ĂÛÁÄֱȄ

National Guard? Maybe not

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

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 ĂÛÁÄֱȄ 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.”

As an alternative: “You have to fight fire with fire.” “All’s fair in love and war.” “Pick your battles.”

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.”

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, ”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