Tucson Speaks Out: June 26

Star quality? That's on all of us!

On Monday, Gail Tout opined that the Arizona Daily Star has "no excuse" for errors in the newspaper. Which is a somewhat interesting and completely misguided admonition.

Over the past 15 years, the Star's newsroom has dropped from more than 120 reporters, photographers and editors to around 25 journalists today. All as the business model for print newspapers has been completely upended in a rapidly changing, increasingly digital world.

And as a former Star journalist, I know these people to be ethical, hard-working, dedicated professionals.

So if you want to see more and better reporting and writing in our daily newspaper, then subscribe to the print and digital editions today. It's in our best interest; the Star still produces the most and best local coverage in Southern Arizona. And without the Star, all the other local media outlets would be scrambling for a sliver of meaningful coverage to regurgitate.

Jeff Herr

North side

The circus continues

Touch a reflecting pool, go to jail. Touch children and smear poop on Capitol walls, go free. This is now a third-world country with no morals.

Terry Louck

East side

Two trains

Two trains will leave the station on Nov. 3. They are headed in opposite directions. The one going backward is on the FOX line and calls itself the “Freedom” train. Its first stop is back to 2020 to relitigate that election. Next stop is the 1950s, where contraception is outlawed, and segregation is rampant. Last stop on this line is the 1860s, where slavery thrives, and women can't vote and don’t even own their own bodies. Bathroom visits for all will be closely monitored.

The train going forward is on the Reality track and is called the “Constitution Express”. There are no stops on the way to finding solutions for the problems of inadequate housing, insufficient healthcare, substandard education, economic insecurity, and climate, water and disease looming catastrophes. And no one spies on you in the bathroom.

Come Nov. 3, which train will you hop on?

Mel Strijdonk

Oro Valley

The United States of Manosphere

The UFC fight on the White House lawn is emblematic of our country today — a representation of what has evolved over 250 years ... violence, hatred, vitriol, greed.

Backlash to feminism is the manosphere, where women are disrespected, beaten, sexually abused, raped, taken as sex slaves, deprived of their rights ... the instigator is a twice-elected president who "grabs them by the p----."

We may never see the full Epstein files, but now we have the Tate brothers — close associates of Donald Trump, Barron, Donald, Jr., J.D.Vance, Elon Musk, Kash Patel, Tucker Carlson, and many of the manosphere administration. Likes attract likes. Tates' methodology mirrors Epstein.

The Tates grew up poor, with an abusive and often disappearing father, to become rapists, sex traffickers, violent sexual abusers of underage girls — making millions off exploitation of women. Right up the alley of Trump and his buddies. As the money poured in, the women suffered beatings, strangling and rape.

The USA has devolved into the Dark Ages — VOTE REPUBLICANS OUT!!

Sandra Katz, M.D., J.D

Foothills

American as apple pie

I loved the front page story in the Monday, June 22, edition titled "Families Fear Citizenship Ruling."

The story featured a family whose child was "As American as Apple Pie" because he was born to a Guatemalan Mexican mother and a Swedish German father.

I have a similar story I'd like to share. My maternal grandmother crossed the border illegally from Mexico in the 1950s to work as a migrant worker in the strawberry fields of California. My father became a US citizen after growing up in Iceland, where his family had settled hundreds of years ago. I agree with the writer that this is truly what makes America America. We are a melting pot, and the actions of this administration are grotesque, surrounding people of color and immigrants. Our president has the mindset of a colonizer, and that is not what this country needs. We need an administration that promotes unity and love for one another. No illegal people on stolen land!

(P.S. Apples were brought here from Europe!)

Thorn Vikingur

Midtown

Liar, liar

President Trump is such a narcissist and pathological liar that he forgets what it’s like to deal with narcissists and pathological liars. Enter the Ayatollahs. Trump is well aware of the asymmetric advantage that liars and cheaters have over adversaries who play by the rules (aka “suckers and losers,” ... like us military folks). Now he’s getting a taste of his own medicine. Trump scrapped the previous nuclear deal with Iran because they couldn’t be trusted — he assumed they would lie and cheat like they always do. Trump is famous for making up bold-faced lies and then relentlessly selling them as if they are true. So are the Ayatollahs. I guess it takes one to know one. While MAGA/Fox “News” spins lies, the rest of the world watches in disbelief — what happened to America?

Trump is worried he will be seen as worse than President Hoover — too late. Trump makes Hoover look like Jesus ... or just a Christian-robed, haloed doctor? Oh please!

Pat DeConcini

Midtown

Wake up before it is too late

Trump is doing whatever he wants with no one in authority having the nerve to say no. He has no respect for any nation. He attacks with impunity. Anyone who defies him is immediately scorned as stupid. His cabinet and the elected Republican officials bend their knee to him and apologize for their weakness and beg forgiveness. The nations of NATO do not dare earn his wrath.

The last straw is his appeasement agreement with Iran. He is giving them more than they could have ever dreamed, including demanding that those who were attacked by Iran pay reparations of $300 billion. He is releasing billions that have been frozen for over 40 years, allowing them to sell their oil without restriction. This was a United Nations edict. What right does he have to speak for them? He was with them in Geneva, and they fawned over him like he was their lord and master.

Impeachment is the only answer.

Jack Walters

Northeast side