Tucson Speaks Out: March 21

Hobbs betrays Salt River wild horses

Gov. Hobbs has betrayed the public’s beloved Salt River wild horses, mandating a reduction to 120 horses, an arbitrary number chosen by the AZ Department of Agriculture without scientific backing, violating the Salt River Wild Horses Act protections.

Dr. Cochran, leading equine geneticist, concluded the minimum number of horses needed to sustain viability is 150 to 200. Less will degrade the herd, already reduced with humane fertility control, into extinction. Captured wild horses are usually sold to “kill buyers” or warehoused in inhumane conditions.

Governor Hobbs caters to Safari Club International (SCI) with appointments to control Arizona Game and Fish. SCI’s lawyers specialize in eliminating species protections for trophy hunters and corporate interests. Wild horses have long been on their “hit list”.

I can think of no reason why Hobbs would target the beloved Salt River herd other than pandering to the wealthy Safari Club for their generous campaign donations.

Just like attracting data centers and land sale to Copper World, betraying the public's treasured wild horses will be remembered at elections.

Candace Charvoz Frank

West side

2026 voter initiative petitions

There are at least two Voter Initiatives aiming to place measures on the November 2026 Arizona General Election ballot. Petitions should be available in the coming weeks. Completed petitions must be submitted by July 2.

Protect the Vote Arizona (protectthevoteaz.com) aims to protect Arizona's mail-in voting and common-sense voter-ID laws in the state constitution. A minimum of 384,000 valid signatures is required to be on the ballot.

Save Our Schools Arizona (sosarizona.org) aims to rein in the massively corrupt state voucher system. A minimum of 256,000 valid signatures is required to be on the ballot.

Because Governor Hobbs vetoes the more extreme Republican-approved bills, state legislators have chosen to place similar bills (Concurrent Resolutions) on the coming General Election. Instead of requiring hundreds of thousands of signatures, Republican legislators can place their Concurrent Resolutions on the ballot with a simple majority vote. On the 2024 ballot, there were 11 Concurrent Resolutions, many intended to counteract voter initiatives and confuse voters.

Signature Petitions available soon.

Randy Garmon

North side

The 'Yellow Journalism' Charge

As a retired journalist, I always look forward to reading Tim Steller's columns when I come to Tucson for the winter. Steller is that too-rare columnist who actually reports, rather than churning out columns that are primarily opinions or entertaining trivia. I thought Sunday's column on Salman Rushdie and Tucson's slain imam was one of his best.

I was astounded by the letter chastising him for reporting historical facts and disparaging the columnist as anti-Muslim. The charge that history does not belong in a newspaper was particularly puzzling. The column was pegged to the real news that Rushdie was speaking in Tucson that day. The connection between his story and that of Rashad Khalifa was fascinating. In no way did the column attack the Muslim religion or celebrate violence against Muslims.

Too many media outlets distort facts and serve as echo chambers for the prejudices of their audiences. Thankfully, the Arizona Daily Star is not part of that.

Paul Dienhart

Foothills

Both sides flawed on Chavez allegations

Upon reading about the SA allegations against Cesar Chavez, I had hoped that the opposition would counter the expected vitriol from the right against the UFWA leader’s principles disguised as genuine concern for the welfare of women with a nuanced statement. Alas, I was disappointed to see that many liberals were in denial and some were even convinced that it was an anti-BIPOC conspiracy. I get the caution exercised there, “don’t air our dirty laundry”, but to continue said denial after fellow BIPOC Dolores Huerta spoke out against her late husband is irrational. Obviously, some of the deniers are MAGA members who want to prop up Chavez’s disdain towards undocumented immigrants (yes, it’s true, internalized racism is a thing), but there are also many (regardless of political beliefs) who are affected by our culture of essentially elevating people to sainthood without taking the inherent presence of human flaws into consideration. Yes, we should rename what’s been named after Chavez, but perhaps to after causes.

Xavier O'Mack

Midtown

Fest of the best

Thanks to the Star for being a sponsor of the Tucson Festival of Books and reporting on the presentations of Salman Rushdie and investigative reporters. I was able to attend seven of the events, which included 15 authors. Every author was intelligent and generous of spirit. Not a single author blamed immigrants, trans people, Muslims or women for anything. Every author expressed their gratitude for the Festival and the volunteers. Every author attributed their success to being in the right place at the right time; or to people who encouraged them; or to brave informants. They gave credit to editors, teachers, parents, spouses, government officials, first responders, local reporters, victims, other authors, and strangers willing to talk with them. Not one said I “don’t need anybody” or “I alone …”

The authors showed humor, warmth, humility, generosity and gratitude: the hallmarks of good people. Let’s follow and emulate them. This is how we will restore the America we knew and loved. And of course: Vote the bad people out!

Dee Maitland

Marana

The 'But' Party

The Democrat Party and its acolytes should be renamed the "But" party. Consider the following questions and answers. Should illegal criminals be removed from the country? Yes, but. Should existing laws be obeyed? Yes, but. Should repeat criminals be repeatedly released? No, but. Is there blatant fraud in Minnesota and other states? Yes, but. Should Iran have a nuclear weapon? No, but. Should voters present a valid ID to vote? Yes, but. Should illegal drugs be intercepted with utmost vigor? Yes, but. Should Israel have the right to survive and thrive? Yes, but. Should tariffs be instituted to accelerate job in this country for U.S. citizens? Yes, but. Should more fossil fuels be extracted from the abundant resources to lower all energy costs? Yes, but. Should high school seniors be able to read proficiently? Yes, but. Should the military be an unmatched fighting force? Yes, but. Is federal spending excessive, causing a budget disaster? Yes, but just spend more taxes to solve the shortfall.

Loyal M. Johnson Jr.

Oro Valley

What exit strategy, please?

Every intelligent general or politician knows what s/he wants to achieve with any military operation. There is always the opposing side, now Iran, and they are not willing simply to give up. Can you bomb a country into peace? At the end of WWII, the Allied Forces destroyed all of Germany and then Japan. The issue was the survival of the free world. Then the U.S. rebuilt both countries and made them its strong allies. But now, no one in the current U.S. government seems to know what they even want to achieve with this illegal war, whereas Iran is only too aware that time is on their side. Sooner or later, the war will be just too expensive for us, especially when the world economy will teeter on the brink of collapse. We face Vietnam II, and again we do not seem to have learned anything. Bullying other countries into submission does not make them our friends; on the contrary. Trump has wilfully opened Pandora's Box, OMG.

Albrecht Classen

Midtown

Looks like genocide to me

Israel began its military occupation of Palestine in 1967. They control what goes in and what comes out of the West Bank and Gaza.

Hamas brutally attacked Israel to bring awareness to military control, blockade of Gaza Strip, as well as illegal settlements in the West Bank.

Israel’s retaliation has killed over 500 aid workers, and 1,500 health care workers. Every hospital in Gaza has been put out of commission by Israel. The blockades and restrictions placed on aid deliveries to Gaza have put them in a humanitarian crisis, with death by starvation imminent. Israel’s and the USA’s bombs dropped on Gaza have destroyed everything. How many Palestinians are buried in that rubble?

On Aug. 21, 2025, The Guardian published an article that revealed through Israel’s own military data, indicating 83% of deaths in the Gaza War were civilians. Harvey, I wouldn’t call 17% a majority. I’m with Abraham.

Larry Robinson

Northwest side

Who's being played?

Re: March 16 LTE "Don't be played". Let me help you out here, sir. Star readers don"t buy the paper to just read the headlines. (BTW, there is nothing misleading about them). That said, they read the whole news article: well-researched by honest professional reporters working for reputable news organizations. Rest assured, they are vastly more well-informed than any cohort that imagines it's significant that Iran inscribes "Death to Israel" on warheads, even if that were factual. At least we can all relax and be happy that Mr. Trump will know when his Iran-Epstein war will end. He has told us that he will feel it in his bone spurs, and we all know how sensitive they are. Unless we are all being played!

Gary Susko

Midtown