Our Flag
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Close your eyes now and repeat it. I bet that almost all Daily Star readers nailed it, but let’s parse our pledge.
Justice for all: No ethnic group or elite class gets special treatment. Justice is blind.
Liberty: Freedom from excessive governance. No law could be the best law.
God: Founding Father John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” Reflect on that.
One nation, indivisible: Our 235-year-old Constitution is the world's longest surviving written charter of governance. It’s for “We the People” to decide if it will endure.
People are also reading…
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
November's midterms
This year's midterms will decide what kind of a country we want to live in. It is about a Republican Party that has been hijacked and hoodwinked by the biggest con artist in history. And gullible Republican voters have lapped it up like hungry dogs. The Republican candidates have never given a platform on how they will solve the problems we all face today (they refuse to work with the Dems). They are a party of conspiracies, grievances and the desire to put our country backwards hundreds of years. Anti-abortion laws that will result in more children being put in "the system" at taxpayer's expense. Banning books so children can't learn to think for themselves. Voters need to elect candidates that are serious about helping our country, not those who want to destroy it. Policies can be debated. Authoritarian governments can't. To paraphrase Lindsey Graham, if we nominate MAGA Republicans, we will get destroyed and we will deserve it. Please vote Democrat on Nov. 8.
Ilene Scannell
Northeast side
What about Independent voters?
Re: the Sept. 27 letter "How to decide on candidates."
The letter writer endeavored to educate voters recently; however, she completely ignored voters such as myself that are neither Republican nor Democratic, but Independent. Perhaps she would be kind enough to provide information about:
1. Responsibility for what happened in Afghanistan.
2. Explain why every day thousands of undocumented people cross into America on our southern border and must be cared for at taxpayer expense.
3. Why I saved to put my children though college and now have to pay for someone else's children's college expenses.
4. Who is responsible for the highest inflation in many years?
5. Why Congress won't approve term limits similar to those of the president.
6. Why this president needs to go on vacation (almost every weekend) more than any president in history.
7. If we have access to all the oil we need, why won't the president let us get to it?
8. Why the president's son is not being prosecuted?
9. Why do hunters need automatic weapons?
10. Are sanctuary cities really sanctuaries?
There are many more questions to be answered. And more time before the election. Still time to fill in the blanks and learn more facts.
Larry A. Van Wanseele
Sahuarita
Sen. Sinema wins
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is definitely successful in defending her brand of "bipartisanship": Polling shows that she has earned bipartisanship disapproval. Yay! I guess she got what she wanted: not fitting in ... anywhere.
Eudene Lupino
Northwest side
Tucson recipes
Re: the Sept. 27 letter "Food and Life section."
The recent letter regarding our Food and Life section has prompted me to finally share my thoughts on that topic. Reading about cozy stews when it's still 95 degrees in the Ol' Pueblo is only one reason the Star's food journalism seems wholly disconnected from the region it serves. As Tucson is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, I've thought it senseless that our culinary news be so often sourced from the "Tribune Content Agency." Surely our own food-scape is newsworthy as well?
Paula Redinger
Downtown
Critical CFSD
board election
Our community is facing a critically important school board election. As a parent whose child was educated from kindergarten through graduation in the Catalina Foothills School District, I am proud of the accomplishments achieved in CFSD over the past 20 years. The recognition of — and respect for — diversity, equity and inclusion has never been more important than it is today.
Candidates Amy Bhola, Amy Krauss and Gina Mehmert recognize and celebrate diversity in our classrooms and as a part of our valued curriculum. CFSD educators, board members, and many parents have long recognized that our society is only made successful when we respect and learn from those who may look different from us. As parents, we strive to share with our children, many of whom are now young adults, how we may further the recognition and respect for those whose path may be different from ours — whether ethnically, religiously, or based on personal preferences. A vote for Bhola, Krauss and Mehmert is a vote for diversity, equity and inclusion.
Tracy Shake
Foothills
We need to prevent
another Trump
I expect Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema to work with all their might to pass legislation so that the cheating, theft of classified documents, and any of the other things the lying ex-president has done can never be done again. I’m so sick of our country's money being used for idiotic schemes that man has dreamed up, and for the terrible mess he has gotten our country into.
This affects every one of us, and it has to stop with that man. There will be other con artists like him, ready to fall into step, right behind him, and ready to break the law, over and over, like him. It has to stop.
Patty LeCompte
Foothills
Arizona Election
My late mother was a lifelong Republican; I doubt she ever voted outside the party. In 2016, she said she didn’t think she could vote for Donald Trump, but neither would she vote for Hillary Clinton. She thought she’d vote for Mickey Mouse. After she had mailed in her ballot, I asked her if she had voted for Mickey. She said, “No I voted for the Wizard of Oz. I thought he had more leadership experience,” a cute but sad story. I wonder what she would do this year with a whole slate of Trump-backed, election-denying candidates in major offices. Would she vote for the Winged Monkeys or would she “Pay no attention to the (orange) man behind the curtain”? I imagine many current Republicans are faced with this same dilemma. I can only hope they might make a good decision for the future of Arizona.
Laura McCammon
North side
Sources of Energy
Re: the Oct. 2 article "Nuclear and natural gas won't save us."
I found it interesting to read Lauren Kuby's comments on your opinion page concerning her thoughts on the preferred sources of energy in the future, which do not appear to include fossil fuels or nuclear energy.
I spent over 30 years working in the energy business so I have a reasonable understanding of the time and effort necessary to make significant changes in our sources of energy, i.e., wood to coal, coal to natural gas and oil, etc. I also believe that climate changes are happening as a result of human activities. What I don't believe is that we yet have a decent understanding of how or how fast these changes will occur and what the effects they will have on society.
It would be a strategic mistake to remove relatively easy development of energy resources, such as natural gas, from our potential sources.
However, I do thank Ms. Kuby for providing me information that will help me decide how to cast my vote for the Arizona Corporation Commission.
Terry Allen
East side
Immigration
I think I read an idea put out for consideration in the editorial page a few days ago. Actually, I thought it was an excellent idea. Immigration affects California, Arizona, Texas, plus New Mexico. I think we need a committee of people from border towns along with New Mexico as the immigrants travel thru there also. These states know what is important to the citizens and what resources need to be in place. Most of the immigrants have traveled a long way. They are a part of our human race and should be treated with respect. There are resources in each of these states to help the oppressed. Think about this … would you sell everything and bring your family, or come by yourself to improve your life and remove yourself and family? Very tough decisions worthy of our support.
We are a great, compassionate country that can do what is right and just.
Mary Beth Schneider
Northeast side
Save the Reid Park
baseball fields
I oppose the elimination of any Reid Park Baseball Fields.
In addition to local leagues, the fields are used by Korean Baseball and the Salpointe Baseball Tournament. These events attract out-of-town teams and parents/fans, and have a major economic impact on the City of Tucson and our local hotels and restaurants.
If the fields are eliminated, the city will lose revenue from the field rental fees, as well as lose sales tax and bed tax revenue from the displaced hotel rooms. Our local hotels and restaurants will also suffer from lost sales.
The proposed new uses for the eliminated baseball fields will generate no revenue for the city or its Hospitality Industry.
Tucson’s hotels suffered greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are finally returning to normal.
Eliminating the Reid Park Baseball Fields will be another blow to Tucson’s Hospitality Industry. On behalf of the thousands of Tucson’s residents who work in Hospitality, please preserve all four of the Reid Park Baseball Fields!
Wes Clark
East side
Reason to be pro life
I am pro-life because I am against violence and abortion is one of the most violent acts against a human being. The fetus begins to feel pain by 12 weeks of gestation so the abortion procedure is especially violent in the second and third trimester.
Women are resilient. They will educate themselves about the abortion procedure. They will say no to sex if they are not ready to have a child. They will get on birth control and take it according to the directions and make sure the man wears a condom. They will obtain the morning after pill to have on hand before it's needed.
I am pro-choice and there are many choices to make when it comes to avoiding getting pregnant or after becoming pregnant. Abortion has never been and will never be a choice for me.
Helen Danahey Stewart, MD
Green Valley
Cost of having
child in US
The U.S. spends more on healthcare than any country in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Yet, childbirth and the costs that come with it are immense. National average costs of a vaginal birth is $13,024 and C-section is $22,646, including standard expenses such as facility and doctor fees, although this could vary by state.
While health insurance plans cover a significant amount, out-of-pocket costs would still be around $3,000. Uninsured and underinsured women are vulnerable to spend extraordinary amounts. Costs could also increase when health conditions of the mother and baby are factored in. Another option of home births is not covered by health insurance, and women must pay out-of-pocket if they require health care providers.
With the lack of predictability around health outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth and during the postpartum period, women and families need to plan months ahead for childbirth. A lack of access to abortion services could lead to worse maternal and child health outcomes.
Kiranmayee Muralidhar
Downtown
Give yourself a break
Ronald Reagan famously said "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help.” But when disaster strikes who are you going to call? Local, regional, state, and federal governments. Whose contribution is monetarily the largest? The federal government, with FEMA, the Coast Guard, and with the big money to hand out to local agencies including corporate recipients.
FEMA doesn’t see Republicans and Democrats; it sees people in need. It’s government “for the general welfare.” We don’t, as a nation rise up and tell Florida to handle its own damage or pay back the Fed. We give them a break.
Isn’t it funny that, as a nation, we won’t vote to fix our damaged health care system and give ourselves medicare for all? Why don’t we give ourselves a break?
Burl Dunn
Downtown
