Tucson Speaks Out: April 3 letters of the day

Return to the past

Re: the March 26 article “Striving toward excellence at UA” and “First of three UA provost finalists revealed.”

I read with interest Professor Richard Powell’s editorial pointing the way for the UA to reform itself. I agree completely with his call to return to Past President John Schaefer’s model of excellence. Focus on faculty and students come first and foremost. A small Administration is there to serve the central purpose of a great University, that of educating its students, engaging in significant research, and being an asset to the community.

I then read the article about the UA’s search for a new Provost. The first finalist is here to meet with students in an Open Forum and numerous Administration officials. Among them is the Vice President “of brand engagement and marketing.” Really? One has to wonder why an academic institution of this stature needs a VP for brand engagement, whatever that is!

The UA is not a business, although current administration runs it like it is. It is time to return to the faculty-student model of academic excellence, as Professor Powell eloquently argues in his article.

Jeanne Clarke

Foothills

Can’t we clone you, Steve?

Wish we could clone Councilman Steve Kozachik. Steve is moving on to a different position in Tucson but has been a priceless asset to our community in the myriad of ways he has helped folks or instituted innovative programs. I honestly have never encountered a public servant who has been as responsive to his constituents as Steve. I really can’t speak highly enough about him except to say you are treasured and loved and any time you want to come back, I’m pretty sure you’d be welcomed in a heartbeat!

Linda Rothchild

Midtown

Laura Conover for County Attorney

Laura Conover is the right County Attorney to serve in that office. She has a proven record of accomplishment.

The last person to hold that job admitted to a “culture of corruption” within her office before one of the six times she was reelected. It’s no wonder, then, that some staff have chosen to leave after the “culture” was no longer tolerated. Years ago, attorneys were disbarred for that behavior. Technically, only one Assistant County Attorney was disbarred. Two others were retired or died before proceedings could continue. They were convincing law enforcement officers to lie under oath to gain convictions, among other crimes.

Conover dismantled the office where the “culture” was tolerated. The office is gone, toes were stepped on. Instead, victim’s rights have greater emphasis. Keep Conover choosing justice over corruption.

John Yoakum

Midtown

Opinion pieces go unchecked

Re: the March 28 article “Vote out Pima County Attorney Laura Conover.”

There’s a rash of opinion pieces lately, focused on discrediting our current Pima County Attorney Laura Conover. The most current came today from her opponent himself, but most are thinly veiled campaign pieces again Ms. Conover but for her opponent.

By submitting these testimonials as opinion they don’t require to be fact checked, balanced or true. The Star allows these claims to be routinely made in the Opinion section, as to release any journalistic obligation. This allows these “opinion” writers to yell “Fire” into the proverbial theatre with no consequence. The Editorial board, and editors should at the very least present a balanced view, but should do their journalistic duties in fact checking such pieces.

As for me, I follow the facts, and will gladly support Ms. Conover for another term.

Jennifer Buchanan

Midtown

Antisemitism and hate speech

Resolutions concerning the situation in Gaza do not belong in the Tucson City Council. The Council is not a branch of the Foreign Service. Foreign policy is not within its purview. Meddling in the complex situation now unfolding in the Middle East only serves to inflame passions and present a forum and a platform for antisemitism and hate speech to be heard. Governments and experts are perplexed about how to go forward and what should come next. Do we think the City Council really knows better or has a solution which hasn’t been previously thought of? Let us concentrate on the things within our control and effect change where we actually can. An unequivocal NO to cease fire resolutions. They do not belong in our City Council meetings.

Dale Charkow

Foothills

T

ruth and antisemitism

Your letter to the editor criteria says that all FACTS must be annotated yet your op eds clearly do not require this. Representative Hernandez was so scared by the antisemitism at a recent protest that she walked out through the front door and then through a crowd of peaceful demonstrators that she later charged, as antisemitic and terrifying (in videoing our protest, we have her on tape doing this). Yet another recent op ed claimed that peaceful protests and comments at City Hall demanding a ceasefire resolution were antisemitic and full of blatant lies. As a participant in many of these protests I remind readers that all City Council meetings are recorded and available to the public for viewing. It is disheartening and frankly disgusting that we are being demonized for demanding an end to a genocide paid for by our own tax dollars. Think “taxation/ representation” when you wonder if this is a local issue. How dare we be asked to ignore such a thing!

Betts Putnam-Hidalgo

Downtown

Anti-Zionist, not antisemitic!

Re: the March 30 article “Keep Antisemitism out of Tucson.”

I am one of the assumed-to-be hateful protesters who has been attending council meetings for months now begging Tucson leaders to protect all human lives and end Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

I reject the morally irresponsible and slanderous claim that criticizing the genocidal actions of the State of Israel, or pointing out that Israel practices apartheid, must mean I’m anti-Jew. I have no patience for the weaponization of one community’s suffering to enable racist genocidal violence against another!

Anti-Zionism is not Anti-Jewish. I condemn the false equivalence, and I condemn the gaslighting of my Palestinian siblings who are simply trying to resist the continued erasure of their land and their people. I mourn for my Jewish siblings who have been taught that the only way to remain in Jewish community is to stay quiet in the face of atrocities. Ceasefire now! Stop the genocide. End the occupation.

Jessica Yoder

Southeast side

No business in international affairs

As an observant Jew and a native Tucsonan, I am deeply troubled and appalled that Mayor Romero (who I believe supports the Jewish community) and the City Council would even consider the adoption of a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. They should not be bullied by these antisemitic and homophobic groups to adopt such a heinous proposal. Besides, the situation in Gaza is on an international forum, not a local one. One idea: pass a resolution condemning these groups and all public displays of antisemitism.

Lew Crane

Midtown

Thank you!

A short while ago, I accidentally dropped a small wallet on the northwest side of Tucson. I thought it was gone for good, but while I was at work one day, my husband told me that a police officer came to our door to bring my wallet to my house! I was so pleased that someone took the time to do that. My husband didn’t get the names of either the person who turned the wallet into the police, or the officer who brought it to my house. I would like to give both my heartfelt thanks.

Lois Miller

Midtown