Tucson speaks up: Letters to the editor for the week of Sep. 5, 2025
- Updated
Our weekly round-up of letters published in the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Daily Star.
National Guard? Maybe not
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.â€
The famous quote by George Santayana comes to mind as I watch in horror the deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., and possibly Chicago and Baltimore.
A little over 50 years ago, I watched the National Guard roll into town where I went to school to supposedly reestablish law and order.
These troops were thrust into a situation that they had very little training for. ... It did not go well.
Four dead and nine wounded bodies later, I thought we would have learned something.
Stop your egomaniac madness, Donald Trump, and review your early 1970s American history.
Graduate of Kent
State University
Albert (Bert) Hanson
Northeast side
How ironic
Sometime in the late 1950s, when I was in high school, I read Leon Uris’s Exodus. It was a very persuasive work of fiction and turned me into an almost lifetime supporter of Israel. Even filtered by time, I remember the plight of the ship full of Jewish refugees headed for Palestine and the refusal by the British to let it land. How ironic then that this memory should flood back upon reading the article in the Star on Sept. 1 titled “Activists’ aid flotilla sets sail,†hoping to break the 18-year-long Israeli blockade of Gaza by bringing lifesaving supplies. Odds on they will be turned away by the Israeli navy.
Israel has become what it fought, and I am no longer a supporter.
Katharine Donahue
Foothills
Plea to legislators
Questions for our legislators:
Should children in church be protected?
What would a reasonable person do to prevent children from being murdered?
Are the lives of children more important than gun owners’ rights?
Should a mentally ill young man be allowed to buy and own a gun?
If we do nothing, will more children be murdered?
Daniel McDonnell
Foothills
Project Blue: A failure to communicate
There are numerous examples of robust citizen engagement and community collaboration in Pima County and the greater Southeast ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ community — efforts that have created lasting and positive outcomes. The Chuck Huckleberry Loop, The Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, the Rio Nuevo Downtown Redevelopment District, and creation of the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area are but a few examples of well-planned and executed programs to inform the community. By enlisting elected officials, government and private experts, and project proponents these efforts earned widespread community support through public workshops, information sessions (listening sessions), and printed materials. Aside from Chamber of Commerce support, TEP’s op-ed defense of the company’s energy supply agreement to serve Project Blue, and Beale Infrastructure’s glossy webpage promises of transparency, community engagement and investment, efforts to inform the public of exactly how Project Blue will benefit them have been lacking.
Sheldon Clark
Vail
General election for District 7
In a recent LTE, the writer states the reasons for his dislike of Adelita Grijalva and Raul, the father and former Congressman who is now deceased. She is the Democratic candidate in the special election for District 7 to be held on Nov. 4. The writer is voting for the Republican candidate. He says he is voting against Adelita because she never held a real job, will suck up salary and benefits, is inheriting the job, free ride, feeds off public trough, not qualified. Just words, trash talk signifying nothing, tell you nothing, nada. Not holding a real job is a lie. That they have been “feeding off the public trough†is truly offensive. To launch that old, worn-out, derogatory and disgusting idiom against a family that has for years been working and fighting to help the people of Pima County and beyond is terrible but, I suppose, not totally unexpected. Adelita, with your vote, is going to win hands down.
Manuel Hernandez Garcia
Midtown
Adelita, a youth champion
In response to Mr. K’s letter on Aug. 30, and as a retired Juvenile Probation Officer, I know from professional experience that Adelita Grijalva ran a very effective and efficient Teen Court, a program which benefited numerous teenagers and families in our community.
Ms. Grijalva’s 20 years of experience on the Tucson Unified School Board and 4 years on the County Board of Supervisors make her the overwhelming clear choice in the 7th Congressional District.
Adelita is a true champion for troubled youth.
Bud Richardson
East side
DEI
A recent rant about DEI (from a not-surprising source) prompts me to ask what seems an obvious question. Where has DEI failed anywhere near to the extent of the clown show that makes up the current Trump administration? Does the “special treatment†concept apply to the hiring of the pathetic incompetents that Trump has chosen solely on the “merit†of their willingness to kiss his butt? RFK Jr., Pete Hegseth, Kristi Noem, Kash Patel represent just a few among so many who are, kindly said, misplaced in their roles. Is this a form of “prioritizing identity over merit?†Trump’s own demands for special treatment are epic (represented in his lawlessness and expectation of zero accountability for his myriad misdeeds). Like many programs, the DEI initiative needs skillful implementation, but the knee-jerk antagonism to it is mindless and simply another attempt to whitewash decades of inequity. I suspect the “special treatment†accusation depends heavily on where it’s coming from.
S. Ross Emmanuel
Southeast side
TEP’s disappointment
Something was bothering me as I read Tucson Electric Power President and CEO’s letter describing how foolish we were to turn away such a great opportunity as Project Blue. Then I re-read it and realized that not once was the word “water†in it. Does she even live here?
Guy Rovella
Midtown
Special treatment
On Sept. 2, a frequent LTE contributor addressed the issue of equality vs. equity. He stated that “some people are so used to special treatment that equal treatment is considered to be discrimination.†That is a perfect description of the one percenters and their bloated view of where they stand in our society.
Tim Canny
Oracle
Trump bankruptcies
In July 1991, the Trump-owned Taj Mahal casino declared bankruptcy. In 1992, two more Trump-owned casinos and the Trump-owned Plaza Hotel in New York City declared bankruptcy. In 2004, the Trump Hotels and Casinos Resorts company declared bankruptcy. In 2009, the Trump Entertainment Resorts company declared bankruptcy.
Trump was able to transfer his personal debt to his companies, so the bankruptcies didn’t hurt him. However, the investors and employees who were encouraged to purchase stock in Trump Entertainment Resorts as a 401(k) plan were hurt tremendously.
And we’re supposed to believe that his plans to lower the prime interest rate and impose high tariffs will work out well for us and the economy?
Larry Hammond
Southwest side
No more Mr. Nice Guy
Amelia Cramer stated on Sept. 2, “Two wrongs do not make a right.â€
As an alternative: “You have to fight fire with fire.†“All’s fair in love and war.†“Pick your battles.â€
Often, it is appropriate to respond in kind, preferably in a de-escalating manner. The concept of picking your battles incorporates the concept of when, where and how to approach an adversary, if there is reasonable expectation of a favorable outcome. If a favorable outcome is not reasonably expected, then a “strategic withdrawal’†is appropriate, so you may “live to fight another day.â€
Occasionally, a well-framed wrong is the most effective approach to correcting a problem. Or making nice might put you in last place.
James Abels
Midtown
Random thoughts
— I think Trump has genius envy. That’s why he’s going after universities, scientific researchers, etc. and appointing unqualified individuals to government and staff positions.
— Is anyone else having difficulty telling the difference between Trump’s mug shot and his official portrait?
— Shouldn’t the Trump companies be building their $1B Qatar hotel and new golf courses, etc., in America?
— I heard when Trump said he wanted to show off all the gildings in the West Wing, Republican Congressmen packed the rooms. They thought he said geldings.
— The Ukraine war would end in 24 hours if Ukraine got its nukes back.
— Are the South American immigrants Trump “rescued†receiving government benefits?
— DEI is divisive, but a President saying he hates Democrats isn’t?
— For those who think a king is OK, wait until he goes after your family jewels.
— Why is that discoloration on Trump’s hand? Out, damn spot!
Now my head hurts.
Dianne Lethaby
East side
The real ‘Sucker and Loser’
Trump was shown to be a fool by “best friend†Putin today. In a conference Xi arranged for Wednesday, Putin, Xi and Modi were hugging, laughing, and enjoying themselves. In particular, after the “warm†greeting he gave “Putin Double #5,†last week, Modi walked hand-in-hand with Putin, despite not giving Trump the time of day. Today, Kim arrived. The topic is Taiwan.
If China moves to blockade Taiwan, due to protection agreements made by Trump and most presidents with Taiwan, America could lose lives.
Four countries, led by real “tough guys,†not actors, are fed up with Trump and ready to force our hand on Taiwan. For every U.S. warship produced, China currently produces three, preparing for a naval blockade. The Daily Mail writes, â€busting the blockade could cost the U.S. 21,000 casualties, 45 ships, an aircraft carrier, two submarines and over 1,000 aircraft,†if these countries unite against Trump, not America.
Under international law, a blockade would be considered an act of war.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Re: Adelita Grijalva letter
It is important to me that who is elected to be in the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ delegation to Congress, whether they represent my district or not. I disagree with Mr. Kent about Adelita Grijalva’s qualifications to fill her father’s seat. She represented District 5 on the Pima County Board of Supervisors for four years. Prior to that, she was on the TUSD Governing Board advocating to keep counselors in schools and to maintain the Mexican Studies program. Prior to that, she worked at the Pima County Teen Court where she gained insight into the problems of juveniles and their families and helped them to overcome.
Ms. Grijalva has a degree in Political Science and learned, at her father’s knee, how to negotiate with opposing ideas. She does not inherit the position but is uniquely qualified. I would vote for her if I was in CD 7.
Cindy Soffrin
Northeast side
Annunciation School shooting
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all good children go to heaven. And so two more children, Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, were killed in another school shooting. A boy who loved to fish and cook, and a girl known for her laughter and kindness. No more fishing for Fletcher, no more acts of love spread by Harper. Their families, the families of 15 other injured children and countless others over the years being caught in this web of sorrow. It is disgusting to me that we have politicians and prosecutors who lack the moral courage to do what is right. Jesus said, (I paraphrase) anyone who harms a child will suffer the wrath of God (Matt 18:2-6). Congress has lost its moral authority; they close their eyes to the suffering, not being able to stand up to the gun lobby. There are too many guns in America. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all good children go to heaven. Congress, God is waiting.
Richard Harper
Northeast side
Republicans’ lousy memories
Republicans were so busy protecting children from learning that Rosa Parks was black that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.
Republicans were so busy protecting children from finding out that men can love men and women can love women that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.
Republicans were so busy protecting children from being read to by grown-ups wearing costumes that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.
Republicans were so busy protecting children from eating a subsidized school lunch that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.
Republicans were so busy protecting children from discovering why Anne Frank had to hide that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.
Republicans were so busy protecting children from knowing how their own bodies work that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.
Terry Louck
East side
Compliance or overreach?
Tucson, a charter city, has often resisted state mandates, citing its authority over local matters. Courts frequently clarify when Tucson’s autonomy oversteps state law. On May 21, 2024, Governor Hobbs signed HB 2721, mandating cities with over 75,000 residents to allow duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes on single-family lots within one mile of central business districts to address ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s housing shortage. Tucson’s Plan Tucson and Middle Housing Ordinance exceeds this, rezoning from Country Club Road to Silverbell Road and 29th Street to the Rillito River. This raises concerns: Is Tucson tackling housing or reshaping neighborhoods, risking zoning protections and property values? Past Mayor and Council actions suggest the latter. Streamlining permits, reducing fees, adopting International Code Council standards, eliminating city-specific codes, and developing city/state land could address housing with less disruption. Tucson’s citywide election allows all registered voters to participate. Verify registration or register by Oct. 6. Ballots for Wards 3 and 6 drop Oct. 8, due by Nov. 4.
Janet Wittenbraker
Midtown
Remembering Sabino Jan
Dear Loran “safer sidewalks†Hancock: In honor of my beautiful wife of 55+ years, Jan, who passed away this past Aug. 12, I must respond as she would have. Please, in the future, do your do diligence and fact check with an open mind for the truth wherever you may find it. Your regurgitation of pure MAGA propaganda lacking veracity reflects poorly on yourself and is a disservice to honorable and truthful debate that our democracy demands. While going through my wife’s precious collections, I found this that was published in the writings of Mahatma Gandhi, who led the successful campaign for India’s independence from England:
Seven Social Sins:
Wealth without work
Pleasure without conscience
Knowledge without character
Commerce without morality
Science without humanity
Religion without sacrifice
Politics without principle
Gandhi’s grandson added an 8th: Rights without responsibilities. We are assaulted with each of these in our current renegade administration!
Retired USAF A10 Warthog pilot Phil “Bulldog†Bentley
Foothills
Unfounded and unjustified vitriol
After viewing photographs depicting cruelty inflicted on the Palestinian people as Israel pursues its genocidal policy in the region, purportedly in response to Hamas’s horrific murder of more than 1,000 innocents in Israel, I wrote a letter. It denounced the hypocrisy of conducting the Maccabi Games, promoted and encouraged by Israel, which is intended to “repair the world†and “make the world a better placeâ€, as Israel behaves as a bullying destroyer of its neighbor. As a person who detests antisemitism, racism and bigotry and has opposed such hatred whenever displayed in the courtroom, the legal profession and in my personal life, I was shocked and dismayed that my letter prompted such vitriolic responses. Read dispassionately and objectively, my letter did not express an iota of antisemitism. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, an intergovernmental organization with 35 member countries, defines antisemitism as hatred toward Jews. It lists 11 examples of antisemitism. Nothing in my letter is on the list.
Charles S. Sabalos
Foothills
Blue propaganda
I notice in a recent Guest Opinion by Susan Gray that when listing stakeholders and potential people who may benefit from Project Blue, “citizens†are listed last. Pretty clearly demonstrates how TEP and the Chamber view the importance of the little people.
Joe Reiman
SaddleBrooke
You’ve got to be taught
Carefully Taught
To: Donald Trump, and Bibi Netanyahu, and Stephen Miller, and Christi Noem, and Tom Homan, and, and ….
And to whatever or whoever caused you each to be who you are today —
“You’ve got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught from year to year.
It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear —
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
You’ve got to be taught to be afraid,
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a different shade —
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
You’ve got to be taught,
Before it’s too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate —
You’ve got to be carefully taught...
You’ve got to be carefully taught!â€
Oscar Hammerstein II,
South Pacific, 1949
New York City
Shelly Fishman
Midtown
American spirit may be alive and well!
Trump may be on to something when he demands that Texas and other red states redistrict (gerrymander). It’s because he’s aware that his ratings are low and getting lower. But all politicians may be underestimating the American public that is increasingly disgusted by Trump’s congressional lackeys not representing them in this race to the bottom. What if Americans are so fed up with Trump and their so-called Republican representatives that, even with gerrymandering, they vote overwhelmingly against Trump policies and his cohorts? Perhaps the American spirit is not quite dead yet.
Barbara Benjamin
Foothills
High-capacity magazines for guns
It has been a week since the Catholic school shooting in Minneapolis. As usual in the current social environment, silence. What are lowering the flag and prayers doing? I heard recently that we should pray with our feet. Possibly that includes the power of the pen.
Guns are no longer defensive instruments; they are now offensive. If we want to continue protecting the 2nd Amendment, let us review its original purpose to protect (defense), not wage war on our young.
My proposal and request to lawmakers: If you are not going to eliminate guns, then pass a law eliminating high-capacity magazines. Military arsenals have no place on Main Street. They belong on the fields of war.
If they continue to sell these high-capacity magazines, then all buyers should be reported to the FBI and put on “watch listâ€. It could have prevented this sad event. With freedom, there is great responsibility.
Paula Palotay
Marana
- Terry Louck, East side
There is not one child who wants to die for your 2nd Amendment rights.
Not one.
Terry Louck
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Daily Star.
Where are our Jewish values?
So much written about this Maccabee Games letter. As a Jew, this is the least of my concerns. What is my top concern? Sacredness of life, justice, accountability. That children, journalists and doctors are being shot with impunity, that the families of the hostages begging for an end to war are being ignored. As a Jew who has contributed to Israeli funds, I need to stand with those voices for justice and against the corrupt Bibi regime that, in my opinion, is aligned with Hamas in wanting the violence to continue.
Others may not agree with me, but this is a conversation that needs to happen. Israeli organization B’Tselem calls it genocide. Rescuers are bombed intentionally. We cannot close our eyes. This discussion needs to happen in the Tucson Jewish community, what do our Jewish values call us to do now? If not now, when?
Golda Velez
North side
Pulitzer-worthy photojournalism
Editor: Thank you for prominently publishing on the front page the gut-wrenching photo of the mother and son at the Minneapolis Catholic school massacre. Whether it’s Michelangelo’s Pieta or an AP photographer’s worldwide distribution, we are made to reflect on and never forget unspeakable terror, sorrow and horror.
We can only hope the mother’s anguish and the child’s ordeal have somehow touched the minds and hearts of gun “thoughts-and-prayers†advocates. Truly, this photograph deserves to be alongside the Pulitzer Prize photographs that have haunted, uplifted or captured our imaginations through the decades.
Dean Whitten
SaddleBrooke
Fire and ICE
When chaos reigns, and I can’t make sense of things, I can reach for a fragment of home-grown wisdom from a revered American poet. Robert Frost stuffed the ponderous inexplicable things into our familiarity with “ordinary things†— apple-picking, walls between neighbors, choosing a path when walking in the woods. Ordinary things can reveal great clarity about complex things. Robert Frost gave us a way to clarify some of our chaos today.
Recently, Trump’s masked ICE agents arrested two people while they were on the job fighting fire in Washington state. A political pundit called it “Fire and ICE.†Frost’s poem “Fire and Ice†is instructive on the subject — the simple message greets the complex.
Some say the world will end in fire
Some say ice
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire
But if it had to perish twice
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice
Gerald Farrington
SaddleBrooke
Gun laws in Portugal
Another mass shooting. No big deal? “You’ll get over it.†“Thoughts and prayers†“There is nothing that can be done about it.†I beg to differ.
I found a country with reasonable laws for firearms. Here are some of their rules if you want to own a gun in Portugal.
Portugal’s gun laws are designed to minimize gun violence.
1. Guns are only allowed for hunting, sport shooting, collecting, and in limited cases for self-defense.
In order to obtain a license in Portugal, you must pass a criminal background check, a psychological evaluation, a firearms training course, proof of need, and secure storage inspection where the guns have to be in a secure gun safety cabinet and ammunition is stored separate from the guns. In addition, the owner is limited in the number of rounds they can obtain depending on the reason for using the gun.
These sound like reasonable rules. But I am afraid too many Americans would not abide by them.
Dan Beamer
Northwest side
Digital grocery deals
I have been grocery shopping in Tucson for over 50 years. I have loyalty cards to all the major grocery stores, which enable me to take advantage of special weekly deals that are offered to loyalty customers.
Then suddenly everything changed and now I need to scan digital coupons in order to get the “great “ deals, along with the required loyalty card.
Not all of us have access or time to research the digital deals. Why not make the “great “ deals available to everyone who has a loyalty card?
It would certainly be more fair to regular customers, and then everyone would benefit.
Marsha Ubick
Midtown
A model to emulate
Since March 2, 2023, Cindy McCain has served as Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Program. She has been interviewed at least twice by the PBS News Hour, explaining the struggles to feed famine and underfed populations throughout the world.
The most recent interview on Aug. 29, McCain described the man-made famine in Gaza she witnessed in a recent trip to the region, stressing the immediate need to provide safe, productive food distribution. Cindy McCain, not Donald Trump, deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, sending a powerful message to the ego-bloated leaders throughout the world like Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump. Cindy McCain pursues serious solutions to famine and food access diligently without consideration of prizes or praise. She is a genuine humanitarian and a model to emulate.
Roger Shanley
East side
Orange bag recycling is still ‘on’
The Aug. 28 Star featured an article stating that ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Attorney General Kris Mayes contends that some Hefty recycling bags are misleading the public; she has filed suit against the company. Does this jeopardize Tucson’s highly successful orange bag recycling program?
Tucson’s Environmental Services staff assures me that the bags in contention aren’t the orange bags Tucsonans utilize for the collection of hard-to-recycle plastics and other items. Participants drop off their orange bags of recyclables at designated recycling centers around town. Hefty pays shipping costs for what’s collected.
A reminder: Recyclables in our blue barrels are commingled without using plastic bags, which can damage the sorting equipment at the recycling center.
Carol W. West
East side
Stamping out dissent
In recent NBC News online, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was removed by the White House administration for disagreeing with Mr. Kennedy’s panel of vaccine skeptics and their recommendations; the reasoning being,†The president was elected for a reason,†a senior White House official said in a telephone interview with NBC News. “He has a view on all these areas, and he wants to execute on those views. If there are people who don’t believe in democracy, then they shouldn’t be working in a democratic government.â€
I believe the words he is looking for is not “democracy†but “hypocrisy,†and rather than “democratic government,†I believe “authoritarian government†would be more accurate.
Richard Rebl
East side
Making it harder to become a citizen
Re: “A new barrier for immigrants,†Page 1, Aug. 29: Activating dormant sections of the vast U.S. Code has become a key element of the government’s campaign of suppression against the nation’s nonwhite population. Imposing discretionary “character†inquiries into the naturalization process is a guarantee of abuse, since the same surveillance, AI, and data mining technologies already in use in the government’s mass deportation scheme can easily be used to profile applicants for citizenship.
Let’s say an immigrant happened to be spotted at a protest or political event in the years before he or she filed the application, or was acquainted with a person who was here illegally. Surely this would be a disqualifying mark against the applicant’s “disposition towards the good order and happiness of the United States.â€
Robert Laux-Bachand
Green Valley
Simple logic
One doesn’t have to be a mathematician or logician to analyze the cause of gun violence in the U.S.. Causes mentioned are mental illness, poverty, easy gun accessibility, poor gun regulation, misogyny, social media, angry young males, etc. It takes only simple logic to know that IF all of the factors other than easy gun accessibility and poor gun regulation exist worldwide, and there aren’t mass shootings daily in other countries, then the causes of gun violence in the US are easy gun accessibility and poor gun regulation.
With 280 mass shootings in 243 days in the U.S. — more than one/day — how many deaths will it take until Congress admits that guns kill people and work to save the lives of Americans? They can continue with their “thoughts and prayers†for the dead, or they can have compassionate and caring thoughts and prayers for the Americans still living in fear and take immediate legislative action.
Sandra Katz
Foothills
Condemn antisemitism, hold Israel accountable
In an Aug. 10 op-ed, Hava Leipzig Holzhauer calls to task an antisemitic letter to the editor by a former judge. Holzhauer rightfully criticizes the letter’s lambasting of Tucson for hosting the Maccabi games. Holzhauer is entirely correct to note the textbook antisemitism of conflating Israel’s actions with those of a non-political sectarian Jewish athletic event.
However, as a Jewish Tucsonan, I will also note that I have not yet heard any of the large Jewish organizations in town publicly condemn the genocide happening in Gaza. We must fight antisemitism, yes; but we also must condemn a genocide done in our name. Decent people are called to do both.
Jonathan Kandell
Midtown
Safer sidewalks
Two weeks ago, President Trump took over the out-of-control Washington, D.C. law enforcement, and there have been no murders since then. Imagine, murders stopped because there is now law and order instead of chaos. Citizens can now feel safe walking around the neighborhood. This has not happened in decades. Watch the news and see stories of murder and crime that was running rampant and stopped. Why? Because the liberal influence has been taken off the throats of law enforcement. It seems, based on the pictures, that violence has been answered with law enforcement and apprehensions. Could this be a way to make the streets safe for the tax-paying citizens? Every city controlled by Democrat administrations has experienced increases in crime, making the streets and stores unsafe. Not surprising, Chicago city leaders do not want help, they just want more federal funding. But, when the media asked everyday citizens cowering on the streets, the answer was different, how can the leaders be so out of touch?
Loran Hancock
Northwest side
Inspiration from local faith leaders
How it warmed my heart to see 75 Southern ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ faith leaders, led by the Reverends Tracy Daub and Amalia Vagts, sounding a warning that the political polarization pitting Americans against each other is damaging our humanity and our spiritual well-being. How right they are, and how deeply damaging it is.
Truly evil politicians have figured out that stoking historic prejudices and fears can divide Americans into factions that can be pitted against each other, in the politicians’ ruthless quest for power over the government and the economy.
Our fellow beings of all races, religions, sexes, and economic circumstances are not our enemies. They are children of God deserving of love and care.
As these 75 faith leaders have beautifully reminded us, it is time for us to remember the core teachings of our faiths and refuse to allow ourselves to be herded into the trap of hatefulness, vengefulness and inhumanity.
Brooks Keenan
Oro Valley
The people said no
Regarding Project Blue, once again; the people said no. It’s not just that they “could have been more open,†it’s that they lied deliberately for a reason, sheer deception until it was too late to protest? Monsoon rain is evidently less than two inches and AZ described as in a severe drought, high temps, high power bills and TEP requesting another rate increase? Why don’t you focus on using land around the airport for a commercial/industrial development complete with a PCC branch as a tech school with apprenticeships, dorm for students, hotel/restaurants, pairing development with Mexico and New Mexico, direct daily flights incl. CA and PHX, non-stop interstate & international flights, and mass manufacturing that requires a dry climate, even clothing production, only a few of possibilities. If it’s true that the chip process can reclaim 95% of the water they use, pursue that.
Bea Manderscheid
Northeast side
Precedents
Another school shooting with dead children. More inaction from MAGA politicians protecting the lucrative gun lobby that holds their strings. Project 2029: By executive order of a progressive president, states have 90 days to register all personally owned handguns and assault rifles, or lose federal funding. After 90 days, federalized National Guard units in red states go door to door searching for unregistered and therefore illegal firearms. They will, of course, wear masks. Owners who fail to comply will be deemed a threat to the government, will be arrested, and if the president is in the mood, will be deported. Confiscated firearms will be dismantled and sold for junk, proceeds going to the president’s future library. This is a concept of an unfettered and extreme progressive doctrine, though it would likely save lives. If it seems ugly and unconstitutional, understand the precedent being established by the unfettered and grossly unconstitutional MAGA doctrine unfolding daily. Be careful what you wish for.
Mike Cohen
Oro Valley
Beale — a community partner?
Beale Infrastructure’s single-minded pursuit of Project Blue and enlistment of TEP as a willing and compliant accomplice belies their PR promises of “developing responsibly in partnership with our stakeholders and communities throughout North America.†Make no mistake — they and by extension their private equity sponsor Blue Owl Capital are hell-bent on building this project in spite of community opposition. Yes, they have the option of applying for an industrial use permit to drill a well for their planned project, and they can pump, within limits, all the water they need to cool their server farm — groundwater this community has spent decades and millions of dollars attempting to conserve. So much for community partnership.
Sheldon Clark
Vail
Resist the facade
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Attorney General Kris Mayes continues to resist President Trump and his ongoing publicity stunts. Most recently, Mayes contacted the president about his latest escapade, sending National Guard troops and DEA agents to Washington, D.C., based on a fallacious rise in crime. Her objection focuses on ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s need to retain DEA agents since reducing ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s number by 60 agents impedes the state’s efforts to control drug cartel activity. Attorney General Mayes’ efforts come at a pivotal moment when the legality of Trump’s efforts to control Washington and other cities faces scrutiny. Hopefully, other sensible Attorneys General throughout the United States will follow her rational approach and resist President Trump’s unnecessary political façade.
Roger Shanley
East side
The case for U.S. sovereignty
Being an American is both a right and a privilege.
The right is granted by birth within our borders, as defined by the 14th Amendment. However, practices like birth tourism and unchecked chain migration can strain our legal framework and undermine the integrity of citizenship.
The privilege is earned through lawful entry, learning English, embracing our shared history and values, and contributing to society without overburdening our social safety net. After years of dedication — often a decade or more — those who follow this path become citizens we proudly welcome.
I hold no ill will toward those who bypass our rules; many are driven by desperation, and I might act similarly in their shoes. I also have compassion for DACA “children,†some now in their 40s with families of their own, who face uncertainty due to government inaction. They deserve a fair path forward.
However, let’s not cheapen citizenship by awarding its benefits to those who disrespect our sovereignty.
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
City golf neglect
The City golf courses are in a dismal state of disrepair. Broken sprinkler heads leak water that stagnates in mosquito-infested pools throughout the courses. These sprinklers, in places, have been broken for years. I have not seen an attempt to repair these, although groundskeepers drive all over the course.
These courses can be “jewels†with just a little care from the maintenance staff. Broken cart paths are left broken. If the City sidewalk in front of your house is broken and poses a trip hazard, the City has the right to fine you and repair the sidewalk. The City golf courses must be immune from this safety concern. No money must be the reason for the neglect.
These summer days, after about 11:00 am, the courses are empty of golfers. Perhaps a reduced fare would fill the courses with golfers, and the extra revenue could be used to repair the sprinklers and concrete cart paths. Every empty tee time is lost revenue. Use it or lose it.
Ed LeGendre
East side
Good news for democracy
Since the beginning of Trump’s presidency, our court system has been working overtime to protect our constitutional rights and freedoms.
From January through July, 23 Attorneys General across the country, including ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s Kris Mayes, filed 25 joint lawsuits against his administration to protect our lives and livelihoods and safeguard $1.5 billion for ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ alone.
The ACLU filed more than 150 federal lawsuits from protecting birthright citizenship on day one to protecting immigrants’ rights, defending free speech, and demanding legal counsel for detainees in Alligator Alcatraz.
Consequently, federal judges, including those appointed by Trump, have ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and blocked the enforcement of his decrees on grounds they imperil the lives and well-being of American citizens, exceed his presidential powers, and violate our Constitution.
If you appreciate their fight to protect your rights and preserve our democracy, please consider showing your support by donating to AG Kris Mayes and the ACLU. It’s a small price to pay for our future.
Dr. JB Marshall
Oro Valley
This is beyond the pale
In my home state of Washington, the Bear Gulch Fire has already burned over 9,000 acres. It’s the largest fire in the Pacific Northwest. Recently, ICE made the firefighters stop what they were doing, lined them up, and made them show ID. Many of them were indigenous people from the various tribes that live in the state. ICE arrested two of the group. Apparently, the health and safety of residents really isn’t important. It’s clear that Trump is willing to burn the country down so he can rule over the ashes.
Mary Zimmerman
SaddleBrooke
Project Blue innovative solution?
I read with interest the Business Section on Aug. 29 that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company [TSMC] will be building an industrial water reclamation plant ultimately capable of producing a 90% recycle rate. Why can’t Beale and the Project Blue developers consult with TSMC and do the same using recycled wastewater or as earlier suggested by an LTE writer, water piped from an area contaminated by PFAS? In either case, I firmly believe any pipeline should be constructed and sufficient solar battery-stored power added (rather than rely on TEP) before Project Blue is up and running wherever it is ultimately built.
Jennifer Aviles
Southeast side
Fare-free bus service
I agree with the LTE saying “world class service.†And it is so true if you want to know a city ride the bus. I do and I am not homeless, and I strongly support free service. The critics seem to blame the homeless; their solution is to charge for service. That is foolish. The homeless problem is a problem all over the city. Many low-income and students and lots of other Tucsonans love traveling by bus. Charging for bus rides does nothing to solve the problem.
The solution is a bipartisan effort, well thought out and transparent. Yes, it will cost money and work but its pretty obvious it is needed. I have seen homeless on a bus, not a problem.
Go check it out a few times before you criticize.
Dan Bannon
Midtown
Where’s DOGE?
Estimates for painting the border wall black range from $500 million to $3 billion to fund a project to increase the wall temperature to further discourage anyone from climbing it. To point out the obvious, during winter months, the temperature and color of the wall have no impact on border crossings. During summer, plunging nightly temperatures make paint color irrelevant to early morning wall climbing. And as has already been stated, gloves are cheap: a pair of $20 welders’ gloves vs a $500M paint job — the gloves will win every time. So, black paint will effectively reduce border crossings on exactly zero days. $500M or more to accomplish absolutely nothing. This is exactly the type of government waste that DOGE was created to eliminate. Where are they when you really need them? Strangely silent.
James Johnson
Vail
We cannot stand on the sidelines
The Aug. 26 op-ed about the clergy speaking out about the “harmful policies and actions†of President Trump and his enablers, is important and timely. Not only are Trump’s actions and daily assaults harmful to “God’s beloved creation,†that is, to all of us, but also to what our country stands for: the rule of law, human decency, separation of church and state, extending a welcoming hand to those in need. As pastors Daub and Vagts say that the clergy “has too often been complicit or silent in times of crisis,†but is now making their voices heard, one sees positive signs that the local business community, our local politicians, our school administrators and faculty are not far behind. Without question, our democracy is in crisis, and no longer can we Americans stand on the sidelines.
Phineas Anderson
Catalina
Project Blue water usage
Like many (most?) other people, my reaction to the facility’s water usage of more than 100 million gallons/year was a decisive “No way!†But then I realized that’s less than the usage of a single golf course ... of which there are about 40 in the Tucson metro area. So all the fuss is about the equivalent of adding just 2% to our golf course inventory! The economist Thomas Sowell points out that there are no solutions, only tradeoffs, so I ask: Would Tucson be better off with slightly fewer golf courses or one fewer data center? Thinking in those terms forced me to reconsider my initial knee-jerk reaction.
PS: Admittedly, energy usage is a concern. One interesting option is a Small Modular Reactor from Westinghouse, GE, or others. We’ll see a lot of these off-the-shelf installations in the next year or two.
Jerrod Mason
Green Valley
Work practices of elected local officials
For too many years, City of Tucson elected officials received pitiful yearly salaries — $24,000 for Council, $40,000 for Mayor. Official meetings were/are squeezed into two PM Tuesdays/month. Appointments could take six weeks to get.
Now, Council members receive $96,600 and Mayor $120,750 yearly, salaries tied to those received by Pima County Board of Supervisors.
So what impact has the monetary increase had on the work practices of elected City officials? More available? More public accessibility to their interactions with staff? More Call-to-Audience time during Study Sessions/General Meetings? More accountability to boards, commissions, committees?
If the Star or an online service were to research how Council practices have or will change to reflect full-time pay, I am sure it would attract increased reader interest. And, please, do not limit it to the City. I have followed public issues for two decades; I have no idea how my Pima Supervisors’ work has impacted my area — I have seen one once.
Ruth Beeker
Midtown
America’s gun violence crisis
Donald Trump claims the title of “law and order†president, yet Americans continue to face threats in places that should be safe — schools, churches, mosques, and synagogues.
The United States is home to more guns than people, with approximately 470 million firearms in circulation. Strikingly, just 3% of Americans own half of these weapons. Although Americans comprise only 4% of the world’s population, they possess nearly half of the world’s civilian firearms.
The consequences are staggering in 2023 alone; gun violence claimed the lives of over 46,728 Americans. Deploying the National Guard to cities might make for powerful imagery, but it fails to address the root causes of gun violence — guns.
Every day, families endure the anxiety that a loved one could fall victim to a mass shooting or the ongoing tragedy of everyday gun violence. If true law and order means protecting families and children from harm, then Trump’s loud proclamations offer little more than hollow slogans and the prospect of more funerals.
Lawrence Mazin
SaddleBrooke
To Supervisors Heinz and Christy
I want to address Supervisors Heinz and Christy directly. Unfortunately, many of us in Tucson work demanding jobs, shuttle kids, and take care of family. Making a supervisor meeting at 9 a.m. on a workday is impossible. To that effect, I want to say, stop doubling down on your mistake. Your votes were horrible. You sold out working people. The data center has resistance on all sides of politics, and we all understand how the centers hurt communities more than help. You should acknowledge this and not blame Tucson citizens and folks in Pima worried about water and energy cost. Beale lied every step of the way in the process, kept things quiet, and TEP had a blatant error in their presentations. Their excuse, ‘Beale gave this to us’. Then you write Tucson should have negotiated and worked with them? To what end? You should be responsible to have not approved the sale until you knew more and “worked with them.†Take accountability.
Carissa Sipp
Midtown
Adelita Grijalva
I have utter disdain for Trump and the MAGA movement but am forced to vote Republican in the election to fill Raul Grijvalva’s seat in Congress. Adelita Grijalva has no qualifications to be in Congress other then her family name, and like her father, has never worked a real job in her life. She and her father have always fed at the public trough, and if elected, Adelita as the incumbent will most likely spend the rest of her life in Congress sucking up federal benefits and salary. Politics should not be inherited, and Adelita does not deserve a free ride for the rest of her life.
William Kent
Midtown
Robert Kennedy Jr.
Are you comfortable with RFK Jr. as director of HHS? If so, maybe you should rethink your comfort level. RFK Jr.’s educational experience is as a lawyer and so-called environmentalist. His life experiences have nothing to do with scientific medical thinking. Yet here we are, thanks to our stable genius Trump and the gutless Republican Congress. RFK Jr. in his ultimate ignorance, has just fired yet another prestigious PhD medical scientist with 20-plus years of experience in the medical field. Susan Monarez is not just a globally renowned medical scientist but has contributed greatly to the field of immunology. Her appreciated pushback to RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccination agenda is what has resulted in her termination as Director of the CDC. This by an ignorant man with no experience in the medical field, who, himself, has been vaccinated along with his children. Please, write your congressman and demand his resignation before his ignorance results in the death of many, primarily children. Resist.
Peter Morales
Midtown
Normalize Trump?
A recent LTE says letters with grievances about world events will be “allowed to complain†(by whom?) if certain conditions are met.
After Donald Trump’s Big Ugly Bill passed, he appeared on TV news, gloating about having even more power. To do what? He declares more fake national emergencies to grab more power. He seeks to put armed soldiers in our cities like a third-world country under a tinpot dictator. He orchestrates gerrymandering in Texas to rig elections.
In the face of LTEs that are deceptively sweet siren songs of surrender to the lawless abuses of power of Trump’s regime, critical letters are important to counter the normalization of Trumpism. Some people may normalize Trump and ultimately accept his thugs pressing boot heels on their necks. Instead, continue shooting arrows of criticism without apologies at this gangster regime. Resist.
Ronald Pelech
Midtown
- Dr. JB Marshall, Oro Valley
Since the beginning of Trump’s presidency, our court system has been working overtime to protect our constitutional rights and freedoms.
From January through July, 23 Attorneys General across the country, including ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s Kris Mayes, filed 25 joint lawsuits against his administration to protect our lives and livelihoods and safeguard $1.5 billion for ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ alone.
The ACLU filed more than 150 federal lawsuits from protecting birthright citizenship on day one to protecting immigrants' rights, defending free speech, and demanding legal counsel for detainees in Alligator Alcatraz.
Consequently, federal judges, including those appointed by Trump, have ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and blocked the enforcement of his decrees on grounds they imperil the lives and well-being of American citizens, exceed his presidential powers, and violate our constitution.
If you appreciate their fight to protect your rights and preserve our democracy, please consider showing your support by donating to AG Kris Mayes and the ACLU. It’s a small price to pay for our future.
Dr. JB Marshall
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Daily Star.
Ward 3 Democratic primary outcome
I respect the Pima County judge’s ruling to uphold the Ward 3 Democratic primary results, denying Sadie Shaw’s request for a new election, though some may see it as potentially unfair. The decision stands, and we must move forward. Sadie Shaw’s strong campaign, finishing just 19 votes behind incumbent Kevin Dahl (pending recount), highlights growing dissatisfaction with Tucson’s Mayor and City Council. Policies like fare-free transit and encampment management, though perhaps well-intentioned, are impacting Tucsonans negatively.
While I respect Kevin Dahl and Sadie Shaw, I disagree with their policy approaches. Tucson’s City Council needs fresh ideas and collaborative solutions. As a Ward 3 candidate, I’m committed to practical, balanced policies for a stronger Tucson.
The Pima County Recorder’s error, affecting 358 voters (76 in Ward 3) with incorrect ballots, undermines trust. This demands a state review and corrective measures for fair, transparent elections.
Janet Wittenbraker
Midtown
Laura’s leadership
I recently concluded my tenure as a prosecuting attorney under Laura Conover at the Pima County Attorney’s Office. While student debt heavily influenced my decision to move to the private sector, leaving was not easy. Working for Laura was the most rewarding job I have ever had. I feel compelled to share my perspective, especially given the unfair LTE criticism Laura receives from former administration members. Her focus is on prosecuting truly dangerous criminals — those who threaten public safety, including violent offenders, drug dealers, and individuals who harm children. She prioritizes justice and community safety over inflating felony statistics. For instance, she does not seek to felonize someone for an honest mistake, like accidentally bouncing a $100 check. I am incredibly grateful for Laura’s leadership and mentorship. I am also deeply thankful to my direct supervisor and my incredible friends and colleagues I had the privilege of working with at the PCAO. It was truly an honor to be part of the team.
Brian Robles
Downtown
Re: ‘For city, compassion is not enough’
Thank you, Louie Christensen, for vocalizing what everyone knows: “Today, buses are less a tool for getting to work or school and operate as diesel-powered air conditioning centers for the homeless.†The fare-free bus system as it stands now is clearly creating a dangerous transit environment. If the system is to remain “freeâ€, some sort of transit police force needs to be established. But wait! Who will pay for that? If not that, then reinstate fares. Either way, it’s going to cost something. Nothing is “free.†Since the mayor and council seem to be indecisive and ineffective, they all need to be replaced, IMHO. Isn’t that why a hefty pay increase was approved for mayor and council? To attract the best and brightest candidates? The present mayor and council appear to be operating at their previous pay grade.
Dewey Bidwell
Northeast side
Not safe from gerrymandering
Our ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC) does not keep us safe from political manipulation. Examples:
1. The Commission on Appellate Court Appointments (CACA) controls the selection of AIRC commissioners. In 2020, CACA consisted of 9 Republicans, 4 Independents and no Democrats. Challenged Ducey appointed Democrats to the open seats, however, they were too inexperienced and outnumbered to make a difference. Interestingly, CACA now has 8 Democrats, 6 Independents and only 2 Republicans.
2. The 5-member size of the AIRC gives the chair way too much power. Of the 21 votes on map selection, the Chair sided with the Republicans 8 times and Democrats only once. The final month, she sided with Republicans 62.5% of the time.
3. I live in Marana. My best friend lives 42 miles away in Vail. We are both in LD17. Commissioner Mehl, with behind-the-scenes input from friend politician Vince Leach, successfully gerrymandered to assure a Republican voting majority violating compact and contiguous criteria.
Watch for and support improvements to the AIRC.
Dee Maitland
Marana
A simple clarification
A couple of responses to Mr. Cory’s “Simple answer†LTE (Aug. 26). First, the legality of the National Guard deployment to Los Angeles is still being litigated, with a decision not yet determined. The National Guard is not meant to act as a domestic police force. Trump insists the troops were sent to “protect federal property and personnel,†which is a joke. (When do you suppose Trump will be sending federal troops to the many high-crime red-state cities? Answer: Never.) Second, Trump did not win the popular vote. 48.3% of Americans voted for Kamala Harris, and 1.9% voted for third-party candidates — a total of 50.2%, reflecting that more people voted against Trump than for him. With so much falsity pouring out of the current administration, at least the “Trump won the popular vote†lie should be put to rest.
Hope Gastelum
East side
Execute the laws?
Trump said he was firing Fed Board member Lisa Cook because it was his duty to “faithfully execute the laws of the United States.†The facts of that case are dubious at best.
But what about Trump himself? The record is much less ambiguous.
The U.S. Constitution is law. Appropriations of Congress are law. Due process for migrants is law. To faithfully execute the laws of the United States means to obey those laws.
Yet, in the first months of this Trump administration, at least 39 separate judges have ruled against his lawless actions. They have variously issued temporary restraining orders or preliminary injunctions preventing Trump from, among many other things, ending constitutional birthright citizenship, targeting opponents with politically motivated investigations, freezing funding that Congress had approved for projects, and cutting off funding due to political disagreements.
Congress needs to faithfully execute the law, too.
The one governing the removal of lawless presidents.
Chuck Barrett
Midtown
Positive ideas?
Per a LTE from a loyal follower, “Hold criminals responsible for their actions.†Agreed. Know any convicted criminals holding high political office? “Actually, account for the taxpayer dollars the government spends.†Agreed. Know why the current administration wants to paint the “wall†black and other boondoggle wastes of your money without taxpayer accountability? Just asking.
Dennis Winsten
Northeast side
Foreign policy and democratic values
The Trump Administration has abandoned a key democratic value in supporting foreign governments which pursue territorial expansion through military aggression.
At the beginning of WWII, the West failed to vigorously oppose Germany and Japan as they employed military campaigns to seize territories in neighboring countries. The victimized populations did not choose their fates.
Now the Trump Administration supports the efforts of Russia and Israel to seize the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ and territories of neighboring peoples. (Granted the Israel situation is complicated by Hamas’ initial violent attack. But Israel now seems determined to eliminate the population of Gaza and claim the land for itself.)
The attempted seizures our government seems to support will lead to prolonged grievances and more war. They are anti-democratic. Not to mention the death the military aggression will impose.
It is very disturbing that the lessons of WWII and our democratic values are being ignored by this Administration.
Jim Greene
Marana
The joy of barbershop singing
I was first introduced to barbershop singing in 1968 and have been singing ever since. The Tucson Chapter is still going strong and meets weekly to rehearse and learn new songs. The joy of barbershop comes from a unique and tight-knit harmony, created by four voices singing a cappella.
The heart of barbershop is its four-part harmony, made up of the tenor, lead, baritone, and bass. When these four parts are perfectly in tune, a magical phenomenon happens. This barbershop sound creates harmonic overtones that you can literally feel. For singers, it’s a powerful and goosebump-inducing experience that makes you feel part of something bigger than yourself.
You don’t need to be a professional musician to enjoy barbershop. Many people are drawn to it because it is an accessible form of singing, with an emphasis on learning by ear through a shared love of music. The blend of voices, the ringing chords and the shared passion for harmony create a truly joyful and uplifting experience.
Tom McGorray
Northwest side
China sees tariffs as opportunity
Trump campaigned on fighting the U.S.’s biggest enemy, China. But emphasis changed to hardened criminals invading our southern border, masked ICE agents deporting undocumented residents everywhere, and tariffs on world trading partners, not just China. In 1911, during the Mexican Revolution, 300 Chinese were massacred in Torreon, Coahuila, followed by incidents throughout northern Sonora. By 1931, Governor Rodolfo ElÃas-Calles forced most Chinese from the state. China views the tariff damage to the economies of the U.S. and its trading partners as opportunities. Recently, Chinese Consulate General Fu Xingrong, an attractive young woman fluent in Spanish, visited Sonora and Baja California, with messages of friendship, hope, and potential developments in renewable energy and minerals, leaving the bad history in the past. China is becoming part of the culture of Mexico and many Latin American countries. Will U.S. fear and intimidation or Chinese friendship and progress be more successful?
Tom Van Devender
North side
Military deployment
In Mr O’Brien’s opinion piece, he lays out reasons for the military to be deployed on U.S. soil. His first example of Lincoln confronting a deadly riot during the Civil War has no correlation to anything happening today. In fact, it shows how extreme the deployment was. He then states The Posse Comitatus Act and notes there are exceptions like the Insurrection Act. Again, there is no insurrection taking place and of course the stunning irony/hypocrisy is Trump initiated a failed coup and has yet to be held accountable. He is much more organized this time. The military must not be deployed on U.S. soil.
William Garrity
Foothills
A Nobel Peace Prize for Trump
Dear Mr. President, I honestly and sincerely wish that you earn a Nobel Peace Prize for yourself and our country.
Having said that (and mean it) I think that your efforts in the Russia v Ukraine will prove fruitless unless the US puts up very substantial collateral in which case any thought of a prize would be phony due to a bribe. They both need to put their cards on the table, go to the World Court and state the elements of an agreement that they would accept. And, I am very sure that money/gold can play a big part.
But the clearly golden opportunity for you/U.S. is to stop the killing/starvation of noncombatants in Gaza. Why on earth don’t you do it? The prize would be enormous for the U.S. and the world.
May God Bless you for your good efforts.
President Trump has so much power. In the words of Aesop: “If you are grateful for what you have, it is enough.â€
Vincent Allen
Northwest side
Our region’s struggles
Our region’s struggles are not caused by one event but by many. The decline of Tucson really began when IBM decided to downsize, then Motorola was blocked from coming to town. Texas instruments downsized. Each individually is not a dealbreaker, but it started a pattern. Big-name companies with good-paying jobs began to avoid us. We even blocked RTX from expanding here. We then got a bunch of third-rate companies that amounted to nothing, Worldview, Vector Space, Tu Simple. Our local leaders and local activists scream about equity, good-paying jobs and families, but all I’ve seen from them has made life worse. The city and its activist class can easily say no to anything, but when it comes to making a plan for the betterment of our community, they’re conveniently quiet. Since Project Blue died, have any of those activists come up with a real plan yet, or even a suggestion?
Sergio Mendez
North side
Just the facts, ma’am
If Trump supporters say that they want you to back up something you said with facts, they are lying. They want to waste your time explaining a position they will never consider nor accept. If they liked facts, they wouldn’t be Trump supporters. I don’t waste my time with them anymore. I’m so tired of waking up every day to see what fresh hell Trump has thought up.
Terry Louck
East side
Lawsuit
The Proud Boys, who were convicted for crimes committed during the attack on the government, on Jan. 6, 2021, but were later pardoned by President Trump, have sued the government ($100 million) for violating their constitutional rights. The pendulum has now swung all the way back from where it should be. Convicted criminals are now alleging that someone hurt their feelings during their trials. I doubt anyone who watched the videos of these animals desecrating our place of government can truthfully say that they didn’t do it. The pardon was sacrilegious in itself, but only another sign of the depths our president will sink to. I realize many people actually agree with this stupidity and, while I cannot understand how, they certainly are entitled to their points of view. Perhaps common sense, with time, will prevail.
Philip Reinecker
East side
Project Blue
“Balanced growth. A rising tide. Sustainable development.†We can’t risk the detriments to Tucson and Southern ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ presented by this project — which seems to never go away. Susan Gray’s comments lend one to believe she is more than biased toward Project Blue. No Tucsonan and Southern ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ lover would base support for a bad project on her grounds “creating jobs, protecting families, and building a stronger economy for generations to come,†at all costs. She doesn’t seem bound to the community in any way. Project Blue is anti-Tucson for anyone who loves The Old Pueblo. No water — no need for Project Blue. There is nothing sustainable in the project, it’s the “gift†that keeps on taking, not giving. Please make it go away. TEP is a subsidiary of the Canadian company Fortis Inc., and makes plenty of money. Beale is not local, and their job is to develop data centers nationally no matter what it takes, seemingly wheeling and dealing in secret.
Peter Bisschop
East side
Rome to Rambo?
Once, a military group called the Praetorian Guard protected the Roman Emperors, to whom the Guard pledged their loyalty.
The tale did not end well. The Guard did silly things like kill the emperors. The Guards were very powerful because everyone feared them.
Today, we may have the beginnings of our own Praetorian Guard. Could it be ICE?
ICE is military-like and seems to be built around people who have a loyalty to President Trump, because he, by the way, pays their $70,000/yr salaries, gives their families excellent healthcare, educates, feeds, and houses their children, and gives them $50,000 bonuses besides.
All one has to do for those goodies is enjoy looking like Rambo, run a block or two chasing a guy holding a sandwich, wear a mask, break windows, and like assault rifles. Being able to ride a horse helps.
But every fable has a moral: Trumpists, be careful what you wish for.
Peter Bakke
SaddleBrooke
Dems in disarray — again?
Democratic Party elites just love losing. And they’re doing it again!
Instead of embracing popular newcomers such as Zohran Mamdani and rising Gen Z candidates, the old guard is busy trashing them.
Let’s not forget when those decision-makers chose Hillary as our presidential candidate and prematurely canceled the California primary in 2016. Didn’t that work out well?
The old Democratic elite are part of our MAGA problem. With their knee-jerk adherence to outmoded neoliberalism and identity politics of the past, they continue to ignore the increasing economic needs of the rest of us. Voters and newer candidates already know this, but our leaders remain out of touch.
This time, let’s let our voters choose our leaders and not our party elders. Hog-tying our future with politically correct pronouns and “wokeness†isn’t going to cut it. We should follow the energy of our voters, not dictate from the top who should be allowed to run.
Sue Swenson
East side
Brainwashed
The United States of America is the only place on Planet Trump where poor people shun unions, free healthcare and free education because the rich tell them to.
I think we should rename Planet Earth to Planet Trump because that’s his true motive, to take over the world.
Who builds a $200 million ballroom and then leaves? He’s in it for the long haul even if he is on life support.
Terry Louck
East side
What color is free?
In 1955, I was 8 years old and attending third grade at Miles Elementary School in Tucson. One night, I heard my parents discussing the segregation of schools in the South. I didn’t understand why children whose skin color was different than mine had to go to separate schools. My mother tried to explain it so I could understand. She used the word “free.â€
And then I asked my mother, “What color is free?â€
She couldn’t answer me as she began to cry.
Now, 70 years later, I ask myself the same question. And I cry.
Karen Papagapitos
Northwest side
Voice of the people
The voice of the people has been duct-taped shut by Project Blue’s insistence to proceed with development. Some say that Tucson must be “business-friendly.†What about business being “community friendly� There are two types of businesses: No. 1: A “fertilizer,†one that sets up in its community and prospers and contributes, beneficially, to the place it lives. No. 2: A “parasite†one that chooses a site, knowing full well that their existence puts extreme pressure on the people in the place they chose to locate. Project Blue is a data center that does not need to be near highways to transport its product. It just needs wires, and they can be strung anywhere to connect it to the world. How about anywhere along the Mississippi, near a Great Lake or anywhere in Canada? There are hundreds of places with more plentiful water access than Tucson.
Daniel Poryanda
Southeast side
What’s in the color of a shirt?
First, he summarily pardoned about 1,600 thugs convicted of attempting to overthrow our government. DT calls them patriots. Currently, there is discussion about compensating these traitors. Next, organize them with the new ICE recruits, provide uniforms (with the appropriate shirts) training and equipment necessary for a paramilitary group in service exclusively to DT. Watch what he does, not what he says.
Mussolini’s Blackshirts were an armed paramilitary wing of the Fascist Party, initially installed to counter opposing political groups but later became the weapon of choice using intimidation, violence, even murder against his own citizens.
Likewise, the Brownshirts played a similar and crucial role in Hitler’s rise to power using the same tactics as the Blackshirts. It’s not a stretch to think DT could structure his own dedicated paramilitary group. Watch what he does, not what he says. Do not allow this history to be repeated. Vote all his enablers out of Congress.
Ernest Saccani
Foothills
Crime dilemma
As crime in major cities is a significant controversy in today’s news, is there an answer? Brandon Johnson, the Chicago mayor, believes the way to reduce crime is to spend more Federal money, particularly on the elusive “affordable housing†issue. Other mayors seem to agree that more money on social programs will solve the rampant problem. As a contrast, the Washington, D.C. police force, with assistance from the National Guard, has made significant inroads into crime by deciding that crime is unacceptable and direct action will be taken to locate and hold criminals responsible. It seems like that the government officials in many major cities have unfolded the surrender flag, admitting that they do not have the political will to address the problem, are willing to forgive criminals instead of holding them responsible, and refusing to fund law enforcement adequately. Persons against aggressive crime mitigation must be Trump-hating, virtue-signaling Democrats that live in upscale, crime-free neighborhoods and don’t give a hoot about terrified regular citizens.
Loyal M. Johnson Jr.
Oro Valley
Asleep is good?
I have never understood why a political party would prefer to model itself as asleep rather than awake (“woke†in low-class jargon).
Delores Keahey
Southeast side
More like this...
National Guard? Maybe not
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.â€
The famous quote by George Santayana comes to mind as I watch in horror the deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., and possibly Chicago and Baltimore.
A little over 50 years ago, I watched the National Guard roll into town where I went to school to supposedly reestablish law and order.
These troops were thrust into a situation that they had very little training for. ... It did not go well.
Four dead and nine wounded bodies later, I thought we would have learned something.
Stop your egomaniac madness, Donald Trump, and review your early 1970s American history.
Graduate of Kent
State University
Albert (Bert) Hanson
Northeast side
How ironic
Sometime in the late 1950s, when I was in high school, I read Leon Uris’s Exodus. It was a very persuasive work of fiction and turned me into an almost lifetime supporter of Israel. Even filtered by time, I remember the plight of the ship full of Jewish refugees headed for Palestine and the refusal by the British to let it land. How ironic then that this memory should flood back upon reading the article in the Star on Sept. 1 titled “Activists’ aid flotilla sets sail,†hoping to break the 18-year-long Israeli blockade of Gaza by bringing lifesaving supplies. Odds on they will be turned away by the Israeli navy.
Israel has become what it fought, and I am no longer a supporter.
Katharine Donahue
Foothills
Plea to legislators
Questions for our legislators:
Should children in church be protected?
What would a reasonable person do to prevent children from being murdered?
Are the lives of children more important than gun owners’ rights?
Should a mentally ill young man be allowed to buy and own a gun?
If we do nothing, will more children be murdered?
Daniel McDonnell
Foothills
Project Blue: A failure to communicate
There are numerous examples of robust citizen engagement and community collaboration in Pima County and the greater Southeast ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ community — efforts that have created lasting and positive outcomes. The Chuck Huckleberry Loop, The Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, the Rio Nuevo Downtown Redevelopment District, and creation of the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area are but a few examples of well-planned and executed programs to inform the community. By enlisting elected officials, government and private experts, and project proponents these efforts earned widespread community support through public workshops, information sessions (listening sessions), and printed materials. Aside from Chamber of Commerce support, TEP’s op-ed defense of the company’s energy supply agreement to serve Project Blue, and Beale Infrastructure’s glossy webpage promises of transparency, community engagement and investment, efforts to inform the public of exactly how Project Blue will benefit them have been lacking.
Sheldon Clark
Vail
General election for District 7
In a recent LTE, the writer states the reasons for his dislike of Adelita Grijalva and Raul, the father and former Congressman who is now deceased. She is the Democratic candidate in the special election for District 7 to be held on Nov. 4. The writer is voting for the Republican candidate. He says he is voting against Adelita because she never held a real job, will suck up salary and benefits, is inheriting the job, free ride, feeds off public trough, not qualified. Just words, trash talk signifying nothing, tell you nothing, nada. Not holding a real job is a lie. That they have been “feeding off the public trough†is truly offensive. To launch that old, worn-out, derogatory and disgusting idiom against a family that has for years been working and fighting to help the people of Pima County and beyond is terrible but, I suppose, not totally unexpected. Adelita, with your vote, is going to win hands down.
Manuel Hernandez Garcia
Midtown
Adelita, a youth champion
In response to Mr. K’s letter on Aug. 30, and as a retired Juvenile Probation Officer, I know from professional experience that Adelita Grijalva ran a very effective and efficient Teen Court, a program which benefited numerous teenagers and families in our community.
Ms. Grijalva’s 20 years of experience on the Tucson Unified School Board and 4 years on the County Board of Supervisors make her the overwhelming clear choice in the 7th Congressional District.
Adelita is a true champion for troubled youth.
Bud Richardson
East side
DEI
A recent rant about DEI (from a not-surprising source) prompts me to ask what seems an obvious question. Where has DEI failed anywhere near to the extent of the clown show that makes up the current Trump administration? Does the “special treatment†concept apply to the hiring of the pathetic incompetents that Trump has chosen solely on the “merit†of their willingness to kiss his butt? RFK Jr., Pete Hegseth, Kristi Noem, Kash Patel represent just a few among so many who are, kindly said, misplaced in their roles. Is this a form of “prioritizing identity over merit?†Trump’s own demands for special treatment are epic (represented in his lawlessness and expectation of zero accountability for his myriad misdeeds). Like many programs, the DEI initiative needs skillful implementation, but the knee-jerk antagonism to it is mindless and simply another attempt to whitewash decades of inequity. I suspect the “special treatment†accusation depends heavily on where it’s coming from.
S. Ross Emmanuel
Southeast side
TEP’s disappointment
Something was bothering me as I read Tucson Electric Power President and CEO’s letter describing how foolish we were to turn away such a great opportunity as Project Blue. Then I re-read it and realized that not once was the word “water†in it. Does she even live here?
Guy Rovella
Midtown
Special treatment
On Sept. 2, a frequent LTE contributor addressed the issue of equality vs. equity. He stated that “some people are so used to special treatment that equal treatment is considered to be discrimination.†That is a perfect description of the one percenters and their bloated view of where they stand in our society.
Tim Canny
Oracle
Trump bankruptcies
In July 1991, the Trump-owned Taj Mahal casino declared bankruptcy. In 1992, two more Trump-owned casinos and the Trump-owned Plaza Hotel in New York City declared bankruptcy. In 2004, the Trump Hotels and Casinos Resorts company declared bankruptcy. In 2009, the Trump Entertainment Resorts company declared bankruptcy.
Trump was able to transfer his personal debt to his companies, so the bankruptcies didn’t hurt him. However, the investors and employees who were encouraged to purchase stock in Trump Entertainment Resorts as a 401(k) plan were hurt tremendously.
And we’re supposed to believe that his plans to lower the prime interest rate and impose high tariffs will work out well for us and the economy?
Larry Hammond
Southwest side
No more Mr. Nice Guy
Amelia Cramer stated on Sept. 2, “Two wrongs do not make a right.â€
As an alternative: “You have to fight fire with fire.†“All’s fair in love and war.†“Pick your battles.â€
Often, it is appropriate to respond in kind, preferably in a de-escalating manner. The concept of picking your battles incorporates the concept of when, where and how to approach an adversary, if there is reasonable expectation of a favorable outcome. If a favorable outcome is not reasonably expected, then a “strategic withdrawal’†is appropriate, so you may “live to fight another day.â€
Occasionally, a well-framed wrong is the most effective approach to correcting a problem. Or making nice might put you in last place.
James Abels
Midtown
Random thoughts
— I think Trump has genius envy. That’s why he’s going after universities, scientific researchers, etc. and appointing unqualified individuals to government and staff positions.
— Is anyone else having difficulty telling the difference between Trump’s mug shot and his official portrait?
— Shouldn’t the Trump companies be building their $1B Qatar hotel and new golf courses, etc., in America?
— I heard when Trump said he wanted to show off all the gildings in the West Wing, Republican Congressmen packed the rooms. They thought he said geldings.
— The Ukraine war would end in 24 hours if Ukraine got its nukes back.
— Are the South American immigrants Trump “rescued†receiving government benefits?
— DEI is divisive, but a President saying he hates Democrats isn’t?
— For those who think a king is OK, wait until he goes after your family jewels.
— Why is that discoloration on Trump’s hand? Out, damn spot!
Now my head hurts.
Dianne Lethaby
East side
The real ‘Sucker and Loser’
Trump was shown to be a fool by “best friend†Putin today. In a conference Xi arranged for Wednesday, Putin, Xi and Modi were hugging, laughing, and enjoying themselves. In particular, after the “warm†greeting he gave “Putin Double #5,†last week, Modi walked hand-in-hand with Putin, despite not giving Trump the time of day. Today, Kim arrived. The topic is Taiwan.
If China moves to blockade Taiwan, due to protection agreements made by Trump and most presidents with Taiwan, America could lose lives.
Four countries, led by real “tough guys,†not actors, are fed up with Trump and ready to force our hand on Taiwan. For every U.S. warship produced, China currently produces three, preparing for a naval blockade. The Daily Mail writes, â€busting the blockade could cost the U.S. 21,000 casualties, 45 ships, an aircraft carrier, two submarines and over 1,000 aircraft,†if these countries unite against Trump, not America.
Under international law, a blockade would be considered an act of war.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Re: Adelita Grijalva letter
It is important to me that who is elected to be in the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ delegation to Congress, whether they represent my district or not. I disagree with Mr. Kent about Adelita Grijalva’s qualifications to fill her father’s seat. She represented District 5 on the Pima County Board of Supervisors for four years. Prior to that, she was on the TUSD Governing Board advocating to keep counselors in schools and to maintain the Mexican Studies program. Prior to that, she worked at the Pima County Teen Court where she gained insight into the problems of juveniles and their families and helped them to overcome.
Ms. Grijalva has a degree in Political Science and learned, at her father’s knee, how to negotiate with opposing ideas. She does not inherit the position but is uniquely qualified. I would vote for her if I was in CD 7.
Cindy Soffrin
Northeast side
Annunciation School shooting
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all good children go to heaven. And so two more children, Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, were killed in another school shooting. A boy who loved to fish and cook, and a girl known for her laughter and kindness. No more fishing for Fletcher, no more acts of love spread by Harper. Their families, the families of 15 other injured children and countless others over the years being caught in this web of sorrow. It is disgusting to me that we have politicians and prosecutors who lack the moral courage to do what is right. Jesus said, (I paraphrase) anyone who harms a child will suffer the wrath of God (Matt 18:2-6). Congress has lost its moral authority; they close their eyes to the suffering, not being able to stand up to the gun lobby. There are too many guns in America. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all good children go to heaven. Congress, God is waiting.
Richard Harper
Northeast side
Republicans’ lousy memories
Republicans were so busy protecting children from learning that Rosa Parks was black that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.
Republicans were so busy protecting children from finding out that men can love men and women can love women that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.
Republicans were so busy protecting children from being read to by grown-ups wearing costumes that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.
Republicans were so busy protecting children from eating a subsidized school lunch that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.
Republicans were so busy protecting children from discovering why Anne Frank had to hide that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.
Republicans were so busy protecting children from knowing how their own bodies work that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.
Terry Louck
East side
Compliance or overreach?
Tucson, a charter city, has often resisted state mandates, citing its authority over local matters. Courts frequently clarify when Tucson’s autonomy oversteps state law. On May 21, 2024, Governor Hobbs signed HB 2721, mandating cities with over 75,000 residents to allow duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes on single-family lots within one mile of central business districts to address ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s housing shortage. Tucson’s Plan Tucson and Middle Housing Ordinance exceeds this, rezoning from Country Club Road to Silverbell Road and 29th Street to the Rillito River. This raises concerns: Is Tucson tackling housing or reshaping neighborhoods, risking zoning protections and property values? Past Mayor and Council actions suggest the latter. Streamlining permits, reducing fees, adopting International Code Council standards, eliminating city-specific codes, and developing city/state land could address housing with less disruption. Tucson’s citywide election allows all registered voters to participate. Verify registration or register by Oct. 6. Ballots for Wards 3 and 6 drop Oct. 8, due by Nov. 4.
Janet Wittenbraker
Midtown
Remembering Sabino Jan
Dear Loran “safer sidewalks†Hancock: In honor of my beautiful wife of 55+ years, Jan, who passed away this past Aug. 12, I must respond as she would have. Please, in the future, do your do diligence and fact check with an open mind for the truth wherever you may find it. Your regurgitation of pure MAGA propaganda lacking veracity reflects poorly on yourself and is a disservice to honorable and truthful debate that our democracy demands. While going through my wife’s precious collections, I found this that was published in the writings of Mahatma Gandhi, who led the successful campaign for India’s independence from England:
Seven Social Sins:
Wealth without work
Pleasure without conscience
Knowledge without character
Commerce without morality
Science without humanity
Religion without sacrifice
Politics without principle
Gandhi’s grandson added an 8th: Rights without responsibilities. We are assaulted with each of these in our current renegade administration!
Retired USAF A10 Warthog pilot Phil “Bulldog†Bentley
Foothills
Unfounded and unjustified vitriol
After viewing photographs depicting cruelty inflicted on the Palestinian people as Israel pursues its genocidal policy in the region, purportedly in response to Hamas’s horrific murder of more than 1,000 innocents in Israel, I wrote a letter. It denounced the hypocrisy of conducting the Maccabi Games, promoted and encouraged by Israel, which is intended to “repair the world†and “make the world a better placeâ€, as Israel behaves as a bullying destroyer of its neighbor. As a person who detests antisemitism, racism and bigotry and has opposed such hatred whenever displayed in the courtroom, the legal profession and in my personal life, I was shocked and dismayed that my letter prompted such vitriolic responses. Read dispassionately and objectively, my letter did not express an iota of antisemitism. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, an intergovernmental organization with 35 member countries, defines antisemitism as hatred toward Jews. It lists 11 examples of antisemitism. Nothing in my letter is on the list.
Charles S. Sabalos
Foothills
Blue propaganda
I notice in a recent Guest Opinion by Susan Gray that when listing stakeholders and potential people who may benefit from Project Blue, “citizens†are listed last. Pretty clearly demonstrates how TEP and the Chamber view the importance of the little people.
Joe Reiman
SaddleBrooke
You’ve got to be taught
Carefully Taught
To: Donald Trump, and Bibi Netanyahu, and Stephen Miller, and Christi Noem, and Tom Homan, and, and ….
And to whatever or whoever caused you each to be who you are today —
“You’ve got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught from year to year.
It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear —
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
You’ve got to be taught to be afraid,
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a different shade —
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
You’ve got to be taught,
Before it’s too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate —
You’ve got to be carefully taught...
You’ve got to be carefully taught!â€
Oscar Hammerstein II,
South Pacific, 1949
New York City
Shelly Fishman
Midtown
American spirit may be alive and well!
Trump may be on to something when he demands that Texas and other red states redistrict (gerrymander). It’s because he’s aware that his ratings are low and getting lower. But all politicians may be underestimating the American public that is increasingly disgusted by Trump’s congressional lackeys not representing them in this race to the bottom. What if Americans are so fed up with Trump and their so-called Republican representatives that, even with gerrymandering, they vote overwhelmingly against Trump policies and his cohorts? Perhaps the American spirit is not quite dead yet.
Barbara Benjamin
Foothills
High-capacity magazines for guns
It has been a week since the Catholic school shooting in Minneapolis. As usual in the current social environment, silence. What are lowering the flag and prayers doing? I heard recently that we should pray with our feet. Possibly that includes the power of the pen.
Guns are no longer defensive instruments; they are now offensive. If we want to continue protecting the 2nd Amendment, let us review its original purpose to protect (defense), not wage war on our young.
My proposal and request to lawmakers: If you are not going to eliminate guns, then pass a law eliminating high-capacity magazines. Military arsenals have no place on Main Street. They belong on the fields of war.
If they continue to sell these high-capacity magazines, then all buyers should be reported to the FBI and put on “watch listâ€. It could have prevented this sad event. With freedom, there is great responsibility.
Paula Palotay
Marana
- Terry Louck, East side
There is not one child who wants to die for your 2nd Amendment rights.
Not one.
Terry Louck
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Daily Star.
Where are our Jewish values?
So much written about this Maccabee Games letter. As a Jew, this is the least of my concerns. What is my top concern? Sacredness of life, justice, accountability. That children, journalists and doctors are being shot with impunity, that the families of the hostages begging for an end to war are being ignored. As a Jew who has contributed to Israeli funds, I need to stand with those voices for justice and against the corrupt Bibi regime that, in my opinion, is aligned with Hamas in wanting the violence to continue.
Others may not agree with me, but this is a conversation that needs to happen. Israeli organization B’Tselem calls it genocide. Rescuers are bombed intentionally. We cannot close our eyes. This discussion needs to happen in the Tucson Jewish community, what do our Jewish values call us to do now? If not now, when?
Golda Velez
North side
Pulitzer-worthy photojournalism
Editor: Thank you for prominently publishing on the front page the gut-wrenching photo of the mother and son at the Minneapolis Catholic school massacre. Whether it’s Michelangelo’s Pieta or an AP photographer’s worldwide distribution, we are made to reflect on and never forget unspeakable terror, sorrow and horror.
We can only hope the mother’s anguish and the child’s ordeal have somehow touched the minds and hearts of gun “thoughts-and-prayers†advocates. Truly, this photograph deserves to be alongside the Pulitzer Prize photographs that have haunted, uplifted or captured our imaginations through the decades.
Dean Whitten
SaddleBrooke
Fire and ICE
When chaos reigns, and I can’t make sense of things, I can reach for a fragment of home-grown wisdom from a revered American poet. Robert Frost stuffed the ponderous inexplicable things into our familiarity with “ordinary things†— apple-picking, walls between neighbors, choosing a path when walking in the woods. Ordinary things can reveal great clarity about complex things. Robert Frost gave us a way to clarify some of our chaos today.
Recently, Trump’s masked ICE agents arrested two people while they were on the job fighting fire in Washington state. A political pundit called it “Fire and ICE.†Frost’s poem “Fire and Ice†is instructive on the subject — the simple message greets the complex.
Some say the world will end in fire
Some say ice
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire
But if it had to perish twice
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice
Gerald Farrington
SaddleBrooke
Gun laws in Portugal
Another mass shooting. No big deal? “You’ll get over it.†“Thoughts and prayers†“There is nothing that can be done about it.†I beg to differ.
I found a country with reasonable laws for firearms. Here are some of their rules if you want to own a gun in Portugal.
Portugal’s gun laws are designed to minimize gun violence.
1. Guns are only allowed for hunting, sport shooting, collecting, and in limited cases for self-defense.
In order to obtain a license in Portugal, you must pass a criminal background check, a psychological evaluation, a firearms training course, proof of need, and secure storage inspection where the guns have to be in a secure gun safety cabinet and ammunition is stored separate from the guns. In addition, the owner is limited in the number of rounds they can obtain depending on the reason for using the gun.
These sound like reasonable rules. But I am afraid too many Americans would not abide by them.
Dan Beamer
Northwest side
Digital grocery deals
I have been grocery shopping in Tucson for over 50 years. I have loyalty cards to all the major grocery stores, which enable me to take advantage of special weekly deals that are offered to loyalty customers.
Then suddenly everything changed and now I need to scan digital coupons in order to get the “great “ deals, along with the required loyalty card.
Not all of us have access or time to research the digital deals. Why not make the “great “ deals available to everyone who has a loyalty card?
It would certainly be more fair to regular customers, and then everyone would benefit.
Marsha Ubick
Midtown
A model to emulate
Since March 2, 2023, Cindy McCain has served as Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Program. She has been interviewed at least twice by the PBS News Hour, explaining the struggles to feed famine and underfed populations throughout the world.
The most recent interview on Aug. 29, McCain described the man-made famine in Gaza she witnessed in a recent trip to the region, stressing the immediate need to provide safe, productive food distribution. Cindy McCain, not Donald Trump, deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, sending a powerful message to the ego-bloated leaders throughout the world like Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump. Cindy McCain pursues serious solutions to famine and food access diligently without consideration of prizes or praise. She is a genuine humanitarian and a model to emulate.
Roger Shanley
East side
Orange bag recycling is still ‘on’
The Aug. 28 Star featured an article stating that ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Attorney General Kris Mayes contends that some Hefty recycling bags are misleading the public; she has filed suit against the company. Does this jeopardize Tucson’s highly successful orange bag recycling program?
Tucson’s Environmental Services staff assures me that the bags in contention aren’t the orange bags Tucsonans utilize for the collection of hard-to-recycle plastics and other items. Participants drop off their orange bags of recyclables at designated recycling centers around town. Hefty pays shipping costs for what’s collected.
A reminder: Recyclables in our blue barrels are commingled without using plastic bags, which can damage the sorting equipment at the recycling center.
Carol W. West
East side
Stamping out dissent
In recent NBC News online, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was removed by the White House administration for disagreeing with Mr. Kennedy’s panel of vaccine skeptics and their recommendations; the reasoning being,†The president was elected for a reason,†a senior White House official said in a telephone interview with NBC News. “He has a view on all these areas, and he wants to execute on those views. If there are people who don’t believe in democracy, then they shouldn’t be working in a democratic government.â€
I believe the words he is looking for is not “democracy†but “hypocrisy,†and rather than “democratic government,†I believe “authoritarian government†would be more accurate.
Richard Rebl
East side
Making it harder to become a citizen
Re: “A new barrier for immigrants,†Page 1, Aug. 29: Activating dormant sections of the vast U.S. Code has become a key element of the government’s campaign of suppression against the nation’s nonwhite population. Imposing discretionary “character†inquiries into the naturalization process is a guarantee of abuse, since the same surveillance, AI, and data mining technologies already in use in the government’s mass deportation scheme can easily be used to profile applicants for citizenship.
Let’s say an immigrant happened to be spotted at a protest or political event in the years before he or she filed the application, or was acquainted with a person who was here illegally. Surely this would be a disqualifying mark against the applicant’s “disposition towards the good order and happiness of the United States.â€
Robert Laux-Bachand
Green Valley
Simple logic
One doesn’t have to be a mathematician or logician to analyze the cause of gun violence in the U.S.. Causes mentioned are mental illness, poverty, easy gun accessibility, poor gun regulation, misogyny, social media, angry young males, etc. It takes only simple logic to know that IF all of the factors other than easy gun accessibility and poor gun regulation exist worldwide, and there aren’t mass shootings daily in other countries, then the causes of gun violence in the US are easy gun accessibility and poor gun regulation.
With 280 mass shootings in 243 days in the U.S. — more than one/day — how many deaths will it take until Congress admits that guns kill people and work to save the lives of Americans? They can continue with their “thoughts and prayers†for the dead, or they can have compassionate and caring thoughts and prayers for the Americans still living in fear and take immediate legislative action.
Sandra Katz
Foothills
Condemn antisemitism, hold Israel accountable
In an Aug. 10 op-ed, Hava Leipzig Holzhauer calls to task an antisemitic letter to the editor by a former judge. Holzhauer rightfully criticizes the letter’s lambasting of Tucson for hosting the Maccabi games. Holzhauer is entirely correct to note the textbook antisemitism of conflating Israel’s actions with those of a non-political sectarian Jewish athletic event.
However, as a Jewish Tucsonan, I will also note that I have not yet heard any of the large Jewish organizations in town publicly condemn the genocide happening in Gaza. We must fight antisemitism, yes; but we also must condemn a genocide done in our name. Decent people are called to do both.
Jonathan Kandell
Midtown
Safer sidewalks
Two weeks ago, President Trump took over the out-of-control Washington, D.C. law enforcement, and there have been no murders since then. Imagine, murders stopped because there is now law and order instead of chaos. Citizens can now feel safe walking around the neighborhood. This has not happened in decades. Watch the news and see stories of murder and crime that was running rampant and stopped. Why? Because the liberal influence has been taken off the throats of law enforcement. It seems, based on the pictures, that violence has been answered with law enforcement and apprehensions. Could this be a way to make the streets safe for the tax-paying citizens? Every city controlled by Democrat administrations has experienced increases in crime, making the streets and stores unsafe. Not surprising, Chicago city leaders do not want help, they just want more federal funding. But, when the media asked everyday citizens cowering on the streets, the answer was different, how can the leaders be so out of touch?
Loran Hancock
Northwest side
Inspiration from local faith leaders
How it warmed my heart to see 75 Southern ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ faith leaders, led by the Reverends Tracy Daub and Amalia Vagts, sounding a warning that the political polarization pitting Americans against each other is damaging our humanity and our spiritual well-being. How right they are, and how deeply damaging it is.
Truly evil politicians have figured out that stoking historic prejudices and fears can divide Americans into factions that can be pitted against each other, in the politicians’ ruthless quest for power over the government and the economy.
Our fellow beings of all races, religions, sexes, and economic circumstances are not our enemies. They are children of God deserving of love and care.
As these 75 faith leaders have beautifully reminded us, it is time for us to remember the core teachings of our faiths and refuse to allow ourselves to be herded into the trap of hatefulness, vengefulness and inhumanity.
Brooks Keenan
Oro Valley
The people said no
Regarding Project Blue, once again; the people said no. It’s not just that they “could have been more open,†it’s that they lied deliberately for a reason, sheer deception until it was too late to protest? Monsoon rain is evidently less than two inches and AZ described as in a severe drought, high temps, high power bills and TEP requesting another rate increase? Why don’t you focus on using land around the airport for a commercial/industrial development complete with a PCC branch as a tech school with apprenticeships, dorm for students, hotel/restaurants, pairing development with Mexico and New Mexico, direct daily flights incl. CA and PHX, non-stop interstate & international flights, and mass manufacturing that requires a dry climate, even clothing production, only a few of possibilities. If it’s true that the chip process can reclaim 95% of the water they use, pursue that.
Bea Manderscheid
Northeast side
Precedents
Another school shooting with dead children. More inaction from MAGA politicians protecting the lucrative gun lobby that holds their strings. Project 2029: By executive order of a progressive president, states have 90 days to register all personally owned handguns and assault rifles, or lose federal funding. After 90 days, federalized National Guard units in red states go door to door searching for unregistered and therefore illegal firearms. They will, of course, wear masks. Owners who fail to comply will be deemed a threat to the government, will be arrested, and if the president is in the mood, will be deported. Confiscated firearms will be dismantled and sold for junk, proceeds going to the president’s future library. This is a concept of an unfettered and extreme progressive doctrine, though it would likely save lives. If it seems ugly and unconstitutional, understand the precedent being established by the unfettered and grossly unconstitutional MAGA doctrine unfolding daily. Be careful what you wish for.
Mike Cohen
Oro Valley
Beale — a community partner?
Beale Infrastructure’s single-minded pursuit of Project Blue and enlistment of TEP as a willing and compliant accomplice belies their PR promises of “developing responsibly in partnership with our stakeholders and communities throughout North America.†Make no mistake — they and by extension their private equity sponsor Blue Owl Capital are hell-bent on building this project in spite of community opposition. Yes, they have the option of applying for an industrial use permit to drill a well for their planned project, and they can pump, within limits, all the water they need to cool their server farm — groundwater this community has spent decades and millions of dollars attempting to conserve. So much for community partnership.
Sheldon Clark
Vail
Resist the facade
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Attorney General Kris Mayes continues to resist President Trump and his ongoing publicity stunts. Most recently, Mayes contacted the president about his latest escapade, sending National Guard troops and DEA agents to Washington, D.C., based on a fallacious rise in crime. Her objection focuses on ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s need to retain DEA agents since reducing ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s number by 60 agents impedes the state’s efforts to control drug cartel activity. Attorney General Mayes’ efforts come at a pivotal moment when the legality of Trump’s efforts to control Washington and other cities faces scrutiny. Hopefully, other sensible Attorneys General throughout the United States will follow her rational approach and resist President Trump’s unnecessary political façade.
Roger Shanley
East side
The case for U.S. sovereignty
Being an American is both a right and a privilege.
The right is granted by birth within our borders, as defined by the 14th Amendment. However, practices like birth tourism and unchecked chain migration can strain our legal framework and undermine the integrity of citizenship.
The privilege is earned through lawful entry, learning English, embracing our shared history and values, and contributing to society without overburdening our social safety net. After years of dedication — often a decade or more — those who follow this path become citizens we proudly welcome.
I hold no ill will toward those who bypass our rules; many are driven by desperation, and I might act similarly in their shoes. I also have compassion for DACA “children,†some now in their 40s with families of their own, who face uncertainty due to government inaction. They deserve a fair path forward.
However, let’s not cheapen citizenship by awarding its benefits to those who disrespect our sovereignty.
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
City golf neglect
The City golf courses are in a dismal state of disrepair. Broken sprinkler heads leak water that stagnates in mosquito-infested pools throughout the courses. These sprinklers, in places, have been broken for years. I have not seen an attempt to repair these, although groundskeepers drive all over the course.
These courses can be “jewels†with just a little care from the maintenance staff. Broken cart paths are left broken. If the City sidewalk in front of your house is broken and poses a trip hazard, the City has the right to fine you and repair the sidewalk. The City golf courses must be immune from this safety concern. No money must be the reason for the neglect.
These summer days, after about 11:00 am, the courses are empty of golfers. Perhaps a reduced fare would fill the courses with golfers, and the extra revenue could be used to repair the sprinklers and concrete cart paths. Every empty tee time is lost revenue. Use it or lose it.
Ed LeGendre
East side
Good news for democracy
Since the beginning of Trump’s presidency, our court system has been working overtime to protect our constitutional rights and freedoms.
From January through July, 23 Attorneys General across the country, including ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s Kris Mayes, filed 25 joint lawsuits against his administration to protect our lives and livelihoods and safeguard $1.5 billion for ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ alone.
The ACLU filed more than 150 federal lawsuits from protecting birthright citizenship on day one to protecting immigrants’ rights, defending free speech, and demanding legal counsel for detainees in Alligator Alcatraz.
Consequently, federal judges, including those appointed by Trump, have ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and blocked the enforcement of his decrees on grounds they imperil the lives and well-being of American citizens, exceed his presidential powers, and violate our Constitution.
If you appreciate their fight to protect your rights and preserve our democracy, please consider showing your support by donating to AG Kris Mayes and the ACLU. It’s a small price to pay for our future.
Dr. JB Marshall
Oro Valley
This is beyond the pale
In my home state of Washington, the Bear Gulch Fire has already burned over 9,000 acres. It’s the largest fire in the Pacific Northwest. Recently, ICE made the firefighters stop what they were doing, lined them up, and made them show ID. Many of them were indigenous people from the various tribes that live in the state. ICE arrested two of the group. Apparently, the health and safety of residents really isn’t important. It’s clear that Trump is willing to burn the country down so he can rule over the ashes.
Mary Zimmerman
SaddleBrooke
Project Blue innovative solution?
I read with interest the Business Section on Aug. 29 that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company [TSMC] will be building an industrial water reclamation plant ultimately capable of producing a 90% recycle rate. Why can’t Beale and the Project Blue developers consult with TSMC and do the same using recycled wastewater or as earlier suggested by an LTE writer, water piped from an area contaminated by PFAS? In either case, I firmly believe any pipeline should be constructed and sufficient solar battery-stored power added (rather than rely on TEP) before Project Blue is up and running wherever it is ultimately built.
Jennifer Aviles
Southeast side
Fare-free bus service
I agree with the LTE saying “world class service.†And it is so true if you want to know a city ride the bus. I do and I am not homeless, and I strongly support free service. The critics seem to blame the homeless; their solution is to charge for service. That is foolish. The homeless problem is a problem all over the city. Many low-income and students and lots of other Tucsonans love traveling by bus. Charging for bus rides does nothing to solve the problem.
The solution is a bipartisan effort, well thought out and transparent. Yes, it will cost money and work but its pretty obvious it is needed. I have seen homeless on a bus, not a problem.
Go check it out a few times before you criticize.
Dan Bannon
Midtown
Where’s DOGE?
Estimates for painting the border wall black range from $500 million to $3 billion to fund a project to increase the wall temperature to further discourage anyone from climbing it. To point out the obvious, during winter months, the temperature and color of the wall have no impact on border crossings. During summer, plunging nightly temperatures make paint color irrelevant to early morning wall climbing. And as has already been stated, gloves are cheap: a pair of $20 welders’ gloves vs a $500M paint job — the gloves will win every time. So, black paint will effectively reduce border crossings on exactly zero days. $500M or more to accomplish absolutely nothing. This is exactly the type of government waste that DOGE was created to eliminate. Where are they when you really need them? Strangely silent.
James Johnson
Vail
We cannot stand on the sidelines
The Aug. 26 op-ed about the clergy speaking out about the “harmful policies and actions†of President Trump and his enablers, is important and timely. Not only are Trump’s actions and daily assaults harmful to “God’s beloved creation,†that is, to all of us, but also to what our country stands for: the rule of law, human decency, separation of church and state, extending a welcoming hand to those in need. As pastors Daub and Vagts say that the clergy “has too often been complicit or silent in times of crisis,†but is now making their voices heard, one sees positive signs that the local business community, our local politicians, our school administrators and faculty are not far behind. Without question, our democracy is in crisis, and no longer can we Americans stand on the sidelines.
Phineas Anderson
Catalina
Project Blue water usage
Like many (most?) other people, my reaction to the facility’s water usage of more than 100 million gallons/year was a decisive “No way!†But then I realized that’s less than the usage of a single golf course ... of which there are about 40 in the Tucson metro area. So all the fuss is about the equivalent of adding just 2% to our golf course inventory! The economist Thomas Sowell points out that there are no solutions, only tradeoffs, so I ask: Would Tucson be better off with slightly fewer golf courses or one fewer data center? Thinking in those terms forced me to reconsider my initial knee-jerk reaction.
PS: Admittedly, energy usage is a concern. One interesting option is a Small Modular Reactor from Westinghouse, GE, or others. We’ll see a lot of these off-the-shelf installations in the next year or two.
Jerrod Mason
Green Valley
Work practices of elected local officials
For too many years, City of Tucson elected officials received pitiful yearly salaries — $24,000 for Council, $40,000 for Mayor. Official meetings were/are squeezed into two PM Tuesdays/month. Appointments could take six weeks to get.
Now, Council members receive $96,600 and Mayor $120,750 yearly, salaries tied to those received by Pima County Board of Supervisors.
So what impact has the monetary increase had on the work practices of elected City officials? More available? More public accessibility to their interactions with staff? More Call-to-Audience time during Study Sessions/General Meetings? More accountability to boards, commissions, committees?
If the Star or an online service were to research how Council practices have or will change to reflect full-time pay, I am sure it would attract increased reader interest. And, please, do not limit it to the City. I have followed public issues for two decades; I have no idea how my Pima Supervisors’ work has impacted my area — I have seen one once.
Ruth Beeker
Midtown
America’s gun violence crisis
Donald Trump claims the title of “law and order†president, yet Americans continue to face threats in places that should be safe — schools, churches, mosques, and synagogues.
The United States is home to more guns than people, with approximately 470 million firearms in circulation. Strikingly, just 3% of Americans own half of these weapons. Although Americans comprise only 4% of the world’s population, they possess nearly half of the world’s civilian firearms.
The consequences are staggering in 2023 alone; gun violence claimed the lives of over 46,728 Americans. Deploying the National Guard to cities might make for powerful imagery, but it fails to address the root causes of gun violence — guns.
Every day, families endure the anxiety that a loved one could fall victim to a mass shooting or the ongoing tragedy of everyday gun violence. If true law and order means protecting families and children from harm, then Trump’s loud proclamations offer little more than hollow slogans and the prospect of more funerals.
Lawrence Mazin
SaddleBrooke
To Supervisors Heinz and Christy
I want to address Supervisors Heinz and Christy directly. Unfortunately, many of us in Tucson work demanding jobs, shuttle kids, and take care of family. Making a supervisor meeting at 9 a.m. on a workday is impossible. To that effect, I want to say, stop doubling down on your mistake. Your votes were horrible. You sold out working people. The data center has resistance on all sides of politics, and we all understand how the centers hurt communities more than help. You should acknowledge this and not blame Tucson citizens and folks in Pima worried about water and energy cost. Beale lied every step of the way in the process, kept things quiet, and TEP had a blatant error in their presentations. Their excuse, ‘Beale gave this to us’. Then you write Tucson should have negotiated and worked with them? To what end? You should be responsible to have not approved the sale until you knew more and “worked with them.†Take accountability.
Carissa Sipp
Midtown
Adelita Grijalva
I have utter disdain for Trump and the MAGA movement but am forced to vote Republican in the election to fill Raul Grijvalva’s seat in Congress. Adelita Grijalva has no qualifications to be in Congress other then her family name, and like her father, has never worked a real job in her life. She and her father have always fed at the public trough, and if elected, Adelita as the incumbent will most likely spend the rest of her life in Congress sucking up federal benefits and salary. Politics should not be inherited, and Adelita does not deserve a free ride for the rest of her life.
William Kent
Midtown
Robert Kennedy Jr.
Are you comfortable with RFK Jr. as director of HHS? If so, maybe you should rethink your comfort level. RFK Jr.’s educational experience is as a lawyer and so-called environmentalist. His life experiences have nothing to do with scientific medical thinking. Yet here we are, thanks to our stable genius Trump and the gutless Republican Congress. RFK Jr. in his ultimate ignorance, has just fired yet another prestigious PhD medical scientist with 20-plus years of experience in the medical field. Susan Monarez is not just a globally renowned medical scientist but has contributed greatly to the field of immunology. Her appreciated pushback to RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccination agenda is what has resulted in her termination as Director of the CDC. This by an ignorant man with no experience in the medical field, who, himself, has been vaccinated along with his children. Please, write your congressman and demand his resignation before his ignorance results in the death of many, primarily children. Resist.
Peter Morales
Midtown
Normalize Trump?
A recent LTE says letters with grievances about world events will be “allowed to complain†(by whom?) if certain conditions are met.
After Donald Trump’s Big Ugly Bill passed, he appeared on TV news, gloating about having even more power. To do what? He declares more fake national emergencies to grab more power. He seeks to put armed soldiers in our cities like a third-world country under a tinpot dictator. He orchestrates gerrymandering in Texas to rig elections.
In the face of LTEs that are deceptively sweet siren songs of surrender to the lawless abuses of power of Trump’s regime, critical letters are important to counter the normalization of Trumpism. Some people may normalize Trump and ultimately accept his thugs pressing boot heels on their necks. Instead, continue shooting arrows of criticism without apologies at this gangster regime. Resist.
Ronald Pelech
Midtown
- Dr. JB Marshall, Oro Valley
Since the beginning of Trump’s presidency, our court system has been working overtime to protect our constitutional rights and freedoms.
From January through July, 23 Attorneys General across the country, including ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s Kris Mayes, filed 25 joint lawsuits against his administration to protect our lives and livelihoods and safeguard $1.5 billion for ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ alone.
The ACLU filed more than 150 federal lawsuits from protecting birthright citizenship on day one to protecting immigrants' rights, defending free speech, and demanding legal counsel for detainees in Alligator Alcatraz.
Consequently, federal judges, including those appointed by Trump, have ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and blocked the enforcement of his decrees on grounds they imperil the lives and well-being of American citizens, exceed his presidential powers, and violate our constitution.
If you appreciate their fight to protect your rights and preserve our democracy, please consider showing your support by donating to AG Kris Mayes and the ACLU. It’s a small price to pay for our future.
Dr. JB Marshall
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Daily Star.
Ward 3 Democratic primary outcome
I respect the Pima County judge’s ruling to uphold the Ward 3 Democratic primary results, denying Sadie Shaw’s request for a new election, though some may see it as potentially unfair. The decision stands, and we must move forward. Sadie Shaw’s strong campaign, finishing just 19 votes behind incumbent Kevin Dahl (pending recount), highlights growing dissatisfaction with Tucson’s Mayor and City Council. Policies like fare-free transit and encampment management, though perhaps well-intentioned, are impacting Tucsonans negatively.
While I respect Kevin Dahl and Sadie Shaw, I disagree with their policy approaches. Tucson’s City Council needs fresh ideas and collaborative solutions. As a Ward 3 candidate, I’m committed to practical, balanced policies for a stronger Tucson.
The Pima County Recorder’s error, affecting 358 voters (76 in Ward 3) with incorrect ballots, undermines trust. This demands a state review and corrective measures for fair, transparent elections.
Janet Wittenbraker
Midtown
Laura’s leadership
I recently concluded my tenure as a prosecuting attorney under Laura Conover at the Pima County Attorney’s Office. While student debt heavily influenced my decision to move to the private sector, leaving was not easy. Working for Laura was the most rewarding job I have ever had. I feel compelled to share my perspective, especially given the unfair LTE criticism Laura receives from former administration members. Her focus is on prosecuting truly dangerous criminals — those who threaten public safety, including violent offenders, drug dealers, and individuals who harm children. She prioritizes justice and community safety over inflating felony statistics. For instance, she does not seek to felonize someone for an honest mistake, like accidentally bouncing a $100 check. I am incredibly grateful for Laura’s leadership and mentorship. I am also deeply thankful to my direct supervisor and my incredible friends and colleagues I had the privilege of working with at the PCAO. It was truly an honor to be part of the team.
Brian Robles
Downtown
Re: ‘For city, compassion is not enough’
Thank you, Louie Christensen, for vocalizing what everyone knows: “Today, buses are less a tool for getting to work or school and operate as diesel-powered air conditioning centers for the homeless.†The fare-free bus system as it stands now is clearly creating a dangerous transit environment. If the system is to remain “freeâ€, some sort of transit police force needs to be established. But wait! Who will pay for that? If not that, then reinstate fares. Either way, it’s going to cost something. Nothing is “free.†Since the mayor and council seem to be indecisive and ineffective, they all need to be replaced, IMHO. Isn’t that why a hefty pay increase was approved for mayor and council? To attract the best and brightest candidates? The present mayor and council appear to be operating at their previous pay grade.
Dewey Bidwell
Northeast side
Not safe from gerrymandering
Our ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC) does not keep us safe from political manipulation. Examples:
1. The Commission on Appellate Court Appointments (CACA) controls the selection of AIRC commissioners. In 2020, CACA consisted of 9 Republicans, 4 Independents and no Democrats. Challenged Ducey appointed Democrats to the open seats, however, they were too inexperienced and outnumbered to make a difference. Interestingly, CACA now has 8 Democrats, 6 Independents and only 2 Republicans.
2. The 5-member size of the AIRC gives the chair way too much power. Of the 21 votes on map selection, the Chair sided with the Republicans 8 times and Democrats only once. The final month, she sided with Republicans 62.5% of the time.
3. I live in Marana. My best friend lives 42 miles away in Vail. We are both in LD17. Commissioner Mehl, with behind-the-scenes input from friend politician Vince Leach, successfully gerrymandered to assure a Republican voting majority violating compact and contiguous criteria.
Watch for and support improvements to the AIRC.
Dee Maitland
Marana
A simple clarification
A couple of responses to Mr. Cory’s “Simple answer†LTE (Aug. 26). First, the legality of the National Guard deployment to Los Angeles is still being litigated, with a decision not yet determined. The National Guard is not meant to act as a domestic police force. Trump insists the troops were sent to “protect federal property and personnel,†which is a joke. (When do you suppose Trump will be sending federal troops to the many high-crime red-state cities? Answer: Never.) Second, Trump did not win the popular vote. 48.3% of Americans voted for Kamala Harris, and 1.9% voted for third-party candidates — a total of 50.2%, reflecting that more people voted against Trump than for him. With so much falsity pouring out of the current administration, at least the “Trump won the popular vote†lie should be put to rest.
Hope Gastelum
East side
Execute the laws?
Trump said he was firing Fed Board member Lisa Cook because it was his duty to “faithfully execute the laws of the United States.†The facts of that case are dubious at best.
But what about Trump himself? The record is much less ambiguous.
The U.S. Constitution is law. Appropriations of Congress are law. Due process for migrants is law. To faithfully execute the laws of the United States means to obey those laws.
Yet, in the first months of this Trump administration, at least 39 separate judges have ruled against his lawless actions. They have variously issued temporary restraining orders or preliminary injunctions preventing Trump from, among many other things, ending constitutional birthright citizenship, targeting opponents with politically motivated investigations, freezing funding that Congress had approved for projects, and cutting off funding due to political disagreements.
Congress needs to faithfully execute the law, too.
The one governing the removal of lawless presidents.
Chuck Barrett
Midtown
Positive ideas?
Per a LTE from a loyal follower, “Hold criminals responsible for their actions.†Agreed. Know any convicted criminals holding high political office? “Actually, account for the taxpayer dollars the government spends.†Agreed. Know why the current administration wants to paint the “wall†black and other boondoggle wastes of your money without taxpayer accountability? Just asking.
Dennis Winsten
Northeast side
Foreign policy and democratic values
The Trump Administration has abandoned a key democratic value in supporting foreign governments which pursue territorial expansion through military aggression.
At the beginning of WWII, the West failed to vigorously oppose Germany and Japan as they employed military campaigns to seize territories in neighboring countries. The victimized populations did not choose their fates.
Now the Trump Administration supports the efforts of Russia and Israel to seize the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ and territories of neighboring peoples. (Granted the Israel situation is complicated by Hamas’ initial violent attack. But Israel now seems determined to eliminate the population of Gaza and claim the land for itself.)
The attempted seizures our government seems to support will lead to prolonged grievances and more war. They are anti-democratic. Not to mention the death the military aggression will impose.
It is very disturbing that the lessons of WWII and our democratic values are being ignored by this Administration.
Jim Greene
Marana
The joy of barbershop singing
I was first introduced to barbershop singing in 1968 and have been singing ever since. The Tucson Chapter is still going strong and meets weekly to rehearse and learn new songs. The joy of barbershop comes from a unique and tight-knit harmony, created by four voices singing a cappella.
The heart of barbershop is its four-part harmony, made up of the tenor, lead, baritone, and bass. When these four parts are perfectly in tune, a magical phenomenon happens. This barbershop sound creates harmonic overtones that you can literally feel. For singers, it’s a powerful and goosebump-inducing experience that makes you feel part of something bigger than yourself.
You don’t need to be a professional musician to enjoy barbershop. Many people are drawn to it because it is an accessible form of singing, with an emphasis on learning by ear through a shared love of music. The blend of voices, the ringing chords and the shared passion for harmony create a truly joyful and uplifting experience.
Tom McGorray
Northwest side
China sees tariffs as opportunity
Trump campaigned on fighting the U.S.’s biggest enemy, China. But emphasis changed to hardened criminals invading our southern border, masked ICE agents deporting undocumented residents everywhere, and tariffs on world trading partners, not just China. In 1911, during the Mexican Revolution, 300 Chinese were massacred in Torreon, Coahuila, followed by incidents throughout northern Sonora. By 1931, Governor Rodolfo ElÃas-Calles forced most Chinese from the state. China views the tariff damage to the economies of the U.S. and its trading partners as opportunities. Recently, Chinese Consulate General Fu Xingrong, an attractive young woman fluent in Spanish, visited Sonora and Baja California, with messages of friendship, hope, and potential developments in renewable energy and minerals, leaving the bad history in the past. China is becoming part of the culture of Mexico and many Latin American countries. Will U.S. fear and intimidation or Chinese friendship and progress be more successful?
Tom Van Devender
North side
Military deployment
In Mr O’Brien’s opinion piece, he lays out reasons for the military to be deployed on U.S. soil. His first example of Lincoln confronting a deadly riot during the Civil War has no correlation to anything happening today. In fact, it shows how extreme the deployment was. He then states The Posse Comitatus Act and notes there are exceptions like the Insurrection Act. Again, there is no insurrection taking place and of course the stunning irony/hypocrisy is Trump initiated a failed coup and has yet to be held accountable. He is much more organized this time. The military must not be deployed on U.S. soil.
William Garrity
Foothills
A Nobel Peace Prize for Trump
Dear Mr. President, I honestly and sincerely wish that you earn a Nobel Peace Prize for yourself and our country.
Having said that (and mean it) I think that your efforts in the Russia v Ukraine will prove fruitless unless the US puts up very substantial collateral in which case any thought of a prize would be phony due to a bribe. They both need to put their cards on the table, go to the World Court and state the elements of an agreement that they would accept. And, I am very sure that money/gold can play a big part.
But the clearly golden opportunity for you/U.S. is to stop the killing/starvation of noncombatants in Gaza. Why on earth don’t you do it? The prize would be enormous for the U.S. and the world.
May God Bless you for your good efforts.
President Trump has so much power. In the words of Aesop: “If you are grateful for what you have, it is enough.â€
Vincent Allen
Northwest side
Our region’s struggles
Our region’s struggles are not caused by one event but by many. The decline of Tucson really began when IBM decided to downsize, then Motorola was blocked from coming to town. Texas instruments downsized. Each individually is not a dealbreaker, but it started a pattern. Big-name companies with good-paying jobs began to avoid us. We even blocked RTX from expanding here. We then got a bunch of third-rate companies that amounted to nothing, Worldview, Vector Space, Tu Simple. Our local leaders and local activists scream about equity, good-paying jobs and families, but all I’ve seen from them has made life worse. The city and its activist class can easily say no to anything, but when it comes to making a plan for the betterment of our community, they’re conveniently quiet. Since Project Blue died, have any of those activists come up with a real plan yet, or even a suggestion?
Sergio Mendez
North side
Just the facts, ma’am
If Trump supporters say that they want you to back up something you said with facts, they are lying. They want to waste your time explaining a position they will never consider nor accept. If they liked facts, they wouldn’t be Trump supporters. I don’t waste my time with them anymore. I’m so tired of waking up every day to see what fresh hell Trump has thought up.
Terry Louck
East side
Lawsuit
The Proud Boys, who were convicted for crimes committed during the attack on the government, on Jan. 6, 2021, but were later pardoned by President Trump, have sued the government ($100 million) for violating their constitutional rights. The pendulum has now swung all the way back from where it should be. Convicted criminals are now alleging that someone hurt their feelings during their trials. I doubt anyone who watched the videos of these animals desecrating our place of government can truthfully say that they didn’t do it. The pardon was sacrilegious in itself, but only another sign of the depths our president will sink to. I realize many people actually agree with this stupidity and, while I cannot understand how, they certainly are entitled to their points of view. Perhaps common sense, with time, will prevail.
Philip Reinecker
East side
Project Blue
“Balanced growth. A rising tide. Sustainable development.†We can’t risk the detriments to Tucson and Southern ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ presented by this project — which seems to never go away. Susan Gray’s comments lend one to believe she is more than biased toward Project Blue. No Tucsonan and Southern ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ lover would base support for a bad project on her grounds “creating jobs, protecting families, and building a stronger economy for generations to come,†at all costs. She doesn’t seem bound to the community in any way. Project Blue is anti-Tucson for anyone who loves The Old Pueblo. No water — no need for Project Blue. There is nothing sustainable in the project, it’s the “gift†that keeps on taking, not giving. Please make it go away. TEP is a subsidiary of the Canadian company Fortis Inc., and makes plenty of money. Beale is not local, and their job is to develop data centers nationally no matter what it takes, seemingly wheeling and dealing in secret.
Peter Bisschop
East side
Rome to Rambo?
Once, a military group called the Praetorian Guard protected the Roman Emperors, to whom the Guard pledged their loyalty.
The tale did not end well. The Guard did silly things like kill the emperors. The Guards were very powerful because everyone feared them.
Today, we may have the beginnings of our own Praetorian Guard. Could it be ICE?
ICE is military-like and seems to be built around people who have a loyalty to President Trump, because he, by the way, pays their $70,000/yr salaries, gives their families excellent healthcare, educates, feeds, and houses their children, and gives them $50,000 bonuses besides.
All one has to do for those goodies is enjoy looking like Rambo, run a block or two chasing a guy holding a sandwich, wear a mask, break windows, and like assault rifles. Being able to ride a horse helps.
But every fable has a moral: Trumpists, be careful what you wish for.
Peter Bakke
SaddleBrooke
Dems in disarray — again?
Democratic Party elites just love losing. And they’re doing it again!
Instead of embracing popular newcomers such as Zohran Mamdani and rising Gen Z candidates, the old guard is busy trashing them.
Let’s not forget when those decision-makers chose Hillary as our presidential candidate and prematurely canceled the California primary in 2016. Didn’t that work out well?
The old Democratic elite are part of our MAGA problem. With their knee-jerk adherence to outmoded neoliberalism and identity politics of the past, they continue to ignore the increasing economic needs of the rest of us. Voters and newer candidates already know this, but our leaders remain out of touch.
This time, let’s let our voters choose our leaders and not our party elders. Hog-tying our future with politically correct pronouns and “wokeness†isn’t going to cut it. We should follow the energy of our voters, not dictate from the top who should be allowed to run.
Sue Swenson
East side
Brainwashed
The United States of America is the only place on Planet Trump where poor people shun unions, free healthcare and free education because the rich tell them to.
I think we should rename Planet Earth to Planet Trump because that’s his true motive, to take over the world.
Who builds a $200 million ballroom and then leaves? He’s in it for the long haul even if he is on life support.
Terry Louck
East side
What color is free?
In 1955, I was 8 years old and attending third grade at Miles Elementary School in Tucson. One night, I heard my parents discussing the segregation of schools in the South. I didn’t understand why children whose skin color was different than mine had to go to separate schools. My mother tried to explain it so I could understand. She used the word “free.â€
And then I asked my mother, “What color is free?â€
She couldn’t answer me as she began to cry.
Now, 70 years later, I ask myself the same question. And I cry.
Karen Papagapitos
Northwest side
Voice of the people
The voice of the people has been duct-taped shut by Project Blue’s insistence to proceed with development. Some say that Tucson must be “business-friendly.†What about business being “community friendly� There are two types of businesses: No. 1: A “fertilizer,†one that sets up in its community and prospers and contributes, beneficially, to the place it lives. No. 2: A “parasite†one that chooses a site, knowing full well that their existence puts extreme pressure on the people in the place they chose to locate. Project Blue is a data center that does not need to be near highways to transport its product. It just needs wires, and they can be strung anywhere to connect it to the world. How about anywhere along the Mississippi, near a Great Lake or anywhere in Canada? There are hundreds of places with more plentiful water access than Tucson.
Daniel Poryanda
Southeast side
What’s in the color of a shirt?
First, he summarily pardoned about 1,600 thugs convicted of attempting to overthrow our government. DT calls them patriots. Currently, there is discussion about compensating these traitors. Next, organize them with the new ICE recruits, provide uniforms (with the appropriate shirts) training and equipment necessary for a paramilitary group in service exclusively to DT. Watch what he does, not what he says.
Mussolini’s Blackshirts were an armed paramilitary wing of the Fascist Party, initially installed to counter opposing political groups but later became the weapon of choice using intimidation, violence, even murder against his own citizens.
Likewise, the Brownshirts played a similar and crucial role in Hitler’s rise to power using the same tactics as the Blackshirts. It’s not a stretch to think DT could structure his own dedicated paramilitary group. Watch what he does, not what he says. Do not allow this history to be repeated. Vote all his enablers out of Congress.
Ernest Saccani
Foothills
Crime dilemma
As crime in major cities is a significant controversy in today’s news, is there an answer? Brandon Johnson, the Chicago mayor, believes the way to reduce crime is to spend more Federal money, particularly on the elusive “affordable housing†issue. Other mayors seem to agree that more money on social programs will solve the rampant problem. As a contrast, the Washington, D.C. police force, with assistance from the National Guard, has made significant inroads into crime by deciding that crime is unacceptable and direct action will be taken to locate and hold criminals responsible. It seems like that the government officials in many major cities have unfolded the surrender flag, admitting that they do not have the political will to address the problem, are willing to forgive criminals instead of holding them responsible, and refusing to fund law enforcement adequately. Persons against aggressive crime mitigation must be Trump-hating, virtue-signaling Democrats that live in upscale, crime-free neighborhoods and don’t give a hoot about terrified regular citizens.
Loyal M. Johnson Jr.
Oro Valley
Asleep is good?
I have never understood why a political party would prefer to model itself as asleep rather than awake (“woke†in low-class jargon).
Delores Keahey
Southeast side
Outdoor sleeping site in Tucson faces pushback
