Tucson Speaks Out: June 9

Tell me something good

Each day, I turn to the LTE page of the paper. It’s like a verbal train wreck. As much as I don’t want to read the letters, I can’t turn away, which often leads to despondency and perhaps a glass or two of pinot noir. I challenge our community of readers and writers to flood the Star editors with feel-good anecdotes, enthusiastic shout-outs, and warm and fuzzy tales of our fair city.

Allow me to begin the process.

The Thursday sports section of the paper shouted the headline “Toy Story.” I usually just take a cursory glance at this section, but was intrigued. Michael Lev unfolds the genuine, heartwarming story of a new, pregame ritual which involves a player revealing a Hot Wheels vehicle, to be presented to the player of the game at its conclusion. This simple gesture ignited the team, leading to an eight-game winning streak.

Coincidence, or brilliant strategy? You decide, but I know the story brightened my day.

Wendy Smith

East side

Legislating ignorance

Re: AZ Legislature Oks bill to make teachers liable for ‘antisemitism’.

What this bill will do is destroy our schools by glorifying ignorance and making teachers liable for any statement they make that touches on Jewish people. I could think of hundreds of true statements that are not antisemitic about the war between Israelis and the Palestinian people, which could be misconstrued by ignorance as antisemitic. For example, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert condemns the war on Gaza as a humanitarian crisis and blames Netanyahu and his cabinet for comments that he labels as war-crimes statements. Any teacher saying the same thing could be subject to a lawsuit as making an antisemitic comment. Let the school systems solve their own problems. Our legislature has a track record for interfering with and inadequate funding for our schools. No wonder surveys rank Arizona as the worst state in the country for public education.

Michael Mount

Foothills

Point of view vs. personality

I support the Arizona Daily Star’s practice of publishing letters to the editor from diverse voices, including days when a balance of viewpoints appears skewed to one ideology. Readers should determine the value of the perspective based on facts and logic regardless of the author. Readers should pay attention to the point of view, not personality.

Roger Shanley

East side

Use of Autopen

I am just so sick and tired of the man in office harping on Biden’s use of an Autopen to sign things, and he said himself that he could just think of classified information, and it should be enough to declassify them. He is such a crass and vindictive individual who has no respect for anyone or anything. Now that’s my opinion.

Fred Thompson

Midtown

Freedoms

Mr. Hancock, in his most recent LTE, asks what “specific freedoms has one lost with Trump in office”. I would be interested in knowing what freedoms we have gained? Women’s right to an abortion is being taken away; unless you are a white (mostly male) person, your voting rights are in jeopardy; non-criminal immigrants are being deported including 18-years-olds who were born in this country or came to America as babies; foreign students are being denied the freedom to attend America’s universities. Is this freedom? Please explain, Mr. Hancock.

Jean Getek

Foothills

Following the Hungarian blueprint?

Since October 2024, I have been trying to get this published in print: President Trump admires Victor Orban, Hungary’s Prime Minister. Since 2010, Orban has ruled with a 2/3 parliamentary majority.

Since then, electoral reform reduced the number of parliamentary seats, reorganized precincts, and terminated a second ballot, the “Balancing Mandate.” The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe observed that elections in 2014 and 2018 were “free but not fair.”

Orban’s new constitution curtails judicial independence by declaring tax, financial laws, and constitutional changes untouchable by the courts. Minorities (Roma) are no longer members of the Hungarian nation. Courts can use precedents only when they were established after the constitutional reforms.

The European Commission has filed suits before the European Court accusing the Orban government of curtailing judicial independence, freedom of expression, academic freedom, protection of minorities, and fundamental rights of asylum-seekers and refugees.

Public media laws limit the protection of journalistic sources and place public media under a National Supervisory Authority.

Uwe Manthei

Midtown

No cancel culture, please

I’ve seen some LTEs lately complaining about a few writers with pro-Trump/conservative opinions who are published frequently. I can usually tell midway through the first sentence of an LTE it is one of these authors. Apparently, there are fewer of them, so they get more exposure. Personally, I look forward to different perspectives and am glad they actually read the paper and submit their views. I don’t want an echo chamber. If only “pro-liberal” LTEs are published, it negates the whole “Diversity of thought is critical for democracy” point of the opinion page. It’s up to the reader to sort opinion vs fact. I want to keep trying to understand where people are coming from ... or going to. Keep ’em coming.

Dianne Lethaby

East side

Very interesting

In the past, Trump lauded and then selected some fawning clown to do his bidding until the clown unwittingly became his scapegoat when Trump needed a fall guy.

This round, Musk beat Trump to the punch. Knowing that Trump was going to throw him to the wolves, Musk acted quickly. Have you seen the picture that Musk has posted on the internet of Trump partying with Epstein? This sorry saga has just gotten very interesting.

Given the murky history of Musk’s journey to U.S. citizenship, he should not be surprised if ICE agents show up at his front door while posing as Amazon deliverymen at zero dark thirty tomorrow morning.

Rick Cohn

West side

Cure for Trump Derangement Syndrome

I never really understood Trump Derangement Syndrome until someone explained it that DJT is perfect, and my “hate” toward Donald must be manifested in some sick psychotic delusions, therefore I have TDS.

Recovery from the insanity of TDS, it’s simple:

Agree that Trump has been persecuted more than any human ever, and has defeated every charge against him, and he speaks only the truth.

Believe that he gave up his successful business to serve as your savior. He has said himself he’s “The Chosen One.’’ While we wait for his “second coming,” we turn a blind eye to his cruelty to immigrants.

His vision to rebuild Gaza, as well as shady business deals to enrich himself, can’t be corruption, because he said so.

That’s a pill too big for me to swallow. Therefore, I have TDS.

Larry Robinson

Northwest side

Affordable housing

I’ve been mulling over a recent article announcing a new high-rise to be built at Campbell and Speedway and a follow-up by editorial by Louie Christensen welcoming the project. The computer-generated picture of the future building shows us an enormous building of uninspiring architecture. It will obstruct mountain views, and is unlike anything else in the area, but aside from that, all 395 units will be rented at market rate to students and young professionals. The development was approved by the City Council, the same folks who say they are so concerned about the lack of affordable housing in Tucson. Market rate is not affordable housing. Why can’t the city of Tucson require new developments to provide some percentage of their units to fill this pressing need?

Gayle Jandrey

Northwest side

Debt on the backs of regular people

In response to the letter writer from Green Valley who said Trump/Musk are “at least trying to attack spending,” I say the attack is directed at the American people. Those who need Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and safety nets are being grossly affected by the changes made by the current administration. With the BBB (big budget blow-up) and all of the back-door deals being made, the wealthy will get wealthier, the poor will get poorer, the uneducated will remain uneducated, and still, the deficit will explode to appease Trump and his sycophants. Government should be more efficient, and there are ways to address fraud, waste, and abuse, but our government is not a business, and consideration for “we the people” must be present when changes are considered. Our government is here to serve the people, not wannabe autocrats and zillionaires. By far, the biggest fraud, waste, and abuse America is currently experiencing is this administration, and not even DOGE can remedy that. So we must in 2026.

Terri Hicks

Northwest side

Despicable tax cuts of the BBB

Despicable. Not just disgusting. Trump wants $3.7 trillion in tax cuts, exacerbating the move of $50 trillion from the bottom 90% of Americans to the top 1% in 40 years. Trump’s cuts estimated $2.4 trillion debt doesn’t factor in future items we already face. Upgrades at airports like Newark? About $174 billion for one. Climate change events now average $1 billion every three weeks. Who’ll pay? Not insurance, FEMA or states.

Trump and Republicans want to subsidize corporations and the rich and you pay via raising expenses. Why cut IRA, empowering Americans on climate change, affecting 130,000 employed? Cuts to education: $351 billion. IRS: down 18,200 staff causing loss of $168 billion annually. Smart, huh? Cut $900 billion in Medicaid and SNAP. So moral.

$3.7 trillion reduces science, education, healthcare, safety, employment, diplomacy. Americans get sicker, less safe and hungry. USAID cuts already have killed 300,000. This is your Republican Party! Are you proud? Call all Senators to vote no.

Nancy Jacques

Northeast side