Tucson Speaks Out: Jan. 27 letters of the day

Come on, wake up

Being in construction in the Northeast, I have known of Donald Trump for over 40 years. It is my opinion that he is the greatest conman to ever hit this planet. He can make people follow him, doing his dirty work, and destroying their lives in the process. Here is a partial list of them. Some are familiar, some not. Along with some people just caught up in process.

Here are a few of them:

Arizona house speaker Rusty Bowers, GA Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Top Deputy Gabriel Sterling, former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Jan. 6 participants serving 20 plus years in prison: Henry “Enrique” Tarrio. Those serving 10-20 years: Ethan Nordean, Dominic Pezzola, Joseph Randall Biggs, Zachary Rehl, Elmer Stewart Rhodes III, Kelly Meggs, Peter Schwartz, Kevin James Lyons, Daniel Joseph Rodriguez. There is Fulton County election worker Wandrea Shaye Moss and her mother whose lives were turned upside down.

GOD, please help us.

James Galvin

Sahuarita

Ban illegal, flavored vapes

As a mother, I worry about how media and advertising can influence my children’s behavior and lead to them developing addictive habits.

That’s precisely why the federal government spent years to stop tobacco advertising targeting kids and teens. Unfortunately, the newest fad, flavored vapes, are clearly designed with kids and teens as targets. They resort to kid-friendly flavors, like bubblegum and watermelon, and they come in shiny packaging.

Yet despite the FDA — whose job it is to regulate these products — already declaring them illegal, these flavored vapes are still readily available for those who want to buy them.

Some Arizona leaders like Attorney General Kris Mayes have called for the FDA to ban these products, but we need more leadership to get FDA to do its job.

I urge our leaders in Congress, from Senators Sinema and Kelly to Congressman Gallego and Congressman Ciscomani to urge the FDA to crack down on illegal, flavored vapes.

Nancy Iriye

Foothills

University is for education

I sadly watch the huge salary numbers being thrown around for head football coaches — $2 mil, $5 mil, $7+ mil. That does not include the salaries for 1-2 dozen “assistants”, travel, physical plant, etc.

All this transpires while the UA has frozen salaries, new hires, cutting programs of yes — education, research, and real-world careers. Drastic measures for all national athletic programs such as capping coach pay at $400k — with 1 yr cap / no buyouts, maximum of four assistants, play games only within bus distance, games on radio only, cap game tickets at $40, no full ride scholarships, 2 yr wait to play if transfer plus pay back any NIL.

The big business and emphasis on college athletics must stop. How many education scholarships $14 million could have been provided vs. a shiny non-revenue producing golf facility currently under construction.

Mark Zajicek

North side

Rillito Downs closed

According to Arizona Gaming, the permit for Rillito Downs expired Dec. 31, 2023. Apparently the confused issue of ownership at Turf Paradise in Phoenix and for sale sign at Arizona Downs in Prescott trickled down to nix racing at Tucson’s legendary (1943) quarter horse track.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert got his start at Rillito; the Pinedo brothers horses flourished; great champions Clabber and Shoe Fly (among others) dominated; top jockeys including Corbett, Lopez and Ybarra brought their tack to Tucson’s winter meet February, March and into April.

Rillioto’s been on life support for years. The industry consolidation to corporate track ownership, aging facility, internet sports wagering, the year ‘round youth soccer at the venue, all contributed to the demise.

Saturday and Sundays each winter thousands of fans danced in the grandstand to the mariachis, enjoying the tacos, tamales and beer, clubhouse buffet, wagering on the races plus the the beautiful quarter horse athletes flying down the stretch in a cloud of dust.

Rillito Downs will be missed.

Baird Thompson

Foothills

Proposed water permit for Copper World

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is accepting public comments about an application by HudBay to pump nearly 190 billion gallons of groundwater over 44 years for their proposed Copper World mine in the Santa Ritas.

The agency took comments through Feb. 25. The agency must give the public at least 180 days to submit comments. And ADEQ must hold public hearings.

Why? ADEQ spent 16 months reviewing the incredibly complex water-permit application from HudBay. But we were given 50 days to comment? What’s the rush?

Also, southern Arizonans deserve a public hearing about the proposed water permits for a project that could pump nearly as much groundwater annually as the entire city consumes.

We are in a water crisis! We deserve to learn more about options before any permits are issued. And we should be given more time to understand what’s proposed and what’s at risk.

Jeff Herr

North side

Misgendering

Ever had someone act insulted because you “misgendered” them?

Consider it, there are specific facts that cannot be changed by wishful thinking. Everyone is born with either male or female DNA and it can’t be changed. Yes, surgery can change the organs but the function of childbirth can’t be changed.

Did I misgender someone or did they misgender themselves, ignoring the reality of DNA at birth? If you want to misgender yourself, why would it be my responsibility to ignore DNA? The people I care about are worth the effort, but otherwise, should I be concerned that you are upset with me? Is thin skin a genetic trait or recognition of being disappointed in yourself?

Society needs to step back to basics, we need new words intended for specific applications, but we do not need to allow everyone to change the definition to suit their desires, which can change with a whim. Come up with something and get everyone to agree.

Loran Hancock

Northwest side

Trump’s unwillingness to debate

It seems perfectly clear that Mr. Trump is only interested in being a president for his 85 million diehard sycophants who are going to vote for him no matter what kind of legal issues he’s facing and does not seem to care at all about the rest of the country’s 200 million people who probably won’t vote for him. If he had any interest in reaching people still on the fence, he would be up on that stage laying out his policies he would like to enact in a thoughtful, well-spoken, well-reasoned manner. Surely he has staff that could help him turn his usual rantings to a coherent statement on policy.

As it stands now, all we get is a 2 a.m. social media grievance-filled ravings about how unfair and mean everyone is being to him. Is he completely incapable of presenting well-thought-out policy without the personal attacks and 3rd grade playground name calling that have become his main communication tool?

Mark King

Northwest side

The party of family values

The Republican Party, with its anti-abortion campaign, no matter the cost to a woman’s well-being and health, shows its real agenda in red states such as Iowa, Nebraska, Idaho, and others.

These states refuse to participate in The Department of Agriculture program to provide additional food benefits during the summer to families whose children qualify for free or reduced school lunches. The only cost to the state is administrative cost.

Their reasoning is they are fighting childhood obesity. Letting poor children go hungry is a novel way of fighting this problem. The party of family values is adamant to make sure children are born, and then they promptly forget about them. Their anti-abortion stance isn’t about protecting children, but about control, power, and misogyny.

Mary Zimmerman

SaddleBrooke

Dirty coin

Very good opinion page this past Sunday (Jan. 21).

Yes, semantics matter. Renaming our Republican and Democratic parties would be okay, but infinitely better would be forming a new party. We need a unity party, one based on unity among peoples and with God and Mother Earth.

Our two parties are two sides of a dirty coin. We need to wash our hands of them.

Both parties love big government. Witness the almost trillion dollars a year we spend on “defense”. Both parties believe in exploitation and materialism, leaving out spirituality and sustainability.

Marana is a prime example of our sorry two party system and our sorry lack of spirituality. The article on Marana (come sprawl with us) is about greed and exploitation. Is the city too small? Not hardly. It’s just an extension of big, bad Tucson. The obscene former Lazy K Ranch, next to the sublime Sanctuary Cove, is testament.

Ellis Sutton

Oracle

Ode to Tucson trash

Trash trash everywhere

Plastic round the prickly pear

Traveling past the saguaro

We view a tire, a box, and old pillow

Down the highways, views galore

Just look past the trash eye sore

We call, complain, to no avail

As we bumpity bump down the trail

Oh me, oh my, our shouts bemoan

How do we restore our “Old Pueblo”?

Laura Lempe

South Tucson

School funding

Growing up in the 50s and 60s, I had the best of both worlds: excellent public schools and conscientious parents complimenting that school system.

Most nights, my dad worked with my math skills while my mom reinforced my reading and writing lessons. Time and economics have altered that scenario, and I lament the loss of that blissful picture.

Without pointing fingers, I rue the loss of community as our towns and cities have fragmented our educational system. Still, over 80% of our young people receive their education through the public school system, and when funds are diverted from the public schools, their educations suffer, and that hurts the communities as well.

Either the education of all our children is a priority — or it isn’t. If it is, then communities and states must properly fund the schools where our children are educated.

Funds must not be siphoned off for the minority. If it isn’t a priority, then keep traveling the current path.

Roger Johnson

Green Valley

Threats to Democracy

Who is a threat to democracy? We are! We elect and support the power-hungry, money hungry, and eager to get elected officials. The polls seem to indicate that one party seems destined to choose one who believes he is chosen by God. Term limits will not make a difference. The politicians will do as much damage, only quicker. Are we voters that foolish? Maybe we need to re-evaluate our values. Maybe we need to look beyond our own noses.

Toni Kane

Oro Valley

State senate election

Editor:

Thanks for the article spotlighting the debate about what constitutes a “true” Republican. Best laugh I had all day. Lest we forget, the GOP is the party of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower. What do you suppose Abe, TR or Ike would say about the MAGA crowd?

Michael Cuno

Oro Valley

Choices then. Choices now.

I remember the bad old days when MAGAs were willing to swallow bleach or horse pills rather than believe 220 years of scientific proof that vaccines work.

Resenting government interference, they refused to obey vaccine mandates with their mantra “My body. My choice.” And we suffered through those dark days, knowing they were getting infected and spreading Covid to their friends, their families, and the rest of us.

Now, when confronted with uncomfortable life-altering complications of pregnancy, these same MAGAs have a new mantra: “Her body. My choice.” Despite their obvious hypocrisy concerning government interference, the two healthcare situations are nothing alike. Pregnancy is not a contagious disease. No one gets sick and dies from coming within 3 feet of a pregnant woman.

They may not approve of her choice any more than we approved of theirs, but a woman certainly has the same right they once claimed: “My body, my choice.”

They had their way during the pandemic. Now she deserves to have hers.

Karen Harris

Northwest side

Jedd Fisch

Todd Brown suggested Fisch was hypocritical.

If one works for company A, at a competitively low salary and is historically successful he might deserve a raise.

Company A offers a slight raise but cannot be definite until a couple of months later when a committee will review it. Enter company B who offers double to salary proposed by company A, and makes it definite, not reviewable in a couple of months.

What would you do Todd? Settle for the indefinite, minimal raise or take the definite double salary?

It is not hypocritical. It is sensible.

Steve Scholl

Northwest side