Where would they go?
Re: the Nov. 1 article “Israelis have only one choice to survive: Leave.”
Gil Shapiro made a lot of good points about the Israel-Hamas conflict especially when Muslims favor a theocracy while the Israeli government is guided by Ultra-Orthodox religious parties. But he’s mistaken when saying “Israelis have two choices survival or leave.” David Nasaw in his book “The Last Million: Europe’s Displaced Persons from World War 2.” Mr. Nasaw points out that after WWII, all displaced people were put into camps until they could be resettled into their countries of origin. Unfortunately, how could displaced and stateless Jewish people be returned to Eastern European countries, especially Germany, Poland, and Russia? These countries were destroyed and certainly didn’t want their Jewish citizens back. When the camps were set to close would the Jews go? Their only hope was Palestine on ships hired like the S.S. President Warfield aka Exodus. Mr. Shapiro doesn’t mention where would the Palestinian people of Gaza or the West Bank go since they are also stateless and not defined by specific borders.
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Clyde R. Steele
Oro Valley
Republicans find evidence implicating Joe Biden
Republicans in the House of Representatives investigating the Biden family for money laundering and influence peddling have found evidence that President Joe Biden personally benefited from the scheme. An email from Hunter Biden’s laptop detailed a transaction he conducted with Raymond Zhao representing Chinese energy company CEFC, previously involved in a bribery and money laundering scheme. The “big guy”, was supposed to receive 10%. A July 30, 2017, Whatsapp message from Hunter to “Z” stated that he was with his father and wanted to know why the “commitment” had not been fulfilled yet. On Aug. 8, Zhao wired $5 million to Hunter’s business account. The same day Hunter wired $400,000 to his professional account. On Aug. 28, he wired $150,000 to a company account used by Joe’s brother James Biden and sister-in-law Sarah Biden. On Aug. 28, Sarah Biden transferred $50,000 into her personal savings account. On Sept. 3, she wrote a check for $40,000 (10%) to Joe the “big guy” Biden, reflecting “loan repayment.”
Janice DeAngelo
Tubac
Driver Education 101
Re: the Nov. 10 letter “Drivers Education 101.”
What I learned in Driver Education is to drive the speed limit, not to tailgate, not swerve around other cars, to use my horn for safety, not in anger and to be courteous and polite to other drivers. On city streets there are many reasons a driver might need to travel in the left lane so only on the Freeway are slower drivers expected to drive in the right lane. Chronically angry drivers should review what they learned in Driver Education and put it into practice. We will all live longer that way.
Trish Buls
Midtown
Israel agrees to 4 hour daily pause
Yesterday, Nov. 9, it was announced by the White House that Israel would do a daily “pause” for four hours allowing civilians to leave combat areas and for aid to flow into Gaza. The entirety of the Democrat dominated news media reported it as some great accomplishment by President Biden. There was only one problem, the Israelis have been doing those “pauses” for several days of their own accord. Biden actually had wanted a three-day pause. But for the those who do not follow the Israel war, it sounded like a major breakthrough done by Biden. He has a 39% overall approval rating, has a 60% disapproval rating for handling of the war with a bare majority of Democrats supporting it. Meanwhile, Hamas slaughtered over 30 Americans residing in Israel, continues to hold several Americans hostage, and almost 40 attacks launched on American military installations and troops in Syria and Iraq by Iranian backed proxies. Biden’s response to all of this, bombing a few warehouses in Syria.
Daniella Constantini
Sahuarita
Ciscomani tells constituents to take a hike
I am glad to see Rep. Ciscomani enjoying the outdoors and celebrating our local treasures in his campaign’s social media. Arizona is a destination for birders, hikers and anyone who enjoys spending time outdoors. The Grand Canyon attracts millions of visitors every year. I appreciate his spotlight on family-friendly events in our district. However, his actions don’t support his words. He supports cutting funding to the National Park budget (including the Grand Canyon) by 12.5% or $433 million. That reduction alone could mean as many as 1,000 fewer park staff, undermining visitor services and local economies. The National Park budget is mere 1/15th of 1% of the total national budget. Does Ciscomani believe that expensive vacations to private commercial parks (e.g. Disneyland) are where Americans should spend their time? He seems to be saying that with his votes. I ask you to consider Ciscomani’s priorities when you cast your vote in 2024.
Jenise Porter
Midtown
Netanyahu needs to go
The U.S. and the UN need to step up to the plate. Israel was created partly because the U.S. looked the other way while Germany slaughtered 6 million Jews. The UN endorsed its creation along with a Palestinian state — that never got created. Since the 1967 war, the U.S. has accepted Israel’s occupation of both Gaza and the West Bank and its creation of ever more settlements there pushing Palestinians off their land.
Since he came to power Israel’s Netanyahu has worked tirelessly to ensure a Palestinian state would never be created. He allowed more than $1 billion from Qatar to be sent to Gaza to support Hamas. There needs to be a Palestine, along with Israel protected by the UN for the next 75 years if necessary.
The U.S. should stop sending Netanyahu more bombs to kill more innocent Palestinians. It needs to take seriously the principle of collective security through the UN, promised after two world wars in the last century.
Steven Lesh
East side
Hypocrisy
To those who let themselves be manipulated by Trump’s constant lying, what would Trump be saying if Obama had committed the crimes against our country Trump has? He’d be screaming, “lock him up! Treason!”, and rightfully so. Would you have the strength to do what’s right, or flip to mindlessly following Trump? Look at the hypocrites who slam our voting system when it comes to Trump, but accept it when they win. Or the ones who rip out of control spending, yet lacked the courage to stop Trump from adding trillions to our debt. It’s sad so many support a guy who has never been man enough to hold himself accountable for his own actions.
Dave Rollins
Patagonia
Veterans Day parade
On Friday, Tucson had a very successful Veterans Day Parade. It was held on Friday rather than Saturday (true Veterans Day) for logistical reasons by the city. MC Dan Marries presided over the parade of more than 60 groups including multiple veterans’ groups, motorcycle groups from as far away as Fort Collins, Colorado, Scout and JROTC units, marching bands, hereditary military groups and fraternal organizations. The Grand Marshal of the Parade was the marvelous 101-year-old Harper Coleman, a combat veteran of both D-Day (Omaha Beach) and the Battle of the Bulge. None of this, however, was reported in the Star. There were two pictures on the front page, which is commendable, but no other report, no article, on our or any other Veterans Day parade either on Friday or Saturday. I am puzzled that the Star considers an event which had over 500 participants and easily 1,000 spectators, all of whom came to honor our veterans, not newsworthy.
Abraham R. Byrd III
North side
Why I supported Democrats in Tucson’s election.
Republican Candidates: Same old, Same old. Their answer to everything was more police, and better roads, but they refuse to raise taxes on the top 10% who benefit most from police and safe roads. Cutting taxes and demanding more services doesn’t compute on a balance sheet. Trickle-down theory created the homeless problem. No thank you.
Independent Candidate: All sizzle, no steak. Like Republicans, he wants to send homeless people to other cities or arrest them — not a solution. Good marketing guy, but we don’t need propaganda, we need less poverty.
Libertarian Candidates: Clueless. Most libertarians don’t even believe their own platform is realistic.
Democratic Candidates: Trying. It’s hard to convince well-off people that their accomplishments deserve less praise, and the majority deserve more help, but that’s the truth. Tucson has abundant talent — we need more investment dollars to stay local. Fixing problems in government takes political will. Addressing crime and homelessness takes political will — “housing first” is a good start.
Joshua Reilly
North side
