Tucson Speaks Out: December 7

Trump's pardon

The Donald has “pardoned” a convicted drug lord, who also happened to be the President of Honduras. Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was serving a sentence of 45 years for felony convictions related to drug trafficking, was released from prison. Hernandez allegedly said, “Let’s stuff the drugs right up the noses of the gringos,” as he partnered with and profited from the proceeds generated by some of the world’s most violent drug cartels. He turned Honduras into a drug “superhighway,” making his government part of a major drug distribution network. Even though U.S. prosecutors presented evidence that proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Hernandez was guilty, the Donald nullified their decision. The Donald also interjected himself into Honduran elections, backing the party of the felon Hernandez. He indicated there would be “hell to pay” if he discovered any election fraud. Donald is a full partner in the drug deaths of millions of Americans. The rule of law is void in America. Ciscomani and our Republican Congress? Your silence is deafening.

Richard Harper

Northeast side

High crimes on the high seas

Justifiable outrage at the U.S. military’s killing two Venezuelans clinging to their destroyed boat and not a threat to anyone obscures earlier violations. This attack occurred on the high seas, outside U.S. jurisdiction. We don’t know the boat’s destination. Moreover, a less lethal response to suspected drug-running would be to challenge the craft, board, investigate, make arrests and confiscate cargo as proof.

This illegal action would be equivalent to my driving into Arizona on I-10 and being rammed, my vehicle set afire, and my being shot by New Mexico Highway Patrol, somehow adrift in Arizona, on mere suspicion that I was transporting drugs.

Another problem is that supply-side controls don’t work very well if demand remains high. Our self-indulgent society needs to study itself. Grow up, Mr. President and partner Pete. It's not a video game. Real people died.

Ila Abernathy

Midtown

Vaccines and autism

Let’s do a simple poll to see how dangerous vaccines are to the human population.

I will assume the readers of this paper are 20-plus years old, which means they got their MMR shot and others under the general health guidelines for childhood vaccination. As of 2023, the average daily circulation for this newspaper is 39,500, which is a very large statistical sample.

Question: From your personal experience, among your social group, how many documented cases of autism, paralysis or death were attributed to vaccines in the last 10 years? 20 years? 40 years?

Do I hear crickets?

BTW: the single 1998 study published in The Lancet connecting autism and vaccines was fully retracted due to scientific misconduct and falsified data. The author of that paper lost his medical license.

You have a brain, people. Use it.

George Ball

Midtown

We can't wait

We really can't wait until the midterms. Those elections are almost a year away. Our democracy and our reputation in the world will be destroyed by then if nothing changes.

It is obvious Trump is demented, not to mention evil and cruel. It's past time for the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove him from office. But since they don't have the guts to do so, Republicans in Congress -- that includes you, Rep. Ciscomani -- need to put the Constitution and the country ahead of their own political aspirations and join with Democrats to impeach him for a third time. And then Senate Republicans need to do the same and actually convict him and throw him out of office this time around. And they need to do so quickly.

Tragically, I don't think either of those scenarios will play out. What will happen to our country if they don't? I am afraid for all of us.

Karen Schickedanz

Oro Valley

Steller column

Kudos to Tim Steller for the fine article showing the hypocrisy of U.S. policy towards Venezuela and how stopping the flow of drugs is often used as a pretext to gain control of the region's oil and resources and to overthrow democratically elected governments. Of course, Venezuela is hardly a beacon of democracy, but then again, neither is the U.S. Accusing Maduro of being a "narco-terrorist" rings hollow when the U.S. is committing terrorist strikes and war crimes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean. Better cancel that cruise to Cartagena.

The U.S. is also threatening Mexico and Colombia with military strikes and has intervened in the Honduran elections, with Trump pardoning Honduras's former president convicted in U.S. courts of drug trafficking -- one con man pardoning another. Kudos to Colombia's president Gustavo Petro for being the voice of reason and standing up to Trump, who has deported reason.

Richard Boren

Midtown

Who paid for Trump's wall?

Who paid for Trump’s mediocre wall?

Our presidential grifter guaranteed that his insulting $300M ballroom, for the rich, powerful, magnates, tycoons, barons and oligarchs, would be paid for by himself and his friends. And these friends are contributing without expecting any recompense or favors whatsoever? Of course! Common citizens will never see the Trump Ballroom, unless you’re white and pass muster with obtaining a tour pass. I have seen the White House, Oval Office, East Wing and Capitol many times while producing political events in DC. I believe everyone should be allowed to tour.

As a reminder about the conman's comments — who was going to pay for the wall? Not us, but Mexico? He repeated it boastfully over and over — until he denied saying it. It cost taxpayers $16B. 

Now, he wants us to believe his money-hungry leeches he calls “friends,” who pledge to donate, will, until they lose favor with him or vice versa. Pay attention.

Sheldon Metz

Northeast side

A political moral slum

When it comes to taking a hatchet to healthcare in America, Congressman Ciscomani and his significant other, Sleepy Donny Trump, are hellbent on doing just that. Ciscomani admits he voted for deep cuts to Medicaid. Now he’s sending letters to government agencies begging them not to cut Medicaid programs, the VA, funds to rural hospitals, or SNAP food stamps for taxpayers — precisely what he voted to do in Washington!

Who is Ciscomani fooling? Just empty promises and outright lies from our Congressman. Americans are dealing with skyrocketing, unaffordable healthcare costs or losing insurance altogether, and we have politicians who, in the end, make George Santos look more truthful than honest Abe.

Ciscomani chose to lead by following Trump and voted for the “Squalid Big Tax Cut Bill for Rich People.” More Americans will die next year because of the damage Ciscomani and Trump caused to our healthcare programs. Focus, America, “no hoax” — our country has become a political moral slum.

Jerry Wilkerson

SaddleBrooke

The joy of home ownership

I believe that home ownership is part of the American dream and brings one great joy and satisfaction. It is currently out of reach for my grandkids and many young Americans.

In my 89 years, I was fortunate to own homes in Maryland, Connecticut and Arizona.

I built a home myself in California, which brought me much satisfaction. Historically, homeownership has been considered a cornerstone of the American Dream.

Owning a home is a major life milestone and a tangible symbol of hard work and accomplishment. This often leads to a deep sense of satisfaction and pride.

I have had the ability to make my homes truly my own. I could paint, remodel, landscape, and upgrade. Homeownership provided me a secure and stable living environment.

My homes have been the setting for countless life moments, first steps, family gatherings, holidays, and personal milestones — making it more than just a house, but a deeply personal sanctuary.

Home ownership has brought me great joy and satisfaction.

Tom McGorray

Northwest side

How could anything go wrong?

It has been reported that Somalians in Minneapolis have scammed over a billion dollars from services. The primary languages used to provide services are Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Amharic, Vietnamese, Lao and Oromo. There are over 3,000 professional interpreters in more than 200 languages.

English, of course, is our primary language. I put it to you to ask yourself how many Americans know these other languages. I suggest that those 3,000 are from those other cultures. Do you think they will deny services to their cultures?

With the millions of immigrants who have been admitted in the last 20 years, I submit that this has cost us billions as wherever large groups are located their language must be provided. The solution would be to rescind the mandate and only provide services in English. This will be a hardship, but the cost is so prohibitive that it must be rescinded.

Jack Walters

Northeast side

Congratulations — sort of

Congratulations to Selina Barajas and Miranda Schubert, the new Tucson councilmembers, and to Kevin Dahl, who was re-elected. Now that you are sworn in, your real work starts.

City government is the shock absorber between its residents and the higher levels of government. Rarely are the upper-level governments at the county, state and federal level an easy load to carry, especially at the state level. Unfortunately, today, the federal level will become a crushing burden.

The council gets to figure out how to manage the future large CAP water cuts that the Trump administration will soon impose on Arizona because Democrat Katie Hobbs is governor. And next year, the council also gets to hear about the effects on its residents of much higher electrical rates as Glen Canyon Dam loses its capability to cheaply hydroelectrically generate 3 gigawatt hours annually of electricity. With Arizona's Republican Party limiting taxing capability at the state level, the cities will suffer with more expenses and have less upper-level government help.

Good luck.

Matt Somers

Midtown

Who is 'garbage'?

During the December days before Christmas, many Christians prepare themselves for Jesus’ second coming. Weird to the non-believers, but now is the time for Christians to examine their lives. American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971, known for “serenity prayer”) taught examining one’s faith by one’s public and political life. Three quotes attributed to Jesus (Contemporary English Version) may be a good start.

“But I promise you if you are angry with someone, you will have to stand trial. If you call someone a fool, you will be taken to court. And if you say that someone is worthless, you will be in danger of the fires of hell.” (Matt. 5:22)

“But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you.” (Matt. 5:44; Luke 6:32-36)

“Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in.” (Matt. 7:21; Luke 6:46)

Merry Christmas!

Ke Chiang Hsieh

Midtown

Deportation

Pinal County Sheriff Ross Teeple appears to be following former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's playbook, as per the article in the Dec. 3 Daily Star.

Gil Martinez

Northeast side