Tucson Speaks Out: December 11

Water, water, not a drop to drink

Another factual and terrifying account of our dire water situation by Rusty Childress. And yet, the City and TEP, and Pima County continue to march forward with Project (Black and) Blue. That is exactly what all of us have been protesting about since day one. I'm surprised no engineer has thought to install miles and miles of aqueducts from the many flood-ravaged states to fill our dry lakes. I beg everyone to take heed. Love our Tucson.

Nancy Reid

North side

Corrective action needed

MAGA voters appear to be coming to the realization that by voting for our current president, they put trust in a person who has become increasingly erratic in his actions, actions which they did not bargain for. They most likely believed that a balance among the 3 branches of government would prevent that kind of thing from happening. To their regret, it hasn't. The ball is back in their court, and it is incumbent upon all of us to support their taking corrective action.

Don Gerlach

East side

Lamenting Israel

Martin Green’s LTE asked why the media is too fixed on Israel. My Southern Baptist roots aside, I admire the Jewish culture for its family values and work ethic. As a botanist and musician, I value Jewish contributions to science, movies, and music. My favorite musical movies are Leonard Bernstein’s 1961 "West Side Story," a modern Romeo & Juliet love story among 1950s Puerto Rican immigrants in New York, and Joseph Stein’s 1971 "Fiddler on the Roof" about early 20th century atrocities in Imperial Russia. Israel’s Phoenix-like rise from the Holocaust ashes and thriving in the Negev Desert to become the world Jewish center is an inspirational history. But Israel has tarnished it all by wreaking terrible vengeance on Gaza, killing 60,000 Palestinians, destroying cities, and deliberately causing famine. The survivors of genocide are now committing it. Of course, the world is paying attention. I still admire much about the Jewish culture, but not Israel.

Tom Van Devender

North side

Redistricting

With MAGA Supreme Court justices blessing Texas’ partisan gerrymandering we can be grateful for our Independent Redistricting Commission.

For three census cycles starting in 1970, the Arizona Legislature failed to adopt maps able to withstand constitutional and statutory scrutiny. In response, in 2000 Arizona voters wisely passed Prop 109, a constitutional amendment creating the IRC.

After three cycles, solutions have appeared that would make our IRC even better.

The five commissioners are two each representing the recognized political parties and a single independent becoming chair. While not fairly representing the third of voters who are independent, most of the IRC’s final decisions are made solely by the chair due to extreme partisanship. This needs correction. Other improvements should include improving the process for choosing IRC members, and a stronger emphasis on creating competitive districts to promote more citizen engagement.

Ultimately, requiring independent commissions as part of the national Freedom to Vote Act would be the best solution. Arizona wisdom can lead the way to improve Democracy nationwide.

Dee Maitland

Marana

Cruel choices

A google search of the US Coast Guard brought up this paragraph, “The Coast Guard is the lead agency for maritime drug interdiction and has the jurisdiction to stop, search, and seize vessels suspected of drug trafficking on the high seas and waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction.”

What has changed? The Duck and his pretty boy Duckling are out gunslinging, using the U.S. Navy to do the dirty work. A cruel choice has been made to kill people rather than seize them and the cargo they carry.

This part of my letter is also cruel and unforgiving. Drugs don’t kill people. Stupid people using drugs kill stupid people. It is as simple as that. In America, drugs kill the people that abuse them.

Period.

Ed LeGendre

East side

Liar, liar

Strongman Donald Trump did not invent lying, but he has made it laughable and an essential tool of lousy government. His signature methods of deception are so ineffective and outlandish that no one knows what is going on.

He is the Babe Ruth of prevaricators, the Dick Nixon of misspeak. While he poses as a man of destiny, his roly-poly figure and crunched-up face are a cartoonist’s dream.

So, it is a wild ride in Washington these days with everyone in Trump’s orbit pretending everything is normal. It is not. It is peculiar.

The ghosts of liars past must surely be in awe of such a master. Everything about him is a fabrication. He brags about his intelligence as he bludgeons the English language.

It is little wonder why he is not keeping his promises to his voters. He bamboozled them. It is the Trump way.

Ron Lancaster

North side

Bigotry

Yesterday on TV Anderson Cooper said Trump has taken MLK day and Juneteenth off the list of days people can go into our national parks for free. As a Marine in Viet Nam whose life was saved not once but twice by African Americans, I take great offense at this display of bigotry, as well as all his other displays of prejudice and small-mindedness, such as his attempts to rewrite history at the Smithsonian. We need someone in the White House who actually believes everyone is entitled to be treated equitably, not just those born rich. Vote Blue.

Dave Bertagnoli

West side

Cruel Republicans

MAGAs are circling Tim Walz's home, screaming "retard" at his autistic son — because Trump has made cruelty his campaign slogan. America is losing its soul thanks to Trump.

Terry Louck

East side

How to bring back red-light cameras

I was one of the folks advocating for red-light cameras in the early days, but as soon as they were implemented, I knew they would fail. The reason was that the State of Arizona defines the intersection in such a manner that the boundaries actually reside inside the paths of both pedestrians and other vehicles. This creates confusion and more time than I can remember I had to listen to folks tell me they got a ticket when they thought they were inside the intersection.

If the state won’t redefine the intersection, then they should at least define a special red-light camera enforcement zone that starts at the crosswalks and not out in the flow of traffic. Once past the plane of the crosswalk the drivers should be able to proceed without a ticket. If they break the plane after the light turns, then they get the ticket.

Dan Pendergrass

West side

Justice and equality for all

Zohran Mamdani’s election as New York City’s first Muslim mayor marks a historic and hopeful moment, not just for Muslims, but for everyone who believes in fairness, compassion, and public service. His victory is an opportunity to show how faith, when practiced sincerely, can guide leadership rooted in justice and equality.

In Islam, leadership is not a privilege but a responsibility, a trust that must serve others selflessly. The Qur’an commands, “Indeed, Allah enjoins justice, kindness, and giving to relatives, and forbids immorality and oppression.” A leader guided by these values must ensure fairness to every citizen, regardless of faith, race, or background. Not only Islam, but all major faiths also teach the same principles of compassion, honesty, and service to humanity.

What matters is not his background, but his commitment to fairness. And if he leads with that spirit, New York will not just have its first Muslim mayor, it will have a mayor who embodies the best of what faith, justice, and humanity can achieve.

Sohail Qureshi

Downtown

New hypothesis about cause of autism

For many years I have been researching topics related to the effects of light on human behavior. It has occurred to me that autism may be caused by a pregnant mother’s exposure to light during the night. Sound ridiculous? Google the question: What is the effect of light at night on pregnant animals? You will find plenty of negative effects from night-time exposure to light during pregnancy. Among humans, these negative effects could well include autism. I am taking the unusual step of presenting this idea in a letter to the newspaper where it can receive immediate public attention because of the urgency of the problem and the unusual nature of the times. Please draw this idea to RFK Jr.’s attention.

Julia A. Sherman

Northwest side