History repeating itself?
Re: the July 23 article “A recent visit to Auschwitz raises troubling questions.”
Stuart Brody’s piece on Auschwitz is a salient reminder of what humanity can do to humanity. My maternal family came from Krakow, Poland. My maternal great-grandmother was Jewish and converted to Catholicism — perhaps because of the pogrom that was carried out there. But this fact is lost to history. It is only by the grace of God that I find myself residing in the United States because my family left everything behind and immigrated here.
Mary Jo Swartzberg
SaddleBrooke
Democrats are not socialists
As a Democrat my priorities are equal rights, not just the rights of the richest, loudest or most powerful. I support public education for all children regardless of family support systems or financial ability. I support rights for all to marry, have children or not, and believe in one’s own god or not, and honesty and integrity in elections and otherwise. Socialism involves social ownership as opposed to private ownership and really has nothing to do with Democratic principles. There is a big difference, and they are not equated.
People are also reading…
Robin Carter
Marana
Marana elections
Re: the July 6 letter “Change Marana Town Council” and the July 10 letter “Keep Marana town council incumbents.”
It is good to see so much response for positions in Marana Town Council. The status quo needs to be challenged to evoke positive change. If there is interest and concerns raised, it is good in a democratic society that people stand up. I attended the candidate forum on July 7 and found it a good exchange of ideas.
I was born in California in the mid-1950s and saw the growth in small suburban areas. As a kid, my lungs hurt when I played during recess. I thought it was normal. I lived 40 years in the Denver area and saw what development did to the beautiful pristine mountain views.
I would hate to see development win against a peaceful tranquil farming community that borders the Saguaro National Park West and the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum. New homes seem to be spaced in a claustrophobic manner. We don’t have a grocery store in the Gladden Farms area, something that was promised and never delivered.
Paula Palotay
Marana
Why semiautomatic guns?
The National Firearms Act of 1934 made fully automatic weapons prohibitively expensive to own. A similar tactic could be used with semiautomatics. Hunters have traditionally used bolt action rifles for large animals. Bird hunters often use double-barreled shotguns. Five- and six-shot revolvers can serve for home protection and self-defense. Would not this satisfy the Second Amendment?
Lee Payne
Foothills
Supreme Court decision
Welcome to the Sharia State of Catholicism! The “ayatollahs” on the Supreme Court have named the religion for our country. We have long criticized Muslims for their often harsh treatment of women. How is this Supreme Court decision any different?
This decision seems less legal than religious, does not follow the established concept of precedent, integrates religion into law in direct opposition to the Constitution, and restricts rights rather than expanding them. The only recourse we have is to elect people who are willing to support legal action to defend people’s rights to control of their own bodies. When you vote, think long and hard about who will support those rights, rather than to which party they belong. (I wrote “people’s” rights, because men, as well as women, could lose some of their rights at the hands of this court: the right to wear a condom, the right to a vasectomy, the right not to father a child.) Vote for people who will protect your rights.
Sandy Elers
Northwest side
No religion in Dobbs opinion
As a former lawyer, I recently read all four key Supreme Court decisions in the abortion area, but my synopsis was way too long for an op-ed. Nonetheless, I see red that the Star prints some of the more nonsensical letters and even op-ed (“Handmaidens”) that are submitted by people who clearly have not read what the Court said. Another emotionally argues against the interference of religion — but the decisions do not cite religion! The decisions deal with laws, the Constitution and other decisions. That some people base their opinion on abortion on religion — the taking of what would at least become a human being — is their absolute right, but that is not the basis on which Dobbs was decided. Ignorance might be bliss, but it is willful in the instance of those expressing nonsensical opinions and should not be printed other than to embarrass them.
John Johnson
Foothills
Proud to be ‘woke’
What is it about this word that makes the right crazy and the left defensive. The Webster’s definition of woke means “aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues, especially racial and social justice.” Isn’t this what progressives stand for? We should not let the right defile this word as something nefarious and dangerous to our nation. It’s an honor to be called woke, and a woke Democrat I am.
Dennis Rivera
Foothills
Progressive is regressive
I’m a California native who moved to Tucson 20 some years ago. I still visit family and friends in L.A. frequently. In the last five or so years, it has become a city I don’t recognize anymore. The progressives leaders have created uncontrollable homelessness and crime. Unless they get a new mayor, DA and governor (California as a whole is a mess) it will not get any better.
I lived with Bob Walkup and Jonathan Rothschild as mayors. Two parties, one peaceful city. Regina Romero comes in and within six months, our city is in chaos. Why? Because the prior mayors were focused on what was best for Tucson. Romero, and councilmember Lane Santa Cruz, arrived with their progressive anti-police, pro-BLM agendas that instantly created division. We need regular candidates that use logical thinking in a mature, dignified way, regardless of party. If your upcoming votes are about being trendy instead of qualifications that matter, Tucson will die a slow death like L.A. has.
Sheila Grant
East side
ID requirements
Re: the July 24 Doonesbury editorial cartoon
It is not going to take 150-170 words, it’s quite easy, pandemic and the state of our screwed government. They want to ID a kid for a beer in a bar like in the Doonesbury comic, but can go to gun store and get an automatic weapon!
We make it way too easy — so start monitoring their social media accounts and TikTok — whatever and look for clues. Have a monthly class in grade and high school on depression and stress and bring in lecturers for talks, not marching bands or athletes!
John Gray
Downtown
Biden’s rape victim story
Recently, Joe Biden expressed outrage over a report of a 10-year-old rape victim, who was forced to cross state lines from her home in Ohio and travel to Indiana to obtain an abortion. No police report of an alleged rape of a 10-year-old girl could be found in Ohio. Some believed it was just another one of Biden’s made-up stories. But, then on July 13, Gerson Fuentes, age 27, appeared in court in Columbus, Ohio, having been charged with repeatedly raping a 10-year-old girl. Fuentes is from Guatemala and is illegally in the United States. The unidentified little girl told police that she had been repeatedly raped by Fuentes. Fuentes reportedly admitted to police that he had raped the girl. Biden used the girl’s rape and abortion to illustrate the effects of Roe v. Wade. Ironically, I believe it illustrated the felonious crimes, and associated victims, that some who are illegally here commit, and Biden’s complicity in historic illegal immigration numbers occurring under him.
Gusher Adams
Midtown
Mission accomplished
The 21st century has seen the GOP element of the Supreme Court strip us of some of our most important rights and freedoms. I believe the GOP’s mission is to produce a totalitarian state where white man is king. Had Trump pulled off his coup, that would have been “mission accomplished.”
If you’re enjoying the idea of Emperor Trump, you should consider what it’s like to live in Russia, North Korea or China. Personally, I would rather be a regular guy in a democracy than a rich toady in a totalitarian state. Make your choice wisely because your freedom depends on it.
If you want to keep the United States from becoming a totalitarian state, vote Democrat this November.
Walter Mann
Marana
