Tucson Speaks Out: September 19

Who voted to destroy cancer research?

Ask anyone in the world at the beginning of 2025 who had the best biomedical research, the best cancer research, including childhood cancers, and the best vaccine research and development and the answer would have been the United States. The combination of the CDC, NIH, and NCI and the related University research was recognized as the gold standard in science. Cancer mortality rates dropped 34% in the U.S. since 1991, and the said institutes were shooting for a 50% reduction by the mid-2030s. These agencies were designed to be insulated from politics and generally were until this year. Why would you deliberately and aggressively destroy this research effort in only eight months? That is what the Trump administration under the direction of RFK Jr. has done.

Don Ries

Southeast side

ABC suspends Kimmel

Jimmy Kimmel's recent comment: "The MAGA gang was trying to score political points off Kirk's murder after the conservative activist was shot dead." He added a comment about Trump's later short statement, which added some words about the construction of the ballroom at the WH? The FCC took offense and let ABC know they were upset (I wonder who alerted the FCC to be "upset"?). So ABC, shaking in their boots, suspended Jimmy indefinitely. Were the FCC and ABC influenced by Trump? He was exercising his First Amendment right, even with his egregious comments. Trump rushed to judgment, accusing the "Radical Democrats," even though the killer was not yet identified. One was punished for his comment while the other was not. Jimmy was also expressing himself, as permitted by the First Amendment. Funny thing, that First Amendment. Who is the judge?

Jerry Lujan

Oro Valley

Ciscomani: Tell Gosar to mind his own district

The status of Ironwood Forest National Monument (IFNM) has been formally threatened. Representative Paul Gosar, Republican AZ District 9, introduced HR 5393 “To nullify Presidential Proclamation 7320 and restrict the designation of national monuments in southern Arizona.” The text of HR5393 is not yet available, but the title speaks for itself. IFNM was established by President Clinton in 2000 by Proclamation 7320. On June 7, about 100 citizens gathered near Waterman Trailhead to celebrate the 25th anniversary of IFNM. Since June 7, the town of Marana, the city of Tucson, and Pima County have all passed resolutions in support of IFNM. This is our monument. Please call Rep. Ciscomani, (202) 225-2542, to demand that he oppose this bill and openly object to Rep. Gosar threatening his constituents, the citizens of Southern Arizona District 6, who overwhelmingly support public lands and IFNM. It's time to stand up for Ironwood!

Christine Flanagan

Northwest side

Matthew Riccitello

This letter is a follow-up to my prior one on this topic, published Aug. 25.

In La Vuelta a España that ended Sept. 24, Tucson native and pro cyclist Matthew Riccitello won the White Jersey as the fastest rider aged 26 or younger. He finished fifth in the overall standings. These are amazing achievements that require recognition by the Star. Other than letters to the editor, a Tucsonan competing in one of cycling’s premier events and winning the White Jersey with a top-five finish has not been mentioned in the Star through Sept. 17.

In contrast, the Star’s sports page published Sept. 17 included long articles about a sliding center in Milan, Portugal’s Isaac Nader winning 1,500-meter gold in Tokyo and a French group litigating about venues for the 2030 Winter Olympics.

I wonder if this glaring omission is journalistic malpractice?

Alan Solot

Midtown

Who gets free speech and who doesn't?

There have been many letters to the editor lately expressing their sorrow and outrage over the assassination of conservative spokesman, Charlie Kirk. Most of them make a point of saying he was entitled to “free speech.” Well, so are television talk show hosts, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel — both of whom have now been taken off the air for their jokes. My question to all of Charlie Kirk’s fans: Where is your outrage over their lack of “free speech”? Or does that right only extend to conservatives?

Karen Micallef

Oro Valley

Prohibited legal advertising in the Star

As a retired attorney who practiced tort law in Arizona for more than 30 years and a former president of the Arizona Association for Justice, I was disheartened to see a full-page advertisement in this newspaper by a so-called “legal program” offering anyone who refers a case a referral fee of $500 or more.

Traditionally, lawyers have been strictly prohibited from paying nonlawyers for client referrals. The American Bar Association’s Model Rule 7.2(b) makes this clear. Also, historically, Arizona’s Ethical Rule 5.4 reinforced this principle by prohibiting lawyers from sharing legal fees with nonlawyers or allowing them to have control over a law practice. These rules were designed to ensure that legal services are guided by professional judgment, not financial kickbacks. Paying nonlawyers to drum up personal injury cases undermines public trust in the legal profession and risks crossing into unprofessional conduct.

This newspaper should be wary of publishing advertisements that promote questionable or potentially unethical practices.

James Fein

Midtown

1946

I was born nine months after the end of WWII. I vaguely remember the general feelings of the population’s despair in the aftermath of the war. I remember the feelings that this should never happen again. I remember the fear of Japanese submarines coming into San Francisco Bay. I remember the drills in the school hallway on our knees covering our heads. I remember children with their heads protruding from iron lungs. I remember when vaccines were introduced with great fanfare. What happened? Have all the people born after me not known, have forgotten or have not cared? This is most frustrating. All the pain, death and chaos. We are listening to science, history and ethics denying buffoons. Us against them. I really cannot see a positive ending to this. Two women suggested in LTE, the book Democracy in Chains, the Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America. Emphasis on stealth as in Project 2025.

Margaret Gordon Magruder

Downtown

Fascist/Mafia extortion

Trump is screaming that the left is so very violent when in fact the Justice Department showed that the right is the dominant source of homegrown political violence. That government website has been eliminated. This is becoming typical for this administration. If you don't like the facts, hide them and scream lies. This is what Hitler and the Fascist regime did. Trump took the tragic death of Charlie Kirk and made the narrative about his political agenda to demonize the left or any opponent. Along this line he is using the FCC to threaten Disney/ABC to fire Kimmel for comments. That is obscene and oppressively dictatorial. He has long sought a mechanism to eliminate him. That company has a planned deal between ESPN and the NFL that the FCC threatens to stop. This is Mafia extortion. Of course, if Trump can profit directly, it would easily go forward. Message: Keep your mouth shut or risk assault from the violent right-wing thugs or your beloved Fascist government.

Luther Creed

Foothills

Blood and sand

I find it interesting that President Trump — who successfully dodged the draft and despises the military to whom he refers to as “losers and suckers” — is now engaged in making war on the people of America and other countries, but not surprising as he now commands such forces as the President of the United States. In previous times, the spectacle of a fight to the death between two warriors was a common way to entertain not only the emperor but the citizens as well to take their minds off the problems of everyday life. Often referred to “bread and circuses”, I would refer to this as “blood and sand” because the Commander-in-Chief is able to conduct and review such actions in real time, given the technology we have. I find it frightening and abhorrent that the president is engaging his fantasies using your sons and daughters to carry such actions for no apparent reason other than that he can.

Richard Rebl

East side

Concerns about 'Star Village'

I attended the Ward 3 meeting on the proposed safe sleeping site and was disappointed by the lack of transparency. Public questions were limited to written submissions, selectively addressed, stifling dialogue. The mediator’s condescending tone alienated attendees. My unanswered question about Primavera and Old Pueblo’s service-to-revenue ratios led me to ProPublica.org, showing Primavera allocates 40.8% to salaries and Old Pueblo 48.3% to salaries not including executive compensation, raising fund prioritization concerns. The vague “infrastructure” rationale for choosing Ward 3, despite citywide infrastructure, suggests potential Proposition 312 lawsuits over home price devaluation. I urge greater transparency.

The Ward 3 Council seat is up for reelection. Early ballots mail Oct. 8 and are due by Nov. 4. The general election is citywide, allowing all city residents to vote for Ward 3 representation.

Vote by mail or in person to shape our community’s future.

Janet Wittenbraker

Midtown

Murder

According to Legalclarity.org:

Law of the Flag: A vessel on the high seas is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state in which it is registered. Essentially, the ship is treated as a floating piece of that country’s territory, and its laws apply to everyone on board, regardless of their nationality. This is the most common and primary basis for prosecution.

It seems clear that in both Venezuela and the U.S. that murder is illegal. Our President bragged that our military blew up three boats coming from Venezuela. Why isn’t all of the Senate and the House jumping up and down at the murder of everyone on three Venezuelan boats by our military? Come on, guys and gals. We aren’t seeing you doing anything about this.

Ray Omdahl

Green Valley

First Amendment defense is needed

The assassination of Charlie Kirk was a horrific crime that must be condemned and punished under the law. Kelley Benson’s editorial (Sept. 16) advocating for the First Amendment was a much-needed contribution to the conversation. As a German, I was deeply unsettled by calls from high-ranking officials urging citizens to report anyone who seems to celebrate this heinous act. During the Third Reich, such informants were known as “Blockwarte.” Later, in East Germany (DDR), they were referred to as “IMs” (Inoffizielle Mitarbeiter, or unofficial collaborators), of which there were about 180,000. As Santayana famously said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Uwe Manthei

Midtown

Boycott ABC/Disney

Time to raise our voices and vote with our pocketbooks. CEO Bob Iger's decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel's show demonstrates corporate disregard for free speech, a fundamental right in our constitution, in our rapidly shrinking democracy (Thanks, Trump/MAGA). Google ABC/Disney boycott to see what you can do.

Silvia Rouzaud

Midtown

Political violence: Some facts

A Cato Institute study of politically motivated murders from 1975 to September 2025 (excluding 9/11) found that left-wing extremists were responsible for 65 deaths (10%) and right-wing extremists for 391 deaths (63%). A 2024 review of National Institute of Justice data states, “Since 1990, far-right extremists have committed far more ideologically motivated homicides than far-left or radical Islamist extremists, including 227 events that took more than 520 lives.” In comparison, “In this same period, far-left extremists committed 42 ideologically motivated attacks that took 78 lives.”

The Hill reported that this study was removed from the Justice Department website after the killing of Charlie Kirk as “the GOP seeks to back claims from President Trump that the ‘radical left’ poses a greater danger than the right wing.”

Without knowledge of either suspect or motive, Trump’s statements immediately after Kirk’s murder were irresponsible. His current claims about “left-wing terrorism” are not supported by the facts, and the effort to suppress them is reprehensible.

Barbara Hall

Midtown

Freedom of speech

Two decades ago, when I was touring China with my family, we were on a bus riding through the countryside. It was then that a fellow traveler asked the guide if one could say anything they wanted to about the government. (All tour guides in China at that time were government employees.) There was this very long pause before she answered and said, "Yes, if all the doors and windows in your apartment are closed." I'll never forget that direct quote, and it makes me wonder if this country is heading in that same direction.

Ginny Williams

Northwest side

Who's ethically compromised

I continue to be astonished by the hypocrisy of the Trump administration and the Justice Department. In their rush to oust a Federal Reserve Governor, Justice Department lawyers feign alarm at the possibility that an “ethically compromised member does not continue to wield its vast powers.” There is no evidence that the Federal Reserve Governor has done anything ethically or criminally wrong, but there is ample evidence that President Trump has. To allow a man to continue to wield vast powers over the economy, the lives of Americans, the stability of the world is, indeed, alarming. If only the Justice Department, which should serve the American people, would seek to oust the most ethically compromised president the United States has ever suffered.

Mary Herman

East side