Tucson Speaks Out: Feb. 23 letters of the day

Re: Feb. 13 article “AZ GOP lawmakers seek to derail chance for commuter train.”

I remember I was at Ronstadt Transit Center and a man was going around asking if there’s a bus to Phoenix. We had to tell him that the furthest he can get to is Marana. Having a train between the state’s two biggest cities would greatly benefit lower-income Arizonans like him who most likely do not have a car. Yes, many Americans love their cars, but with cars and vehicle maintenance, gas, and insurance being so expensive, the trend right now is that more younger people like myself don’t have driver’s licenses than in previous generations and are foregoing car ownership altogether. It has also been statistically proven that trains are much safer than driving a car. Having Amtrak providing this service or even something similar to New Mexico’s popular Rail Runner would be welcomed by my generation.

Ryland Plassmann

Midtown

DEI for GOP

There have been some letters recently decrying the lopsided opinions against Donald Trump in the Star. These Trump supporters believe that the Star is only selecting letters of one opinion, that being against the former President. They demand the Star print a broader representation of opinions. In other words, they want diversity of opinions. They believe the Star editorial staff opposes Trump, giving opinion letters to that effect more coverage, which they think is unfair. Indeed, they sincerely desire equity. And if anti-Trump letter writers get to publish in the Star pages, they want in too! We can call that inclusion. So yes, friends on the right, we hear you. You will not rest until the Star commits to DEI! Who says MAGAs and Progressives have nothing in common?

Mike Cohen

Oro Valley

Re: Abortion bans and shocking results

Re: the Feb. 15 letter “Abortion bans and the shocking results.”

The letter referred to a story published by the AZ Star and others claiming that in 14 states that adopted abortion bans, 500,000 women have been raped resulting in 65,000 pregnancies. This study is baloney! It was prepared by far-left pro-abortion rights Planned Parenthood and Resound Research for Reproductive Health. The report was not based on empirical data, just extractions and estimates. One of the authors of the findings, Dr. Samuel Dickman of Planned Parenthood, stated, “These are hard numbers to come up with — there’s no kind of systematic collection at the level of health care providers to be able to answer this question of what’s the pregnancy rate among people who have been victims of a completed vaginal rape.” Again, these numbers are conjecture, a politically motivated report to further inflame passion among pro-abortion rights groups and against those who are pro-life coming into the next election cycle. States bordering “ban states” have seen sharp increases in abortions.

Michael Wayne

Midtown

Balloon Boy

Re: the Feb. 13 article “Plan would kick Biden off ballot.”

If Cory McGarr was any more of a lightweight, he’d be floating in the skies over Tucson. His “tit-for-tat” House Bill 2786 to keep Joe Biden off the Arizona ballot is a waste of time and it’s clear that McGarr is taking up crucial space in the AZ legislature.

He inflates himself with the helium of MAGA drivel and thinks he is a state legislator, but he is nothing more than another Trump toady ignoring the interests of his constituency. McGarr talks about family values but continues to carry water for a convicted sex offender and indicted crook. He wants to secure the border but follows a failed ex-president, committed to killing the most comprehensive bipartisan immigration bill in history.

According to the article, “McGarr refused to answer any questions about his legislation.” He’s clearly in over his head. Send this guy home and elect Kevin Volk in November.

Jim Lombardo

Oro Valley

“Wink-wink” wars

Many Americans have never quite grasped the facts of life about politics. We think we are part of a great democracy where everyone has a voice. After all, there are two very different political parties.

However, that is not much of a choice, especially when the two parties are like concrete blocks in the inflexibility of their platforms. Those platforms are dictated by individual party leaders who stamp their own specific wishes on the platform, like Trump and Biden both do.

Every four years, one of those platforms gets empowered. What happens then is seen in policies like America’s participation in the war in Gaza.

President Biden, America’s one and only power broker at the moment, says the U.S. will block another ceasefire resolution in the U.N. Relations between America and Israel involve “wink-wink” deals between autocrats that are completely divorced from the concerns of their “constituents,” who do not love this war nearly as much as their leaders do.

Kimball Shinkoskey Downtown

Let’s end calf roping

I’ve been practicing looking at situations and ideas from more than my own perspective. For instance, consider how a rodeo calf might feel during a roping event.

During a roping event, the calf may be tormented in the holding pen. She bursts out of the pen running fast, running for her life. The lasso landing around her neck pulls her violently into the air backwards and then slams her to the ground, choking her with the rope to hold her still as the roper forcibly binds her legs.

Instead, the calf might be beside his mother, learning, growing, playing, in a pasture.

Slaughterhouse meat inspectors find rodeo calves with broken necks, broken windpipes, broken ribs, punctured lungs, and evidence of choking.

We harm these baby animals.

I urge our town to ban calf roping.

Carol Fortier

Midtown

Pima County Attorney

Re: the Feb. 3 article “Businessman calls for Conover to resign.”

I recently read an opinion by businessman Moe Asnani calling for Laura Conover’s resignation. I couldn’t agree more! We the residents of Pima County cannot be guaranteed our safety; nor justice if that safety is violated! I was a victim of a shooting in 2023. I was shot twice and though aggravated assault charges were filed against my perpetrator, I could not get the County Attorney’s office to prosecute. I know that I am not alone. I met a victim of domestic violence in my doctors’ office who was violently attacked who stated there was video of the attack and could not get charges filed as well!

If we cannot get Laura Conover removed from office, PLEASE citizens of Pima County, DO NOT re-elect her!

Debbie Angel

West side

Why not Egypt?

I continue to wonder why Palestinians fleeing their homes in advance of Israeli operations are not welcomed by their Muslim brothers in Egypt. When first hearing Israel’s plans for eliminating Hamas, moving from north to south I expected to hear of temporary refugee camps and hospitals being set up across the southern border in Egypt. Instead, it appears Egypt is increasing and strengthening their border barriers. Hmm? In addition, Egypt is threatening to terminate the 1979 peace agreement with Israel if Palestinian refugees are forced across the border into Egypt. Hmm? Why is Egypt so determined to keep Palestinians out of Egypt? Does Egypt know something the rest of the world needs to know?

Cal Rooker

Northwest side

I am waiting

After hearing the most dangerous and despicable words yet to exit the mouth of the ex-President, inviting and encouraging Putin to invade NATO countries, I am waiting.

I am waiting to hear from principled elected Arizona Republicans to denounce him, loudly, clearly and sincerely, for so casually inviting and risking World War III. Anyone?

How about you, Mr. Ciscomani? Anything?

I’m still waiting.

Jane Atkins

Oro Valley

AZ Senate lunacy

I read a shockingly stupid report in the Star about a senator from the Tucson area proposing a bill that would have the Legislature award Trump all 11 electoral votes before any votes are cast in the general election. That is neither a Republican nor Democratic principle. The proposal did not make it to a committee vote. Sanity strikes rarely in the GOP, but I remain thankful when it does.

Another pair of genii drew up a bill on anti-Marxism, by way of promoting personal vehicle use. What is their motivation? I am a car enthusiast. I own four cars and a pickup. I also own 12 motorcycles. However, I find myself reducing the amount of driving to reduce the amount of pollution I create. I believe the science of human impacts on the earth/climate.

Thanks to Steller and Fischer for their fine reports on the insanity of our elected senators. As my wife says, there should be a test for candidates to enable each to be seated.

Jeff Rayner

SaddleBrooke

Bad traditions

Some traditions are good and some are bad. The bad ones include slavery, smoking, not allowing women to vote, pollution, hunting, the electoral college, and eating meat to name a few. But one needs to end and soon. It involves inhumane treatment of animals. Rodeos are a bad tradition. When you know what makes a horse or a bull buck, then maybe you will agree with me. A wise leader once said, “A country is judged by how it treats animals.” Arizona and the US as a whole has a long way to go before it can be judged as a nation that treats its animals humanely.

Hal Holtkamp

Southwest side

$135 EV tax

$135 is small change given the cost of EVs. Most of the money could come from the license tax revenue higher EV prices produce. The issue — for both EVs and renewable energy — is all the costs fossil fuel users DON’T pay. Start with the lives lost in the oil wars. Add those lost in increasingly frequent ‘extreme weather events.’ These costs (there are lots more) are called ‘externalities’ by economists because we don’t pay them, at least directly or immediately.

Our legislators studiously avoid real issues with EVs, e.g. their initial higher cost. Instead of nickel and dimming those who can afford them, tax benefits to make them more affordable should be restored. Range anxiety will prevent most of them from being driven the 15,000 miles on which the proposed tax is based. When they are not busy cooking the books with attacks on climate sustainability, our legislators would be the first to acknowledge these problems.

Steven Lesh

East side

Ciscomani betrays Arizonans

Juan Ciscomani proved his priorities with his vote against the bipartisan immigration bill. His fealty to Donald Trump is greater than his responsibility to his Arizona Constituents. A quote from Juan Ciscomani’s 2024 campaign website states: “It also means ensuring that our law enforcement officers have the resources they need to do their job. Juan will fight against Nancy Pelosi and the radical Left and protect Arizona.”

The defeated bill would have provided the policy and resources to quickly adjudicate the cases of undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers that are currently released due to lack of immigration judges. The bill was even supported by Gov. Hobbs. Ciscomani sacrificed the good of his constituents to kiss Trump’s ring. He should resign immediately and save us the trouble of voting him out of office.

Bruce Hilpert

North side

Holding Ciscomani accountable

Open letter to Representative Ciscomani,

As a constituent, I read your weekly newsletter. I was confused this week to see your first paragraph describing that you voted to hold Secretary Mayorkas accountable for his failures at the border. You didn’t mention that you voted against the compromise budget to fund CPB last week. In the next paragraph you express support for Customs and Border protection by introducing H.R. 7369 to improve CPB’s ability to recruit, hire and retain personnel. With one hand, you voted against the latest compromise to fund CPB, then hold Mayorkas responsible for border issues, then introduce a bill that you and your colleagues just voted against. Consistency from my representative would be preferred. I write this letter to try and hold you accountable.

Ellen Punyon

Foothills

Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day

While as many as 11.6 million Americans are living with heart valve disease at this very moment, an estimated 3 in 4 have little to no knowledge of what it is.

Heart valve disease occurs when one or more of the heart’s four valves disrupts blood flow. Symptoms can include things we might experience from time to time: lightheadedness, irregular fluttering heart or chest pain, tiredness, edema, or feeling “off”.

Luckily, screening can be as simple as a routine stethoscope check by a medical professional. A stethoscope can detect irregular faint sounds or “murmurs” which signal to your doctor that more tests need to be ordered.

On February 22, at least 125 organizations across the U.S. and around the world will mark Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day to help increase understanding of this disease.

The first step to protecting yourself is to Listen to Your Heart. Schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider and get a stethoscope check. Learn more about your risk at ValveDiseaseDay.org.

Lindsay Clarke

Downtown