Beef ranchers care for land
With Earth Day here, sustainability is top of mind. As ranchers, we are proud that we provide both high-quality beef for consumers today, maintain the land for open space and provide a better future for generations to come.
The cattle we raise are upcyclers. They have the unique ability to graze on land that is too dry and rocky for any other food production. Our cattle upcycle the forages they consume into high-quality protein.
Ultimately, we are producing more protein than would exist without the cattle we raise while utilizing and preserving land that could not otherwise produce food.
We care for the land we use and support healthy wildlife populations with practices like providing over 90 water sites for deer, javelina, birds and other wildlife use daily.
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We are committed to continually improving our ranch so we can produce beef consumers know and love, while preserving our natural resources. It’s a practice that will allow us to continue living off this land, generation after generation.
Andrew and Micaela
McGibbon
Green Valley
Sinema disdains her constituents
I’ve been feeling confirmed by the many letters and op-eds that have appeared in the Arizona Daily Star recently expressing disappointment in the performance (and that is indeed what it is) by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.
My experience with her is that I sent her an email urging her to vote down the filibuster and what did I receive in return? A boilerplate and pap about the history of the filibuster. No thanks. This is insulting and cavalier.
Sinema seems more content to perform a role (as did our former fake president) rather to to act responsibly and authentically. I expect our leaders to fully justify their positions in a meaningful, analytic, professional manner and not simply have their staff toss off something I could read in any history book.
Isn’t that why we pay their salaries? Additionally, I’m neither interested in her costumes nor her lifestyle. I can’t wait to vote her out. She is an embarrassment to Arizona and not the only one at that!
Robert Kafes
Midtown
Statehood for DC is long overdue
Re: the April 14 article “Goldwater and I agreed on statehood for D.C.”
Kudos to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for announcing their support for Washington, D.C., statehood. I hope Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema support it. D.C. residents, who outnumber both Vermont and Wyoming, have all the responsibilities of U.S. citizenship, but not all the benefits.
They pay more in federal taxes than 22 states, yet they have no voting representation in the U.S. House or Senate. That can change now. The bill the White House is supporting would end that injustice by granting equality to D.C. residents.
Former Sen. Dennis DeConcini laid out clearly in his April 14 column that equality for D.C. has historically had bipartisan support, including from Sen. Barry Goldwater. Hopefully 2021 will mark the end of taxation without representation.
Jeffrey Kucik
Midtown
Public/private balance needed
Cries of “socialism” are unhelpful for the national conversations needed to deal with the problems the country faces today. Every developed country, including the United States, has socialist (public sector) and capitalist (private sector) activities.
Since public-sector involvement is currently a flashpoint for many, it’s worth remembering that both of our parties promote public-sector involvement in our society. For example, Democrats would like a public option in health care; Republicans meanwhile support special subsidies and tax breaks for businesses.
The conversations we need to have are about where the public/private balance should be and that requires a nuanced discussion. Immediately rushing to extreme rhetoric only impedes this work.
Barbara Hall
Midtown
Filthy bus stops need cleaning
I have ridden the Sun Tran bus system for many years. I’m very grateful the city of Tucson has eliminated the bus fare during this terrible pandemic. This gesture has lessened the economic hardship. Yet, there is a problem.
The bus stops throughout the city are filthy. I have written to Sun Tran but have never received a response. Isn’t there enough government assistance to cover the much-needed steam cleaning and upkeep of the bus stops?
It is quite an embarrassment besides the hassle of sanitizing shoes and clothing at the end of the day.
Dan Nelson
Midtown
Time to rethink higher education
Re: the April 16 article “UA gets OK to increase tuition.”
I am stunned that the University of Arizona is raising the cost of classes. If anything, it should be finding ways to lower the costs to attract more students and also provide much better career counseling. Right now the UA is just a people throughput factory.
If you want to cut costs, then reduce the salaries of the professors and the university president. These guys are sitting in Fat Cat City getting up to $200,000 per year and much more plus benefits.
Many have teaching assistants who do most of their work. I graduated 56 years ago, obtained several senior technical management jobs and I developed a different perspective. Many Ph.D. holders have a very narrow understanding of their world and were certainly not worth what I had to pay them.
Educators are supposed to do just that. So, why do so many kids walk away with large debts and then work at Starbucks? Universities need to dump the academia mentality and become mentors and coaches to help their proteges succeed in life.
Charles Blackstock
Southwest side
High-speed rail has its benefits
Re: the April 20 article “Trains will be a hard sell in the US.”
To sweeten John M. Crisp’s hard-sell opinion:
Imagine an elevated high-speed train that didn’t need to stop at every station. The train starts on a northern journey. Upon reaching its first stop, it doesn’t stop. One of the cars separates and exits the main line on its own.
Then cars going east and west also separate using a cloverleaf interchange to continue on their way. Only the car meant for that station needs to stop.
If we imagine it, we can do it. Electric high-speed rail would greatly reduce pollution. It would be much more comfortable than air travel. Travel time curb to curb would be competitive.
Ray Omdahl
Green Valley
Difficult truths from 2 Democrats
I have long admired Rep. Maxine Waters and Speaker Nancy Pelosi. They are both smart and courageous, always speaking truth to power. Ms. Waters statement prior to the rendering of the jury verdict was actually right on point and had nothing to do with fomenting violence toward the police or anyone else.
She spoke the difficult truth which upsets the former president’s enablers and makes insecure people in power even more uncomfortable. Nancy Pelosi not only had Waters’ back, but suggested the words used were the words of the civil rights movement and not the words to overthrow the government.
Speaker Pelosi also shut down the false movement to censure Waters. I honestly wish more of our leaders had the courage of their convictions and were willing to say things that are necessary to speak about, even if those things cause the squeamish people in power to appear to be offended.
James Robinett
Southwest side
Non-Blacks also killed by police
The conviction of the police officer in Minneapolis seems to be correct. However, I am disturbed by the one-sided public outcry for these killings. There seems to be no concern when non-Blacks are killed by a policeman.
This past year, the police killed 241 Blacks but also killed 457 whites, 169 Hispanics and 154 others. No outcry for the other killings. It is painful that over the past 10 years or so only 42 officers were convicted of a killing but thousands of all colors were killed over just the past four years.
Sorry, but I find no joy in celebrating one conviction for only one race.
Arthur Garrett
Northwest side
Punishment not the job of police
Beliefs about punishment have been examined for hundreds of years. Many have strong views on punishment, which influence the behaviors and decisions of individuals. These philosophies, which drive behavior and beliefs, are often in conflict with each other and society.
“Eye for an eye” is equal retribution for a wrong. To some, the death penalty is a result of the “eye for an eye” belief.
“Just deserts” is viewed as delayed justice such as jail or prison. The Quakers were the first to adopt the “rehab for everyone” through prayer and solitude, however not everyone wishes to change.
The “lock the door and throw away the key” belief resulted in the infamous “three strikes” laws.
The “officer is the punishment” philosophy began hundreds of years ago. Many attempts have been made to get away from this philosophy.
However, incidents such as the Attica riot, the Rodney King incident and the George Floyd case illustrate how a strong belief in this philosophy can result in excessive force.
Ray Bynum
Northwest side
