Naomi Baruch grieves over the coffin of her son, Uriel Baruch, a slain hostage whose body was returned from Gaza as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas on Sunday in Jerusalem.
Credit for Israeli-Hamas peace deal
Your Dallas Morning News article crediting President Trump for the Israeli-Hamas peace deal demands a response. The deal was provided by the Israeli military, which was preparing to destroy Gaza City and the last remnants of Hamas. The remaining terrorists decided that their hostages were then a liability and, with no support from Arab and Iranian allies, they should trade the 20 surviving hostages for the 9,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails and a cease fire. This is more a hostage exchange than a peace treaty. How many of the 9,000 will be released within Israel or deported, as we are now doing with our jailed immigrants? I assume most ran afoul of the second-class rules for Palestinians living and working in Israel. Trump is trying to take credit as the world’s peacemaker but his policies moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, facilitating the Abraham Accords and unconditionally supporting Netanyahu ended hope for a two-state solution in Palestine — perhaps inciting Hamas to attack Israel.
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Frank Hartline
Foothills
No Kings rally in Oro Valley
It was heartwarming to see at the recent No Kings, pro-democracy, and anti-fascist rally in Oro Valley the huge number of participants, the love of country and patriotic sentiments expressed in the creative signs brought to the rally, and the overwhelming support demonstrated by passing motorists and bicyclists. I will be curious to see the number of participants and their sentiments expressed at the anti-democracy, pro-fascist rally yet to be held.
David Kipper
Marana
Not ‘whims’
Once again, another fact-free treatise from a usual suspect. Nope, “low-level unelected federal judges” are not looking for 15 minutes of fame. They are (gasp!) upholding the law. Trump’s tariffs, implemented via the IEEPA, were deemed a clear overstep of his authority. Of course, this is being appealed, and these and other tariffs remain in place for now. Closed detention centers have been shut down for various legitimate reasons, not on some “whim.” Even “Alligator Alcatraz,” a crowning testament to Trump’s love of cruelty and inhumanity, remains operational for now. Workforce efficiencies? Little actual proof exists to substantiate any real “efficiencies” were achieved through the partisan “whim” slashing of the government workforce. Simply put, Mr. McConnell needs to accept that the rule of law is not meant to be suspended just because it gets in the way of the never-ending lawlessness of his Dear Leader.
Hope Gastelum
East side
Sun Tran
Hey City Council,
Here’s a crazy nutty fun cool idea:
Charge people to ride the bus!
It’s been a wild ride (no pun) since 2020 but it is high (no other pun) time you all end this failed experiment.
Scott Thompson
East side
In power
For the entirety of American political history, the voters elect a single party to govern the country for a limited term. Currently, that is the Republican Party. Instead of working with the present government as best they can, the opposition is acting as a petulant child on a school ground who claims he will take the ball home but is informed that the ball is not his. The opposition party can support past policies but should have enough courage to explain to the public why those policies are good for the country. If the public does not buy these arguments, why not propose and submit legislation, even though it may not be enacted at present, that convinces the voting public that the proposed plan is superior to current policies. As it stands now, the Democrats are doing neither of the above but simply vilifying the present Administration with vile name calling and obstruction. How about convincing the majority of the public you have a better plan?
Loyal M. Johnson Jr.
Oro Valley
Campaign slogans
To name a few:
Barack Obama — “Si se puede”
George W. Bush — “No more taxes”
Abraham Lincoln — “Vote yourself a farm”
Dwight Eisenhower — “Peace and prosperity”
Bill Clinton — “Putting people first”
Perhaps a good slogan for 2025 moving forward:
“Your vote is your future.”
Camille Gannon
West side
In praise of Opinion
I’m a firm believer in local newspapers and love the tactile quality of newsprint and even licked fingers stained with ink after a morning read with a cup of coffee. I’m not a fan of your digital edition and as such have not kept up with your LTE wars this summer — having spent it aboard a sailboat moored on Narragansett Bay reading the Providence Journal and the Boston Globe.
So it was with great joy, when I opened the Star upon my return, that I saw the loyal opposition still kicking and advancing its hilarious and ludicrously fact-free defenses of this administration on your opinion pages.
Yesterday I was all too happy to be back home and to join in with what they labeled as the I Hate America protest. Thank God for their First Amendment right to say so in your paper without any need to call on the Second.
A. Lawrence Glynn
East side
This is what democracy looks like
I write this while standing among throngs of people lining Oracle Rd for the Oro Valley No Kings event. There is a young person in an inflatable frog costume with a sign that says, “I am not a paid protestor.” There’s an old woman being helped to maneuver her walker to the curb so she can wave her American flag at the joyously honking cars passing by. There’s a friendly policeman at the intersection crosswalk helping to keep turning cars and passing protesters safe. Next to me is a man with a sign that reads, “Military Veteran — I fought for freedom not fascism.” Nearby a woman yells out, “What does democracy look like?” The crowd roars back, “This is what democracy looks like!” If Speaker Mike Johnson had been there he would have seen firsthand that this was not a “hate America rally,” but rather a “we love America rally.”
Thea Chalow
Oro Valley
Don’t be surprised
Ghislaine Maxwell was federally convicted of sexually exploiting and abusing multiple minors. She was previously convicted of conspiracy to entice and transport minors to engage in sex acts, transporting a minor to participate in sex acts, sex trafficking conspiracy, and sex trafficking a minor. After two meetings with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Maxwell was moved from a maximum-security prison, where she was serving her 20-year sentence, to a minimum-security facility in Texas.
On October 6, the Supreme Court rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s challenge to her criminal conviction. Multiple complaints have been made regarding her preferential treatment at the Texas facility. Recently, she has received several special visitors, which were shrouded in secrecy and required the facility to be locked down.
George Santos’ commutation was a precursor; therefore, do not be surprised when President Trump commutes her sentence or pardons her, followed by the swearing-in of Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva.
Jean Meconi
Oro Valley
We love democracy
I was privileged today, 18 October 2025, to be able to attend two “No Kings” rallies on the southeast side of Tucson, one in Vail and one on the corner of Houghton and Rita Road. Both rallies were attended by peaceful, jubilant citizens who love our country and its democratic form of government. We also all fear this administration is becoming a dictatorship by following the same path that every other dictator has taken. There were no terrorists, no payments for attending the rallies, and all but 3 of the four hundred or more signs I saw were homemade and creative. President Trump, Speaker Johnson, and all the other Republican politicians need to stop lying to us and about us and attend a rally to see what is actually going on.
Don Ries
Southeast side
Pardoning Santos
No longer asking how _____ (your name and allegiance here) could support Trump. You do, I don’t get it, never will. But I do know that most of you in your hearts would never ever teach your children the moral values displayed by Trump. That much I know. You love the showman but showmen cannot run a democratic government — which I guess is why Trump has decided to end our democratic government. It’s not a form of government he could ever abide.
Witness his latest pardon. George Santos. (Don’t worry about the Proud Boys all pardoned — now employed by Homeland Security and I.C.E.) Pled guilty to defrauding the American public, and admitted to these schemes as he was sentenced to over 7 years in jail:
- Campaign finance fraud
- Unauthorized credit card use
- Identity Theft
- Unemployment Fraud
- Misleading financial disclosures
In a few words, this lowlife scoundrel deceived the public for personal profit and gain and denied, denied, denied. And he was pardoned? A disgusting act of cowardice all around.
Rick Rappaport
Oro Valley
Judgment
“Bear Witness Now” by the Southern Arizona Christian Clergy in business section page D-5 Sunday October 5, signed by 15 Presbyterian clergy is interesting!
Sentences of concern:
“We preach, lead, and act in diverse ways, yet we have found a collective voice and are compelled now to speak in opposition to the harmful policies and actions we are witnessing in our nation including by the President of the United States, the administration, elected officials, judges, and the public, including people identifying as Christian.”
“Since Inauguration Day of this year, we witnessed a dizzying number of harmful policies, practices, and rhetoric. Although deceptively clothed in Christian language and symbolism, these invert Jesus’ ministry and teaching.”
Bible quotes are included. The following quote does not appear:
- Matthew 12: 36-37: “But I tell you everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words, you will be condemned.”
Peter Mike
East side
Deficit reduction
One of the main points in the past national election cycle was the reduction of the federal deficit, well now into our 10th month of the new administration where is the benefit of all these executive orders?? All the news media seem to cover now are the senseless expenditures like creating a “ballroom” and changing the criteria of our national museums, institutions and research complexes. Where is the sense of all this and why aren’t we upset about it?
Fred Thompson
East side
Wishy-washy Washington
Our POTUS has been in office for 272 days. He told the citizens of the U.S. that he would end the war in Ukraine in just ONE day once he won the 2024 election. He continues to waste time, taxpayers’ money, and Ukrainian lives by dangling a carrot in front of Ukrainian President Zelensky’s country, while appeasing Putin and his military.
Forty-Seven got tough with Hamas, yet for one reason or another he fails to get tough with Putin. What does Putin have over the U. S. President? What does the U.S. have to gain by allowing Putin to continue waging war on Ukraine?
How can the U.S. continue to watch Putin kill unarmed civilians and level hospitals and schools day after day?
It is time to put Putin on notice and provide Zelensky the Tomahawks needed to possibly turn the tides of war.
Max LaPlante
Southeast side
No Kings protest
Yesterday, October 18, my dear lady friend and I, 85 and 87 years old, stood on the corner of Tanque Verde and Sabino Canyon with a “No Kings” sign and small US flag. We looked alone and small, but we actually had many friends and supporters. As the heavy traffic went by hundreds of drivers honked, gave us a thumbs up or a wave. A few were rude.
Like millions of Americans that day we braved exhaust fumes, sunburn and fatigue to make known our devotion to democracy. Tens of thousands of Americans have endured far more to keep democracy safe in this country.
Earl Jernigan
Midtown
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