Tucson Speaks Out: Sept. 17 letters of the day

Toy guns at family-

friendly events

I went to the KidsFest 2023 at the Tucson Community Center. It was a huge event and lots of fun for me, the kids, and their parents who I was there with. There was a large and playful roaming Dinosaur, a very tall King Kong blow-up slide, as well as a variety of blow-up jumping castles, rides and performances, plus lots of games, music, food, vendors, and dogs hoping to be adopted. Everyone was happy, and no one was bored. However, there was one seemingly harmless activity that I found disturbing – Laser Tag. Of course, the kids were safe from harm. But to see them carrying toy weapons while running, hiding, ducking, pointing and tagging one another seemed in stark contrast to all the other more innocent family-friendly activities, and too much of a reminder of the rising number of innocent deaths by firearms in the U.S.

Barbara Lehmann

East side

Military interference

I was in the Marine Corps infantry during the war in Vietnam. This may date my knowledge of current military dealings. One thing that remains a constancy is leadership. The level in the ranks is irrelevant. Private First Classes need to count on their Lance Corporals and Colonels need to rely on Brigadier Generals. It is unseemly that Senator Tuberville, who possesses no military experience, is holding up promotions to advance his own political agenda on abortion.

David Byrne

Northwest side

Mediocrity by whom

Re: the Sept. 12 letter "Acceptance of mediocrity."

The letter writer states that "the Democrats have no plan to correct this situation regarding the United States being rated 27th on education". The letter writer points the finger at Democrats with no statistics backing up his claim. Should not both Democrats and Republicans share the responsibility for this rating? The Republicans are well known to be responsible for the harassment of librarians and the banning of books. They are even trying to rewrite history to satisfy their need to be not shown for who they are. But let's not fight over details here. Get both Republicans and Democrats to work on the issue.

Jean Getek

Foothills

Joe's not sleeping

I'm tired of hearing complaints about Biden's age. It's getting, well, old. We all know some people are energetic and productive well into their golden years, while others aren't. Biden clearly is in the former category. 

Remember how this "sleepy Joe" hit the ground running, first with a COVID relief package followed a few months later by an infrastructure package that breathed life into our crumbling roads, bridges, and mass transit.

A year ago, this septuagenarian ushered in the Inflation Reduction Act, investing in health care and clean energy while trimming the deficit, followed soon after by the CHIPS act, giving a massive boost to domestic research and semiconductor production.

Biden's just getting started. He deserves another four years. While the media stokes concern about his age and covers every nuance of Trump's many indictments, Joe is getting things done. If his age still bothers you come Nov. 8, 2024, know that his most likely opponent will be 78, a mere two-year difference. When will the media cover that?

Mary C. Theisen

Foothills

GOP up to

its old tricks

What is behind the Republican desire to impeach President Biden? Are they trying to do what’s best for America, or are they operating in a partisan and craven manner?

Do the Republicans have evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors? No. Biden’s improprieties supposedly happened years ago. If the GOP had evidence, they would be touting it 24/7.

Clearly, the only motive the Republicans in the House of Representatives have is to sour Americans on President Biden, the same way they lowered Hillary Clinton's approval ratings with the Benghazi investigation.

My friends, President Biden is my choice to protect democracy and the American way of life. Please vote Democrat.

Robert Mann

Northwest side

Hunter Biden

Hunter Biden is "that" relative we all have. President Biden factored in his family when he didn't run in 2016. I admire his love and support for his family, but it will be his downfall. Hunter is a narcissist and an addict and places his own sense of self-importance over everything and everyone else. He is hardly a political consultant! He needs to retreat from the spotlight, focus on his own problems, and show some self-awareness. He is a problem, if not the problem.

Susan Hansen

Northwest side

Sovereign citizen

Re: the Sept. 12 article "Pima County hit by 'sovereign citizen' filings."

I would suggest a response that could be given by our Recorder's Office to the 'sovereign citizen' filings: They should not be accepted. They should be returned with a letter stating, "This office does not handle voluntary renunciation of citizenship. Under USC 1481(a) that is a function of the US State Department and Form DS4083 may be submitted to an office of that Department." Of course, these individuals do not really want to lose their citizenship - they simply want all the benefits without any of the responsibilities. If they were successful in repudiating their citizenship, they would become aliens and might require a visa to stay in the US. Otherwise, they become illegal aliens, and — since their movement is known for violent attacks on police officers — hopefully subject to deportation. The incongruity of their contemptuous repudiation of the freest country on earth at a time when hundreds of thousands of people are risking everything to get in is striking. Reading "The Man Without a Country" might also be suggested.

Abraham R. Byrd III

North side

Politics and Biden

The question I ask myself and friends is that Joe Biden was a career politician and his wife was a teacher, so how did the Biden family accumulate the wealth they have?

Doug Shumway

Green Valley

Biden's claims

I watched the latest Biden self-praise commercial bragging about the bills he has signed and all of the infrastructure upgrades that he did. It all sounds good, but I was around and paying attention when Obama was in the White House and signed a huge infrastructure bill. I remember all of the promises and claims of expanded jobs and expanded infrastructure. There was only one problem, Obama failed to grasp that the type of jobs had changed over time and he had no clue. Of course, half the money was paid to municipalities to cover the cost of government workers with the reduced tax income. Time will tell, but government infrastructure expenditures are 50% overhead, with only 50% getting the job done. There are good solutions and they don't include having government employees running the projects.

Loran Hancock

Northwest side

Shouldn't be

so proud

I have thought more than once before submitting this, but here I go. Recently, law enforcement captured an individual two weeks after he had escaped from prison, job well done. However, to have 40 or 50 officers pose for a photo shot with the prisoner in the center of the photo is stupid and unprofessional. You performed the job you were trained for, as you should have. But a photoshoot? Maybe I am just getting cranky as I mature. But, as a past firefighter and officer with 38 years of service, I find it akin to firefighters posing in front of the charred remains of a structure we had responded to. Is this how professional standards have deteriorated since I left public service?

Fred DiNoto

Northwest side

Younger politicians

There is much talk about old people in political positions, term limits, tests for competency and other requirements. Something others can enforce while you stay home and complain. If you want younger people in political office, you need to support them. You need to donate money to their campaigns. You need to work in the campaigns. You need to run for office. You need to persuade a young person to run for office, and you need to spend time helping them get elected. And then you need to actually vote for them. Which young people are you financing and volunteering for in the upcoming election? Do you want young people to serve? Then you support them. No need for rules and tests. Just you doing something about it.

Bette E. Richards

Northwest side