Tucson speaks up: Letters to the editor for the week of Oct. 10, 2025
- Updated
Our weekly round-up of letters published in the Arizona Daily Star.
- Deb Klumpp, Oro Valley
I heard that a Fox News commentator deemed Donald Trump "most masculine president ever". Qualifying traits must be his bullying, blustering, nasty rhetoric and promises of violence -- so masculine! Such a strongman! I'm thinking that after perhaps a year on RFK Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" program, that the president might also be a candidate for People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" award. Following the MAHA plan, he could transform himself into a new model of male desirability (unlike all those "fat generals"). Women of America, stand by.
Deb Klumpp
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
‘American’ copper
Big half-page ad in Sunday’s paper for Hudbay Copper, stating “Hudbay Arizona Copper Made in America.” All true, but they left out “owned in Canada.” As someone strongly associated with American Arizona Copper, (Magma, ASARCO USA, Cyprus-Miami), I have watched foreign companies come in and totally consume our precious Copper. We may be ‘the Copper State’, but the profits all leave for foreign companies. Magma was bought and shut down by Australian Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP). ASARCO was taken over by Grupo Mexico (that’s when I quit as Chief Chemist of Silverbell), ASARCO briefly got control back in the US, until some moron Judge in Texas gave it back to Grupo. Why is Arizona allowing this?
Thad Appelman
Northwest side
Vote blue, vote education
Thanks for the story “Tucson voters to decide council seats, school bonds” that was in this past Sunday’s paper. It gave a succinct notice of the upcoming election.
With Trump’s attack on democracy seeping into local politics, I hope the city voters elect the three Democratic candidates for the Tucson City Council. With the type of leadership exemplified by Republicans Ciscomani and Christy, we can’t trust any Republican running for office.
A vote on Plan Tucson is a toss-up. It’s best to read the plan online.
As for the TUSD, Sunnyside and Flowing Wells bond overrides, I hope the voters vote “Yes” to support education. The awful Republic state leadership has forced taxpayers to self-tax to make up for Republic welfare for the well off. The Southern Arizona Leadership Council advanced arguments against Tucson Prop. 414 so taxpayers would vote “No” on Prop 414 and for RTA Next.
Education over asphalt. Vote “Yes” on the bonds. Vote “No” on RTA Next.
And vote America again — vote blue.
Matt Somers
Midtown
Repeat offenders
Last week, the current mayor of Seattle, in a debate to keep his job, gave us all an answer as to why repeat offenders so frequently end up on our streets to repeat their crimes. The mayor said that his priority “for that person who has committed six or seven crimes, is that we understand their life story.” He also said, “The issue is not how many crimes they have committed, but why they committed those crimes,” and that “I have no desire to put them in jail”.
Does the mayor realize that a criminal who is committing their sixth or seventh assault or rape might need some lengthy jail time instead of another social worker to “understand their life story”? I hope the mayor never has one of his family members be the victim of a violent crime, but he is condemning other Seattle families to that future.
With leaders like this, who needs enemies?
Tom Gordon
Northeast side
Operation circular reasoning
Donald Trump is smart. He knows that if he sends in National Guard troops to a Chicago or a Portland, it will provoke loud protests, perhaps some shoving and heckling and probably someone who crosses a real or imagined line. This will provide the pretext for establishing law and order and “proof” that the situation has gotten out of hand. He will blow it out of proportion just as he did when he sent several hundred Marines into Los Angeles to quell an isolated disturbance.
He is, without a doubt, purposely and vengefully causing a problem as an excuse to exert his power over cities that want to be left alone.
Peter Bourque
Midtown
Trump’s error
Isn’t it ironic that the man who lusts after the Nobel Peace prize should rename our defense department the War Department and allow the Secretary of that department to tell our high-ranking military officers that their troops are more likely to be deployed nationally rather than on foreign soil? Trump has declared war on his own country. Definitely not a peacemaker!
Susan Keeney
Oro Valley
Conover fails victims, community
As a former prosecutor, I am upset with the Pima County Attorney’s complete failure to seek justice in our community. Laura Conover abandons victims to give absurdly lenient pleas to violent criminals. She gave probation-available plea agreements to defendants in the Reddington Pass murder case. The victim’s family was outraged and wanted Conover removed.
Then she offered near probation to an armed defendant who threatened to kill school children with a gun. TPD was outraged.
This month, Conover offered a probation available plea to a man who shot an unarmed doctor in the back. The doctor died, and the defendant got probation. The original charge was mandatory 7 to 21 years in prison. The excuse for the light plea was “they were scared they couldn’t get a conviction!”
All these travesties of justice were orchestrated by Conover. A county attorney who treats criminals like her own clients and is afraid to try cases should find another line of work.
David Berkman
North side
Most masculine/sexiest?
I heard that a Fox News commentator deemed Donald Trump “most masculine president ever”. Qualifying traits must be his bullying, blustering, nasty rhetoric and promises of violence — so masculine! Such a strongman! I’m thinking that after perhaps a year on RFK Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” program, that the president might also be a candidate for People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” award. Following the MAHA plan, he could transform himself into a new model of male desirability (unlike all those “fat generals”). Women of America, stand by.
Deb Klumpp
Oro Valley
Trump’s concept of a plan
Now that we’re in the midst of a paralyzing government shutdown induced by the refusal of Republican plutocrats to negotiate affordable healthcare for Americans most in need, we plainly see that their brand of so-called conservatism amounts to little more than placing a thumb on the scale of social equity whenever gains are to be had while feigning allegiance to a higher principle of non-interference with the natural order.
Remember Trump’s “beautiful healthcare plan” — that once touted replacement for the Obamacare “disaster”? Always on the horizon, this “concept of a plan,” now revealed, was always to pull the rug out from under millions of Americans with compassionless disregard for the social destabilization sure to follow. As Trump and his cronies shamelessly pursue further wealth for the wealthy under the guise of conservative fiscal policy, ordinary Americans are being presented with the tab for this immoral extravagance at the expense of their health and stability. This flagrant hypocrisy makes America neither great nor healthy again.
Robert Gavlak
Midtown
Civics test
“U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Sept. 17 the implementation of the 2025 naturalization civics test as one of its many stricter naturalization policies, such as evaluations of good moral character and stricter reviews of disability exceptions.”(The Arizona Republic, David Ulloa Jr.) I’d like Congress to pass the same test. Especially the “Good Moral Character” section. How many would fail the civics test? What a bunch of baloney.
Peter Bisschop
East side
Who is to blame?
Matthew Scully blames Democratic senators for the shutdown. He thinks there is plenty of time to negotiate over the health care cuts. And then, being a good Trumplican, he insults Democratic senators.
Perhaps Mr. Scully forgets that 10 Democratic senators voted for the continuing resolution back in March after being promised that their concerns would be addressed. They were not.
There is an old proverb that applies here. “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”
Steven Brown
Midtown
University of Arizona
Former U of A President John Schaefer wrote an excellent essay about the importance of current U of A President Suresh Garimella not giving in to the US Department of Education’s demands on the University. As Schaefer, and also Michael Chihak on the same day, so wisely point out, giving a bully your lunch money will only have him demanding your jacket next time. The government’s request for influence (read control) over hiring, courses, and political balance (whatever that means) is antithetical to academic freedom and the great strides our nation has made to improve our quality of life and protect the planet, as well as discover other planets in the universe. Those seeking federal grants want to win them because of superior ideas, not because of a thumb on the evaluation scale. Don’t fall for the shiny object of big money. Take the long view and preserve the freedom of inquiry.
Tim Steller’s analysis of why the U of A was targeted was very perceptive.
Margot Garcia
Midtown
This Democrat urges: Just say no
It is common knowledge that the only way to deal with a bully is to stand up and assert yourself.
What the Democrats are holding out for amounts to $1 trillion over the next ten years. These cuts will have far-reaching consequences for millions of Medicaid recipients who lose coverage. Currently, this means 80 million low-income Americans, including children, adults, people with disabilities and seniors in nursing homes. It also means that rural health care and hospitals will be devastated. Democrats are not insisting on Medicaid benefits for undocumented residents.
This Republican “beautiful” budget bill also includes tax breaks for the top 1% of taxpayers, amounting to more than $1 billion over the next decade, with over half of that, $500 million, accruing to the top 0.1% of earners.
The Republicans’ current spending budget starkly exposes their priorities.
It almost looks like class genocide.
Cindy Soffrin
Northeast side
Editorial standards
The Oct. 3 letter by Janet Wittenbraker implores the Star to uphold its standards of factual accuracy. I wholeheartedly agree, and wonder why you published her LTE, criticizing a prior “Warrior ethos vs. truth” letter. That letter specifically identified Trump as someone “who would never be caught dead near a war zone ever.” Factually true. “Cadet Bone Spur’s” history says so. He refused to even visit a war dead cemetery in Europe because a light rain might get his hair wet. Apparently, this Ward 3 City Council candidate (yikes), struggling with reading comprehension, gave an irrelevant long-winded résumé for Pete Hegseth. Sorry: still true. Those two disgraced the memory of actual war heroes in front of a room full of true military leaders.
Gary Susko
Midtown
The bully returns
I taught at universities in Iraq and Egypt, and nearly 20 years here at the UA. The first two countries are not exactly known for an enlightened emphasis on civil rights. But never did I see the kind of heavy-handed interference in academic independence that this U.S. administration is trying to impose. The U.S. president’s bully-offer to nine universities, including the UA, of a “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” is a Faustian bargain and should be met with a unified and resounding “No.” The Board of Regents and the UA president need to stand tall and just say no. The UA faculty, staff, students and alumni will back them up and be grateful for their insistence on integrity and academic freedom. And, significantly, the Arizona legislature needs to take much more seriously its responsibility to the state universities and properly fund them. Then they will be better able to stand up to bullies.
Maggy Zanger
Midtown
Hansen’s excellent articles
What a writer! Please never leave us, Greg Hansen.
1) Lack of fans at early, hot UA football game. Tucsonans have just endured a ridiculously hot, uncomfortable summer, and will not show up for a hot football game in early October. Just bad scheduling.
2) Exorbitant cost of facility upgrades. This will not increase fan attendance. Only winning football will. I have attended games at Penn State and Michigan in rickety, antiquated stadiums, yet overflowing with fans. Winning games and tradition are what sells tickets, not sound systems and fancy scoreboards.
3) Sahuaro /Sabino rivalry. With the new HS football format in Southern Arizona, we will never again see rivalries such as this.
My wife, Beth Egan, now a principal in The Tanque Verde School District, was a Sahuaro student in the late 1980s and experienced this awesome rivalry. In her words, it was “incredible!”
Thank you, Greg Hansen, for your excellent writing and historical perspective.
Dan Egan
East side
Short-term threats or long-term planning
Ah, the irony of timing sometimes. As supporters of U of A (and me an alum), my husband and I just received an ad promotion to do estate planning that includes the university. Hmm, I thought: Does the Institute think extortion threats from a racist administration more important than integrity, quality, freedom and financial planning? We’ll see.
“University” means an institution of higher learning, places that open and expand minds, not narrow them; places that provide society with progress in science, mathematics, social sciences and the arts. If U of A wishes to narrow and contain thought and practices for monies easily withdrawn (fascist spying anyone?), then I’m looking to ASU and their President, Michael Crow, for my allegiances.
Look up President Crow, ASU, and the accomplishments and awards received. U of A: You have a challenge and a model before you, and it sure isn’t a demented man led by Medieval Project 2025! This is your moment to stand by principle or tarnish yourself for the future.
Nancy Jacques
Northeast side
UA’s ‘must do’ list
The specific actions the UA has been asked to commit to are so comprehensively vague that they would be impossible to coherently enact, much less to evaluate. Setting aside questions regarding the moral and intellectual integrity which a university must exemplify, many actions requested are inherently biased. Three examples: 1. “Transform or abolish ... units that ... punish, belittle ... conservative ideas.” (You can belittle liberal ideas, though?) 2. “Demonstrate commitment to grade activity...publishing grade distribution dashboards ... that explain ... any unusual upward trends” (It’s OK to have unusual downward trends?) 3. “exceptions permitted for families of substantial means” (No other exceptions are listed. One wonders why the only one permitted is for rich folks.)
Delores Keahey
Southeast side
HS football rivalry
Greg Hansen’s article about the Saguaro/Sabino rivalry on Oct. 5 brings back fond memories of Tucson’s original HS football rivalry. Through most of the ’50s, Tucson High and Amphi were the only high schools in town. The rivalry game was played each year on Thanksgiving Day, always at the THS stadium. Amphi’s bleachers couldn’t accommodate the crowd. Tucson High was about four times our (Amphi’s) size, but we won a few.
In the days long before NFL football on TV, we went to the game early afternoon, then home for turkey dinner. A simpler place and time.
William Thornton
Midtown
Only the brave can be free
“U of A must not cave to demands of Trump ‘compact’” (Star page A16, Oct. 5) by John P. Schaefer, UA President 1971-82, Research Corporation for Scientific Research CEO 1988-2004, and continuing supporter of scientific research at UA and elsewhere, and “U of A must reject federal demands” (Star page A17, Oct. 5) by Michael A. Chihak, retired native-Tucsonan newsman, showed courage and wisdom in defending the integrity of UA as a center of excellence in research and education and a welcoming home for all, including the disadvantaged. In addition to applauding loudly for these two voices of courage and wisdom, I want to remind ourselves, whether you are related to UA like I (physics faculty 1971-2012) or not, only the brave dare to stand up for the truth and only truth can make you free. Are we living in “the land of the free and the home of the brave”?
Ke Chiang Hsieh
Midtown
Regarding boycotts
A recent letter about the efficacy of boycotts got me thinking. Actually, the “marketplace” as a form of consumer politics has been the focus of boycotts since America’s early days. Think Boston Tea Party. Think of the boycott involving the rejection of goods produced by slave labor, or the boycotting of segregated businesses, or the boycott of the segregated bus system in Montgomery, Alabama. All created positive change. Recent boycotts involving social change are murkier, largely because the MAGA/anti-”woke” crowd has made boycotting a vehicle for their desire to disappear people they don’t want to share the earth with (primarily trans and gay people). The idiotic Bud Light boycott was a prime example, with organizers including such unfortunate examples of humanity as Kid Rock and Ted Nugent. Used for meaningful purposes, boycotts can harness economic power to effect positive change, both socially and politically. Individuals are always free to withhold spending from businesses antithetical to their worldview.
S. Ross Emmanuel
Southeast side
The Bunny that roared
Conservatives never build, expand or create anything that we Americans want or need.
Rather, they take away. Take away our rights, our freedoms, our thoughts.
They want to be in our bathrooms, bedrooms, doctor’s office, even in our heads. Now, they want to dictate the NFL Halftime show.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the Republicans actually did real work that they were elected and paid by the American people to do? Like drafting one piece of legislation that actually benefits the citizens and small businesses of this country.
I must be dreaming. They’d rather funnel more wealth into the bulging pockets of their billionaire patrons while they find the nearest camera to bleat their latest culture-war outrage as distraction.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if these fools were finally tripped up by ... a bunny?
Joe Turner
East side
Trump and his minions
Neither facts nor truth have any meaning in the White House. Trump creates sickening and childish videos on “Truth” Social that denigrate elected members of Congress. Steve Miller, an unelected member of Trump’s staff, has started a war against ships in the Caribbean with no reporting to or permission from Congress. ICE is attacking US citizens and children in Portland and Chicago. Trump is trying to send National Guard troops to Portland and Chicago against his appointed judge’s order and using doctored videos from years before as rationale. Congress is not to be seen because the Speaker called a recess so he can illegally refuse to seat Adelita Grijalva in a cowardly attempt to avoid a vote on the release of the Epstein files. In the meantime, government workers have been laid off, so the work of government on behalf of the people is no longer being done, and people are panicking about their healthcare. Congress has abdicated its responsibility to someone unfit to be President. It must stop.
Nancy Atherton
Foothills
Don’t do it
Over the years, my husband and I have made contributions to various programs at the University of Arizona. I do not mean to imply these were large contributions, but they were meaningful for us. And I suspect there are thousands of others in the southern Arizona community who have done the same. If the university abandons its governance and financial independence to the Trump administration by endorsing the “Compact,” I can almost assure the university’s administrators they will be shocked by the backlash and decrease in community financial support.
Fran McNeely
Northeast side
Who’s driving the bus?
Trump has been focused on the idea that Portland is a “war zone,” reportedly influenced by a Fox News report that passed off 2020 footage as current. Key allies Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, and Pete Hegseth have supported this narrative, despite clear denials from Oregon’s governor, Portland’s mayor, and local sources.
A Friday report by the Minnesota Star Tribune revealed a Signal chat between one of Miller’s deputies and a senior Hegseth adviser, discussing a plan to deploy the 82nd Airborne Division to Portland, which they hoped Trump would support. Trump, after speaking with the governor, questioned whether his understanding of Portland was based on outdated or false information, saying, “My people tell me different.” However, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut blocked a National Guard deployment, stating Trump’s claims were “untethered to the facts.”
The situation raises concerns about who is influencing military decisions in Trump’s circle and questions about their motives, as narratives unsupported by facts appear to be shaping high-level policy.
Barbara Hall
Midtown
What is Ciscomani doing during this recess?
With Congress on recess, Arizona citizens deserve to know how you are using this time.
Specifically:
University of Arizona: What actions are you taking to oppose any attempt by Donald Trump to threaten or withhold vital research funding unless the University complies with extreme political demands? Arizona’s flagship public university must remain free from political blackmail.
Adelita Grijalva’s swearing-in: What are you doing to press Speaker Johnson to immediately swear in Representative-Elect Adelita Grijalva, as required by law and the will of Arizona voters? Every day of delay silences the people she was elected to represent.
Constituent accountability: Will you hold open town halls during this recess to listen directly to your constituents about these urgent issues?
Representative Ciscomani, your actions during this break will speak loudly. We expect you to protect our universities and ensure that every duly elected representative takes their rightful seat in Congress.
Frank Hagel
SaddleBrooke
Stand up
I am so upset with Democratic congressmen. JD Vance was on national TV spouting a flat out lie, that the Democrats are holding the country hostage to fund healthcare for undocumented immigrants. It is currently illegal for undocumented immigrants to obtain subsidized healthcare, something that requires citizenship or legal documentation and a Social Security number. Democrats are not looking to change that. They are trying to save healthcare and the ACA. Jeffries and other Democratic leaders also went on national TV to state their position. Unfortunately, what I wanted to hear was, Jeffries and others calling Vance out as a blatant liar and specifically pointing out the details of his lie. It’s time for our Democratic leaders to defiantly stand up, no more of this high road stuff. You can’t fight a bully by being the nice guy. Jeffries, it’s okay to call Vance out. This is why Democratic favorability is at an all-time low. Resist.
Peter Morales
Midtown
Any ideas, anyone?
While our so-called representatives are playing us off against one another instead of doing their job of running the government, I keep wondering why they should get paid — not just during the shutdown but generally. When most of us don’t work, we don’t get paid. Indeed, we get fired. If I were an accountant or bookkeeper or someone with a facility for math, I would try to figure out a way to withhold my taxes from the federal government and give the money to the city and state instead. And then take a write-off. Any ideas, anyone?
Barbara Benjamin
Foothills
Religious hatred on the rise?
I wonder if anti-LDS hate is ramping up once again in America. We have two recent signs it is: the BYU-Colorado football game chants (“F*** you, Mormons”); and the Michigan LDS killings and chapel fire.
Why are these portents of what is to come? Because every other kind of hate is running rampant across America now as well. We clearly have partisan political party hatred where one side calls the other “lunatics” and sends the military to cities to curb their enthusiasm.
We have anti-Latino harassment, arrests, and deportations carried out by the Department of Homeland Security, whose name might perhaps more aptly be called the Department of White People Security. The current administration is worried that brown-skinned Americans will become the largest ethnic group in America in a decade or so if deportations are not expedited like crazy.
Immigrant Latinos are getting a double dose of hate because they are both brown-skinned and Catholic in Protestant America.
Kimball Shinkoskey
Woods Cross Utah
Hatch Act violations
DoE employees, among other departments, discovered their automatic email responses during the government shutdown and furloughs had been unknowingly and illegally changed to blame Democrats for the funding lapse. Employees cannot change their outgoing messages.
“On September 19, 2025, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5371, a clean continuing resolution. Unfortunately, Democrat Senators are blocking passage of H.R. 5371 in the Senate which has led to a lapse in appropriations.”
“Due to the lapse in appropriations, we are currently in furlough status. We will respond to emails once government functions resume.”
Due to his disdain for education, Trump never read the Constitution, or any critical US Laws, such as the “Hatch Act,” thinking it had something to do with birth control.
The “Hatch Act” (1939) is a federal law. It prohibits government employees from engaging in partisan political activity while on duty, at a government facility, or using federal property. This promotes a politically nonpartisan workplace, ensuring public services are not disrupted by partisan campaigns.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Narcissists and sycophants
Narcissist and sycophants are a match made in hell. I read from Scripps News that the Treasurer, Brandon Beach, wants to mint a $1 coin with the image of Trump on it for the USA 250th Anniversary. I guess Beach’s job is safe. I wonder if it is difficult for Beach to breathe with where his head is? It is against Federal Law to make a coin with the image of a living person. Beach needs to know the law that goes with his job. I hope it is clear to all Americans what motivates Trump and his minions. Project 2025 people are behind Trump telling him what to do to get attention and admiration. Trump is on television every day. Do you remember a past president in front of a camera every day of their term? Trump the narcissist surrounds himself with sycophants and Project 2025 fascists. Wake up!
Richard Bechtold
West side
Shutdown priorities
During the shutdown, air-traffic controllers and TSA agents will remain on the job without pay, potentially leading to service disruptions as seen during Trump’s first term. National parks will operate with minimal staff, closed facilities, and limited emergency services. Government contractors will go unpaid and typically will not receive back pay afterwards. A prolonged shutdown could exhaust funds for FEMA, WIC, and other vital programs. Services like food inspections, passport processing, and most federal agency operations will be unavailable or delayed.
Despite the shutdown, the Trump administration has deemed a $20 billion bailout of Argentina essential. This benefits Trump allies Javier Milei and Rob Citrone (heavily invested in Argentine companies and debt), linked to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. While state infrastructure projects pause, construction of Trump’s White House ballroom will continue. Meanwhile, members of Congress, who have the authority to end the shutdown, will continue to receive their salaries.
Barbara Hall
Midtown
Military leaders
Trump calls 800 military leaders in for a conference. He explains that they need to follow his nonsensical directions and everyone get into shape. This hogwash is coming from a renowned draft dodger who is a minimum of 100 pounds overweight. He is speaking to Generals and Admirals who have proven their military expertise over many years and have shown that they can administer far beyond the capabilities of our fearless leader. Does this individual have no sense of realism? Does he ever look at himself and realize that he is a blustery fat boy who has no conception of what the military is all about? I recall reading about Hitler downplaying his experts and being proven wrong to the detriment of the German nation. I wish our military professionals were not subjected to the embarrassment of listening to a man who has absolutely no background in anything but bullying, lying and ridicule.
Philip Reinecker
East side
Antifa as political scapegoat
Despite what some may want to believe about Antifa, it is not an extreme leftist group or a group of any kind. No leader, no black uniforms, no vests, gas masks, head coverings with slits for their eyes, and no one is funding it. Antifa is an ideology that is opposed to fascism but Trump wants to designate this Antifa boogeyman as a “terrorist organization” in order to quell any protests against his illegal and fascists policies.
On the other hand, ICE appears to be a well-funded ($28.7 billion for fiscal 2025) terrorist organization. With all the expensive armament they could want, federal agents recently raided a residential Chicago apartment building. They violently and indiscriminately dragged families out into the street, broke down doors, used drones and even had agents repel from a helicopter onto the building. No warrants, no due process. Americans who value democracy must oppose this authoritarian regime.
Karen Allison
Three Points
TRIO programs
The US Department of Education has canceled the highly successful Trio Upward Bound grant programs at Pima Community College because of dubious reasons. The cancellation letter states the programs are being canceled because of a Pima statement that mentions equity and a plan to provide racial justice workshops to the students. These things are not actually in the grant proposal. The phenomenal students at Desert View and Sunnyside High Schools stand to lose $3 million in college readiness services while Tucson at large will lose $7.5 million total. The Upward Bound Program at Desert Vista Campus is highly successful, meeting all of its objectives the past 5 years, including an over 50% college graduation rate each year. In 2024 it partnered with NASA for the Education Downlinks program whereby students were able to ask questions of astronaut Jeanette Epps at the International Space Station. I highly encourage the Pima Governing Board to file a lawsuit to reinstate the funding.
Marisa Morales
South Tucson
Government shutdown
The key point Democratic senators are concerned about is the extension of enhanced subsidies for health insurance.
These were put in place as temporary subsidies under President Biden due to Covid a few years back. They were extended once, and do not expire for a few more months, allowing plenty of time to negotiate about them.
Democrat Senators should vote to pass the continuing resolution to fund the government as has been done numerous times before and negotiate the sticking points later.
Instead, Democratic senators choose to shutdown the government, causing financial pain to millions of tax paying citizens, while they continue to be paid.
The unthinking self-centered Democratic senators should be ashamed of themselves.
Matthew Scully
Sahuarita
Blame game
Remember back in 2013 when Trump said “A shutdown falls on the President’s lack of leadership. I mean problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top. A shutdown means the President is weak.” Trump is the President and his party controls both houses of Congress. Prioritizing cruelty over caring, the Republicans keep regurgitating another big lie that the Dems want to fund health care for the undocumented, which is absurd and illegal. Or, we can’t afford it, while they provide a $20 billion bailout to Argentina, $70 billion bailout for soybean producers because of Trump’s disastrous trade wars, or funding Israel’s genocide in Gaza. No loss of pay for Congress while they force other Federal workers to do without. There would be no shutdown if the Republicans actually cared about protecting the health care of Americans. The fish rots at the head.
Stanley Steik
Midtown
- Joe Turner, East side
Conservatives never build, expand or create anything that we Americans want or need.
Rather, they take away. Take away our rights, our freedoms, our thoughts.
They want to be in our bathrooms, bedrooms, doctor’s office, even in our heads. Now, they want to dictate the NFL Halftime show.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the Republicans actually did real work that they were elected and paid by the American people to do? Like drafting one piece of legislation that actually benefits the citizens and small businesses of this country.
I must be dreaming. They’d rather funnel more wealth into the bulging pockets of their billionaire patrons while they find the nearest camera to bleat their latest culture-war outrage as distraction.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if these fools were finally tripped up by ... a bunny?
Joe Turner
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Government shut down months ago
Beyond their inability to balance the federal budget, the U.S. government has been largely funded by Continuing Resolutions (CRs) for decades. The Congress then rolls their 12 unpassed appropriation bills into Omnibus packages like the “Big Beautiful Bill” that are passed as a CR on a single up or down vote later in the fiscal year. This, in turn, requires block voting by party and no compromises. Some politicians appreciate these huge Omnibus bills too large to evaluate, because they can point to some funding stuck in for their constituents, avoid responsibility for other politically hazardous measures and not have to compromise on anything. This year, with hundreds of thousands of government employees laid off and appropriated funds unspent or redirected, our government has really been shut down for months. If you wonder why the power of the purse is being ignored by recent presidents and the Supreme Court, look no further. Don’t be fooled. Until we have representatives trying to solve the real issues, our pain will continue.
Frank Hartline
Foothills
SNAP on the chopping block
On Sept. 30, SNAP-Ed — the education arm of SNAP — ended in Arizona after federal funding was cut. But this isn’t just about nutrition classes. It’s a warning sign that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program itself, which helps families put food on the table, could be next. SNAP has long been a lifeline: Nearly 1 in 9 Arizonans rely on SNAP, and about 70% of SNAP households include children.
Nationally, new legislation will make it harder for states to sustain SNAP. States with high payment error rates must now pay up to 15% of benefit costs. On top of that, the federal government is reducing its share of administrative costs from 50% to 25% by FY 2027, leaving states to cover 75%. These cost shifts could total hundreds of millions and jeopardize food access for families.
Arizona now has an easy avenue to cut SNAP. But what’s easier than settling? Selling. Accountability is cheaper, and it feeds families.
Mariah Quinn
Midtown
Response to Tim Steller
After reading your article, “Time to focus on Securing Public Spaces” (Sept. 28), I felt somewhat hopeful. Three days before, my 3 1/2 yr old granddaughter and I had a frightening experience at Catalina Park. Six “unhoused” individuals had taken over the play structure. Two of them were cooking dope, and in other parts of the park, several adult males were in various states of delusion or slumped against trees. The police were called, and their response was “our hands are tied.” As Tucson’s “unhoused” population and open drug use continues to invade our neighborhoods, people will move out of this once-vibrant historic neighborhood. Businesses will close, and the effects will be felt throughout the district. Clearly, it is time for another approach where the homeowner, taxpayer, small business owner and our children will be considered. We need to protect our kids’ spaces and support our local law enforcement.
Rebecca Paradies
Foothills
Jimmy Kimmel
The Jimmy Kimmel issue is a test for democracy and is hardly over. It is another crystal-clear example of Trump using his governmental power to force a privately owned media company into changing its content. In this case, it’s for a very specific reason: The president can’t stand being criticized night after night.
After Kimmel was reinstated, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post: “Last time I went after them (ABC), they gave me $16 Million. This one sounds even more lucrative.”
The Trump shakedown is still alive and well.
Steven Freeman
East side
Rogue government
This government administration has gone rogue. The Coronado National Forest website and USDA website posted the following:
“The Radical Left Democrats shut down the government. This government website will be updated periodically during the funding lapse for mission critical functions. President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people.”
Those responsible should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Perhaps the National Guard should be posted at various governmental agencies.
Dennis Winsten
Northeast side
We are at war with us
On Sept. 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland to begin WWII.
On Oct. 1, 2025, Donald J. Trump and Pete Hegseth declared war on the United States of America, as witnessed by 800 generals, admirals and other top brass.
Trump and Hegseth told these 800 generals, who took oaths to defend the Constitution, to violate their loyalty to the Constitution. They told them to be loyal to Trump (and Hegseth), and to use American cities for military combat training. We are now “the enemy within.”
Judge for yourselves.
As Wikipedia explains, ”Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian and ultranationalist political ideology and movement that rose to prominence in 1930’s Europe. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of oppositions and enemies, belief in a natural social hierarchy, subordination of individual interests to the perceived interests of the nation, religion or race and strong regimentation of society and the economy. Opposed to communism, democracy, liberalism, pluralism and socialism.”
Sound familiar?
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Yearning for a positive word
It appears that a certain proportion of your readership is perpetually upset due to the belief that the Star does not print enough pro-Trump letters to the editor. The newspaper more than makes up for it by featuring his proclamations — with pictures too — multiple times throughout each edition, including the front page. Perhaps the negative posture of his announcements, so well packed with vengeance, pettiness, derogatoriness, and vindictiveness, etc., makes them yearn for a positive word occasionally. Sorry, folks, negativity is all you are going to get from him.
John Attardi
Green Valley
Counterfeit medications can be dangerous
Taking generic medications is one thing, but taking counterfeit or knock-off medications is another. As a retired health care professional, I’m extremely concerned that people are seeing these ads for compounded GLP-1 medications and are thinking they are just as safe as the brand-name GLP-1s that we have come to know. They are not. Oftentimes, they are made with ingredients that were brought over from nations like China or India, whose standards are certainly not as high as we have in the U.S. — that is if those standards exist at all. That creates a dangerous situation where folks are putting these treatments into their body without knowing what exactly is in them. We need Arizona leaders, including Attorney General Kris Mayes, to strengthen the enforcement on these compounding pharmacies that are putting these potentially harmful medications on the market. It is illegal, unsafe, and it could be deadly.
Linda Wieczornzki
Midtown
The difference
I believe that the fundamental difference between a riot and a peaceful demonstration lies in the presence of violence, disorder, and illegal behavior.
Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, Christians and atheists, need to acknowledge the difference.
The First Amendment in the U.S. guarantees the right to assemble peaceably. This includes public expression of disapproval or dissent through lawful means like marching, chanting, holding signs, speeches or vigils.
A demonstration may openly express a viewpoint, advocate for change, or draw attention to an issue.
A riot is tumultuous, disorderly, and destructive. It involves acts such as looting, arson, vandalism, and assault.
It tends to cause chaos, destruction, or harm, often stemming from extreme anger or frustration.
A riot is a criminal offense that is not protected by law.
There is no justification for rioting in America.
A demonstration, even if it begins peacefully, can escalate and be legally classified as a riot if individuals within the crowd start to engage in violence or destruction.
Tom McGorray
Northwest side
- Toni Kane, Oro Valley
Nothing is ever enough for Trump, and I have had enough of him. His words reek of insincerity, and his efforts carry the stench of fascism. It is time to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove him from office. He has not made America great again. He has done quite the opposite. We are no longer perceived as the "great" United States, and we should all be ashamed.
Toni Kane
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Lane Randolph, East side
Interesting how the Republicans have shut down the government to prevent the Epstein files from being released.
Lane Randolph
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
This Democrat urges: End shutdown now
Dear Senators Kelly, Gallego, Schumer,
With President Trump’s popularity sinking in August opinion polls, Democrats’ chances to win control of the House of Representatives next year looked promising. Now, I fear that with the best of intentions, Democrats have committed a dreadful political miscalculation.
Senate Democrats are using the current government shutdown to demand Republicans scrap their plans to cut Medicaid and other health programs packed into Trump’s Big Ugly Bill.
Democrats blame the GOP for not compromising on health care. But their pleas get lost in the all-out roar of the Big Megaphone used by Trump and minions. They charge that leftists are holding the country hostage with the shutdown. They talk of firing thousands of government employees and pinning the blame on Democrats.
This is a no-win situation for Dems.
This no-win situation imperils Democrats’ election prospects in 2026. End the shutdown now. Concentrate on winning the 2026 congressional races. After that, fight to end the harsh, evil provisions of the Big Ugly.
Frank Sotomayor
West side
Punishment not the answer
Like Councilwoman Nikki Lee, I wish fewer Tucson citizens suffered through drug addiction. Like her, I would prefer not to see drug use on our streets. Unlike her, however, I recognize that imposing more criminal punishment will not solve this problem. Based on the available evidence, sentences of incarceration have no measurable, deterrent effect on future crime, and incarceration appears to slightly increase crime owing to its criminogenic effects.
In addition, criminal punishment is not an effective way to mitigate problems of substance abuse. After fifty years of increased drug criminalization, illegal drugs are more widely available and more potent than ever, and overdose deaths are at an all-time high. What is more, incarceration causes massive collateral damage, including the separation of families, loss of jobs, and reduced life expectancy.
Elizabeth Jaeger
Midtown
Political boycotts
Recent letters from Jackie Marshall and Valerie Golembiewski have me thinking about political boycotts.
One side once demanded that we drive by Target because they were showcasing offensive merchandise, and today we’re asked by the other side to boycott them because they have reversed that policy. I shop there.
Ben & Jerry’s openly embraced their progressive values and let consumers decide whether to support them. Their ice cream is delicious, and I’m a customer despite their destructive politics.
Jane Fonda, aka “Hanoi Jane” from the Vietnam War era, committed treason, yet her talent as an actress is undeniable. I watch her films, separating her art from her actions.
Elon Musk just canceled his Netflix subscription because it markets transgender content to young children. I remain a subscriber while writer Golembiewski says she would never buy a Tesla.
The marketplace is not the battleground for ideological wars. Reducing political divisiveness starts with respecting others’ right to their view and their product without punishment.
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
Callous disregard
Juan Ciscomani, in his recent “Weekly Note,” conveyed that he had done his job on the Appropriations Committee by fully funding the government into November. What he did was secure a tax cut for the very rich by cutting health care for the poor. I think that his callous disregard for the welfare of his constituents is shockingly cruel.
Kathryn Pensinger
Foothills
Ciscomani’s government shutdown
More than 30,000 people in Republican Juan Ciscomani’s CD6 district will see their health care costs rise if Republicans let critical tax credits expire. Annual premiums for a 60-year-old couple earning $82,800 a year will rise by $11,127 (160%). A family of four earning $64,000 annual premiums will rise by $2,571 (190%). A family of four earning $129,800 annual premiums will rise by $3,979 (36%). Thousands in Ciscomani’s CD6 District will lose their health coverage because of the Republican health care crisis so that billionaires can receive a tax cut.
In Ciscomani’s district, 20,539 people will lose access to health coverage because of Republican cuts to Medicaid. In Ciscomani’s district, 13,900 people will lose access to health coverage because of Republicans’ refusal to extend health care tax credits for the ACA.
A total of 34,439 people will lose health coverage because of Republican cuts to Medicaid, Arizona Health Care (AHCCCS) and tax credits for the Affordable Care Act.
Rachel Rulmyr
Oro Valley
Firearm veneration
In my opinion, the core problem with historic and current violence in America is this: too many non-law enforcement people have been taught that shooting someone is a legitimate method for solving problems, especially if one is angry or frightened, and especially if one is able to portray the shooting as self-defense or for a greater good. It isn’t. This ideology is toxic. For far too long, it has been extolled as honorable — in numerous movies, video games, and inexcusably, by too many leaders in government, media, and even religion.
Ron Rude
West side
Trump
Nothing is ever enough for Trump, and I have had enough of him. His words reek of insincerity, and his efforts carry the stench of fascism. It is time to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove him from office. He has not made America great again. He has done quite the opposite. We are no longer perceived as the “great” United States, and we should all be ashamed.
Toni Kane
Oro Valley
USDA website posting?
This morning, this was posted on the U.S. Department of Agriculture website: “Due to the Radical Left Democrat shutdown, this government website will not be updated during the funding lapse. President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who fee, fuel, and clothe the American people.” When did the USDA become the propaganda wing of the Republican Party? And since the Republican Party controls the House, Senate, Presidency and, for all intents and purposes, the Supreme Court, where is the logic in blaming the shutdown on the Democrats?
Gerry Bates
Sahuarita
Gaza
Many times, LTEers have criticized Israel for its actions in Gaza. There is no doubt that many Gazans have lost their lives in this conflict. These same LTEers demand the withdrawal of Israel from Gaza, no questions asked, no realization that Israel is fighting for its very survival and not demanding the return of the hostages that still remain in the tunnels of Gaza. What has never been mentioned in all of the submittals is a demand that Hamas vacate Gaza. If they did leave, the conflict would end, and the rebuilding process could commence. Why are the inconceivably rich neighboring Arab nations not stepping in and demanding the exit of Hamas so the Gaza residents can once again resume a semi-normal life? To put the entire blame on Israel, which is only trying to ensure its very existence on this earth, is absurd.
Loyal M. Johnson Jr.
Oro Valley
Whose shutdown?
CD 6 Congressman Juan Ciscomani sent out his weekly newsletter, informing its readers that the House did the right thing in passing a 7-week stopgap continuing resolution and going home. Mind you, this bill was crafted and passed by a tiny Republican majority, acting at the behest of the President and with no minority Democratic participation. Knowing that the Senate would be hard-pressed to agree to their bill and removed from the scene, Republicans like Mr. Ciscomani spent last week drafting newsletters like the one I just read, but not defending their Big, Beautiful Bill’s cuts to Medicaid and Medicare in face-to-face meetings with their unhappy constituents. And of course, it is those President-demanded cuts Democrats in the House and Senate continue to attempt to mitigate. And of course, this is why we don’t find Mr. Ciscomani in supermarket parking lots discussing his remarkably sycophantic record with his constituency.
Frank Bergen
Northwest side
The gathering
A multitude of senior military personnel of all genders and races gathered at Quantico at the behest of Secretary of Defense (War) .. They sat in stoic silence, even though baited by their CIC with applause if you want, don’t laugh and leave if you want. I wonder how that would have played out if all of them had walked out en masse? But they sat in silence. Maybe the Hatch Act in their mind? Dedication to the Constitution of the USA, which they serve and in some cases also have shed blood. I applaud them for their professional demeanor. Silence can speak volumes. I’m certain a few had served on submarines. Run silent, run deep.
EM1(SS) LCDR USN (Ret),
Gerald Schwartz
Foothills
Where your tax dollars go
You think an immigrant in the ER is stealing your money? Not billionaires with 10 homes, three yachts, private jets and with a golden toilet? You have been brainwashed.
Terry Louck
East side
Democratic delay tactics
Adelita Grijalva and her Democratic allies have criticized the delay in her swearing-in for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District (CD 7), but their complaints ring hollow given the district’s extended lack of effective representation. CD 7 has been without a voting voice in Congress for over a year, stemming from Raul Grijalva’s lung cancer diagnosis on April 2, 2024. Despite his illness, Raul sought re-election, missing 88% of votes in 2024 and over 300 votes since February 2024, before his death on March 13, 2025. His choice to stay in office postponed a special election, which had predictably low turnout. Adelita won the Sept. 23 special election, but House Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to delay her oath until October 7 has drawn Democratic indignation. Ultimately, the prolonged lack of representation stems from Democratic strategies surrounding the special election process.
Maggie Michel
Midtown
The second pandemic
Remember during the COVID pandemic, when we were locked down, grocery prices were outrageously high, people were separated by illness, and people feared for their lives? We are right there again. However, this time it is a man-made pandemic instituted by Trump and this Administration. Prices are sky-high for everything from eggs to gasoline. What? Trump didn’t lower prices on his first day? He didn’t stop the wars in Gaza and Ukraine? No. Instead, he started a war on the American people, immigrants, trans people, higher education, and is preparing to go to “war” in our own country with our own military against us. Additionally, he has completely abandoned our allies. The sands of democracy are not falling slowly through the hourglass; the glass has been broken, and democracy is on its knees. What are we willing to do to stop this?
Terri Hicks
Northwest side
Government shut down over Epstein files
Interesting how the Republicans have shut down the government to prevent the Epstein files from being released.
Lane Randolph
East side
$20 billion to Argentina
Why are we sending $20 billion to Argentina?
Can’t anyone stop this madness?
Paula Cooper
Tubac
Epstein files
Is there anyone who doesn’t believe Trump figures prominently in the Epstein files? Speaker Johnson recessed the House early to prevent a vote on releasing the files. Now he’s slow-walking Grijalva’s swearing in, in an attempt to delay the vote. The White House is pressuring Republican House members to change their vote. If there’s nothing there, why all the attempts to stop the release? Trump has stated that he and Epstein broke up variously due to property disputes or Epstein stealing girls from him, as if they were his property.
Craig Miller
Northwest side
Government shutdown
A government shutdown is now upon us. Despite Republican talking points that ridiculously attempt to blame undocumented immigrants, transgender Americans, and Democrats for this mess, the shutdown lies squarely in the hands of the GOP, who hold a majority in both the House and Senate. Taking their marching orders directly from Donald Trump, Republicans in Congress have embraced cruelty in the form of their Big, Awful Bill that will strip millions of their healthcare and have abandoned any need to provide checks and balances for an out-of-control Chief Executive.
Enabling this situation is Congressman Juan Ciscomani, who has engaged in a nonstop campaign of gaslighting his constituents and sanitizing his own complicity in this mess. Rep. Ciscomani has all but abandoned holding town hall meetings and facilitates the toxic politics of MAGA. We in the 6th Congressional District deserve better representation from our Congressman in Washington.
Rahul Sivaprasad
Northwest side
Partisan politics at the VA
As a Navy veteran entitled to VA benefits, I receive a weekly newsletter from the VA. Today’s edition states that “... Trump opposes a lapse in appropriations ...” and specifically blames the Democrats for “...blocking the Continuing Resolution in the U.S. Senate due to unrelated policy demands.” This is a direct violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits the use of government resources for partisan gain.
Joel Yelland
Northwest side
The ‘N’ word
Nincompoop is another “N” word that the Generals were thinking when they sat there listening to the Big Bozo and his lackey. They sat silent as this was another “N” word that you couldn’t say.
Bozo No. 2 strutted across the stage thinking he was General Patton giving a pep talk. It was like a third-grader who just mastered “times tables” giving a lecture on mathematics to college professors.
Divergent thought among groups is paramount from keeping groups sliding to a right or left direction that ultimately finds the group going in circles. The loyalty demand of “my way or the highway” leaves talent undisclosed.
Placing troops in cities can have a positive effect if the troops shoot grappling hooks onto skyscrapers, rappelling back and forth, up and down, maybe washing windows on the way. The ropes can hold ornaments and tinsel at Christmas.
Wreak havoc where you can and see where this takes you seems to be the direction of this administration.
A Painfully Pitiful Performance.
Ed LeGendre
East side
Antifa
Recently, there was a letter published from one who was praising Antifa. I lived in Portland for years and witnessed firsthand what Antifa is and their tactics. Their legends dress in black with a head covering everything but their eyes. They are an extreme leftist group that hates America and has rightfully been named recently as a terrorist group. Some years ago they burned federal buildings in Portland, beat up a reporter who was hospitalized for his injuries. This group is well funded as they all wear the same color vests, gas masks. For anyone to find any good in this group has to be demented. Now that they have received national attention, hopefully their source of funding will be found and the group will be apprehended.
Bill Dowdall
Oro Valley
How small can one man be?
We need look no further than House Majority leader Mike Johnson, who has yet to swear in Adelita Grijalva, who was duly elected to the US House of Representatives on September 23rd.
Although Speaker Johnson swore in Representative James Walkinshaw based on unofficial results the day after his Sept. 9 election, he has refused to acknowledge Grijalva, who won her seat by a decisive two-to-one margin, nor has he put her swearing-in date on the legislative calendar.
Ignoring congressional bipartisan support for Grijalva, Johnson’s stonewalling is clearly an effort to prevent her from signing a House petition that would force a vote to release the Epstein files.
For his failure to perform a basic function of his office and his willingness to play petty politics and deny 800,000 Arizonans in CD7 the representation they deserve, Johnson is not measuring up to his job. Instead, he is proving himself to be a small, mean-spirited man who should be removed.
J.B. Marshall
Oro Valley
UA’s poor judgment
The University of AZ Provost Prelock reports a 23% loss in out-of-state students and a 9% loss in foreign students for whom the tuition is $43,100. This is in exchange for a 10% increase in AZ students whose tuition is $13,900. I question her statement that this was a plan. The math makes no sense. Also, what thinking, loving parent would purposely send their child to a university far from home that was among the first and few to rollover and axe their DEI programs at Trump’s request?
“University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella acted quickly to comply with Trump administration orders to end DEI programs.” AZ Daily Star
To their credit, 91% of the faculty voted non-support for their president’s action. To add insult to injury, the AZ Board of Regents just awarded President Garimella more than $250,000 bonus for less than a year’s efforts. In my view, the citizens of Arizona deserve better for their tax dollars.
David Rollins
North side
Organ donation
The letter reminding us to become organ donors was so important. It is the final act you can do to respect others in this age of disrespect. Our son, whose life was serving others, would go on. Walking the Honor Walk the day of our son’s passing was the most difficult as well as the most rewarding walk ever taken. Knowing he would live on in the recipient made us happy. His was the only donation in the state of Arizona that day. That made us sad. Please become an organ donor.
Sandy Mason
Northwest side
Immigrants not taking American jobs
On the contrary, immigrants help and facilitate American jobs. This is from the Brookings Institution, Economic Policy Institute and the American Immigration Council. Plenty more sources are available. Americans pay less thanks to the immigrants.
President Trump needed something to run on. He even admitted it. Conservative republicans were extremely mad at Trump for ruining a bipartisan bill that favored conservatives. Trump said he was worried it would help Biden. The Bill was called S. 4361, the Border Act of 2024. This was almost identical to a previous one written by the Republicans.
The rhetoric suggesting so many immigrants are murderers or rapists or criminals is false, do your research. Yes, many are suspected of breaking misdemeanor laws, but we will never know without due process and the lack of following the “rule of law” and who cares about misdemeanors. Trump failed to bring down costs.
This is a con. Just like the tariffs. Follow the law and resist.
Dan Bannon
Midtown
Antifa are those against fascism
Trump declared “Antifa” a well-organized terrorist organization, funded by Soros and “Democrat terrorists.” He blamed Antifa for everything during his first term, believing they were a Black terrorist group. There are no antifa-ists at protests, just people holding signs saying Antifa.
So he’s reestablishing his hallucinatory “Quixote’s windmill ‘giants’” If he actually attended classes and took the exams his stand-in did, he might have understood that Quixote was a fictional person and Antifa means Anti-Fascism.
The irony: the demented, schizophrenic, child-president is illegally setting our American military upon American cities and citizens, claiming the “enemy is within.” You and I are the enemy? Who owns the guns? Who attacked Congress? Who told generals to use American cities for military combat training? Trump and Hegseth instructed our generals to feel free to attack citizens on our soil. He especially wants to capture Antifa’s leaders.
Trump sends troops against anti-fascists protesting against fascism, without realizing — he’s the one they’re protesting against.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
MAGA values
Recently, a woman asked me why I was wearing my “resist” button as I entered the grocery store; I responded, “Because many Americans can’t afford the Felonious Occupant’s tariffs.” She said, “Things are just fine in my world.”
One of today’s LTEs reminded me of that chat. The writer argued that it’s not “worth it” to hold up the spending bill for the benefit of JUST 20.8 million of his fellow Americans.
Both remarks reflect the way most MAGAs view their world: They can afford to absorb huge tariff-induced increases in the cost of everything, so who cares about some single mom working as a waitress? They aren’t worried about losing their medical coverage, so who cares about older people who go without a doctor’s care?
They’re not affected by ICE raids. There are no armed soldiers patrolling their neighborhoods. They’ll get by just fine after cuts to Medicare. Who cares?
MAGA world, courtesy of the Felonious Occupant.
Resist.
Jim Christ
East side
The final harbor
Recent LTEs about the cost to Tucson’s environment if a data center became our reality were spirited and heartfelt. One in particular, from a writer I normally disagree with, was prescient. He wrote that our unwillingness to give up our gadgets and new technologies is why we need data centers at all.
We are the problem.
His letter reminded me of a weekend in upstate NY I spent in our then country house when the power went out. I kept warm and cooked by a Franklin stove, using candles to read at night while yearning for the power to be restored. And I wrote about humankind’s quest for power, knowledge and conquest. The final stanza agreed with the letter writer:
“Through galaxies of time and space
They quested past each wondrous place
They soared and sailed and quested farther
Oh when and where the final harbor”
There is no final harbor I fear.
Our egos won’t allow it.
Karen Papagapitos
Northwest side
- Karen Papagapitos, Northwest side
Recent LTEs about the cost to Tucson’s environment if a data center became our reality were spirited and heartfelt. One in particular, from a writer I normally disagree with, was prescient. He wrote that our unwillingness to give up our gadgets and new technologies is why we need data centers at all.
We are the problem.
His letter reminded me of a weekend in upstate NY I spent in our then country house when the power went out. I kept warm and cooked by a Franklin stove, using candles to read at night while yearning for the power to be restored. And I wrote about humankind’s quest for power, knowledge and conquest. The final stanza agreed with the letter writer:
“Through galaxies of time and space
They quested past each wondrous place
They soared and sailed and quested farther
Oh when and where the final harbor”
There is no final harbor I fear.
Our egos won’t allow it.
Karen Papagapitos
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Brian Templet, East side
Today, I searched the Sabino Canyon section of the US Forest Service website to determine if the area was open or closed during the current government shutdown. A note on the website states that it is an official website of the United States Government.
There is a message on the website stating this:
"The Radical Left Democrats shutdown the government. This website will be updated periodically during the funding lapse for mission critical functions. President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people."
In my opinion, this is a blatant political statement, a weapon directed at a particular political party, and clearly illegal. It has no place on an "official government website."
Please contact your government representatives and ask what they are going to do about it.
Brian Templet
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Barbara Strelke, Midtown
My partner, a Vietnam-era vet, received an appalling email from the Veterans Administration that blames the Democrats for the shutdown. Shameless. I suspect copy was sent by the Trump Administration and the subordinates at the VA, of whatever level, felt obligated to comply. The irony is that Trump when he wasn't president in April 2011, said that the president would be blamed for a shutdown. "He's the one that (sic) has to get people together."
Barbara Strelke
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Lois Eisenstein, Midtown
Yesterday, on the anniversary of Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland, Secy Hegseth and President Trump disgraced themselves before 800 assembled US Generals and the world. A few questions for our Congressional representatives: How do you feel about armed troops potentially being deployed to "wage war" on American cities? How did it make you feel when diversity in the military was attacked as a weakness? Were you alarmed by Hegseth's ignorance and arrogant posturing, and by the president's inappropriate remarks about ignoring standards of decency and law? Each of you has expressed your goal of honoring our military men and women, and you swore an oath to uphold and defend the US Constitution. Your community is waiting for you to live up to these obligations and to speak out loudly in protest.
Lois Eisenstein
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Terry Louck, East side
My greatest hope for democracy is that 800 of the world's greatest military minds are flying back to their posts with a solid realization that it's up to them to save this country from this corrupt administration.
Terry Louck
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Grijalva swearing-in
Several readers, together with the Star’s Editorial Board, castigate Speaker Johnson for failure to swear in Adelita Grijalva immediately, and attribute this inaction to partisan politics.
Well, partisan politics works both ways. For some unknown reason, the State of Arizona has not yet certified her election, the normal (but admittedly not absolute) prerequisite for enrolling a new member. This does suggest that the Democrats might rather have a talking point than a simple resolution of the issue. It wouldn’t be the first time that either side used such a tactic.
Jerrod Mason
Green Valley
Let’s call it what it is …
When governments kill civilians of a foreign country without declaring war or without due process in the courts, it is murder. Because a government thinks or somehow believes wrongdoing is being committed by foreign citizens, it does not have the right to pronounce guilt and impose immediate capital punishment. What the United States did to the suspected drug smugglers off Venezuela was murder. No due process, no armed threat detected, no imminent danger, no trial — just murder. What makes it even sadder is the fact that our military carried out the unlawful order without hesitation, without question, without mass protests or resignations, without shame. In the aftermath, the so-called free press remains silent, and I think obedient to the government.
Carl Foster
Green Valley
Maternal, child health threatened
President Trump’s recent remarks discouraging Tylenol use in pregnancy and reviving discredited vaccine autism claims illustrate how misinformation from high-profile figures can destabilize public health systems. The scientific consensus is clear: Acetaminophen remains an appropriate treatment for fever in pregnancy, and vaccines do not cause autism. To suggest otherwise risks undermining maternal health by discouraging safe symptom management and weakening childhood immunization adherence.
From a public health perspective, such statements distort risk communication and exacerbate distrust in health systems. For pregnant individuals and parents already navigating complex medical choices, conflicting and misleading guidance can further amplify anxiety, disrupt continuity of care, and increase adverse health outcomes.
Autism is a multifactorial developmental condition, and oversimplified causal claims not only obscure the complexity of ongoing research but also stigmatize families living with autism. Evidence-based communication is essential to protecting maternal and child health. Policy makers must prioritize clarity, accuracy and trust, rather than perpetuating myths.
Master of Public Health student,
Stephanie Hernandez
West side
Warrior ethos vs. truth
Not many folks today remember the true heroes of the last world war fought by American soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen. They weren’t Rambo wannabe knobs like Pete Hegseth … not to mention DJ Trump (who would never be caught dead near a war zone, ever). They came, almost exclusively, from the working class. People who were too busy earning a living to preen and posture before generals and cameras. This idiotic spectacle was a disgrace to their memory and valiant service.
Rich Ragland
Marana
The ‘worst of the worst’?
President Trump and his border “czar” keep maintaining they are after the “worst of the worst” during their immigration deportation drive. That sounds great, go after the cartel lords, the drug smugglers, the human traffickers. News flash, those people are not working at Home Depot or standing outside looking for day work. They are not at Starbucks, they are not picking fruits and vegetables or packing meat, they are not building a Hyundai battery plant. Neither are they caregivers at nursing homes nor attending college. Those people are not harming us, but the hackers, the scam artists, the fraudsters, and the tax cheats the FBI and IRS agents were investigating before being reassigned to immigration patrols at the above-mentioned sites are causing great damage to our country. So, what is really going on?
Don Ries
Southeast side
Safeguard our right to vote
After all of his rambling, the shock came: Trump announced to the more than 800 military leaders present that civil disobedience in American blue cities presented the perfect training ground for preparing military training operations. Can there be any doubt that if Trump’s ordered redistricting (gerrymandering) fails to garner the votes he needs, the administration will fake the need for military control to interfere with and even prevent voting? He knows that the polls are showing disapproval of his methods and some policies, and what does Trump do when there are critics? He goes after them. What hasn’t registered yet, however, is that disapproval of him exists in the so-called red states also. We must be vigilant and safeguard our right to vote.
Barbara Benjamin
Foothills
Most interesting
I was astonished and elated with Tim Stellars’ article in the Sept. 28 Star. He noted that homelessness in Tucson was an actual problem and current policies were not successful. He went on to posit several alternative policies that may be appropriate for at least portions of the homeless population. He stated that average Tucson citizens should not be the victims of a failed homeless policy. Kudos to Tim for his courage. Possibly, the same approach could be used to address illegal immigration and the removal of criminal illegal aliens while still providing a less aggressive action for long-standing, law-abiding illegal entrants. In addition, how best to reform the K through 12 education system, which is now an abysmal failure in many locations. Tim’s whole point was that to solve problems, first you must admit there is a problem, secondly you must stop demeaning anyone who has an alternate position, and thirdly, the intended goal must be defined and all actions designed to achieve that goal.
Loyal M. Johnson Jr.
Oro Valley
Trump’s military pep talk
My greatest hope for democracy is that 800 of the world’s greatest military minds are flying back to their posts with a solid realization that it’s up to them to save this country from this corrupt administration.
Terry Louck
East side
Arizona football
As an alum, I have to say I’m enjoying the heck out of Arizona football this year. I just read a disappointing LTE saying “they expected more from the Cats against ISU.” I didn’t. I thought they’d get beat up. And they did considering ISU’s big lineup. Had it not been for so many “dropped” passes, they would have been in it. The defense played very well.
Hawaii is now 4-,2 and Arizona beat them handily. They weren’t a cupcake.
I expect Arizona to beat OSU this weekend, which would put them two games away from bowl eligibility. They will be bowl eligible this year.
I still recall the losing streak.
This team makes me want to watch Arizona football. I think if the locals can believe the same and support the team, close games might become easier wins for the Cats at Arizona Stadium. Bear down!
John Bingham
Northwest side
Ciscomani shutdown
By voting to shut down the federal government, Congressman Ciscomani is holding Arizona families hostage instead of reversing the cuts he and his colleagues made to health care and food assistance this summer. Those cuts hit seniors, children, and struggling families, while his party advanced massive tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans and corporations.
Now, thousands of federal workers in Arizona face unpaid furloughs. Families wonder how to put food on the table. Veterans face delays in the benefits they earned. Small businesses that depend on federal services are left in limbo.
This crisis was preventable. Congress had one job: Keep the government open. Instead, Ciscomani chose politics over responsibility, all while he and his colleagues watch the administration post racist messages on Truth Social.
Arizonans deserve leaders who put communities first, not party extremists or wealthy donors. Ciscomani must end this shutdown, restore the funding cuts, and do the job he was elected to do.
Omar Algeciras
Vail
Military honors
On the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland, Secy Hegseth and President Trump disgraced themselves before 800 assembled U.S. Generals and the world. A few questions for our Congressional representatives: How do you feel about armed troops potentially being deployed to “wage war” on American cities? How did it make you feel when diversity in the military was attacked as a weakness? Were you alarmed by Hegseth’s ignorance and arrogant posturing, and by the president’s inappropriate remarks about ignoring standards of decency and law? Each of you has expressed your goal of honoring our military men and women, and you swore an oath to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution. Your community is waiting for you to live up to these obligations and to speak out loudly in protest.
Lois Eisenstein
Midtown
The warrior ethos
Much has been said about the “warrior ethos,” mostly from the Secretary of War (i.e., Defense), but ultimately, the military of the smallest country to the largest nation is the same; it is a combination of all races, learning styles, talents and skills, ethics and abilities. For Mr. Hegseth to continually harp about the “warrior ethos” is to continually bray about a quality that does not exist but must be trained and practiced by every member of the military for the duration of their time as a soldier, sailor, airman/airwoman and marine – it is not something you are born with. Anyone familiar with history knows the story of Sgt. Alvin York, who first applied for conscientious deferral but later, in good conscience, decided he was upholding his beliefs as he fought in WWI, he – I believe – portrays the “warrior ethos” that is continually the subject in the news. He never set out to be a “warrior” but became one by simply doing his job and upholding his beliefs.
Richard Rebl
East side
A silent roar
Re Jackie Marshall’s LTE re boycotting, I was one of the many who cancelled my Disney+ subscription as a protest to their handling of Jimmy Kimmel. I stopped shopping at Target many months ago due to their DEI policies, and even if I could afford a Tesla, I would never buy one because of Musk.
It is so true, we have the power to hit corporations and businesses where they hurt — in their pocketbooks.
Speak up for what you believe in, both as a consumer and a voter.
Valerie Golembiewski
Southeast side
2026 campaign
For those of us who do not agree with what many of the Arizona members of our state’s US Congressional delegation as well as our local Arizona Legislative representatives support:
1) Do not believe that private fury shared within your group of like-thinkers will do any good
2) Do not believe that donating mountains of money to the candidate of your choice is enough
It will take your time and shoe leather. Get out there and assist the candidate of your choice to call on neighbors and attempt to share thoughts with them. Listen to what they have to say.
Write or call your current representatives at the state and federal level, letting them know what you believe to be important and what you expect their positions should be on the issues you care about.
Our population is growing — be the squeaky wheel.
Cindy Soffrin
Northeast side
A disappointing Speaker
When Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, was first elected, he told the country he would govern by the Bible. Many of us hoped that meant humility, honesty, compassion for the poor, and integrity. Instead, we’ve watched him walk a very different path.
Since taking the gavel, Mike Johnson has misled the public, shielded the powerful while dismissing the vulnerable, and shown little of the mercy or truth-telling the Bible instructs. Scripture says, “Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me,” but Johnson has supported policies that harm struggling families and immigrants. It says, “Do not bear false witness,” yet he defends a president whose politics thrive on conspiracy and grievance.
The Bible calls for courage and moral clarity, yet Johnson too often bends the knee to Donald Trump, echoing his falsehoods and protecting his power rather than helping people.
Lawrence Mazin
SaddleBrooke
Securing public spaces
I’m a retired police officer. I found Time Steller’s article; “Securing Public Spaces” interesting as he compared the mission to care for the homeless with the need to secure public places. In actuality, police patrols benefit not just homeowners/renters but also those who suffer from being unhoused. Sufficient numbers of police do make a difference, but we do not have enough officers to meet the demand for services. Low staffing means less coverage of hot spots. According to research from Penn University criminologist Aaron Chalfin, police staffing does help reduce homicides and other serious violent crimes. It also increases arrests for low-level offenses like liquor violations and drug possession. Per Chalfin, “an additional 10 to 17 officers hired prevented one new homicide per year.” The Tucson Police Department has the right crime response strategies; they desperately need more officers assigned to critical areas because we need more “eyes” on our problem spots. If we want better protection, we need more protectors. It’s a profession worth seeking.
Richard Harper
Northeast side
Bloomberg article
Thank you for printing such an important article. Tucsonans of Ukrainian roots appreciate this.
President Emeritus, Ukrainian American Society,
Ihor Kunasz
Northwest side
Masked men
What I recall from watching the coverage of the 2020 George Floyd protests in Portland were unidentified masked men grabbing people off the street and taking them away in unmarked cars. It was later reported that the “Department of Homeland Security, US Marshal Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Federal Protection Service, were all in Portland, deployed by Trump under Operation Diligent Valor. They were recorded using unmarked vehicles to apprehend protesters in downtown Portland. Videos circulated online showing these agents, who were often described as wearing masks and body armor, driving up to individuals, detaining them without explaining the reasons for the arrest.”
I condemn the wanton destruction of property by any group, but I also condemn the destruction of our civil rights as Americans. And one is much harder to restore than the other.
Katharine Donahue
Foothills
New name for Republicans
1. Today’s Republican Party is essentially one person — Donald Trump. What he says and does is what they are.
2. Trump repeatedly proclaims himself a “nationalist” — “America First”.
3. Commentators like George Will have questioned Trump’s government financial involvement in companies like AMD and Nvidia. When Democrats did it, it was deplored as “picking winners and losers.” Now they’re starting to call it “state socialism.”
4. Combining “nationalist” and “socialist”, we get “National Socialist”. Why not change the Republican Party’s name to “National Socialist”? Doesn’t that sound like a good name?
5. Oh wait ...
George Timson
Midtown
The Blaumilch Canal in Tucson
The Israeli author Ephraim Kishon once wrote (1952) this marvelous story of a lunatic called Blaumilch who suffers from a digging compulsion, escapes from the asylum, steals a jackhammer and compressor, and begins to dig up the main artery in Tel Aviv (movie in 1969). No one in the city bureaucracy knows who had commissioned this project, but they all assume that they are required to assist the man, who eventually creates a huge traffic disaster and senseless destruction. Since elections are coming up, no one dares to question Blaumilch’s actions, so, he eventually reaches the Mediterranean and can flood the entire city. The helpless mayor hence announces that Tel Aviv has thus become the new Venice of the Middle East.
Tucson seems to follow this model, considering the endless and useless construction projects, especially on 6th Street and on Grant Road. All motorists who are forced to use those arteries are strongly reminded of Blaumilch’s activities and a bureaucracy that does not even know what they do.
Albrecht Classen
Midtown
All the news that’s fit to print
Thank you for your commitment to keeping our local newspaper in print. I’ve been a subscriber to the Arizona Daily Star print edition for 37 years, and will continue my subscription for as long as the print edition continues. The free press is one of the last remaining bulwarks against the collapse of our democracy, which depends on literate, educated and informed citizens. There are other more instantaneous sources of information — or in many cases, misinformation and disinformation — than a local daily newspaper; but there is no substitute for reading about and reflecting upon current events to form rational, thoughtful opinions. Thanks to all at the Star who make this daily miracle possible: writers, editors, photographers, graphic artists, advertisers, subscribers, and the delivery people who rise in the middle of the night, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, to bring us the news.
Will Clipman
West side
Pointing fingers
In a childish exchange between Senator Gallegos and CD 6’s gerrymandered Representative Juan Ciscomani on the subject of the GOP shutdown, Ciscomani stated, “I did my job…”.
Au contraire, my ill-informed representative, your job is to produce an actual budget, not kick the can down the road with a CR and point fingers. You and team MAGA have the White House, Senate and House, and once again failed to do what is arguably your only job as a member of the House.
Enough distractions. Release the Epstein Files and get back to the people’s business.
Kevin Henderson
Foothills
Responding to LTEs
The last sentence of J. McConnell’s LTE of Oct. 5 stated “Reducing political divisiveness starts with respecting others’ right to their view and their product without punishment.” I fully agree, except it actually starts at the top, so please tell Mr Trump to stop the hate, retribution, threats, and demands that Democrats be “taken care of.” Just a few attempts at civility and unification could do a lot, but I’m not holding my breath.
Then the end of L. Johnson’s LTE of Oct. 5 stated “To put the entire blame on Israel [for killing 67,000 Gazans plus 6,000 more buried in the rubble, mostly women and children], which is only trying to ensure its very existence on this earth, is absurd.” The problem here is that no one is doing that, and instead, most are shocked at the mass killings and starvation of women and children and non-combatants in Gaza: a genocide without remorse, in the fight with Hamas.
Steve Cox
Northwest side
If you think things are bad now ...
For the first few months of the new Trump Administration, I was totally blown away by the planned MAGA chaos ... I thought, how are we ever going to get through this presidential term, as it seemed every traditional institution was being attacked and dismantled: The renaming and restructuring of The Kennedy Center? The re-renaming of the Cleveland Guardians baseball team back to the Cleveland Indians? What?
Then I found the antidote to my impending depression. I watched the award-winning 2012 movie directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Daniel Day-Lewis. Wow, was I inspired. That period of our history was true mess that showed what a great leader can achieve. President Lincoln and his backroom deals produced an environment that mended a fractured nation. Lincoln was the anti-Trump: No retribution, after a terrible Civil War, was needed or required.
If we could get through that period, then we can get through this. Watch the movie and be inspired. We will get through the rest of this presidential term.
Albert (Bert) Hanson
Northwest side
AG Pam Bondi, the good soldier
I watched United States Attorney General Pam Bondi’s audition for the lead in the next sequel to the movie “Mean Girls” in front of the U.S. Senate Judicial Oversight Committee. She refused to answer questions reasonably put to her by members of the Senate Committee. Instead, she repeatedly read canned non-answers and hurled personal insults at U.S. senators who had the nerve to try to exercise their purpose and obligation to do oversight. Her performance was intended and offered to an audience of one ... truly her only client, Trump. As a retired attorney and judge, I am disgusted with such a blatant and notorious violation of her ethical obligations as an attorney and oath of office as Attorney General to support and defend the Constitution of the U.S.
Paul Simon
Northwest side
Budget shutdown
I’m appalled at the GOP shutdown and the GOP lies. The shutdown is not about benefits for illegals. The GOP would rather give my hard-earned money to the wealthy supporters of the White House than help govern our country. You swore an oath to protect the U.S. and support the country fairly. This budget holdup is not about non-citizens, far from it. The GOP needs to stand up for Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, the needy and the less fortunate. It would do Republicans good to re-read their oaths of office. They should speak the truth and act accordingly. The lies are ruining our nation. And where in the world is Juan Ciscomani, Carmen San Diego? This “break” is supposed to be a time to meet in person with constituents.
Peter Bisschop
East side
More like this...
- Deb Klumpp, Oro Valley
I heard that a Fox News commentator deemed Donald Trump "most masculine president ever". Qualifying traits must be his bullying, blustering, nasty rhetoric and promises of violence -- so masculine! Such a strongman! I'm thinking that after perhaps a year on RFK Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" program, that the president might also be a candidate for People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" award. Following the MAHA plan, he could transform himself into a new model of male desirability (unlike all those "fat generals"). Women of America, stand by.
Deb Klumpp
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
‘American’ copper
Big half-page ad in Sunday’s paper for Hudbay Copper, stating “Hudbay Arizona Copper Made in America.” All true, but they left out “owned in Canada.” As someone strongly associated with American Arizona Copper, (Magma, ASARCO USA, Cyprus-Miami), I have watched foreign companies come in and totally consume our precious Copper. We may be ‘the Copper State’, but the profits all leave for foreign companies. Magma was bought and shut down by Australian Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP). ASARCO was taken over by Grupo Mexico (that’s when I quit as Chief Chemist of Silverbell), ASARCO briefly got control back in the US, until some moron Judge in Texas gave it back to Grupo. Why is Arizona allowing this?
Thad Appelman
Northwest side
Vote blue, vote education
Thanks for the story “Tucson voters to decide council seats, school bonds” that was in this past Sunday’s paper. It gave a succinct notice of the upcoming election.
With Trump’s attack on democracy seeping into local politics, I hope the city voters elect the three Democratic candidates for the Tucson City Council. With the type of leadership exemplified by Republicans Ciscomani and Christy, we can’t trust any Republican running for office.
A vote on Plan Tucson is a toss-up. It’s best to read the plan online.
As for the TUSD, Sunnyside and Flowing Wells bond overrides, I hope the voters vote “Yes” to support education. The awful Republic state leadership has forced taxpayers to self-tax to make up for Republic welfare for the well off. The Southern Arizona Leadership Council advanced arguments against Tucson Prop. 414 so taxpayers would vote “No” on Prop 414 and for RTA Next.
Education over asphalt. Vote “Yes” on the bonds. Vote “No” on RTA Next.
And vote America again — vote blue.
Matt Somers
Midtown
Repeat offenders
Last week, the current mayor of Seattle, in a debate to keep his job, gave us all an answer as to why repeat offenders so frequently end up on our streets to repeat their crimes. The mayor said that his priority “for that person who has committed six or seven crimes, is that we understand their life story.” He also said, “The issue is not how many crimes they have committed, but why they committed those crimes,” and that “I have no desire to put them in jail”.
Does the mayor realize that a criminal who is committing their sixth or seventh assault or rape might need some lengthy jail time instead of another social worker to “understand their life story”? I hope the mayor never has one of his family members be the victim of a violent crime, but he is condemning other Seattle families to that future.
With leaders like this, who needs enemies?
Tom Gordon
Northeast side
Operation circular reasoning
Donald Trump is smart. He knows that if he sends in National Guard troops to a Chicago or a Portland, it will provoke loud protests, perhaps some shoving and heckling and probably someone who crosses a real or imagined line. This will provide the pretext for establishing law and order and “proof” that the situation has gotten out of hand. He will blow it out of proportion just as he did when he sent several hundred Marines into Los Angeles to quell an isolated disturbance.
He is, without a doubt, purposely and vengefully causing a problem as an excuse to exert his power over cities that want to be left alone.
Peter Bourque
Midtown
Trump’s error
Isn’t it ironic that the man who lusts after the Nobel Peace prize should rename our defense department the War Department and allow the Secretary of that department to tell our high-ranking military officers that their troops are more likely to be deployed nationally rather than on foreign soil? Trump has declared war on his own country. Definitely not a peacemaker!
Susan Keeney
Oro Valley
Conover fails victims, community
As a former prosecutor, I am upset with the Pima County Attorney’s complete failure to seek justice in our community. Laura Conover abandons victims to give absurdly lenient pleas to violent criminals. She gave probation-available plea agreements to defendants in the Reddington Pass murder case. The victim’s family was outraged and wanted Conover removed.
Then she offered near probation to an armed defendant who threatened to kill school children with a gun. TPD was outraged.
This month, Conover offered a probation available plea to a man who shot an unarmed doctor in the back. The doctor died, and the defendant got probation. The original charge was mandatory 7 to 21 years in prison. The excuse for the light plea was “they were scared they couldn’t get a conviction!”
All these travesties of justice were orchestrated by Conover. A county attorney who treats criminals like her own clients and is afraid to try cases should find another line of work.
David Berkman
North side
Most masculine/sexiest?
I heard that a Fox News commentator deemed Donald Trump “most masculine president ever”. Qualifying traits must be his bullying, blustering, nasty rhetoric and promises of violence — so masculine! Such a strongman! I’m thinking that after perhaps a year on RFK Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” program, that the president might also be a candidate for People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” award. Following the MAHA plan, he could transform himself into a new model of male desirability (unlike all those “fat generals”). Women of America, stand by.
Deb Klumpp
Oro Valley
Trump’s concept of a plan
Now that we’re in the midst of a paralyzing government shutdown induced by the refusal of Republican plutocrats to negotiate affordable healthcare for Americans most in need, we plainly see that their brand of so-called conservatism amounts to little more than placing a thumb on the scale of social equity whenever gains are to be had while feigning allegiance to a higher principle of non-interference with the natural order.
Remember Trump’s “beautiful healthcare plan” — that once touted replacement for the Obamacare “disaster”? Always on the horizon, this “concept of a plan,” now revealed, was always to pull the rug out from under millions of Americans with compassionless disregard for the social destabilization sure to follow. As Trump and his cronies shamelessly pursue further wealth for the wealthy under the guise of conservative fiscal policy, ordinary Americans are being presented with the tab for this immoral extravagance at the expense of their health and stability. This flagrant hypocrisy makes America neither great nor healthy again.
Robert Gavlak
Midtown
Civics test
“U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Sept. 17 the implementation of the 2025 naturalization civics test as one of its many stricter naturalization policies, such as evaluations of good moral character and stricter reviews of disability exceptions.”(The Arizona Republic, David Ulloa Jr.) I’d like Congress to pass the same test. Especially the “Good Moral Character” section. How many would fail the civics test? What a bunch of baloney.
Peter Bisschop
East side
Who is to blame?
Matthew Scully blames Democratic senators for the shutdown. He thinks there is plenty of time to negotiate over the health care cuts. And then, being a good Trumplican, he insults Democratic senators.
Perhaps Mr. Scully forgets that 10 Democratic senators voted for the continuing resolution back in March after being promised that their concerns would be addressed. They were not.
There is an old proverb that applies here. “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”
Steven Brown
Midtown
University of Arizona
Former U of A President John Schaefer wrote an excellent essay about the importance of current U of A President Suresh Garimella not giving in to the US Department of Education’s demands on the University. As Schaefer, and also Michael Chihak on the same day, so wisely point out, giving a bully your lunch money will only have him demanding your jacket next time. The government’s request for influence (read control) over hiring, courses, and political balance (whatever that means) is antithetical to academic freedom and the great strides our nation has made to improve our quality of life and protect the planet, as well as discover other planets in the universe. Those seeking federal grants want to win them because of superior ideas, not because of a thumb on the evaluation scale. Don’t fall for the shiny object of big money. Take the long view and preserve the freedom of inquiry.
Tim Steller’s analysis of why the U of A was targeted was very perceptive.
Margot Garcia
Midtown
This Democrat urges: Just say no
It is common knowledge that the only way to deal with a bully is to stand up and assert yourself.
What the Democrats are holding out for amounts to $1 trillion over the next ten years. These cuts will have far-reaching consequences for millions of Medicaid recipients who lose coverage. Currently, this means 80 million low-income Americans, including children, adults, people with disabilities and seniors in nursing homes. It also means that rural health care and hospitals will be devastated. Democrats are not insisting on Medicaid benefits for undocumented residents.
This Republican “beautiful” budget bill also includes tax breaks for the top 1% of taxpayers, amounting to more than $1 billion over the next decade, with over half of that, $500 million, accruing to the top 0.1% of earners.
The Republicans’ current spending budget starkly exposes their priorities.
It almost looks like class genocide.
Cindy Soffrin
Northeast side
Editorial standards
The Oct. 3 letter by Janet Wittenbraker implores the Star to uphold its standards of factual accuracy. I wholeheartedly agree, and wonder why you published her LTE, criticizing a prior “Warrior ethos vs. truth” letter. That letter specifically identified Trump as someone “who would never be caught dead near a war zone ever.” Factually true. “Cadet Bone Spur’s” history says so. He refused to even visit a war dead cemetery in Europe because a light rain might get his hair wet. Apparently, this Ward 3 City Council candidate (yikes), struggling with reading comprehension, gave an irrelevant long-winded résumé for Pete Hegseth. Sorry: still true. Those two disgraced the memory of actual war heroes in front of a room full of true military leaders.
Gary Susko
Midtown
The bully returns
I taught at universities in Iraq and Egypt, and nearly 20 years here at the UA. The first two countries are not exactly known for an enlightened emphasis on civil rights. But never did I see the kind of heavy-handed interference in academic independence that this U.S. administration is trying to impose. The U.S. president’s bully-offer to nine universities, including the UA, of a “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” is a Faustian bargain and should be met with a unified and resounding “No.” The Board of Regents and the UA president need to stand tall and just say no. The UA faculty, staff, students and alumni will back them up and be grateful for their insistence on integrity and academic freedom. And, significantly, the Arizona legislature needs to take much more seriously its responsibility to the state universities and properly fund them. Then they will be better able to stand up to bullies.
Maggy Zanger
Midtown
Hansen’s excellent articles
What a writer! Please never leave us, Greg Hansen.
1) Lack of fans at early, hot UA football game. Tucsonans have just endured a ridiculously hot, uncomfortable summer, and will not show up for a hot football game in early October. Just bad scheduling.
2) Exorbitant cost of facility upgrades. This will not increase fan attendance. Only winning football will. I have attended games at Penn State and Michigan in rickety, antiquated stadiums, yet overflowing with fans. Winning games and tradition are what sells tickets, not sound systems and fancy scoreboards.
3) Sahuaro /Sabino rivalry. With the new HS football format in Southern Arizona, we will never again see rivalries such as this.
My wife, Beth Egan, now a principal in The Tanque Verde School District, was a Sahuaro student in the late 1980s and experienced this awesome rivalry. In her words, it was “incredible!”
Thank you, Greg Hansen, for your excellent writing and historical perspective.
Dan Egan
East side
Short-term threats or long-term planning
Ah, the irony of timing sometimes. As supporters of U of A (and me an alum), my husband and I just received an ad promotion to do estate planning that includes the university. Hmm, I thought: Does the Institute think extortion threats from a racist administration more important than integrity, quality, freedom and financial planning? We’ll see.
“University” means an institution of higher learning, places that open and expand minds, not narrow them; places that provide society with progress in science, mathematics, social sciences and the arts. If U of A wishes to narrow and contain thought and practices for monies easily withdrawn (fascist spying anyone?), then I’m looking to ASU and their President, Michael Crow, for my allegiances.
Look up President Crow, ASU, and the accomplishments and awards received. U of A: You have a challenge and a model before you, and it sure isn’t a demented man led by Medieval Project 2025! This is your moment to stand by principle or tarnish yourself for the future.
Nancy Jacques
Northeast side
UA’s ‘must do’ list
The specific actions the UA has been asked to commit to are so comprehensively vague that they would be impossible to coherently enact, much less to evaluate. Setting aside questions regarding the moral and intellectual integrity which a university must exemplify, many actions requested are inherently biased. Three examples: 1. “Transform or abolish ... units that ... punish, belittle ... conservative ideas.” (You can belittle liberal ideas, though?) 2. “Demonstrate commitment to grade activity...publishing grade distribution dashboards ... that explain ... any unusual upward trends” (It’s OK to have unusual downward trends?) 3. “exceptions permitted for families of substantial means” (No other exceptions are listed. One wonders why the only one permitted is for rich folks.)
Delores Keahey
Southeast side
HS football rivalry
Greg Hansen’s article about the Saguaro/Sabino rivalry on Oct. 5 brings back fond memories of Tucson’s original HS football rivalry. Through most of the ’50s, Tucson High and Amphi were the only high schools in town. The rivalry game was played each year on Thanksgiving Day, always at the THS stadium. Amphi’s bleachers couldn’t accommodate the crowd. Tucson High was about four times our (Amphi’s) size, but we won a few.
In the days long before NFL football on TV, we went to the game early afternoon, then home for turkey dinner. A simpler place and time.
William Thornton
Midtown
Only the brave can be free
“U of A must not cave to demands of Trump ‘compact’” (Star page A16, Oct. 5) by John P. Schaefer, UA President 1971-82, Research Corporation for Scientific Research CEO 1988-2004, and continuing supporter of scientific research at UA and elsewhere, and “U of A must reject federal demands” (Star page A17, Oct. 5) by Michael A. Chihak, retired native-Tucsonan newsman, showed courage and wisdom in defending the integrity of UA as a center of excellence in research and education and a welcoming home for all, including the disadvantaged. In addition to applauding loudly for these two voices of courage and wisdom, I want to remind ourselves, whether you are related to UA like I (physics faculty 1971-2012) or not, only the brave dare to stand up for the truth and only truth can make you free. Are we living in “the land of the free and the home of the brave”?
Ke Chiang Hsieh
Midtown
Regarding boycotts
A recent letter about the efficacy of boycotts got me thinking. Actually, the “marketplace” as a form of consumer politics has been the focus of boycotts since America’s early days. Think Boston Tea Party. Think of the boycott involving the rejection of goods produced by slave labor, or the boycotting of segregated businesses, or the boycott of the segregated bus system in Montgomery, Alabama. All created positive change. Recent boycotts involving social change are murkier, largely because the MAGA/anti-”woke” crowd has made boycotting a vehicle for their desire to disappear people they don’t want to share the earth with (primarily trans and gay people). The idiotic Bud Light boycott was a prime example, with organizers including such unfortunate examples of humanity as Kid Rock and Ted Nugent. Used for meaningful purposes, boycotts can harness economic power to effect positive change, both socially and politically. Individuals are always free to withhold spending from businesses antithetical to their worldview.
S. Ross Emmanuel
Southeast side
The Bunny that roared
Conservatives never build, expand or create anything that we Americans want or need.
Rather, they take away. Take away our rights, our freedoms, our thoughts.
They want to be in our bathrooms, bedrooms, doctor’s office, even in our heads. Now, they want to dictate the NFL Halftime show.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the Republicans actually did real work that they were elected and paid by the American people to do? Like drafting one piece of legislation that actually benefits the citizens and small businesses of this country.
I must be dreaming. They’d rather funnel more wealth into the bulging pockets of their billionaire patrons while they find the nearest camera to bleat their latest culture-war outrage as distraction.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if these fools were finally tripped up by ... a bunny?
Joe Turner
East side
Trump and his minions
Neither facts nor truth have any meaning in the White House. Trump creates sickening and childish videos on “Truth” Social that denigrate elected members of Congress. Steve Miller, an unelected member of Trump’s staff, has started a war against ships in the Caribbean with no reporting to or permission from Congress. ICE is attacking US citizens and children in Portland and Chicago. Trump is trying to send National Guard troops to Portland and Chicago against his appointed judge’s order and using doctored videos from years before as rationale. Congress is not to be seen because the Speaker called a recess so he can illegally refuse to seat Adelita Grijalva in a cowardly attempt to avoid a vote on the release of the Epstein files. In the meantime, government workers have been laid off, so the work of government on behalf of the people is no longer being done, and people are panicking about their healthcare. Congress has abdicated its responsibility to someone unfit to be President. It must stop.
Nancy Atherton
Foothills
Don’t do it
Over the years, my husband and I have made contributions to various programs at the University of Arizona. I do not mean to imply these were large contributions, but they were meaningful for us. And I suspect there are thousands of others in the southern Arizona community who have done the same. If the university abandons its governance and financial independence to the Trump administration by endorsing the “Compact,” I can almost assure the university’s administrators they will be shocked by the backlash and decrease in community financial support.
Fran McNeely
Northeast side
Who’s driving the bus?
Trump has been focused on the idea that Portland is a “war zone,” reportedly influenced by a Fox News report that passed off 2020 footage as current. Key allies Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, and Pete Hegseth have supported this narrative, despite clear denials from Oregon’s governor, Portland’s mayor, and local sources.
A Friday report by the Minnesota Star Tribune revealed a Signal chat between one of Miller’s deputies and a senior Hegseth adviser, discussing a plan to deploy the 82nd Airborne Division to Portland, which they hoped Trump would support. Trump, after speaking with the governor, questioned whether his understanding of Portland was based on outdated or false information, saying, “My people tell me different.” However, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut blocked a National Guard deployment, stating Trump’s claims were “untethered to the facts.”
The situation raises concerns about who is influencing military decisions in Trump’s circle and questions about their motives, as narratives unsupported by facts appear to be shaping high-level policy.
Barbara Hall
Midtown
What is Ciscomani doing during this recess?
With Congress on recess, Arizona citizens deserve to know how you are using this time.
Specifically:
University of Arizona: What actions are you taking to oppose any attempt by Donald Trump to threaten or withhold vital research funding unless the University complies with extreme political demands? Arizona’s flagship public university must remain free from political blackmail.
Adelita Grijalva’s swearing-in: What are you doing to press Speaker Johnson to immediately swear in Representative-Elect Adelita Grijalva, as required by law and the will of Arizona voters? Every day of delay silences the people she was elected to represent.
Constituent accountability: Will you hold open town halls during this recess to listen directly to your constituents about these urgent issues?
Representative Ciscomani, your actions during this break will speak loudly. We expect you to protect our universities and ensure that every duly elected representative takes their rightful seat in Congress.
Frank Hagel
SaddleBrooke
Stand up
I am so upset with Democratic congressmen. JD Vance was on national TV spouting a flat out lie, that the Democrats are holding the country hostage to fund healthcare for undocumented immigrants. It is currently illegal for undocumented immigrants to obtain subsidized healthcare, something that requires citizenship or legal documentation and a Social Security number. Democrats are not looking to change that. They are trying to save healthcare and the ACA. Jeffries and other Democratic leaders also went on national TV to state their position. Unfortunately, what I wanted to hear was, Jeffries and others calling Vance out as a blatant liar and specifically pointing out the details of his lie. It’s time for our Democratic leaders to defiantly stand up, no more of this high road stuff. You can’t fight a bully by being the nice guy. Jeffries, it’s okay to call Vance out. This is why Democratic favorability is at an all-time low. Resist.
Peter Morales
Midtown
Any ideas, anyone?
While our so-called representatives are playing us off against one another instead of doing their job of running the government, I keep wondering why they should get paid — not just during the shutdown but generally. When most of us don’t work, we don’t get paid. Indeed, we get fired. If I were an accountant or bookkeeper or someone with a facility for math, I would try to figure out a way to withhold my taxes from the federal government and give the money to the city and state instead. And then take a write-off. Any ideas, anyone?
Barbara Benjamin
Foothills
Religious hatred on the rise?
I wonder if anti-LDS hate is ramping up once again in America. We have two recent signs it is: the BYU-Colorado football game chants (“F*** you, Mormons”); and the Michigan LDS killings and chapel fire.
Why are these portents of what is to come? Because every other kind of hate is running rampant across America now as well. We clearly have partisan political party hatred where one side calls the other “lunatics” and sends the military to cities to curb their enthusiasm.
We have anti-Latino harassment, arrests, and deportations carried out by the Department of Homeland Security, whose name might perhaps more aptly be called the Department of White People Security. The current administration is worried that brown-skinned Americans will become the largest ethnic group in America in a decade or so if deportations are not expedited like crazy.
Immigrant Latinos are getting a double dose of hate because they are both brown-skinned and Catholic in Protestant America.
Kimball Shinkoskey
Woods Cross Utah
Hatch Act violations
DoE employees, among other departments, discovered their automatic email responses during the government shutdown and furloughs had been unknowingly and illegally changed to blame Democrats for the funding lapse. Employees cannot change their outgoing messages.
“On September 19, 2025, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5371, a clean continuing resolution. Unfortunately, Democrat Senators are blocking passage of H.R. 5371 in the Senate which has led to a lapse in appropriations.”
“Due to the lapse in appropriations, we are currently in furlough status. We will respond to emails once government functions resume.”
Due to his disdain for education, Trump never read the Constitution, or any critical US Laws, such as the “Hatch Act,” thinking it had something to do with birth control.
The “Hatch Act” (1939) is a federal law. It prohibits government employees from engaging in partisan political activity while on duty, at a government facility, or using federal property. This promotes a politically nonpartisan workplace, ensuring public services are not disrupted by partisan campaigns.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Narcissists and sycophants
Narcissist and sycophants are a match made in hell. I read from Scripps News that the Treasurer, Brandon Beach, wants to mint a $1 coin with the image of Trump on it for the USA 250th Anniversary. I guess Beach’s job is safe. I wonder if it is difficult for Beach to breathe with where his head is? It is against Federal Law to make a coin with the image of a living person. Beach needs to know the law that goes with his job. I hope it is clear to all Americans what motivates Trump and his minions. Project 2025 people are behind Trump telling him what to do to get attention and admiration. Trump is on television every day. Do you remember a past president in front of a camera every day of their term? Trump the narcissist surrounds himself with sycophants and Project 2025 fascists. Wake up!
Richard Bechtold
West side
Shutdown priorities
During the shutdown, air-traffic controllers and TSA agents will remain on the job without pay, potentially leading to service disruptions as seen during Trump’s first term. National parks will operate with minimal staff, closed facilities, and limited emergency services. Government contractors will go unpaid and typically will not receive back pay afterwards. A prolonged shutdown could exhaust funds for FEMA, WIC, and other vital programs. Services like food inspections, passport processing, and most federal agency operations will be unavailable or delayed.
Despite the shutdown, the Trump administration has deemed a $20 billion bailout of Argentina essential. This benefits Trump allies Javier Milei and Rob Citrone (heavily invested in Argentine companies and debt), linked to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. While state infrastructure projects pause, construction of Trump’s White House ballroom will continue. Meanwhile, members of Congress, who have the authority to end the shutdown, will continue to receive their salaries.
Barbara Hall
Midtown
Military leaders
Trump calls 800 military leaders in for a conference. He explains that they need to follow his nonsensical directions and everyone get into shape. This hogwash is coming from a renowned draft dodger who is a minimum of 100 pounds overweight. He is speaking to Generals and Admirals who have proven their military expertise over many years and have shown that they can administer far beyond the capabilities of our fearless leader. Does this individual have no sense of realism? Does he ever look at himself and realize that he is a blustery fat boy who has no conception of what the military is all about? I recall reading about Hitler downplaying his experts and being proven wrong to the detriment of the German nation. I wish our military professionals were not subjected to the embarrassment of listening to a man who has absolutely no background in anything but bullying, lying and ridicule.
Philip Reinecker
East side
Antifa as political scapegoat
Despite what some may want to believe about Antifa, it is not an extreme leftist group or a group of any kind. No leader, no black uniforms, no vests, gas masks, head coverings with slits for their eyes, and no one is funding it. Antifa is an ideology that is opposed to fascism but Trump wants to designate this Antifa boogeyman as a “terrorist organization” in order to quell any protests against his illegal and fascists policies.
On the other hand, ICE appears to be a well-funded ($28.7 billion for fiscal 2025) terrorist organization. With all the expensive armament they could want, federal agents recently raided a residential Chicago apartment building. They violently and indiscriminately dragged families out into the street, broke down doors, used drones and even had agents repel from a helicopter onto the building. No warrants, no due process. Americans who value democracy must oppose this authoritarian regime.
Karen Allison
Three Points
TRIO programs
The US Department of Education has canceled the highly successful Trio Upward Bound grant programs at Pima Community College because of dubious reasons. The cancellation letter states the programs are being canceled because of a Pima statement that mentions equity and a plan to provide racial justice workshops to the students. These things are not actually in the grant proposal. The phenomenal students at Desert View and Sunnyside High Schools stand to lose $3 million in college readiness services while Tucson at large will lose $7.5 million total. The Upward Bound Program at Desert Vista Campus is highly successful, meeting all of its objectives the past 5 years, including an over 50% college graduation rate each year. In 2024 it partnered with NASA for the Education Downlinks program whereby students were able to ask questions of astronaut Jeanette Epps at the International Space Station. I highly encourage the Pima Governing Board to file a lawsuit to reinstate the funding.
Marisa Morales
South Tucson
Government shutdown
The key point Democratic senators are concerned about is the extension of enhanced subsidies for health insurance.
These were put in place as temporary subsidies under President Biden due to Covid a few years back. They were extended once, and do not expire for a few more months, allowing plenty of time to negotiate about them.
Democrat Senators should vote to pass the continuing resolution to fund the government as has been done numerous times before and negotiate the sticking points later.
Instead, Democratic senators choose to shutdown the government, causing financial pain to millions of tax paying citizens, while they continue to be paid.
The unthinking self-centered Democratic senators should be ashamed of themselves.
Matthew Scully
Sahuarita
Blame game
Remember back in 2013 when Trump said “A shutdown falls on the President’s lack of leadership. I mean problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top. A shutdown means the President is weak.” Trump is the President and his party controls both houses of Congress. Prioritizing cruelty over caring, the Republicans keep regurgitating another big lie that the Dems want to fund health care for the undocumented, which is absurd and illegal. Or, we can’t afford it, while they provide a $20 billion bailout to Argentina, $70 billion bailout for soybean producers because of Trump’s disastrous trade wars, or funding Israel’s genocide in Gaza. No loss of pay for Congress while they force other Federal workers to do without. There would be no shutdown if the Republicans actually cared about protecting the health care of Americans. The fish rots at the head.
Stanley Steik
Midtown
- Joe Turner, East side
Conservatives never build, expand or create anything that we Americans want or need.
Rather, they take away. Take away our rights, our freedoms, our thoughts.
They want to be in our bathrooms, bedrooms, doctor’s office, even in our heads. Now, they want to dictate the NFL Halftime show.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the Republicans actually did real work that they were elected and paid by the American people to do? Like drafting one piece of legislation that actually benefits the citizens and small businesses of this country.
I must be dreaming. They’d rather funnel more wealth into the bulging pockets of their billionaire patrons while they find the nearest camera to bleat their latest culture-war outrage as distraction.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if these fools were finally tripped up by ... a bunny?
Joe Turner
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Government shut down months ago
Beyond their inability to balance the federal budget, the U.S. government has been largely funded by Continuing Resolutions (CRs) for decades. The Congress then rolls their 12 unpassed appropriation bills into Omnibus packages like the “Big Beautiful Bill” that are passed as a CR on a single up or down vote later in the fiscal year. This, in turn, requires block voting by party and no compromises. Some politicians appreciate these huge Omnibus bills too large to evaluate, because they can point to some funding stuck in for their constituents, avoid responsibility for other politically hazardous measures and not have to compromise on anything. This year, with hundreds of thousands of government employees laid off and appropriated funds unspent or redirected, our government has really been shut down for months. If you wonder why the power of the purse is being ignored by recent presidents and the Supreme Court, look no further. Don’t be fooled. Until we have representatives trying to solve the real issues, our pain will continue.
Frank Hartline
Foothills
SNAP on the chopping block
On Sept. 30, SNAP-Ed — the education arm of SNAP — ended in Arizona after federal funding was cut. But this isn’t just about nutrition classes. It’s a warning sign that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program itself, which helps families put food on the table, could be next. SNAP has long been a lifeline: Nearly 1 in 9 Arizonans rely on SNAP, and about 70% of SNAP households include children.
Nationally, new legislation will make it harder for states to sustain SNAP. States with high payment error rates must now pay up to 15% of benefit costs. On top of that, the federal government is reducing its share of administrative costs from 50% to 25% by FY 2027, leaving states to cover 75%. These cost shifts could total hundreds of millions and jeopardize food access for families.
Arizona now has an easy avenue to cut SNAP. But what’s easier than settling? Selling. Accountability is cheaper, and it feeds families.
Mariah Quinn
Midtown
Response to Tim Steller
After reading your article, “Time to focus on Securing Public Spaces” (Sept. 28), I felt somewhat hopeful. Three days before, my 3 1/2 yr old granddaughter and I had a frightening experience at Catalina Park. Six “unhoused” individuals had taken over the play structure. Two of them were cooking dope, and in other parts of the park, several adult males were in various states of delusion or slumped against trees. The police were called, and their response was “our hands are tied.” As Tucson’s “unhoused” population and open drug use continues to invade our neighborhoods, people will move out of this once-vibrant historic neighborhood. Businesses will close, and the effects will be felt throughout the district. Clearly, it is time for another approach where the homeowner, taxpayer, small business owner and our children will be considered. We need to protect our kids’ spaces and support our local law enforcement.
Rebecca Paradies
Foothills
Jimmy Kimmel
The Jimmy Kimmel issue is a test for democracy and is hardly over. It is another crystal-clear example of Trump using his governmental power to force a privately owned media company into changing its content. In this case, it’s for a very specific reason: The president can’t stand being criticized night after night.
After Kimmel was reinstated, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post: “Last time I went after them (ABC), they gave me $16 Million. This one sounds even more lucrative.”
The Trump shakedown is still alive and well.
Steven Freeman
East side
Rogue government
This government administration has gone rogue. The Coronado National Forest website and USDA website posted the following:
“The Radical Left Democrats shut down the government. This government website will be updated periodically during the funding lapse for mission critical functions. President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people.”
Those responsible should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Perhaps the National Guard should be posted at various governmental agencies.
Dennis Winsten
Northeast side
We are at war with us
On Sept. 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland to begin WWII.
On Oct. 1, 2025, Donald J. Trump and Pete Hegseth declared war on the United States of America, as witnessed by 800 generals, admirals and other top brass.
Trump and Hegseth told these 800 generals, who took oaths to defend the Constitution, to violate their loyalty to the Constitution. They told them to be loyal to Trump (and Hegseth), and to use American cities for military combat training. We are now “the enemy within.”
Judge for yourselves.
As Wikipedia explains, ”Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian and ultranationalist political ideology and movement that rose to prominence in 1930’s Europe. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of oppositions and enemies, belief in a natural social hierarchy, subordination of individual interests to the perceived interests of the nation, religion or race and strong regimentation of society and the economy. Opposed to communism, democracy, liberalism, pluralism and socialism.”
Sound familiar?
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Yearning for a positive word
It appears that a certain proportion of your readership is perpetually upset due to the belief that the Star does not print enough pro-Trump letters to the editor. The newspaper more than makes up for it by featuring his proclamations — with pictures too — multiple times throughout each edition, including the front page. Perhaps the negative posture of his announcements, so well packed with vengeance, pettiness, derogatoriness, and vindictiveness, etc., makes them yearn for a positive word occasionally. Sorry, folks, negativity is all you are going to get from him.
John Attardi
Green Valley
Counterfeit medications can be dangerous
Taking generic medications is one thing, but taking counterfeit or knock-off medications is another. As a retired health care professional, I’m extremely concerned that people are seeing these ads for compounded GLP-1 medications and are thinking they are just as safe as the brand-name GLP-1s that we have come to know. They are not. Oftentimes, they are made with ingredients that were brought over from nations like China or India, whose standards are certainly not as high as we have in the U.S. — that is if those standards exist at all. That creates a dangerous situation where folks are putting these treatments into their body without knowing what exactly is in them. We need Arizona leaders, including Attorney General Kris Mayes, to strengthen the enforcement on these compounding pharmacies that are putting these potentially harmful medications on the market. It is illegal, unsafe, and it could be deadly.
Linda Wieczornzki
Midtown
The difference
I believe that the fundamental difference between a riot and a peaceful demonstration lies in the presence of violence, disorder, and illegal behavior.
Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, Christians and atheists, need to acknowledge the difference.
The First Amendment in the U.S. guarantees the right to assemble peaceably. This includes public expression of disapproval or dissent through lawful means like marching, chanting, holding signs, speeches or vigils.
A demonstration may openly express a viewpoint, advocate for change, or draw attention to an issue.
A riot is tumultuous, disorderly, and destructive. It involves acts such as looting, arson, vandalism, and assault.
It tends to cause chaos, destruction, or harm, often stemming from extreme anger or frustration.
A riot is a criminal offense that is not protected by law.
There is no justification for rioting in America.
A demonstration, even if it begins peacefully, can escalate and be legally classified as a riot if individuals within the crowd start to engage in violence or destruction.
Tom McGorray
Northwest side
- Toni Kane, Oro Valley
Nothing is ever enough for Trump, and I have had enough of him. His words reek of insincerity, and his efforts carry the stench of fascism. It is time to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove him from office. He has not made America great again. He has done quite the opposite. We are no longer perceived as the "great" United States, and we should all be ashamed.
Toni Kane
Oro Valley
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Lane Randolph, East side
Interesting how the Republicans have shut down the government to prevent the Epstein files from being released.
Lane Randolph
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
This Democrat urges: End shutdown now
Dear Senators Kelly, Gallego, Schumer,
With President Trump’s popularity sinking in August opinion polls, Democrats’ chances to win control of the House of Representatives next year looked promising. Now, I fear that with the best of intentions, Democrats have committed a dreadful political miscalculation.
Senate Democrats are using the current government shutdown to demand Republicans scrap their plans to cut Medicaid and other health programs packed into Trump’s Big Ugly Bill.
Democrats blame the GOP for not compromising on health care. But their pleas get lost in the all-out roar of the Big Megaphone used by Trump and minions. They charge that leftists are holding the country hostage with the shutdown. They talk of firing thousands of government employees and pinning the blame on Democrats.
This is a no-win situation for Dems.
This no-win situation imperils Democrats’ election prospects in 2026. End the shutdown now. Concentrate on winning the 2026 congressional races. After that, fight to end the harsh, evil provisions of the Big Ugly.
Frank Sotomayor
West side
Punishment not the answer
Like Councilwoman Nikki Lee, I wish fewer Tucson citizens suffered through drug addiction. Like her, I would prefer not to see drug use on our streets. Unlike her, however, I recognize that imposing more criminal punishment will not solve this problem. Based on the available evidence, sentences of incarceration have no measurable, deterrent effect on future crime, and incarceration appears to slightly increase crime owing to its criminogenic effects.
In addition, criminal punishment is not an effective way to mitigate problems of substance abuse. After fifty years of increased drug criminalization, illegal drugs are more widely available and more potent than ever, and overdose deaths are at an all-time high. What is more, incarceration causes massive collateral damage, including the separation of families, loss of jobs, and reduced life expectancy.
Elizabeth Jaeger
Midtown
Political boycotts
Recent letters from Jackie Marshall and Valerie Golembiewski have me thinking about political boycotts.
One side once demanded that we drive by Target because they were showcasing offensive merchandise, and today we’re asked by the other side to boycott them because they have reversed that policy. I shop there.
Ben & Jerry’s openly embraced their progressive values and let consumers decide whether to support them. Their ice cream is delicious, and I’m a customer despite their destructive politics.
Jane Fonda, aka “Hanoi Jane” from the Vietnam War era, committed treason, yet her talent as an actress is undeniable. I watch her films, separating her art from her actions.
Elon Musk just canceled his Netflix subscription because it markets transgender content to young children. I remain a subscriber while writer Golembiewski says she would never buy a Tesla.
The marketplace is not the battleground for ideological wars. Reducing political divisiveness starts with respecting others’ right to their view and their product without punishment.
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
Callous disregard
Juan Ciscomani, in his recent “Weekly Note,” conveyed that he had done his job on the Appropriations Committee by fully funding the government into November. What he did was secure a tax cut for the very rich by cutting health care for the poor. I think that his callous disregard for the welfare of his constituents is shockingly cruel.
Kathryn Pensinger
Foothills
Ciscomani’s government shutdown
More than 30,000 people in Republican Juan Ciscomani’s CD6 district will see their health care costs rise if Republicans let critical tax credits expire. Annual premiums for a 60-year-old couple earning $82,800 a year will rise by $11,127 (160%). A family of four earning $64,000 annual premiums will rise by $2,571 (190%). A family of four earning $129,800 annual premiums will rise by $3,979 (36%). Thousands in Ciscomani’s CD6 District will lose their health coverage because of the Republican health care crisis so that billionaires can receive a tax cut.
In Ciscomani’s district, 20,539 people will lose access to health coverage because of Republican cuts to Medicaid. In Ciscomani’s district, 13,900 people will lose access to health coverage because of Republicans’ refusal to extend health care tax credits for the ACA.
A total of 34,439 people will lose health coverage because of Republican cuts to Medicaid, Arizona Health Care (AHCCCS) and tax credits for the Affordable Care Act.
Rachel Rulmyr
Oro Valley
Firearm veneration
In my opinion, the core problem with historic and current violence in America is this: too many non-law enforcement people have been taught that shooting someone is a legitimate method for solving problems, especially if one is angry or frightened, and especially if one is able to portray the shooting as self-defense or for a greater good. It isn’t. This ideology is toxic. For far too long, it has been extolled as honorable — in numerous movies, video games, and inexcusably, by too many leaders in government, media, and even religion.
Ron Rude
West side
Trump
Nothing is ever enough for Trump, and I have had enough of him. His words reek of insincerity, and his efforts carry the stench of fascism. It is time to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove him from office. He has not made America great again. He has done quite the opposite. We are no longer perceived as the “great” United States, and we should all be ashamed.
Toni Kane
Oro Valley
USDA website posting?
This morning, this was posted on the U.S. Department of Agriculture website: “Due to the Radical Left Democrat shutdown, this government website will not be updated during the funding lapse. President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who fee, fuel, and clothe the American people.” When did the USDA become the propaganda wing of the Republican Party? And since the Republican Party controls the House, Senate, Presidency and, for all intents and purposes, the Supreme Court, where is the logic in blaming the shutdown on the Democrats?
Gerry Bates
Sahuarita
Gaza
Many times, LTEers have criticized Israel for its actions in Gaza. There is no doubt that many Gazans have lost their lives in this conflict. These same LTEers demand the withdrawal of Israel from Gaza, no questions asked, no realization that Israel is fighting for its very survival and not demanding the return of the hostages that still remain in the tunnels of Gaza. What has never been mentioned in all of the submittals is a demand that Hamas vacate Gaza. If they did leave, the conflict would end, and the rebuilding process could commence. Why are the inconceivably rich neighboring Arab nations not stepping in and demanding the exit of Hamas so the Gaza residents can once again resume a semi-normal life? To put the entire blame on Israel, which is only trying to ensure its very existence on this earth, is absurd.
Loyal M. Johnson Jr.
Oro Valley
Whose shutdown?
CD 6 Congressman Juan Ciscomani sent out his weekly newsletter, informing its readers that the House did the right thing in passing a 7-week stopgap continuing resolution and going home. Mind you, this bill was crafted and passed by a tiny Republican majority, acting at the behest of the President and with no minority Democratic participation. Knowing that the Senate would be hard-pressed to agree to their bill and removed from the scene, Republicans like Mr. Ciscomani spent last week drafting newsletters like the one I just read, but not defending their Big, Beautiful Bill’s cuts to Medicaid and Medicare in face-to-face meetings with their unhappy constituents. And of course, it is those President-demanded cuts Democrats in the House and Senate continue to attempt to mitigate. And of course, this is why we don’t find Mr. Ciscomani in supermarket parking lots discussing his remarkably sycophantic record with his constituency.
Frank Bergen
Northwest side
The gathering
A multitude of senior military personnel of all genders and races gathered at Quantico at the behest of Secretary of Defense (War) .. They sat in stoic silence, even though baited by their CIC with applause if you want, don’t laugh and leave if you want. I wonder how that would have played out if all of them had walked out en masse? But they sat in silence. Maybe the Hatch Act in their mind? Dedication to the Constitution of the USA, which they serve and in some cases also have shed blood. I applaud them for their professional demeanor. Silence can speak volumes. I’m certain a few had served on submarines. Run silent, run deep.
EM1(SS) LCDR USN (Ret),
Gerald Schwartz
Foothills
Where your tax dollars go
You think an immigrant in the ER is stealing your money? Not billionaires with 10 homes, three yachts, private jets and with a golden toilet? You have been brainwashed.
Terry Louck
East side
Democratic delay tactics
Adelita Grijalva and her Democratic allies have criticized the delay in her swearing-in for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District (CD 7), but their complaints ring hollow given the district’s extended lack of effective representation. CD 7 has been without a voting voice in Congress for over a year, stemming from Raul Grijalva’s lung cancer diagnosis on April 2, 2024. Despite his illness, Raul sought re-election, missing 88% of votes in 2024 and over 300 votes since February 2024, before his death on March 13, 2025. His choice to stay in office postponed a special election, which had predictably low turnout. Adelita won the Sept. 23 special election, but House Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to delay her oath until October 7 has drawn Democratic indignation. Ultimately, the prolonged lack of representation stems from Democratic strategies surrounding the special election process.
Maggie Michel
Midtown
The second pandemic
Remember during the COVID pandemic, when we were locked down, grocery prices were outrageously high, people were separated by illness, and people feared for their lives? We are right there again. However, this time it is a man-made pandemic instituted by Trump and this Administration. Prices are sky-high for everything from eggs to gasoline. What? Trump didn’t lower prices on his first day? He didn’t stop the wars in Gaza and Ukraine? No. Instead, he started a war on the American people, immigrants, trans people, higher education, and is preparing to go to “war” in our own country with our own military against us. Additionally, he has completely abandoned our allies. The sands of democracy are not falling slowly through the hourglass; the glass has been broken, and democracy is on its knees. What are we willing to do to stop this?
Terri Hicks
Northwest side
Government shut down over Epstein files
Interesting how the Republicans have shut down the government to prevent the Epstein files from being released.
Lane Randolph
East side
$20 billion to Argentina
Why are we sending $20 billion to Argentina?
Can’t anyone stop this madness?
Paula Cooper
Tubac
Epstein files
Is there anyone who doesn’t believe Trump figures prominently in the Epstein files? Speaker Johnson recessed the House early to prevent a vote on releasing the files. Now he’s slow-walking Grijalva’s swearing in, in an attempt to delay the vote. The White House is pressuring Republican House members to change their vote. If there’s nothing there, why all the attempts to stop the release? Trump has stated that he and Epstein broke up variously due to property disputes or Epstein stealing girls from him, as if they were his property.
Craig Miller
Northwest side
Government shutdown
A government shutdown is now upon us. Despite Republican talking points that ridiculously attempt to blame undocumented immigrants, transgender Americans, and Democrats for this mess, the shutdown lies squarely in the hands of the GOP, who hold a majority in both the House and Senate. Taking their marching orders directly from Donald Trump, Republicans in Congress have embraced cruelty in the form of their Big, Awful Bill that will strip millions of their healthcare and have abandoned any need to provide checks and balances for an out-of-control Chief Executive.
Enabling this situation is Congressman Juan Ciscomani, who has engaged in a nonstop campaign of gaslighting his constituents and sanitizing his own complicity in this mess. Rep. Ciscomani has all but abandoned holding town hall meetings and facilitates the toxic politics of MAGA. We in the 6th Congressional District deserve better representation from our Congressman in Washington.
Rahul Sivaprasad
Northwest side
Partisan politics at the VA
As a Navy veteran entitled to VA benefits, I receive a weekly newsletter from the VA. Today’s edition states that “... Trump opposes a lapse in appropriations ...” and specifically blames the Democrats for “...blocking the Continuing Resolution in the U.S. Senate due to unrelated policy demands.” This is a direct violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits the use of government resources for partisan gain.
Joel Yelland
Northwest side
The ‘N’ word
Nincompoop is another “N” word that the Generals were thinking when they sat there listening to the Big Bozo and his lackey. They sat silent as this was another “N” word that you couldn’t say.
Bozo No. 2 strutted across the stage thinking he was General Patton giving a pep talk. It was like a third-grader who just mastered “times tables” giving a lecture on mathematics to college professors.
Divergent thought among groups is paramount from keeping groups sliding to a right or left direction that ultimately finds the group going in circles. The loyalty demand of “my way or the highway” leaves talent undisclosed.
Placing troops in cities can have a positive effect if the troops shoot grappling hooks onto skyscrapers, rappelling back and forth, up and down, maybe washing windows on the way. The ropes can hold ornaments and tinsel at Christmas.
Wreak havoc where you can and see where this takes you seems to be the direction of this administration.
A Painfully Pitiful Performance.
Ed LeGendre
East side
Antifa
Recently, there was a letter published from one who was praising Antifa. I lived in Portland for years and witnessed firsthand what Antifa is and their tactics. Their legends dress in black with a head covering everything but their eyes. They are an extreme leftist group that hates America and has rightfully been named recently as a terrorist group. Some years ago they burned federal buildings in Portland, beat up a reporter who was hospitalized for his injuries. This group is well funded as they all wear the same color vests, gas masks. For anyone to find any good in this group has to be demented. Now that they have received national attention, hopefully their source of funding will be found and the group will be apprehended.
Bill Dowdall
Oro Valley
How small can one man be?
We need look no further than House Majority leader Mike Johnson, who has yet to swear in Adelita Grijalva, who was duly elected to the US House of Representatives on September 23rd.
Although Speaker Johnson swore in Representative James Walkinshaw based on unofficial results the day after his Sept. 9 election, he has refused to acknowledge Grijalva, who won her seat by a decisive two-to-one margin, nor has he put her swearing-in date on the legislative calendar.
Ignoring congressional bipartisan support for Grijalva, Johnson’s stonewalling is clearly an effort to prevent her from signing a House petition that would force a vote to release the Epstein files.
For his failure to perform a basic function of his office and his willingness to play petty politics and deny 800,000 Arizonans in CD7 the representation they deserve, Johnson is not measuring up to his job. Instead, he is proving himself to be a small, mean-spirited man who should be removed.
J.B. Marshall
Oro Valley
UA’s poor judgment
The University of AZ Provost Prelock reports a 23% loss in out-of-state students and a 9% loss in foreign students for whom the tuition is $43,100. This is in exchange for a 10% increase in AZ students whose tuition is $13,900. I question her statement that this was a plan. The math makes no sense. Also, what thinking, loving parent would purposely send their child to a university far from home that was among the first and few to rollover and axe their DEI programs at Trump’s request?
“University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella acted quickly to comply with Trump administration orders to end DEI programs.” AZ Daily Star
To their credit, 91% of the faculty voted non-support for their president’s action. To add insult to injury, the AZ Board of Regents just awarded President Garimella more than $250,000 bonus for less than a year’s efforts. In my view, the citizens of Arizona deserve better for their tax dollars.
David Rollins
North side
Organ donation
The letter reminding us to become organ donors was so important. It is the final act you can do to respect others in this age of disrespect. Our son, whose life was serving others, would go on. Walking the Honor Walk the day of our son’s passing was the most difficult as well as the most rewarding walk ever taken. Knowing he would live on in the recipient made us happy. His was the only donation in the state of Arizona that day. That made us sad. Please become an organ donor.
Sandy Mason
Northwest side
Immigrants not taking American jobs
On the contrary, immigrants help and facilitate American jobs. This is from the Brookings Institution, Economic Policy Institute and the American Immigration Council. Plenty more sources are available. Americans pay less thanks to the immigrants.
President Trump needed something to run on. He even admitted it. Conservative republicans were extremely mad at Trump for ruining a bipartisan bill that favored conservatives. Trump said he was worried it would help Biden. The Bill was called S. 4361, the Border Act of 2024. This was almost identical to a previous one written by the Republicans.
The rhetoric suggesting so many immigrants are murderers or rapists or criminals is false, do your research. Yes, many are suspected of breaking misdemeanor laws, but we will never know without due process and the lack of following the “rule of law” and who cares about misdemeanors. Trump failed to bring down costs.
This is a con. Just like the tariffs. Follow the law and resist.
Dan Bannon
Midtown
Antifa are those against fascism
Trump declared “Antifa” a well-organized terrorist organization, funded by Soros and “Democrat terrorists.” He blamed Antifa for everything during his first term, believing they were a Black terrorist group. There are no antifa-ists at protests, just people holding signs saying Antifa.
So he’s reestablishing his hallucinatory “Quixote’s windmill ‘giants’” If he actually attended classes and took the exams his stand-in did, he might have understood that Quixote was a fictional person and Antifa means Anti-Fascism.
The irony: the demented, schizophrenic, child-president is illegally setting our American military upon American cities and citizens, claiming the “enemy is within.” You and I are the enemy? Who owns the guns? Who attacked Congress? Who told generals to use American cities for military combat training? Trump and Hegseth instructed our generals to feel free to attack citizens on our soil. He especially wants to capture Antifa’s leaders.
Trump sends troops against anti-fascists protesting against fascism, without realizing — he’s the one they’re protesting against.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
MAGA values
Recently, a woman asked me why I was wearing my “resist” button as I entered the grocery store; I responded, “Because many Americans can’t afford the Felonious Occupant’s tariffs.” She said, “Things are just fine in my world.”
One of today’s LTEs reminded me of that chat. The writer argued that it’s not “worth it” to hold up the spending bill for the benefit of JUST 20.8 million of his fellow Americans.
Both remarks reflect the way most MAGAs view their world: They can afford to absorb huge tariff-induced increases in the cost of everything, so who cares about some single mom working as a waitress? They aren’t worried about losing their medical coverage, so who cares about older people who go without a doctor’s care?
They’re not affected by ICE raids. There are no armed soldiers patrolling their neighborhoods. They’ll get by just fine after cuts to Medicare. Who cares?
MAGA world, courtesy of the Felonious Occupant.
Resist.
Jim Christ
East side
The final harbor
Recent LTEs about the cost to Tucson’s environment if a data center became our reality were spirited and heartfelt. One in particular, from a writer I normally disagree with, was prescient. He wrote that our unwillingness to give up our gadgets and new technologies is why we need data centers at all.
We are the problem.
His letter reminded me of a weekend in upstate NY I spent in our then country house when the power went out. I kept warm and cooked by a Franklin stove, using candles to read at night while yearning for the power to be restored. And I wrote about humankind’s quest for power, knowledge and conquest. The final stanza agreed with the letter writer:
“Through galaxies of time and space
They quested past each wondrous place
They soared and sailed and quested farther
Oh when and where the final harbor”
There is no final harbor I fear.
Our egos won’t allow it.
Karen Papagapitos
Northwest side
- Karen Papagapitos, Northwest side
Recent LTEs about the cost to Tucson’s environment if a data center became our reality were spirited and heartfelt. One in particular, from a writer I normally disagree with, was prescient. He wrote that our unwillingness to give up our gadgets and new technologies is why we need data centers at all.
We are the problem.
His letter reminded me of a weekend in upstate NY I spent in our then country house when the power went out. I kept warm and cooked by a Franklin stove, using candles to read at night while yearning for the power to be restored. And I wrote about humankind’s quest for power, knowledge and conquest. The final stanza agreed with the letter writer:
“Through galaxies of time and space
They quested past each wondrous place
They soared and sailed and quested farther
Oh when and where the final harbor”
There is no final harbor I fear.
Our egos won’t allow it.
Karen Papagapitos
Northwest side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Brian Templet, East side
Today, I searched the Sabino Canyon section of the US Forest Service website to determine if the area was open or closed during the current government shutdown. A note on the website states that it is an official website of the United States Government.
There is a message on the website stating this:
"The Radical Left Democrats shutdown the government. This website will be updated periodically during the funding lapse for mission critical functions. President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people."
In my opinion, this is a blatant political statement, a weapon directed at a particular political party, and clearly illegal. It has no place on an "official government website."
Please contact your government representatives and ask what they are going to do about it.
Brian Templet
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Barbara Strelke, Midtown
My partner, a Vietnam-era vet, received an appalling email from the Veterans Administration that blames the Democrats for the shutdown. Shameless. I suspect copy was sent by the Trump Administration and the subordinates at the VA, of whatever level, felt obligated to comply. The irony is that Trump when he wasn't president in April 2011, said that the president would be blamed for a shutdown. "He's the one that (sic) has to get people together."
Barbara Strelke
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Lois Eisenstein, Midtown
Yesterday, on the anniversary of Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland, Secy Hegseth and President Trump disgraced themselves before 800 assembled US Generals and the world. A few questions for our Congressional representatives: How do you feel about armed troops potentially being deployed to "wage war" on American cities? How did it make you feel when diversity in the military was attacked as a weakness? Were you alarmed by Hegseth's ignorance and arrogant posturing, and by the president's inappropriate remarks about ignoring standards of decency and law? Each of you has expressed your goal of honoring our military men and women, and you swore an oath to uphold and defend the US Constitution. Your community is waiting for you to live up to these obligations and to speak out loudly in protest.
Lois Eisenstein
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
- Terry Louck, East side
My greatest hope for democracy is that 800 of the world's greatest military minds are flying back to their posts with a solid realization that it's up to them to save this country from this corrupt administration.
Terry Louck
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Grijalva swearing-in
Several readers, together with the Star’s Editorial Board, castigate Speaker Johnson for failure to swear in Adelita Grijalva immediately, and attribute this inaction to partisan politics.
Well, partisan politics works both ways. For some unknown reason, the State of Arizona has not yet certified her election, the normal (but admittedly not absolute) prerequisite for enrolling a new member. This does suggest that the Democrats might rather have a talking point than a simple resolution of the issue. It wouldn’t be the first time that either side used such a tactic.
Jerrod Mason
Green Valley
Let’s call it what it is …
When governments kill civilians of a foreign country without declaring war or without due process in the courts, it is murder. Because a government thinks or somehow believes wrongdoing is being committed by foreign citizens, it does not have the right to pronounce guilt and impose immediate capital punishment. What the United States did to the suspected drug smugglers off Venezuela was murder. No due process, no armed threat detected, no imminent danger, no trial — just murder. What makes it even sadder is the fact that our military carried out the unlawful order without hesitation, without question, without mass protests or resignations, without shame. In the aftermath, the so-called free press remains silent, and I think obedient to the government.
Carl Foster
Green Valley
Maternal, child health threatened
President Trump’s recent remarks discouraging Tylenol use in pregnancy and reviving discredited vaccine autism claims illustrate how misinformation from high-profile figures can destabilize public health systems. The scientific consensus is clear: Acetaminophen remains an appropriate treatment for fever in pregnancy, and vaccines do not cause autism. To suggest otherwise risks undermining maternal health by discouraging safe symptom management and weakening childhood immunization adherence.
From a public health perspective, such statements distort risk communication and exacerbate distrust in health systems. For pregnant individuals and parents already navigating complex medical choices, conflicting and misleading guidance can further amplify anxiety, disrupt continuity of care, and increase adverse health outcomes.
Autism is a multifactorial developmental condition, and oversimplified causal claims not only obscure the complexity of ongoing research but also stigmatize families living with autism. Evidence-based communication is essential to protecting maternal and child health. Policy makers must prioritize clarity, accuracy and trust, rather than perpetuating myths.
Master of Public Health student,
Stephanie Hernandez
West side
Warrior ethos vs. truth
Not many folks today remember the true heroes of the last world war fought by American soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen. They weren’t Rambo wannabe knobs like Pete Hegseth … not to mention DJ Trump (who would never be caught dead near a war zone, ever). They came, almost exclusively, from the working class. People who were too busy earning a living to preen and posture before generals and cameras. This idiotic spectacle was a disgrace to their memory and valiant service.
Rich Ragland
Marana
The ‘worst of the worst’?
President Trump and his border “czar” keep maintaining they are after the “worst of the worst” during their immigration deportation drive. That sounds great, go after the cartel lords, the drug smugglers, the human traffickers. News flash, those people are not working at Home Depot or standing outside looking for day work. They are not at Starbucks, they are not picking fruits and vegetables or packing meat, they are not building a Hyundai battery plant. Neither are they caregivers at nursing homes nor attending college. Those people are not harming us, but the hackers, the scam artists, the fraudsters, and the tax cheats the FBI and IRS agents were investigating before being reassigned to immigration patrols at the above-mentioned sites are causing great damage to our country. So, what is really going on?
Don Ries
Southeast side
Safeguard our right to vote
After all of his rambling, the shock came: Trump announced to the more than 800 military leaders present that civil disobedience in American blue cities presented the perfect training ground for preparing military training operations. Can there be any doubt that if Trump’s ordered redistricting (gerrymandering) fails to garner the votes he needs, the administration will fake the need for military control to interfere with and even prevent voting? He knows that the polls are showing disapproval of his methods and some policies, and what does Trump do when there are critics? He goes after them. What hasn’t registered yet, however, is that disapproval of him exists in the so-called red states also. We must be vigilant and safeguard our right to vote.
Barbara Benjamin
Foothills
Most interesting
I was astonished and elated with Tim Stellars’ article in the Sept. 28 Star. He noted that homelessness in Tucson was an actual problem and current policies were not successful. He went on to posit several alternative policies that may be appropriate for at least portions of the homeless population. He stated that average Tucson citizens should not be the victims of a failed homeless policy. Kudos to Tim for his courage. Possibly, the same approach could be used to address illegal immigration and the removal of criminal illegal aliens while still providing a less aggressive action for long-standing, law-abiding illegal entrants. In addition, how best to reform the K through 12 education system, which is now an abysmal failure in many locations. Tim’s whole point was that to solve problems, first you must admit there is a problem, secondly you must stop demeaning anyone who has an alternate position, and thirdly, the intended goal must be defined and all actions designed to achieve that goal.
Loyal M. Johnson Jr.
Oro Valley
Trump’s military pep talk
My greatest hope for democracy is that 800 of the world’s greatest military minds are flying back to their posts with a solid realization that it’s up to them to save this country from this corrupt administration.
Terry Louck
East side
Arizona football
As an alum, I have to say I’m enjoying the heck out of Arizona football this year. I just read a disappointing LTE saying “they expected more from the Cats against ISU.” I didn’t. I thought they’d get beat up. And they did considering ISU’s big lineup. Had it not been for so many “dropped” passes, they would have been in it. The defense played very well.
Hawaii is now 4-,2 and Arizona beat them handily. They weren’t a cupcake.
I expect Arizona to beat OSU this weekend, which would put them two games away from bowl eligibility. They will be bowl eligible this year.
I still recall the losing streak.
This team makes me want to watch Arizona football. I think if the locals can believe the same and support the team, close games might become easier wins for the Cats at Arizona Stadium. Bear down!
John Bingham
Northwest side
Ciscomani shutdown
By voting to shut down the federal government, Congressman Ciscomani is holding Arizona families hostage instead of reversing the cuts he and his colleagues made to health care and food assistance this summer. Those cuts hit seniors, children, and struggling families, while his party advanced massive tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans and corporations.
Now, thousands of federal workers in Arizona face unpaid furloughs. Families wonder how to put food on the table. Veterans face delays in the benefits they earned. Small businesses that depend on federal services are left in limbo.
This crisis was preventable. Congress had one job: Keep the government open. Instead, Ciscomani chose politics over responsibility, all while he and his colleagues watch the administration post racist messages on Truth Social.
Arizonans deserve leaders who put communities first, not party extremists or wealthy donors. Ciscomani must end this shutdown, restore the funding cuts, and do the job he was elected to do.
Omar Algeciras
Vail
Military honors
On the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland, Secy Hegseth and President Trump disgraced themselves before 800 assembled U.S. Generals and the world. A few questions for our Congressional representatives: How do you feel about armed troops potentially being deployed to “wage war” on American cities? How did it make you feel when diversity in the military was attacked as a weakness? Were you alarmed by Hegseth’s ignorance and arrogant posturing, and by the president’s inappropriate remarks about ignoring standards of decency and law? Each of you has expressed your goal of honoring our military men and women, and you swore an oath to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution. Your community is waiting for you to live up to these obligations and to speak out loudly in protest.
Lois Eisenstein
Midtown
The warrior ethos
Much has been said about the “warrior ethos,” mostly from the Secretary of War (i.e., Defense), but ultimately, the military of the smallest country to the largest nation is the same; it is a combination of all races, learning styles, talents and skills, ethics and abilities. For Mr. Hegseth to continually harp about the “warrior ethos” is to continually bray about a quality that does not exist but must be trained and practiced by every member of the military for the duration of their time as a soldier, sailor, airman/airwoman and marine – it is not something you are born with. Anyone familiar with history knows the story of Sgt. Alvin York, who first applied for conscientious deferral but later, in good conscience, decided he was upholding his beliefs as he fought in WWI, he – I believe – portrays the “warrior ethos” that is continually the subject in the news. He never set out to be a “warrior” but became one by simply doing his job and upholding his beliefs.
Richard Rebl
East side
A silent roar
Re Jackie Marshall’s LTE re boycotting, I was one of the many who cancelled my Disney+ subscription as a protest to their handling of Jimmy Kimmel. I stopped shopping at Target many months ago due to their DEI policies, and even if I could afford a Tesla, I would never buy one because of Musk.
It is so true, we have the power to hit corporations and businesses where they hurt — in their pocketbooks.
Speak up for what you believe in, both as a consumer and a voter.
Valerie Golembiewski
Southeast side
2026 campaign
For those of us who do not agree with what many of the Arizona members of our state’s US Congressional delegation as well as our local Arizona Legislative representatives support:
1) Do not believe that private fury shared within your group of like-thinkers will do any good
2) Do not believe that donating mountains of money to the candidate of your choice is enough
It will take your time and shoe leather. Get out there and assist the candidate of your choice to call on neighbors and attempt to share thoughts with them. Listen to what they have to say.
Write or call your current representatives at the state and federal level, letting them know what you believe to be important and what you expect their positions should be on the issues you care about.
Our population is growing — be the squeaky wheel.
Cindy Soffrin
Northeast side
A disappointing Speaker
When Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, was first elected, he told the country he would govern by the Bible. Many of us hoped that meant humility, honesty, compassion for the poor, and integrity. Instead, we’ve watched him walk a very different path.
Since taking the gavel, Mike Johnson has misled the public, shielded the powerful while dismissing the vulnerable, and shown little of the mercy or truth-telling the Bible instructs. Scripture says, “Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me,” but Johnson has supported policies that harm struggling families and immigrants. It says, “Do not bear false witness,” yet he defends a president whose politics thrive on conspiracy and grievance.
The Bible calls for courage and moral clarity, yet Johnson too often bends the knee to Donald Trump, echoing his falsehoods and protecting his power rather than helping people.
Lawrence Mazin
SaddleBrooke
Securing public spaces
I’m a retired police officer. I found Time Steller’s article; “Securing Public Spaces” interesting as he compared the mission to care for the homeless with the need to secure public places. In actuality, police patrols benefit not just homeowners/renters but also those who suffer from being unhoused. Sufficient numbers of police do make a difference, but we do not have enough officers to meet the demand for services. Low staffing means less coverage of hot spots. According to research from Penn University criminologist Aaron Chalfin, police staffing does help reduce homicides and other serious violent crimes. It also increases arrests for low-level offenses like liquor violations and drug possession. Per Chalfin, “an additional 10 to 17 officers hired prevented one new homicide per year.” The Tucson Police Department has the right crime response strategies; they desperately need more officers assigned to critical areas because we need more “eyes” on our problem spots. If we want better protection, we need more protectors. It’s a profession worth seeking.
Richard Harper
Northeast side
Bloomberg article
Thank you for printing such an important article. Tucsonans of Ukrainian roots appreciate this.
President Emeritus, Ukrainian American Society,
Ihor Kunasz
Northwest side
Masked men
What I recall from watching the coverage of the 2020 George Floyd protests in Portland were unidentified masked men grabbing people off the street and taking them away in unmarked cars. It was later reported that the “Department of Homeland Security, US Marshal Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Federal Protection Service, were all in Portland, deployed by Trump under Operation Diligent Valor. They were recorded using unmarked vehicles to apprehend protesters in downtown Portland. Videos circulated online showing these agents, who were often described as wearing masks and body armor, driving up to individuals, detaining them without explaining the reasons for the arrest.”
I condemn the wanton destruction of property by any group, but I also condemn the destruction of our civil rights as Americans. And one is much harder to restore than the other.
Katharine Donahue
Foothills
New name for Republicans
1. Today’s Republican Party is essentially one person — Donald Trump. What he says and does is what they are.
2. Trump repeatedly proclaims himself a “nationalist” — “America First”.
3. Commentators like George Will have questioned Trump’s government financial involvement in companies like AMD and Nvidia. When Democrats did it, it was deplored as “picking winners and losers.” Now they’re starting to call it “state socialism.”
4. Combining “nationalist” and “socialist”, we get “National Socialist”. Why not change the Republican Party’s name to “National Socialist”? Doesn’t that sound like a good name?
5. Oh wait ...
George Timson
Midtown
The Blaumilch Canal in Tucson
The Israeli author Ephraim Kishon once wrote (1952) this marvelous story of a lunatic called Blaumilch who suffers from a digging compulsion, escapes from the asylum, steals a jackhammer and compressor, and begins to dig up the main artery in Tel Aviv (movie in 1969). No one in the city bureaucracy knows who had commissioned this project, but they all assume that they are required to assist the man, who eventually creates a huge traffic disaster and senseless destruction. Since elections are coming up, no one dares to question Blaumilch’s actions, so, he eventually reaches the Mediterranean and can flood the entire city. The helpless mayor hence announces that Tel Aviv has thus become the new Venice of the Middle East.
Tucson seems to follow this model, considering the endless and useless construction projects, especially on 6th Street and on Grant Road. All motorists who are forced to use those arteries are strongly reminded of Blaumilch’s activities and a bureaucracy that does not even know what they do.
Albrecht Classen
Midtown
All the news that’s fit to print
Thank you for your commitment to keeping our local newspaper in print. I’ve been a subscriber to the Arizona Daily Star print edition for 37 years, and will continue my subscription for as long as the print edition continues. The free press is one of the last remaining bulwarks against the collapse of our democracy, which depends on literate, educated and informed citizens. There are other more instantaneous sources of information — or in many cases, misinformation and disinformation — than a local daily newspaper; but there is no substitute for reading about and reflecting upon current events to form rational, thoughtful opinions. Thanks to all at the Star who make this daily miracle possible: writers, editors, photographers, graphic artists, advertisers, subscribers, and the delivery people who rise in the middle of the night, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, to bring us the news.
Will Clipman
West side
Pointing fingers
In a childish exchange between Senator Gallegos and CD 6’s gerrymandered Representative Juan Ciscomani on the subject of the GOP shutdown, Ciscomani stated, “I did my job…”.
Au contraire, my ill-informed representative, your job is to produce an actual budget, not kick the can down the road with a CR and point fingers. You and team MAGA have the White House, Senate and House, and once again failed to do what is arguably your only job as a member of the House.
Enough distractions. Release the Epstein Files and get back to the people’s business.
Kevin Henderson
Foothills
Responding to LTEs
The last sentence of J. McConnell’s LTE of Oct. 5 stated “Reducing political divisiveness starts with respecting others’ right to their view and their product without punishment.” I fully agree, except it actually starts at the top, so please tell Mr Trump to stop the hate, retribution, threats, and demands that Democrats be “taken care of.” Just a few attempts at civility and unification could do a lot, but I’m not holding my breath.
Then the end of L. Johnson’s LTE of Oct. 5 stated “To put the entire blame on Israel [for killing 67,000 Gazans plus 6,000 more buried in the rubble, mostly women and children], which is only trying to ensure its very existence on this earth, is absurd.” The problem here is that no one is doing that, and instead, most are shocked at the mass killings and starvation of women and children and non-combatants in Gaza: a genocide without remorse, in the fight with Hamas.
Steve Cox
Northwest side
If you think things are bad now ...
For the first few months of the new Trump Administration, I was totally blown away by the planned MAGA chaos ... I thought, how are we ever going to get through this presidential term, as it seemed every traditional institution was being attacked and dismantled: The renaming and restructuring of The Kennedy Center? The re-renaming of the Cleveland Guardians baseball team back to the Cleveland Indians? What?
Then I found the antidote to my impending depression. I watched the award-winning 2012 movie directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Daniel Day-Lewis. Wow, was I inspired. That period of our history was true mess that showed what a great leader can achieve. President Lincoln and his backroom deals produced an environment that mended a fractured nation. Lincoln was the anti-Trump: No retribution, after a terrible Civil War, was needed or required.
If we could get through that period, then we can get through this. Watch the movie and be inspired. We will get through the rest of this presidential term.
Albert (Bert) Hanson
Northwest side
AG Pam Bondi, the good soldier
I watched United States Attorney General Pam Bondi’s audition for the lead in the next sequel to the movie “Mean Girls” in front of the U.S. Senate Judicial Oversight Committee. She refused to answer questions reasonably put to her by members of the Senate Committee. Instead, she repeatedly read canned non-answers and hurled personal insults at U.S. senators who had the nerve to try to exercise their purpose and obligation to do oversight. Her performance was intended and offered to an audience of one ... truly her only client, Trump. As a retired attorney and judge, I am disgusted with such a blatant and notorious violation of her ethical obligations as an attorney and oath of office as Attorney General to support and defend the Constitution of the U.S.
Paul Simon
Northwest side
Budget shutdown
I’m appalled at the GOP shutdown and the GOP lies. The shutdown is not about benefits for illegals. The GOP would rather give my hard-earned money to the wealthy supporters of the White House than help govern our country. You swore an oath to protect the U.S. and support the country fairly. This budget holdup is not about non-citizens, far from it. The GOP needs to stand up for Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, the needy and the less fortunate. It would do Republicans good to re-read their oaths of office. They should speak the truth and act accordingly. The lies are ruining our nation. And where in the world is Juan Ciscomani, Carmen San Diego? This “break” is supposed to be a time to meet in person with constituents.
Peter Bisschop
East side
The Mount Rushmore of Arizona Wildcats men's basketball players
