Many aren’t taking COVID-19 seriously
Why are people in Tucson acting as if they are immune to COVID-19? As an essential worker, I drive home at 3 p.m. and the streets are packed. The store parking lots are full, with landscapers, pool cleaners and other commercial vehicles going about their business as if they are not literally threatening the lives of everyone in the city of Tucson.
Your trip to Home Depot for landscaping ideas, your journey to Trader Joe’s for wine; you should have to be the person who notifies the next of kin, because you contributed to these deaths.
But don’t worry, the government is going to send checks and we wear masks now, so it is OK.
I think we were supposed to learn from the rest of the world’s mistakes and we obviously didn’t! The people of China had no warning that the virus was coming and they had fewer reported fatalities then the U.S., which had a two-month warning. And even with thousands dead, we still don’t listen!
People are also reading…
David Rogers
Northwest side
Trump acted as soon
as situation dictated
So, the narrative from the Democratic news media, especially after an interview of Dr. Anthony Fauci with Jake Tapper on CNN over the Easter weekend, is that if Donald Trump had acted earlier to mitigate the virus, lives would have been saved.
Trump enacted his initial two-week national mitigation guidelines on March 15.
On February 27, there were only 64 reported coronavirus cases in America. Did that number justify demolishing the economy, shuttering businesses nationwide and putting millions out of work?
On April 13, Fauci said that President Trump agreed with him and Dr. Deborah Birx on every recommendation made related to the virus, including their initial two-week national mitigation and then the subsequent mitigation until April 30.
Fauci is not a political animal and does not think in those terms, so when answering questions from Trapper about “what ifs,” he gave a theoretical answer, not realizing it was intended as a “gotcha” question to be used in Democratic campaign ads
David Burford
Northwest side
One political stunt deserves another
The president, in a blatant attempt to curry favor with voters, has determined that his signature will go on the stimulus checks.
This is designed to elicit a sense of indebtedness from the recipients to Donald J. Trump and to subliminally encourage them to vote for him in November.
After watching a few of the purported COVID-19 briefings, which are in actuality campaign ads and an few hours of DJT Open Mic Hour, I’ve decided to donate my check, with his flamboyant signature, to the Democratic National Committee.
After all, one political stunt is as good as another.
Steve Arnold
Foothills
All elections should be done by mail
If there was ever a time to enact universal vote by mail now is that time.
On April 7, Milwaukee voters stood in line for hours wearing face masks to cast their votes in person. The governor tried to delay the vote due to the stay-at-home order declared to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Only five of the regular 180 polling places were open. Poll workers are usually older people, those most vulnerable to the virus, so many did not wish to risk their health and safety despite the importance of their task.
Five states currently vote exclusively by mail: Utah, Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii. The advantages are: voter convenience, financial savings for the states: no need to buy expensive voting machines or pay poll workers, and increased turnout.
Utah reported in its 2016 general election a 5% to 7% increase in voter participation.
The Arizona Legislature can enact universal vote by mail regardless of what happens in Washington. Contact your representatives and demand universal vote by mail.
Leadawn Anderton
Southwest side
Fox News missed
the mark in March
I watched Fox News during the first half of March and witnessed an example of what is known as “post-truth mentality”: the contention that feelings are more important than facts. Its reporting of COVID-19 was about how not to be concerned with it. They minimized the seriousness of it based on supposition, not facts.
No less than eight members of the Fox team had this same opinion. Fox was ignoring the Chinese experience with this disease.
Meanwhile, Fox News watchers were believing what they heard and acted in a nonchalant manner toward the disease. Fox just added to the turmoil caused by this disease with its irresponsible reporting/opinions. A post-truth mentality has consequences!
Steve Rasmussen
Foothills
History won’t be kind to Trump, Fox News
President Trump and Fox News have hit a new low. Deflecting their ineptness by blaming China and the World Health Organization, then threatening to defund the WHO in the middle of a worldwide crisis is unconscionable.
I knew when South Korea screamed to the world how it successfully contained COVID-19, with a handful of countries followed suit. I knew when Italy screamed to the world not to take this lightly, as they did with disastrous results.
Meanwhile Fox News and Trump assured us we were safe and at low risk from this “flu.” This was an epic failure that history will judge harshly.
When America was a great country, we would have been looked to for guidance and leadership. Nations of the world must be collectively shaking their heads and wondering how we fell so far so fast. I’m shaking my head with them.
Also, a shout out to Wisconsin conservative justices. Epic fail.
Timothy Cook
Midtown
Government workers must be competent
At some point, we’re all going to have to admit that competence in governance is important. There’s a reason we have more COVID-19 cases and deaths than any other country, while just a few years ago, having a disease surveillance agency that was the envy of the world.
Some politicians are more interested in cutting taxes and government to prove their own personal narrative, but those they deride as “bureaucrats” are in fact often experienced and competent individuals who keep us safe and our government functioning efficiently.
The current situation is not just a one-off and not just for diseases. We are going to encounter many different challenges in the coming years and we are going to need the most competent people we can find in all levels of government, federal and state.
Keep voting the same, outdated philosophy and get used to having this happen repeatedly.
Tim Helentjaris
West side
Most churches
follow CDC guidelines
Re: the April 9 letter to the editor “Christian privilege hard to stomach”
The letter writer is correct in asserting that restrictions on public gatherings have nothing to do with religious freedom. Those who flaunt these restrictions are acting irresponsibly and are endangering the health of others.
However, the three instances of churches that have not followed CDC guidelines hardly constitute “Christian privilege.”
The three churches with which I have a relationship suspended attendance at their services when the guidelines were published and have been conducting services with no congregation present. These services are available on the web for those who wish to attend church during this difficult time.
This appears to be widespread among thousands of churches across the country. It is unfair to condemn Christian churches for the actions of a very few.
Ed Schmidt
Green Valley
Trump is removing constraints on power
Recently, the president fired two inspectors general with important oversight roles.
One was the intelligence community IG, Michael Atkinson, who determined that the whistleblower complaint in the Ukraine scandal was “credible” and should be forwarded to Congress, which eventually led to the president’s impeachment.
The other was Glenn Fine, the acting IG for the Pentagon. Fine had been assigned to chair the federal panel Congress created to oversee the current administration’s management of the $2 trillion economic relief package known as the CARES Act.
Inspectors general are like private eyes, working on behalf of the American people, by uncovering corruption and waste inside of government.
Both IGs were removed without cause. These firings are latest actions of a president who seems determined to undermine the system of independent oversight created after Watergate to prevent future corruption of the executive branch. This should raise a red flag for anyone paying attention to the disturbing pattern being set by this administration.
Linda Stanley
East side
Three cheers
for Tony Davis
It was a pleasant surprise to open Sunday’s Star and see the well-deserved accolade for environmental writer Tony Davis, our friend and journalism school classmate.
Having worked in the field of land and water conservation ourselves, we know the importance of good, objective investigative reporting on the issues facing our natural world, and knowing enough to ask the right questions to the right people.
Tony is one of the best in his field, and the Arizona Daily Star and Tucson are fortunate to have Tony on the beat.
Tom and Debbie Collazo
West side
Democrats can do better than Gov. Cuomo
Re: the April 12 letter to the editor “Cuomo? Yep”
It is no surprise that some people like New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Expect attempts to draft him for the nomination. He is personable, charismatic and a good speaker with lots of good press.
However, he was vehemently outspoken against suggestions that New York state should be placed under quarantine. Cuomo declared that could be illegal, and basically said states have the power to do so, and that “we are not in China, and we are not in Wuhan.”
Numerous reliable sources now say the “lockdown” of Wuhan and other areas in China were significant in minimizing the spread of COVID-19 in China.
In the meantime, unfortunately, Cuomo now presides over the state and city with the most cases and the most deaths, by far; and his neighboring states are close behind.
Personally, I prefer good decisions over charisma and personality any day. The Democrats can do better than Cuomo.
Matthew Scully
Sahuarita
Kudos to auto insurers for issuing refunds
In these COVID-19-filled news days, where the majority of what we hear is worrisome and depressing, it is a bright spot to see that auto insurers are refunding $7 billion to customers due to a reduction in claims from reduced driving.
Nearly a dozen insurance providers, including mine, are issuing anywhere from a 15% to 25% refund for April and May premiums.
It is refreshing to see a profit-driven industry taking care of its customers rather than contributing to their own bottom line.
Here’s to more bright spots!
Barb Hunsinger
Green Valley
Count inmates from where they are from
Inmates should be counted by the census from where they lived before being incarcerated, instead of where they are locked up.
Many prisons contain more people than the local jurisdiction in which they are located, thereby taking representation away from other locations without prisons.
This skews representation in state legislatures and in Congress, and takes dollars away from locations that need them, since much federal aid is based on population.
When Congress votes to extend the deadline for completing the census, they should also require that all those incarcerated be counted where they previously lived.
Bruce Billings
Midtown
Are jaguars worth more than humans?
Last weekend the Arizona Daily Star featured an article titled “Kiss jaguars goodbye in Arizona if border wall cuts off access from Mexico.” It was an alarmist article saying that construction of the ongoing border wall could end any jaguar presence in Arizona.
Five male jaguars have been spotted in Arizona since 1996. That is an average of one every five years!
The article failed to mention that there are about 70 miles of open border with Mexico on the Tohono O’Odham Nation, where jaguars could cross over.
Is there any doubt that a border wall could save migrant’s lives, both adults and children, acting as an impediment and a deterrent?
According to a DHS report, one in three smuggled women are sexually abused during their journey to the border. Most smuggled migrants enter the country illegally between the ports of entry. How many of their lives are worth an obscure jaguar?
A new Biden administration soft on illegal immigration enforcement and lenient on asylum claims could initiate another massive influx of Central Americans.
Michael Wayne
Midtown
