Letters to the Editor: Dec. 25

I would just like to acknowledge the great hiring that UA President Robert C. Robbins and AD Dave Heeke were responsible for by bringing both Tommy Lloyd and Jedd Fisch in to lead the men’s basketball and football programs, respectively.

Both hires had their doubters, heck, I was skeptical myself, and I couldn’t be happier to have been proven wrong. As a long-time UA fan I am very happy with the direction both programs are headed in. I am also grateful that both men took steps to acknowledge the importance of Adia Barnes to the awesome women’s basketball program by boosting her contract. Now if we could just get some TV coverage for the hard-working women, I would be very happy, indeed.

Merle McPheeters

Midtown

What’s really important in Tucson

We’ve seen the letters about the Russian prisoner exchange, the polarization of our politics, homelessness and climate change, but let’s talk about what’s really important to the greater Tucson metro area.

Why in the world do we have multiple processes for left-turn lights? We’ve got leading left-turn arrow, trailing left-turn arrows and those idiotic accident-waiting-to-happen flashing yellow left-turn arrows. I have always questioned the rationale for multiple approaches to this potentially dangerous driving maneuver.

Who’s the czar for metro Tucson traffic that can explain the thinking here? Pima County, RTA, the City of Tucson?

Stop the madness, let’s pick one.

Mark Patterson

Oro Valley

Shipping containers

When I was a little girl, my parents insisted that I put my toys back in their generally proper places. Applying similar logic to the soon-to-be former governor’s box car barricade, these incredibly stupid, expensive, favor-currying, hazardous eyesores should be transported to their original location, which is definitely nowhere in Pima County. All the governor has to do is dial up AshBritt, Inc., pay them the same amount as they charged for this illegal fiasco and they will receive millions of dollars from either Ducey or the Republican Party. Painful as this may be, it should remind them OPM (other people’s money) is not their slush fund. Democrats should not clean up for Republican messes.

Susan VonKersburg

Foothills

Use for shipping containers

Now that we have all of these shipping containers being removed from the border, let’s turn them into housing for the homeless.

Mark Lewis

SaddleBrooke

Cuts to theater education

Re: the Dec. 4 article “UA halts admissions for musical theater.”

As a parent of a U of A Musical Theatre senior, I am appalled at the unwillingness of the administration to fight for a classic art form with a thriving community. While film and television are, indeed, on the rise, they need not cast a withering shadow on something that brings so much joy to so many. Should every subject taught at the university be supported only by the “employment picture,” as Mr. Pope puts it? Is U of A to set its standards to those of a trade school? Shall we question whether Psychology has enough jobs? English Lit? Journalism? Each of these has real value to society beyond the job market, as does Musical Theatre. Why, when faced with budget challenges, is the first response to get out the axe? I have heard nothing about any sort of attempt to enlist outside aid, except in Mr. Pope’s leaked letter, in which he essentially claims that such efforts would be futile. Really? Did anyone even entertain the idea for a hot minute?

Bob Shockey

Midtown

Listen to Holocaust survivors

Re: the Dec. 1 article “We owe them much better than this.”

I agree with Mr. Pitts that that we need to do better. But how can we combat antisemitism? Activism and education are not the only ways, but a start.

My family has survivors as well as victims who perished in the Holocaust, and I feel it’s my responsibility to speak out. One way has been volunteering to lead tours at the Tucson Jewish Museum and Holocaust Center. Many Tucsonans do not know about its existence. Among the museum’s goals is to honor approximately 270 survivors who have made southern Arizona their home. About a dozen are continuing to speak to school groups and other audiences at the museum.

Listening to a survivor can change your life and views. I don’t know that we can stop rising antisemitism, racism, and hate speech, but we can try. One person at a time, one classroom at a time, one community at a time.

Evelyn Varady, retired educator

Foothills

Joseph Blair and veganism

Re: the Dec. 20 article “Ex-Cat Blair advocates for veganism.”

Thank you for the Dec. 20 article about Joseph Blair, former U of A basketball player and current assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. I was moved by his arguments for vegetarian and vegan diets. His introspective comments were thoughtful and gentle and deep. We don’t often see an article like this in the sports section, and I hope if you are reading this and you missed the article, you will go back to the Tuesday paper to find it. I especially appreciated the points Blair made at the end of the article, drawing parallels between our treatment of animals and our treatment of each other. I am a basketball fan, but this article showed a different side of a player and coach. I admire Blair for his principles and his actions, and the articulate way that those principles were expressed.

Karie Meyers

Foothills

Ukraine, Colorado River coverage

I am writing to thank the Arizona Daily Star for its coverage of two existential issues: the war in Ukraine and the Colorado River basin crisis. We cannot let the tragedy and horror in the Ukraine fade. We must stop Putin. If we don’t, history has shown that tyrants like him will continue their conquests and genocides. Second, everyone living in the seven Colorado basin states has an interest in preserving, protecting and wisely using our limited water supply. The Star’s coverage keeps both of these issues center stage to remind us that these are two critical issues for all of us. I also want to tip my hat to the Mine Tales articles by William Ascarza. Fascinating and educational. And a thank you to Tim Steller. I don’t always agree with him, but his articles are well written. The Arizona Daily Star serves valuable public interests.

James Tuthill

Oro Valley

What we need to do to support Ukraine

While Biden has done a good job of rallying our allies and we’ve provided significant support, it is often ‘no little, too late. At last, we are talking of shipping a Patriot battery. We should be sending multiples of these, and it should have been done months ago. Our failure to do so has left much of Ukraine with very little light or heat.

Further, we need to provide HIMARS and other long-range weapons that will allow Ukraine to strike back wherever Russian missiles may originate. Ukraine can’t outlast a war of attrition. They must be given both sufficient air defense tools, as well as the ability to strike back, wherever it’s needed.

I hope this speech will give America and the West the resolve to step up the needed supplies and get ahead of the curve in what we supply, not months late.

Phil Lyons

Foothills

Hate speech

Re: the Dec. 18 article “Hate speech is thriving.”

This article addressed some possible causes for the increase in hate speech. History can give us a lesson into the causes of hate speech, and we should listen. With the ascent of fascism in society, so is the concomitant increase in hate speech. Why is this? It’s simply because social Darwinism is a core tenet of fascism. This concept is a divisive one that applies the animal world pecking order to human society. It mentally banishes ethnic, political and religious groups that are considered unworthy to their society. They are the out-groups, to be hated because it is thought that they are responsible for the destruction of the nation. Once they are earmarked, then the hate speech begins. If fascism escalates, hate speech evolves into action to punish these so-called enemies. Considering that fascism was created by a sociopath (Mussolini), the degree of hate and division involved is understandable but sickening.

Steve Rasmussen

Foothills