Tucson Speaks Out: September 3

Re: Adelita Grijalva letter

It is important to me that who is elected to be in the Arizona delegation to Congress, whether they represent my district or not. I disagree with Mr. Kent about Adelita Grijalva’s qualifications to fill her father’s seat. She represented District 5 on the Pima County Board of Supervisors for four years. Prior to that, she was on the TUSD Governing Board advocating to keep counselors in schools and to maintain the Mexican Studies program. Prior to that, she worked at the Pima County Teen Court where she gained insight into the problems of juveniles and their families and helped them to overcome.

Ms. Grijalva has a degree in Political Science and learned, at her father’s knee, how to negotiate with opposing ideas. She does not inherit the position but is uniquely qualified. I would vote for her if I was in CD 7.

Cindy Soffrin

Northeast side

Annunciation School shooting

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all good children go to heaven. And so two more children, Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, were killed in another school shooting. A boy who loved to fish and cook, and a girl known for her laughter and kindness. No more fishing for Fletcher, no more acts of love spread by Harper. Their families, the families of 15 other injured children and countless others over the years being caught in this web of sorrow. It is disgusting to me that we have politicians and prosecutors who lack the moral courage to do what is right. Jesus said, (I paraphrase) anyone who harms a child will suffer the wrath of God (Matt 18:2-6). Congress has lost its moral authority; they close their eyes to the suffering, not being able to stand up to the gun lobby. There are too many guns in America. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all good children go to heaven. Congress, God is waiting.

Richard Harper

Northeast side

Republicans’ lousy memories

Republicans were so busy protecting children from learning that Rosa Parks was black that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.

Republicans were so busy protecting children from finding out that men can love men and women can love women that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.

Republicans were so busy protecting children from being read to by grown-ups wearing costumes that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.

Republicans were so busy protecting children from eating a subsidized school lunch that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.

Republicans were so busy protecting children from discovering why Anne Frank had to hide that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.

Republicans were so busy protecting children from knowing how their own bodies work that they forgot to protect them from being murdered in their classrooms.

Terry Louck

East side

Compliance or overreach?

Tucson, a charter city, has often resisted state mandates, citing its authority over local matters. Courts frequently clarify when Tucson’s autonomy oversteps state law. On May 21, 2024, Governor Hobbs signed HB 2721, mandating cities with over 75,000 residents to allow duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes on single-family lots within one mile of central business districts to address Arizona’s housing shortage. Tucson’s Plan Tucson and Middle Housing Ordinance exceeds this, rezoning from Country Club Road to Silverbell Road and 29th Street to the Rillito River. This raises concerns: Is Tucson tackling housing or reshaping neighborhoods, risking zoning protections and property values? Past Mayor and Council actions suggest the latter. Streamlining permits, reducing fees, adopting International Code Council standards, eliminating city-specific codes, and developing city/state land could address housing with less disruption. Tucson’s citywide election allows all registered voters to participate. Verify registration or register by Oct. 6. Ballots for Wards 3 and 6 drop Oct. 8, due by Nov. 4.

Janet Wittenbraker

Midtown

Remembering Sabino Jan

Dear Loran “safer sidewalks” Hancock: In honor of my beautiful wife of 55+ years, Jan, who passed away this past Aug. 12, I must respond as she would have. Please, in the future, do your do diligence and fact check with an open mind for the truth wherever you may find it. Your regurgitation of pure MAGA propaganda lacking veracity reflects poorly on yourself and is a disservice to honorable and truthful debate that our democracy demands. While going through my wife’s precious collections, I found this that was published in the writings of Mahatma Gandhi, who led the successful campaign for India’s independence from England:

Seven Social Sins:

Wealth without work

Pleasure without conscience

Knowledge without character

Commerce without morality

Science without humanity

Religion without sacrifice

Politics without principle

Gandhi’s grandson added an 8th: Rights without responsibilities. We are assaulted with each of these in our current renegade administration!

Retired USAF A10 Warthog pilot Phil “Bulldog” Bentley

Foothills

Unfounded and unjustified vitriol

After viewing photographs depicting cruelty inflicted on the Palestinian people as Israel pursues its genocidal policy in the region, purportedly in response to Hamas’s horrific murder of more than 1,000 innocents in Israel, I wrote a letter. It denounced the hypocrisy of conducting the Maccabi Games, promoted and encouraged by Israel, which is intended to “repair the world” and “make the world a better place”, as Israel behaves as a bullying destroyer of its neighbor. As a person who detests antisemitism, racism and bigotry and has opposed such hatred whenever displayed in the courtroom, the legal profession and in my personal life, I was shocked and dismayed that my letter prompted such vitriolic responses. Read dispassionately and objectively, my letter did not express an iota of antisemitism. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, an intergovernmental organization with 35 member countries, defines antisemitism as hatred toward Jews. It lists 11 examples of antisemitism. Nothing in my letter is on the list.

Charles S. Sabalos

Foothills

Blue propaganda

I notice in a recent Guest Opinion by Susan Gray that when listing stakeholders and potential people who may benefit from Project Blue, “citizens” are listed last. Pretty clearly demonstrates how TEP and the Chamber view the importance of the little people.

Joe Reiman

SaddleBrooke

You’ve got to be taught

Carefully Taught

To: Donald Trump, and Bibi Netanyahu, and Stephen Miller, and Christi Noem, and Tom Homan, and, and ….

And to whatever or whoever caused you each to be who you are today —

“You’ve got to be taught

To hate and fear,

You’ve got to be taught from year to year.

It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear —

You’ve got to be carefully taught!

You’ve got to be taught to be afraid,

Of people whose eyes are oddly made,

And people whose skin is a different shade —

You’ve got to be carefully taught!

You’ve got to be taught,

Before it’s too late,

Before you are six or seven or eight,

To hate all the people your relatives hate —

You’ve got to be carefully taught...

You’ve got to be carefully taught!”

Oscar Hammerstein II,

South Pacific, 1949

New York City

Shelly Fishman

Midtown

American spirit may be alive and well!

Trump may be on to something when he demands that Texas and other red states redistrict (gerrymander). It’s because he’s aware that his ratings are low and getting lower. But all politicians may be underestimating the American public that is increasingly disgusted by Trump’s congressional lackeys not representing them in this race to the bottom. What if Americans are so fed up with Trump and their so-called Republican representatives that, even with gerrymandering, they vote overwhelmingly against Trump policies and his cohorts? Perhaps the American spirit is not quite dead yet.

Barbara Benjamin

Foothills

High-capacity magazines for guns

It has been a week since the Catholic school shooting in Minneapolis. As usual in the current social environment, silence. What are lowering the flag and prayers doing? I heard recently that we should pray with our feet. Possibly that includes the power of the pen.

Guns are no longer defensive instruments; they are now offensive. If we want to continue protecting the 2nd Amendment, let us review its original purpose to protect (defense), not wage war on our young.

My proposal and request to lawmakers: If you are not going to eliminate guns, then pass a law eliminating high-capacity magazines. Military arsenals have no place on Main Street. They belong on the fields of war.

If they continue to sell these high-capacity magazines, then all buyers should be reported to the FBI and put on “watch list”. It could have prevented this sad event. With freedom, there is great responsibility.

Paula Palotay

Marana