Letters to the Editor: April 29

Re: the April 6 article “Blame our casual attire on the Beatles.”

How ironic that the writer, Ray Lindstrom, would aim his boomer arrow toward the Beatles, who were fashion trendsetters and wore fabulous hippie-chic clothes that most men couldn’t afford to buy. Surprise! Most people can’t afford to dress up in 2022 either! I would much prefer flowing-haired men in frills and ruffles to the billy-goateed, bald-headed pro-wrestler types that are prevalent today, but those days, as well as the days of “ladies in dresses” (and corsets?) are, happily, in the proverbial closet and will remain there, right next to your suits, ties and uniforms. Quit griping. Those men who actually have hair keep it short and conservatively cut and that at least should please you (not me). And I’d love to see how you looked in 1967.

Patricia Olkiewicz

Northwest side

We can’t let hate win

Targeting marginalized groups scores easy political points. Our Republican legislators will continue to act despicably until it no longer works or until they’re called out, as Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow recently did. In her public address, which has been widely reported on news outlets and social media, she concluded that we can’t afford to turn away from vitriolic personal attacks.

In the meantime, a horrible price is being paid by a lot of confused kids in the LGBTQ community, belittled minorities and immigrants and anyone else our extremist legislators choose as their flavor of the week.

Speeches such as the one given by McMorrow provide a pivot point for our political future. We need to follow her example by making our voices heard loud and clear. Like her, we can’t let hate win.

Mark Silva

North side

Biden’s leadership effective

Re: the April 13 letter “Invasion of Ukraine”

There are more valid reasons besides President Joe Biden’s supposed weakness that explain Vladimir Putin’s delay in attacking Ukraine until President Donald Trump was out of office.

Trump continually denounced and criticized NATO, and there is reasonable conjecture that Trump would have taken the United States out of NATO in a second term. Such action would have effectively ended NATO and would have been very helpful to Putin.

Putin also looks a lot older now, and his face is puffy. His health and mortality may have more to do with his urgent need to act now to realize his dream of Russian empire and a subservient Ukraine, while he still has time left to do it.

Biden’s inspirational and prudent leadership of the international response to Russian aggression has been strong and effective to this point.

Ronald Pelech

Midtown

Right-to-work actually works

Arizonans need to know just how damaging overreaching policies tailored by union leaders could be to local businesses here in Tucson, as well as to our state’s overall economic competitiveness. A policy like the PRO Act would erase the right-to-work laws here in Arizona. Those laws actually play a huge role in helping our state attract businesses and build its economy. Sadly, there are many union-centered policies that have scattered their way into other pieces of legislation, namely the America Competes Act. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly were wise to not co-sponsor the PRO Act the first time around. They should continue to stand with our local businesses by opposing any type of legislation that hurts our local businesses.

Angel Hess

South side

Dangerous propaganda

Re: the April 21 letter “Besieged and victimized.”

This letter was right on, pointing out the Republicans’ fear-mongering by demonization of the usual targets — immigrants, gays, Muslims, now adding in teachers, scientists, public-health officials and others. Democrats are blatantly accused of being pedophiles, and incredulously this insanity is acceptable to the party. All this is playing well with the base, the “victims.” The lies and propaganda are endless, mushrooming like a noxious A-bomb cloud over our country and given a big head of steam by Trump’s incessant false claims of a stolen election. Various polls show over 70% of Republicans believe the Big Lie. Very dangerous propaganda, indeed. I’ll close with the words of propaganda master Joseph Goebbels, “We have made the Reich by propaganda.”

Deb Klumpp

Oro Valley

A national disgrace

I thought the current president had a lot of experience and would probably make an acceptable president compared to Donald Trump. What a mistake! We have a president and vice president who can’t put two coherent sentences together and probably rank as the worst communicators this country has ever had. We have an administration that does not understand there is a relationship between revenue and money paid out. If Build Back Better had passed, and thankfully it did not, thanks to senators from Arizona and West Virginia, I think this country would be buried in inflation — not 10% but double that. He evidently does not understand how lowering the corporate tax rate brought in more government revenue instead of less. And now he is adding regulations for charter schools that will drive up their cost and make them less competitive. President Bill Clinton was elected twice by strongly supporting them. He is destined to be a one-term president.

Dave Locey

Foothills

Demand accountability and oversight

Re: the April 18 article “Audit: Road projects lacking in funds.”

To have “Special Elections” in May for special tax projects is expensive and takes advantage of low voter turnout to bulldoze projects through, such as the RTA. According to Sam Kmack’s article, $150 million dollars are still needed to finish the 11 RTA current projects. Will Proposition 411 address that? What will happen to Broadway, Grant Road and the other nine projects? Will the First Avenue project still be scheduled and wipe out small businesses as Grant Road is doing? Where are the sales tax monies from those destroyed businesses?

He pointed out that regardless of the outcome of this election “the tax rate won’t increase” because of the half-a-cent special sales tax that already exists. But a “no” vote would end the tax and thus decrease our taxes.

With the track history of the RTA and proposed road projects over the last 40 years, it behooves us to show opposition, be wary and demand accountability and oversight as to how our dollars are spent.

Kent Hunter-Solberg

North side

Ex-inmates and labor shortage

Re: the April 24 article “Ex-inmates could ease Ariz. labor shortage.”

Tucson business owners and other companies need to rethink hiring practices when it comes to hiring a felon. As a person with one felony drug conviction 32 years ago in Texas I am unable to get a fingerprint clearance card. As such, I have been refused to be considered for remote receptionist work, being a housekeeper through companies like Care.com, working at the front desk of an assisted living facility and other basic office work.

My work ethic is above board, I take pride in giving exceptional customer service to clients, I am willing to learn and would be an amazing asset to any company if they gave me a chance. At 59 years old I have much to offer a company who is looking to train in basic office work, and sees me for who I am, not who I was so long ago.

Kathryn Felty

East side