Letters to the Editor: April 2

Re: the March 3 letter “Arizona water.”

This letter to the editor supporting the Hudbay mines in the Santa Rita Mountains defies common sense.

I grew up on a ranch in the Santa Rita Mountains. My family, like Sonoran Desert families for millennia, cared for the water because we knew these mountains are sacred.

We remind your readers that Hudbay’s own publications document that their mine will consume more water annually than 41,000 Tucson households.

By contrast, FICO’s water nurtures pecans. To attack a family farm for using water for pecan trees begs the question — who eats copper?

After the FICO farm has fed multitudes for generations, their farmland land can be used for homes, parks, a multitude of small businesses — but if HudBay’s Rosemont-Copper World mine complex is built, a big chunk of the sacred Santa Ritas will be destroyed, and the mine’s toxic effluents could render many downstream Santa Cruz River valley communities unlivable.

Who wants to live adjacent to a wasteland?

Steve Brown

West side

Trump indicted

Looks like Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers finally got the perp walk she has been yearning for.

Jim Cook

Southeast side

Loved ones

Murdered: Dr. Thomas Meixner (52), Christina Taylor Greene (9), Nevaeh Bravo (10), Jacklyn Cazares (9), Makenna Elrod (10), Jose Flores Jr. (10), Eliahna Garcia (9), Irma Garcia (48), Uziyah Garcia (10), Amerie Garza (10), Xavier Lopez (10), Jayce Luevanos (10), Tess Mata (10), Maranda Mathis (11), Eva Mireles (44), Alithia Ramirez (10), Annabell Rodriguez (10), Maite Rodriguez (10), Alexandria Rubio (10), Layla Salazar (11), Jailah Silguero (10), Eliahna Torres (10), Rojelio Torres (10), Evelyn Dieckhaus (9), Mike Hill (61), William Kinney (9), Katherine Koonce (60), Cynthia Peak (61), Hallie Scruggs (9), Jessica Rekos (6), Olivia Engel (6), Avielle Richman (6), Jesse Lewis (6), Grace McDonnell (7), Noah Pozner(6), Ana Marquez-Greene (6), Emilie Parker (6), Charlotte Bacon (6), Catherine Hubbard (6), Josephine Gay (7), Daniel Barden (7), James Mattioli (6), Caroline Previdi (6), Allison Wyatt (6), Dylan Hockley (6), Madeleine Hsu (6), Chase Kowalski (7), Jack Pinto (6), Benjamin Wheeler (6), and more.

Government leaders: build a system that better protects our loved ones from active shooters.

Richard Harper

Northeast side

SCR 1027

Sen. Sundareshan claims that allowing SCR 1027 to go to the voters of Arizona would be unfair because it would be letting the entire state decide how Tucson gets to elect its city council.

She is making Sen. Justine Wadsak’s point. Letting all of Tucson vote for a council member that is not in their ward is unfair.

Wayne Rossi

Northwest side

Gov. Hobbs

Dear Editor,

Thank God for Katie Hobbs. Her ability to veto the madness ingrained in current state Republican legislators’ bills is a godsend to the citizens of our fine state of Arizona.

If she runs out of ink in all the pens she must be required to use for her vetoes, I have several packages of ball points I have purchased as a backup for her. In addition, I would like to thank the voters of Arizona for their good sense in electing Gov. Hobbs over the disastrous trainwreck that would have ensued if her opponent had won.

Linda Dugan

Midtown

Orwell knew

When I learn of conservative attempts to prevent the teaching of history deemed embarrassing or divisive, I am reminded of George Orwell’s prescient words from his novel “1984”: “Who controls the past, controls the future: who controls the present, controls the past.”

Mitchell Bunting

Midtown

Trophy hunters

Re: the March 24 letter “Arizona Game and Fish.”

The letter-writer offended by AZGF’s donation solicitation due to promotion of Arizona as destination for mountain lion trophy hunters was spot-on; also noting the cruel methods involved.

Arizona Game and Fish is not a conservation organization but traditionally controlled by Safari Club International; a trophy hunting organization with elaborate contests with categories like most species killed. The International Wildlife Museum on Gates Pass manages these horrific contests.

For them, wildlife is a commodity for recreational killing. Safari Club also lobbies to eliminate depleted species protections and restrictions on cruel hunting methods. Promoted as conservation, AZGF’s relocation of big horn sheep to the “low fair” Catalina’s habitat was a scandal largely funded by Safari Club and trophy hunting orgs. Arizona Game and Fish is not a “conservation” organization and should be reformed.

Candace Charvoz Frank

West side

School shootings

To all federal and state congressmen and women who are piously thinking and praying that mass shootings will just go away if we wish hard enough:

It seems while you’ve been smugly posturing about “protecting” our children from drag queens, non-existent CRT, books you personally deem unsuitable, and pronouns you can’t wrap your sanctimonious heads around, that another school shooting has occurred.

Perhaps you can muster the nerve to address the genuine threat of mass shootings, rather than your imagined threats. Specifically, to ban the sale of assault weapons. I know that’s anathema to you, but American society got along just fine without them from 1994-2004. Stop worshipping the NRA and the gun industry.

Only when you have the courage to stand up for what’s right will I be convinced that you truly care about the welfare of our children and grandchildren.

Mary Hickson

Oro Valley

Share the roads

Just as there are egotistical drivers who think only of themselves, there are also egotistical cyclists, dog walkers, skate boarders, pedestrians, etc.

Drivers must give cyclists at least three feet distance and slow down when passing. Fast vehicles spit out gravel, and debris onto cyclists. Big trucks, buses, Cat Tran, etc. actually create a scary suction that pulls a bike towards them when passing.

Cyclists need to use hand signals, and shout out passing, on your left, or ring a bell when passing other cyclists to warn them.

While cycling in the bike lane I have had cyclists dangerously pass on the right side of me, just as I was about to make a right turn. Cyclists have also passed unannounced too closely on my left, and interrupted my sudden need to pull to my left to avoid a large broken beer bottle. Inconsiderate chatty group riders often block the bike path and keep those who are cycling behind them from passing.

Considerate drivers and cyclists make the streets safer.

Cheryl Kelli

Downtown

Faux outrage

I love the fake outrage by Republicans over Trump being indicted. Years of “lock her up” and Hunter Biden were perfectly acceptable to them. Did Hunter Biden benefit from his father’s name? Yes, as did Trump’s children and son-in-law. The rule of law should apply to us all, no exceptions for being rich, famous, or an ex-president.

I do think this isn’t as important as asking for votes in Georgia and trying to overturn the last election.

Craig Miller

Northwest side