in the Senate who understands the Constitution and can work with people you disagree with. Vote Vince Leach! I write this as a Civics Instructor and perpetual student of our founding documents.
Noah Webster
East side
Response to ‘Antisemitism on UA Campus’Re: the June 18 article “Antisemitism on UA campus.”
Seek truth and report it — ethical journalism should be accurate and fair, provide context, and take care not to misrepresent or oversimplify. These are a few of the principles of ethical journalism.
The reporter who wrote this article provided the public with unbalanced and inaccurate coverage. In the article, reporter Ellie Wolfe does not provide background or context about why the peaceful encampments happened, nor does she provide information on the demands of the peaceful protesters — which include divestment by the UA from projects and companies that support the ongoing genocide by the state of Israel in Gaza.
She does not address the peaceful protesters’ right to freedom of speech and expression. The facts about the genocide are well documented by human rights organizations, and yet this reporter chose not to provide balance and accuracy in her reporting. Shame! Surely you can do better.
Sarah Roberts
West side
SCOTUS
Americans, open your eyes!
Three of our Supreme Court justices have out and out lied at their confirmation hearings, as well as not reporting perks they received from persons or companies, some with cases before them. These judges have not been censured and should have been impeached. We all must be very careful in the upcoming elections to make sure that this cannot happen again.
Perhaps if we put the right people into office we can get some proper laws past for all Americans, other than have felons in office passing laws that only benefit them.
Hal Brown
Northeast side
U.S. federal debt
Two recent letters published on the Opinion Page extolling the accomplishments of President Biden included statements that he had reduced the national debt.
While this may be the author’s opinion, it is absolutely untrue. An article from the Washington Post stated that the federal deficit for this year will grow to $1.9 trillion. Last year, the deficit was $1.2 trillion. The national debt was $16.8 trillion at the end of 2019 and $33 trillion at the end of 2023. The interest on the national debt last year was greater than the total Department of Defense budget.
Today’s (June 18) Washington Post article forecasts that the national debt will grow to $50 trillion by 2034. Such news should be on the front page of all the nation’s newspapers and foremost in all national media!
John Schmitz
Marana
Fascism: The fight continuesI am a naturalized American citizen.
In September 1939, my uncle joined the British Army within days of the Nazi invasion of Poland, serving until his demobilization in 1945, my father, at age 17, joined the Royal Marines, serving from 1945-47, my father-in-law was an RAF fighter pilot, flying Spitfires during the Battle of Britain. All three survived, played their part, like millions of others, and democracy survived and prospered — until now.
In Russia, Putin has crushed domestic dissent and launched a murderous military campaign against Ukraine. But here in the United States, the Republican candidate for president, Trump, is a longtime admirer of Putin, an opponent of aid to Ukraine, an avowed NATO skeptic, and a man who checks many of the boxes that define fascism: nationalism, the cult of the leader, the cult of violence, racism and xenophobia. Trump is a disgrace, a traitor, and the antithesis of what this country is supposed to stand for. We are better than this.
Dr. Michael P.P. Simon
Foothills
U of A president
Re: the June 16 paid ad on page A8.
I really appreciate the paid advertisem*nt in support of Robert Robbins. The list of people that paid for the advertisem*nt is very useful for me to determine who not to vote for, and which businesses not to support. Thanks again.
Gerald Lavallee
Southeast side
Econ 101
Re: the June 19 letter “Campaign rhetoric.”
The letter writer states “I remember when Biden took office the price of gas was half the price it is today.” That is correct. If you remember that was during the pandemic. People stayed home. Few took long driving trips. The demand for gas dropped to record-low numbers. As such, the oil companies had a glut of gas supply. They dropped their prices to encourage people to drive and purchase gas. Simple as that.
When the pandemic ended, people got back to driving. Oil companies continued to raise prices (as did other companies who lost business during the pandemic), thus causing inflation. It’s as simple as that. Biden didn’t cause prices to rise or inflation to happen. Capitalism did. Biden didn’t release “directives” that caused inflation. Corporate greed did that.
Robert Diedrich
Northeast side
Justice prevails with Conover
Prosecutors are very powerful people who have the ability to completely alter a person’s life. Many of them before Laura took office forgot the meaning of justice. It is not the job of a prosecutor to just make sure he has the most convictions and sends the most people to prison. Those hard liners who think that there should be no mercy for criminals should consider how they would feel if it were their son or daughter who was being prosecuted. Justice should not just be the way we punish people but also the way we try to save them. Laura is the right choice for county attorney.
Robert Murray, attorney
Midtown
Ten Commandments in classrooms
Do the Louisiana legislators actually understand the Ten Commandments they insist on displaying to students? The first four are most certainly not “foundational documents of our national government” — see the First Amendment to the Constitution. And students must be very conflicted by the fourth commandment — “Remember the Sabbath day ... On it you shall not do any work ...”, which is obviously being largely violated every Sunday. The remaining commandments are indeed the basis of a good moral code but are not unique to the Bible — many such codes predate the Bible. In any case, so students can get the whole picture, the display should include the penalties mandated by the Bible for disobedience of the Ten Commandments, including death by stoning for cursing God’s name, for working on Sunday, for cursing one’s father or mother, or for committing adultery (see Leviticus 20 and 24, Numbers 15, and Deuteronomy 22).
Brian Horn
North side
Letter: Trump may have killed his chance at Black voters
- Sheldon Metz, Northeast side
Misinformation from Donald Trump and his “people,” (Gangsters of yore never had "friends;" even relatives were suspect), has increased exponentially, exceeding the 30,00+ lies he told during his time in office.
'180 Church' in Detroit was selected to hear Trump speak to attract Black voters. It failed miserably. The city is 80% Black. He claims to have addressed 8,000 church members. The church can only hold 244. The audience was overwhelmingly WHITE, with the majority not being church members or from Detroit, but rather being bussed in for the event. Some were paid.
In his audaciously arrogant manner, he claimed black voters preferred him because he has a criminal record and mug shots; therefore, they could relate to him. "I'm one of them!" He said with a bumptious tone, “I have so many Black friends that if I were a racist, they wouldn’t be "friends." That actually came out of his mouth. In the end, the audience was primarily white. He was speaking to his audience.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: What if
- Ron Lancaster, North side
Woe is us if Trump takes this election. There may be big plans afoot for holding a round-table discussion in the White House for all the major dictators, with Putin and Trump sharing the chair. China, Hungary, North Korea will be well represented, as well as lesser rats around the world.
Items to be discussed are the elimination of the U. N. and how to smother the folly of freedom wherever it springs to life. In this new seat of power, this most august of gatherings could finally have a jolly time with some really good vodka.
Never in history was there ever such a conclave. Washington will be the perfect place for such an event celebrating the start of a thousand-year run.
But for us democrats, it will spark a truly different world with all Americans painted with the same dark brush, as it should be. We let it happen.
Ron Lancaster
North side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: SCOTUS without ethics
- Jack Graef, SaddleBrooke
Addressing John Roberts as “Chief Justice” suggests respect for him, and by extension, the Supreme Court, itself. However, it's painfully obvious (maybe not painfully) that words like “respect” and “SCOTUS” do not belong on the same page, let alone in the same sentence. The recent continuous stream of revelations about the deplorable conduct of associate Justices Clarence Thomas (who has been an anathema to the Court since his dalliances of Anita Hill days) and Sam Alito, make one‘s head spin. If Roberts cared about "respect" for the Court, he would lean heavily on them to make them change their behaviors, or at least to induce them to recuse themselves from ruling on cases in which they have a perceived or actual interest. The SCOTUS is sometimes called the “High Court.” The sad reality is, it’s not so high while Roberts tolerates Thomas’ and Alito’s absence of ethics.
Jack Graef
SaddleBrooke
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Letter to the Editor
- Carola Myers, Foothills
Can any normal person take this clown seriously? If this country reelects this flawed individual, we will be the laughingstock of the rest of the world. The embarrassment I would feel vis-à-vis my friends and relatives in Europe! Think of countries like Russia, China, and many others – how they would gloat! And just imagine what will befall us when he loses again!
Carola Myers
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: SUPREME COURT GIFTS
- John Bingham, Northwest side
Thank you Haley Roberts for giving us an accounting of the a "liberal" justices gifts/monies they've received while on the court. We all could find out that info on the Supremecourt.gov. For some reason Haley thinks this is bad, because Clarence(I've never turned down a huge gift from a partsian supporter) Thomas has been accused of taking so many gifts from Harland Crow a huge GOP donor. The difference Haley is that Justice Brown reported these gifts as required, whereas good ole "BOY" used by the GOP has not disclosed most of his gifts. Until recently he said, "I didn't realize I was supposed to report these gifts." Nice try Clarence and by default Haley but facts are facts and you don't get to claim your own opinion as a fact. Sorry.
John Bingham
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: A Worthy Commander?
- Ronald Pelech, Midtown
Even MAGAs must realize the folly of allowing their daughters to be unsupervised with creepy predator Donald Trump. Are they willing to sacrifice their daughters to their Minotaur god?
Many MAGAs work to sacrifice democratic elections and justice to satisfy Trump's lust for power and retribution, since a violent mob ransacked the Capitol on January 6 and thugs now threaten judges and juries. Who in their right minds would sacrifice rule of law that permits civilization as opposed to barbarism based on Trump's whims and caprices?
It is shocking that Trump recently held a rally in Las Vegas in near 110 degrees heat. Trump said, "I don't care about you. I just want your vote." A true leader would not sacrifice his people's health and welfare to exploit them for donations and votes. Such a reckless military commander would lose his command. How can we trust callous, uncaring, sociopathic Trump to be commander in chief of our whole nation?
Ronald Pelech
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: An illusion of democracy
- Gerry Maggiora, Foothills
The United States is a democratic country, at least that’s what I’m told. But I’m beginning to have some doubts. Certainly the people speak by electing their representatives. But the issue that is bothering me is do we have what is essential for the existence of a democracy, namely, an informed electorate? There certainly are a plethora of news and other information sources, but unfortunately many of them do not speak the truth. So the issue becomes whether or not the electorate is capable of distinguishing truth from falsity. Based on what I am seeing today I’m no longer sure. RIP, Democracy.
Gerry Maggiora
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Bump Stock Abortion
- Jim Lombardo, Oro Valley
Ethically compromised justice Clarence Thomas wrote last week’s Supreme Court decision to remove the ban on bump stocks. For context, a rifle modified with a bump stock was used in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting which resulted in the deaths of 58 people and the wounding of 500 people IN UNDER TEN MINUTES! How is this anything other than aborting post-natal humans?
While Thomas purports to be pro-life, he has foisted a decision upon the public which benefits special interest hobbyists and will potentially cause countless deaths in the future.
While there is disagreement about when human life begins, there is little doubt when it ended for the victims in Las Vegas. Weapons of war sold to mentally ill people who use them for purpose of killing as many people as possible as quickly as possible is insanity and nothing more than abortion for sport.
So much for the sanctity of human life.
Jim Lombardo
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Tucson Speaks Out: June 22 letters of the day
A worthy commander?
Even MAGAs must realize the folly of allowing their daughters to be unsupervised with creepy predator Donald Trump. Are they willing to sacrifice their daughters to their Minotaur god?
Many MAGAs work to sacrifice democratic elections and justice to satisfy Trump's lust for power and retribution, since a violent mob ransacked the Capitol on January 6 and thugs now threaten judges and juries. Who in their right minds would sacrifice rule of law that permits civilization as opposed to barbarism based on Trump's whims and caprices?
It is shocking that Trump recently held a rally in Las Vegas in near 110-degree heat. Trump said, "I don't care about you. I just want your vote." A true leader would not sacrifice his people's health and welfare to exploit them for donations and votes. Such a reckless military commander would lose his command. How can we trust callous, uncaring, sociopathic Trump to be commander in chief of our whole nation?
Ronald Pelech
Midtown
What if
Woe is us if Trump takes this election. There may be big plans afoot for holding a round-table discussion in the White House for all the major dictators, with Putin and Trump sharing the chair. China, Hungary, North Korea will be well represented, as well as lesser rats around the world.
Items to be discussed are the elimination of the U. N. and how to smother the folly of freedom wherever it springs to life. In this new seat of power, this most august of gatherings could finally have a jolly time with some really good vodka.
Never in history was there ever such a conclave. Washington will be the perfect place for such an event celebrating the start of a thousand-year run.
But for us democrats, it will spark a truly different world with all Americans painted with the same dark brush, as it should be. We let it happen.
Ron Lancaster
North side
SCOTUS without ethics
Addressing John Roberts as “Chief Justice” suggests respect for him, and by extension, the Supreme Court, itself. However, it's painfully obvious (maybe not painfully) that words like “respect” and “SCOTUS” do not belong on the same page, let alone in the same sentence. The recent continuous stream of revelations about the deplorable conduct of associate Justices Clarence Thomas (who has been an anathema to the Court since his dalliances of Anita Hill days) and Sam Alito, make one‘s head spin. If Roberts cared about "respect" for the Court, he would lean heavily on them to make them change their behaviors, or at least to induce them to recuse themselves from ruling on cases in which they have a perceived or actual interest. The SCOTUS is sometimes called the “High Court.” The sad reality is, it’s not so high while Roberts tolerates Thomas’ and Alito’s absence of ethics.
Jack Graef
SaddleBrooke
Supreme Court gifts
Re: the June 14 letter "Justice Jackson accepted expensive gifts."
Thank you to the letter writer for giving us an accounting of the a "liberal" justices gifts/monies they've received while on the court. We all could find out that info on the Supremecourt.gov. For some reason the letter writer thinks this is bad, because Clarence (I've never turned down a huge gift from a partisan supporter) Thomas has been accused of taking so many gifts from Harlan Crow, a huge GOP donor. The difference is that Justice Brown reported these gifts as required, whereas good ole "BOY" used by the GOP has not disclosed most of his gifts. Until recently he said, "I didn't realize I was supposed to report these gifts." Nice try Clarence and by default (letter writer) but facts are facts and you don't get to claim your own opinion as a fact. Sorry.
John Bingham
Northwest side
Rex Scott
Next to the President of the United States, I believe our County Supervisor impacts us more than most anyone.
From roads, police protection, the border, sewer and oversight on our water rates, establishing a budget that meets these priorities, who else is more important? I think we are fortunate to have Rex Scott as our Pima County Supervisor who represents us well on these important issues. It is so easy to get demoralized in today's world with our political representatives, but Rex is clearly a shining star in a dark sky.
Dave Locey
Foothills
Trump
Can any normal person take this clown seriously? If this country reelects this flawed individual, we will be the laughingstock of the rest of the world. The embarrassment I would feel vis-à-vis my friends and relatives in Europe! Think of countries like Russia, China, and many others— how they would gloat! And just imagine what will befall us when he loses again!
Carola Myers
Foothills
Response to letter writer
Re: the June 15 letter "Candidate's words are harmful and painful."
Justice of the Peace candidate Michael Buglewicz, and one other candidate participated in an invited community forum, only two felt the importance to speak with the public. The point mentioned was reference the terms women-of-color and people-of-color. These are commonly used terms to include many or all different racial or ethnic groups. The most important thing you should know about my husband is that he spent his entire professional life helping people, serving his community, serving the Lord. He was raised to be respectful to all people...everyone. He married a woman of color; I am that woman of color. I am Latina and I am Chicana, as are our children and grandchildren. He is thoughtful, respectful and professional. Michael would like to speak to you directly. Please contact us, Michael Buglewicz is an exceptional person. He's the needed change within Precinct 4.
Emmita Buglewicz
West side
Trump and Black voters
Misinformation from Donald Trump and his “people,” (Gangsters of yore never had "friends;" even relatives were suspect), has increased exponentially, exceeding the 30,000+ lies he told during his time in office.
'180 Church' in Detroit was selected to hear Trump speak to attract Black voters. It failed miserably. The city is 80% Black. He claims to have addressed 8,000 church members. The church can only hold 244. The audience was overwhelmingly white, with the majority not being church members or from Detroit, but rather being bused in for the event. Some were paid.
In his audaciously arrogant manner, he claimed black voters preferred him because he has a criminal record and mugshots; therefore, they could relate to him. "I'm one of them!" He said with a bumptious tone, “I have so many Black friends that if I were a racist, they wouldn’t be "friends." That actually came out of his mouth. In the end, the audience was primarily white. He was speaking to his audience.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Bump stocks and abortion
Ethically compromised Justice Clarence Thomas wrote last week’s Supreme Court decision to remove the ban on bump stocks. For context, a rifle modified with a bump stock was used in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting which resulted in the deaths of 58 people and the wounding of 500 people in under ten minutes! How is this anything other than aborting post-natal humans?
While Thomas purports to be pro-life, he has foisted a decision upon the public which benefits special interest hobbyists and will potentially cause countless deaths in the future.
While there is disagreement about when human life begins, there is little doubt when it ended for the victims in Las Vegas. Weapons of war sold to mentally ill people who use them for purpose of killing as many people as possible as quickly as possible is insanity and nothing more than abortion for sport.
So much for the sanctity of human life.
Jim Lombardo
Oro Valley
AZ in the hole
For decades AZ Republicans in the Legislature underfunded public schools, creating a distressed education system. Their solution? The ESA school choice program. It transferred funds from public schools to parents for tuition at unregulated private schools. The AZ education budget is now in the hole for over $600 million.
What is the Republican solution to the problem they created? Cut education funding 2024-2025 K-12. Seeing a pattern? Parents should ask themselves who really values education and vote accordingly.
A tried-and-true political winner for Republicans is “cut taxes.” Republicans drum up a tax problem by claiming that the tax system wasn’t “fair.” We must tax the multi-millionaire almost the same percent as you and me. But Republicans didn’t count the money. The “flat tax” resulted in more than $700 million shortfall.
What happened to that surplus that Ducey bragged about? Squandered by a slim Republican majority in the legislature. You can’t vote for the same party repeatedly and expect different results.
Cindy Doklan
Midtown
Subdivisions cost more than they generate
Re: the June 19 article "Ciscomani's efforts to secure infrastructure funding supports housing."
A recent editorial by the president of a home builders association, you know, someone who makes a buck off new housing, claimed that new subdivisions were great because they generated tax revenue. That is not the full story.
Several years back I was appointed to a long-range planning committee. What we learned about new subdivisions was startling. While they generated tax revenue, in fact they were a net tax drain on the community. Along with those subdivisions came tax costs for local fire, and police departments. There were also tax costs for water and sewer improvements and upkeep, roads, and other infrastructure. The same net drain was true of shopping centers. All of these so-called improvements ended up costing existing homeowners and renters extra taxes to make up the shortfall.
Building on vacant lots in established areas did not have these drawbacks. I am not against all new subdivisions, but let's have an honest conversation about the added costs of these subdivisions and ensuing shopping centers.
Howard Strause
Foothills
Left-turn arrows
First the City of Tucson and Pima County quit using in street traffic detectors such as embedded wires and the old metal plates years ago. They now use cameras which are easier to replace and cheaper to use. Accordingly, they can count the cars in a lane when they determine that is the best solution.
The problem really is that left turns are the most inefficient traffic movement that happens at an intersection. When the light is green for you all thru traffic must stop and wait. So if you are on a six-lane street crossing a four lane street you have tens lanes of traffic waiting for you. In addition the traffic control systems are designed to keep traffic moving as much as possible to reduce congestion. I am no traffic engineer but I suspect that they are just trying to keep the greatest number of cars moving.
Dale Calvert
Northeast side
An illusion of democracy
The United States is a democratic country, at least that’s what I’m told. But I’m beginning to have some doubts. Certainly the people speak by electing their representatives. But the issue that is bothering me is do we have what is essential for the existence of a democracy, namely, an informed electorate? There certainly are a plethora of news and other information sources, but unfortunately many of them do not speak the truth. So the issue becomes whether or not the electorate is capable of distinguishing truth from falsity. Based on what I am seeing today I’m no longer sure. RIP, Democracy.
Gerry Maggiora
Foothills
SEL and DEI benefits
Re: the June 20 article "Unfounded fear of social emotional learning and DEI."
I applauded the clarity and thoughtfulness of the writing by Dustin Williams, Pima County School Superintendent. His precise definitions and explanation of SEL, Social Emotional Learning and DEI, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion was followed by the numerous benefits of each and the misconceptions causing harmful legislation to restrict their use. He notes “some legislators have developed an almost visceral reaction to these terms,” and follows with the faulty logic of those opposing the methods. Noting the benefits for emotional development and critical inclusion for all individuals in the educational system, Williams expands the positives of these methods to society as a whole. He finishes with “It’s time to move past unfounded fears and embrace the transformative potential of SEL and DEI. Amen, Dustin Williams.
Roger Shanley
East side
Those ubiquitous Ciscomani signs
The outsized cardboard presence of Juan Ciscomani on every street corner is a poor substitute for his notable absence in our community except of course for his regular presence at SABHA, Tucson Metro Chamber and Arizona Mining Association meetings.
Sheldon Clark
Vail
Robbins
Dear Editor:
Add my name to the list of people who’d like to see President Robbins remain in the top job at the University of Arizona. As so often happens, people have overreacted to UA’s budget “crisis’’ and politicians tow to the noisiest elements in the room. Getting rid of Bobby Robbins may be the biggest mistake the Board of Regents will ever make. It’s not too late to change course.
Sincerely,
Randal Dix,President, Transwest Properties, Inc.
Foothills
Letter: Trump policies
- Valerie Smith, Midtown
A recent letter writer stated support for former President Trump because his policies will be better for the country. What policies? What is he going to do about inflation? Crickets on that one. Ukraine? Let Putin have it. Gaza? Let Netanyahu take care of it. Immigration? Concentration camps and mass deportation --that ought to be great for the economy!. Abortion? Make it illegal nationally. Sorry but listening to him whine about witch hunts doesn't help pay the bills.
Valerie Smith
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Supreme Court
- Thomas Sitzmann, Oro Valley
So the illegitimate (at least according to Democrats) issued a unanimous opinion on access to mifepristone. I am sure that all Democrats and pro-abortion rights advocates hail this as a great victory. I'm not so sure. While not against the use or prescription of this drug, I think this ruling sets a bad precedent. Basically, the ruling said the plaintiffs didn't have standing to sue over the FDA's disregard of existing protocols and procedures to get a drug greater access. There is a reason those are in place, to protect the public. In this case, it seems that they were totally disregarded by bureaucrats to advance a political agenda. What good are rules, regulations, protocols, or procedures if they can be disregarded on a political whim? Sounds like Biden's version of "democracy" at work
Thomas Sitzmann
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Childish behavior
- Gerald Schwartz, Foothills
I read the newspaper daily. I know this is election season and tempers get elevated. However, some letter writers appear to be exchanging opinions via the opinion page. Opinion pages should be for adults and not those who appear to be in their second childhood though I am not certain as I don't know the ages. Some writers appear to be a bit more informed than others regarding fascism, antisemitism, etc. in the early 20th century. They appear to have read recent books like Oath and Honor or Prequel written by to people I admire even though they are on the opposite ends of the political spectrum. Forget your party and educate yourselves.
Gerald Schwartz
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Tucson Speaks Out: June 28 letters of the day
Christianity and gays
The way I see it, there are two types of Christians: Those who have read the Bible and treat all God’s children with love and respect, and those who use the Bible to justify their own bigotry, the same bigotry found in other very non-religious groups.
Duane Harpet
Northwest side
Should Trump be president again?
I recently spoke at the dedication of two beautiful new tennis courts at the high school in my hometown of Tombstone. The courts were named in honor of Michael Montijo, my good friend and tennis mentor who gave his life in June of 1969 while serving as a US Marine in Vietnam. As you drive into Tombstone from the west, the first thing you see is a blue flag flying establishment entirely dedicated to the sale of merchandise in honor and fealty to a former president who infamously insulted the respected late Republican Arizona statesman, war hero and true public servant John McCain, who spent five years as a tortured POW in Vietnam, as “not a hero” (according to Trump, “heroes” don’t get captured). The next thing you see after the aforementioned store is the high school with its tennis courts dedicated to Tombstone’s beloved fallen hero. The ironic contrast between the two couldn’t be more palpable or disgusting. Does anybody really think this guy should be the president again?
Louie Levinson
Downtown
Compassion and LaWall
Re: the June 21 letter “County Attorney election.”
A recent opinion regarding the county attorney election commented that Barbara LaWall had no “understanding, compassion, or empathy” while she was county attorney. Ms. LaWall is not running for office but deserves to have this statement corrected.
Under her long and successful administration she expanded the victim witness program to include hundreds of volunteers, many of whom have left under the current administration.
LaWall initiated the children’s advocacy program where abused children could be seen and treated in a secure, comforting and private environment.
Under her administration she also initiated a conviction integrity unit, one of the first in the country, to review old convictions and sentencings and determine if justice was done.
LaWall established community justice boards in which juvenile offenders could be dealt with outside of the court system.
Finally, LaWall insured that there were enough attorneys on staff to deal with cases in a timely and effective manner.
All of these actions demonstrate understanding, compassion and empathy.
Margaret Norem
Midtown
Gov. Hobbs stops Robbins power grab
Gov. Katie Hobbs’ veto of legislation to boost state university presidents’ power should humble lame-duck University of Arizona President Robert Robbins.
Robbins favored the bill so he could eviscerate a Faculty Senate that has called him out for a series of executive blunders.
Hobbs’ veto came despite Robbins’ supporters heralding him in a June 16 Arizona Daily Star advertisem*nt. Implicit in their message: The university was a backwater until Robbins brought it to prominence.
That is nonsense, of course. Former UA presidents John Schaefer, Manuel Pacheco, Henry Koffler, Peter Likins, Robert Shelton and Ann Weaver Hart improved the university by adding to what their predecessors did.
Robbins had that opportunity. But what will most mark his tenure are negligence leading to an unprecedented financial crisis and his ham-handed efforts to blame others.
Michael A. Chihak
West side
Recycling but saving H2O
Re: the June 21 letter “Plastic recycling issues.”
This letter is prompted by the last paragraph of this letter. The letter writer brings up the practice of cleaning plastic items before recycling. This has always posed a dilemma for me. I recycle as much as possible. But when it comes to cleaning items, I have an issue in using our precious water to rinse these items. I believe water conservation to be at the top of my list for things needed to be done to help sustain our existence here in the desert in particular, and on planet Earth in general. I’ve been of the opinion that small amounts of residual debris will be rendered either null or innocuous by the chemical/thermolytic breakdown of plastics during downstream processing of the recycled plastics. I would love to hear experts input into this dilemma.
John Hurley, PhD
Midtown
Uplifting story
Re: the June 23 article “Bridging history with motherly love.”
Congratulations to Tony Velasquez for achieving his request to the Santa Cruz County Supervisors on naming a bridge after his devoted foster mother Lucila Gomez Bejarano. Thank you, reporter Henry Bean, for writing this wonderful story. It is uplifting among the very negative, daily stories written about wars, politics, shootings and killings.
Felicidades a la familias Bejarano y Velasquez y especialment a Lucilita.
Julieta Bustamante Portillo
Downtown
Ciscomani disappoints
Editor,
Congressman Ciscomani’s latest fear-based TV ad offers nothing new. The ad calls for building the border wall and condemns President Biden for open borders.
Today’s ugly, militarized border, where too many die, can hardly be described as open. I’m pretty sure the border was more open when Juan Ciscomani and his family migrated to the United States than it is today.
Migration is a defining characteristic of the United States. Migrants have made our nation richer and better.
We all would benefit in so many ways if we stopped scaring ourselves, spent less time building walls, and spent more time and resources on welcoming and accommodating migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
Instead of building walls, let’s consider un-building walls, as Silky Shah suggests in her new book, Unbuild Walls.
Dave Gallagher
Foothills
Soldiers deserve our respect
Re: the June 23 letter “Gallego’s commercials.”
I don’t share Ruben Gallego’s political views, but any soldier who served in Iraq and Afghanistan — whether or not there were any heroic instances — deserves my and every American’s respect for the rest of his or her life.
Douglas R. Holm
East side
Snopes debunks Charlottesville lie
Left leaning Snopes just came out debunking the Biden and Democrat narrative that Trump had praised Neo-Nazis and the KKK members who marched in a 2017 Charlottesville, VA rally that turned into chaos. Snopes wrote, “While Trump did say that there were ‘very fine people on both sides,’ he also specifically noted that he was not talking about neo-Nazis and white supremacists and said they should be ‘condemned totally.’ Therefore, we have rated this claim ‘False.’ “ My question is why has it taken Snopes seven years to report this? Again, they are a left leaning group. In 2020, candidate Biden announced a main reason for his running for President was because of Trump’s pro-Nazi remarks about Charlottesville. He continues to run campaign ads falsely claiming this. Biden should issue a strong apology to Trump during this Thursday night’s debate moderated by Trump hating Jake Tapper and Dana Bash at Democrat biased CNN.
Rory Smith
Marana
Re: Definition of a Democrat
Re: the June 12 letter “Definition of a Republican.”
I wish people who respond to my letters would quit getting their talking points from the Fox toilet entertainment channel, the same “news” outfit that was sued for $787 million for lying and still do, and the same channel that is owned by the same people who own The National Enquirer. You know the one that published smear stories about Hillary so little Don the con could win the election with “fake news”. You all know the paper “Aliens ate my baby as I made love to Elvis”. Trump left all our equipment in Afghanistan, Robert Byrd was not a grand wizard but a recanted KKK member. You say Biden never ran a business. What happened to Trump airlines, university, vodka, steaks, ice, 4 casinos, all bankrupt with a string of people left penniless from his toxic businesses. who bankrupts a casino? And Biden didn’t wander away, his attention was drawn to a paratrooper that just landed. You Republicans exhaust me.
Terry Louck
East side
Our own worst enemy
For me it all began with the Rodney King Affair and culminated with the death of Floyd.
Police brutality became an obsession. We overreacted.
We defunded the police, removed all respect, took them off their pedestals.
We forget the years of good police work and placed them somewhere below our drug dealers.
We forgot the many police officers killed in the line of duty trying to make our life safe and secure.
We encourage our officers to abandon their profession, to retire, or to change jobs, leaving us terribly short in numbers.
We made the police officer the least desired position in the country.
We placed criminals above the law, with judges and prosecutors who were soft on crime.
We encourage violent crime in every way.
We truly are “our own worst enemy.”
Tom McGorray
Northwest side
In retrospect
As a young couple in the 1970s the only affordable home was 40 miles from work. The home loan rate then was 15% for an ARM that soon went to 17%. Then came the gas crisis. To get gas I left the house at 4 a.m. and spent two hours in line before commuting for one hour to my job. Then came the Vietnam humiliation. And then the Iran hostage crisis. Then within a year came stagflation (high prices, slow growth, high unemployment) that lasted several years. During that period, we were lucky to have jobs but upward mobility was nonexistent. The 1980s and early 1990s were fraught with recessions and economic downturns. The 2008 financial crisis is within recent memory so we won’t expand there. My point is, stop whining about your 7% interest rate and high gas prices — in retrospect, maybe things aren’t so bad.
Carl Foster
Green Valley
Religion in schools
To those who would post the Ten Commandments in schools, I would add: Post the 7 deadly sins alongside.
Lust, Gluttony, Sloth, Anger, Envy, Pride, and Greed.
Sharon Powers
East side
Alito OK with yelling fire in a crowded theater?
So Justice Alito thinks that it is free speech to present lies about a deadly disease that killed over a million American’s. Based on his logic then it is OK to yell “fire.” It’s so obvious that his and Thomas’ ideology is the basis for their opinion. They can opine on and on about how you have the right to say anything as long as it supports the far right’s idea of free speech. But the plain truth is that the administration didn’t make those social media companies pull ads for bogus products or misinformation. They pulled them because they saw a moral obligation to protect the innocent (even the gullible ones). If these justices continue to use illogical approaches to common sense problems, then we are in trouble.
Mike Dai
Midtown
Opposition to construction of I-11
I have deep concerns for the environmental implications of this project, and the fiscal irresponsibility of this project. The current plan involves routing this new freeway through Avra Valley and west of the Tucson mountains by Ironwood Forest National Monument. If developed, it will destroy thousands of acres of pristine Sonoran Desert habitat and will sever the wildlife corridor between Saguaro National Park and Ironwood Forest National monument, violating the purpose for which these lands were designated. In addition, many of the communities which will be impacted are low-income, minority communities whose quality of life will be forever damaged. The West Option is fiscally irresponsible and is projected already to cost more to build than the East Option which would co-locate the I-11 with the I-10 and I-19 through Tucson. The City of Tucson, Pima County and the Town of Sahuarita have all voiced opposition to its construction and yet all these cries appear to have fallen on deaf ears.
Chantelle Khambholja
Midtown
Prognosticators
Over the past several years, your numerous liberal readers have foretold that Donald Trump, if elected, will become a dictator, suspend all laws protecting women and LGBTQ, incarcerate all liberal opponents in concentration camps, eviscerate the legal system so that there is no rule of law, buddy up with Putin, and force migrants to enter the country legally. These strident claims have been made even though four years of actual history indicate this will not be the case. In contrast, the last four years of the Biden Administration provide stark examples of the Biden Administration’s path to anarchy, dissolution of individual rights, and the destruction of democracy. If these same prognosticators who so accurately predict the doom and gloom of a Trump election, what will they predict about a second Biden term when the actual results indicate total disaster? Is the prediction of the future based on actual results or just foretold based on bias, selfishness, and hatred.
Loyal M. Johnson Jr.
Oro Valley
Letter: Alito OK with yelling fire in a crowded theater….I guess?
- Mike Dai, Midtown
So Justice Alito thinks that it is free speech to present lies about a deadly disease that killed over a million American's. Based on his logic then it is OK to ‘yell fire’. It’s so obvious that his and Thomas’ ideology is the basis for their opinion. They can opine on and on about how you have the right to say anything as long as it supports the far rights idea of free speech. But the plan truth is that the administration didn’t make those social media companies pull adds for bogus products or misinformation…..they pulled them because they saw a moral obligation to protect the innocent (even the gullible ones). If these justices continue to use illogical approaches to common sense problems, then we are in trouble.
Mike Dai
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: religion in schools
- Sharon Powers, East side
To those who would post the Ten Commandments in schools, I would add: Post the 7 deadly sins alongside.
Lust, Gluttony, Sloth, Anger, Envy, Pride, and Greed
Sharon Powers
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: In Retrospect
- Carl Foster, Green Valley
As a young couple in the 1970’s the only affordable home was 40 miles from work. The home loan rate then was 15% for an ARM that soon went to 17%. Then came the gas crisis. To get gas I left the house at 4am and spent two hours in line before commuting for one hour to my job. Then came the Viet Nam humiliation. And then the Iran Hostage Crisis. Then within a year came Stagflation (high prices, slow growth, high unemployment) that lasted several years. During that period, we were lucky to have jobs but upward mobility was nonexistent. The 1980’s and early 1990’s were fraught with recessions and economic downturns. The 2008 financial crisis is within recent memory so we won’t expand there. My point is, stop whining about your 7% interest rate and high gas prices – in retrospect, maybe things aren’t so bad.
Carl Foster
Green Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Letter commenting on article: "Unfounded fear of social emotional learning and DEI" (June 20).
- Daniel Pryor, West side
Re: the June 20 article "Unfounded fear of social emotional learning and DEI."
A microcosm of DEI has just played out in Grangeville, Idaho concerning DEI for public school students in K-5 grades. At Grangeville's open school board meeting, one man defended Amplify DEI's mission statement: "We help teachers craft rigorous learning experiences that reflect the diverse histories, culture, and identities their students bring to the classroom.
But a concerned parent speaks differently of that rhetoric: "Amplify sexualizes and desensitizes children, undermines traditional values, as well as parents and their parental rights, refers children to harmful resources and violates natural age appropriateness. It (Amplify) does not represent true diversity and equity and is especially skewed towards non-Christian beliefs.
The problem is it may take generations for the truth of this issue to be realized. Experimenting on grades K-5 on social themes is not the role of public schools. Stick to the three R's: reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic.
Daniel Pryor
West side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Re: the May 28. article “Tucson Speaks Out: May 28 letters of the day”
- Louie Levinson, Downtown
I recently spoke at the dedication of two beautiful new tennis courts at the high school in my hometown of Tombstone. The courts were named in honor of Michael Montijo, my good friend and tennis mentor who gave his life in June of 1969 while serving as a US Marine in Vietnam. As you drive into Tombstone from the west, the first thing you see is a blue flag flying establishment entirely dedicated to the sale of merchandise in honor and fealty to a former president who infamously insulted the respected late Republican Arizona statesman, war hero and true public servant John McCain, who spent five years as a tortured POW in Vietnam, as "not a hero" (according to him, "heroes" don't get captured). The next thing you see after the aforementioned store is the high school with its tennis courts dedicated to Tombstone's beloved fallen hero. The ironic contrast between the two couldn't be more palpable or disgusting. Does anybody really think this guy should be the president again?
Louie Levinson
Downtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: PROGNOSTICATORS
- Loyal M Johnson Jr, Oro Valley
Over the past several years, your numerous liberal readers have foretold that Donald Trump, if elected, will become a dictator, suspend all laws protecting women and LGBTQ, incarcerate all liberal opponents in concentration camps, eviscerate the legal system so that there is no rule of law, buddy up with Putin, and force migrants to enter the country legally. These strident claims have been made even though four years of actual history indicate this will not be the case. In contrast, the last four years of the Biden Administration provide stark examples of the Biden Administration’s path to anarchy, dissolution of individual rights, and the destruction of democracy. If these same prognosticators who so accurately predict the doom and gloom of a Trump election, what will they predict about a second Biden term when the actual results indicate total disaster? Is the prediction of the future based on actual results or just foretold based on bias, selfishness, and hatred.
Loyal M Johnson Jr
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Re: Definition of a democrat
- Terry Louck, East side
I wish people that respond to my letters quit getting their talking points from fox toliet entertainment channel, the same "news" outfit that was sued for $787 million dollars for lying and still do, and the same channel that is owned by the same people that own The National Enquirer. You know the one that published smear stories about Hillary so little Don the con could win the election with "FAKE NEWS". You all know the paper "Aliens ate my baby as I made love to Elvis". Trump left all our equipment in Afghanistan, Robert Byrd was not a grand wizard but a recanted kkk member. You say Biden never ran a business. What happened to trump airlines, university, vodka, steaks, ice, 4 casinos, all bankrupt with a string of people left penniless from his toxic businesses. WHO BANKRUPTS A CASINO! And Biden didnt wander away, his attention was drawn to a paratrooper that just landed. You Republicans exhaust me.
Terry Louck
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: Snopes debunks Biden and Democrats' Charlottesville lie
- Rory Smith, Marana
Left leaning Snopes just came out debunking the Biden and Democrat narrative that Trump had praised Neo-Nazis and the KKK members who marched in a 2017 Charlottesville, VA rally that turned into chaos. Snopes wrote, “While Trump did say that there were ‘very fine people on both sides,’ he also specifically noted that he was not talking about neo-Nazis and white supremacists and said they should be ‘condemned totally.’ Therefore, we have rated this claim ‘False'.” My question is why has it taken Snopes seven years to report this? Again, they are a left leaning group. In 2020, candidate Biden announced a main reason for his running for President was because of Trump's pro-Nazi remarks about Charlottesville. He continues to run campaign ads falsely claiming this. Biden should issue a strong apology to Trump during this Thursday night's debate moderated by Trump hating Jake Tapper and Dana Bash at Democrat biased CNN.
Rory Smith
Marana
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Letter: June 23 Letter-Gallego's commercials
- Douglas R. Holm, East side
Regarding the letter "Gallego's commercials", June 23.
I don't share Ruben Gallego's political views, but any soldier who served in Iraq and Afghanistan -whether or not there were any heroic instances- deserves my and every American's respect for the rest of his or her life.
Douglas R. Holm
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
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Tags
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