Tucson Speaks Out: Feb. 5 letters of the day

Re: the Jan. 26 article “Violence inherent to Trumpian politics.”

Thank you for publishing the important column by Robert Reich. Reich lays out, chillingly, the fear and threats of violence against any public official, and especially their families, if they dare cross Donald Trump. Refusals to certify the 2020 election, or voting to acquit in Trump’s impeachments, are directly tied to fear of personal violence by violent MAGA factions unless they voted in ways favorable to Trump. Hitler had his Brownshirts, and Trump has his “patriots” all too willing to intimidate or commit violence on his behalf. This is a stark reality to take into account in November.

Steve Greenberg

East side

High voltage poles blight our community

I’ve been watching the TEP high-voltage transmission lines being installed on Grant Road. The height of these poles may be similar to the height of the proposed poles along Campbell or Tucson Blvd. These are unsightly, creating a blighted appearance to that area. In the University/historic neighborhoods, this blighted look will permanently damage the neighborhoods, the property values, the aesthetics of the surrounding area and our community image to visitors. The only answer is for TEP to follow the city master plan and underground the lines through these historic and highly visible areas. It’s so simple, good citizens follow the law! At times, it does cost more to follow the law. Why is TEP so opposed to following the city master plan and the laws of our community? The only answer is they don’t care about Tucson, TEP only cares about the profits of the Canadian parent company.

Mark Ziska

Midtown

Back off, Trump

Mr. Trump is trying to influence senators to oppose the bipartisan bill which would fund border security and Ukrainian military aid. Keep your nose out of Congress’s business, Mr. Trump! Believe it or not, you are just a citizen with just two senators and one House representative, just like me. Congress, including our two AZ Senators, should tell you to go write a letter to your congressman, just like I have to do. Trump is a Putin Puppet, wanting to throw Ukraine under the bus, with Poland next in line. America, look at what he is doing before he has even been nominated. Tell Mr. Trump to follow the rules. Of course, he won’t, which is why he is fighting 91 felony charges plus civil penalties. Back off and go back to your real job Mr. Trump, which is trying to stay out of jail.

Robert Kruse

Northeast side

What is the delay?

As a Tucson resident for more than 50 years, I am concerned about the foot-dragging in the elimination of the president of the University of Arizona. He is in a position of a fiduciary, and he has unwisely appropriated public funds, diverting them from the prime mission of a university (education) to the submission of athletics. Mention has also been made of updated offices, etc. Please! Encourage this misguided president to resign.

Sharon Otstot

Midtown

The buck stops here

Harry Truman famously once said “The Buck Stops Here”. Unfortunately, there are two current examples that highlight a lack of assuming that same responsibility.

The CEO of Boeing and its board of directors must share the blame for the faulty product their company has produced. Sure the actual door may have been made by a subsidiary. But who has the ultimate control? Who’s being paid to be in charge?

Might we say that we have an analogous situation when we examine the behavior of the President of the U of A, and his board of regents. Who is responsible? Who is in control? Who should have known and when should they have known it? It’s always convenient to pass the buck down the food chain to somebody else? But the buck ultimately must stop at the desk of those who have final responsibility and those who advise him.

Frederick Mueller

Green Valley

Regents’ chair needs to quit

How brave of Arizona Board of Regents chair Fred DuVal to say the board will announce a plan to fix the financial crisis at the University of Arizona.

How brave that DuVal made the announcement only after Gov. Katie Hobbs sternly criticized him and the other regents for their lack of leadership, governance and accountability in the multi-million-dollar fiasco.

How brave that DuVal praised UA president Robert Robbins several times and pledged the “full support” of the Board of Regents for Robbins and his actions to fix the problems.

DuVal’s bravery came before, during and after Robbins’ perfidious statements about finances, including how much he authorized lending to athletics, the UA chief financial officer’s resignation and that administration and athletics would cut expenses, including layoffs.

Now, after all that chest-puffing, Fred DuVal should undertake true bravery by resigning from the Board of Regents.

Michael Chihak

West side

Biden versus Trump?

There are approximately 180 million people in the US who are over the age of 35, which is the minimum age required to be President. With such a large pool of people to choose from it is impossible to believe we can’t do better than Joe Biden or Donald Trump!

Matthew Scully

Sahuarita

Told this, then that

Re: the Jan. 28 article “Prominent Tucsonans back UA president.”

Well, talk to the people who are going to have to pay for this fiasco.

First it says the U of A has mismanaged its money, is in debt and that the finance person was fired. Then we are told the debt is not as high as we were first told, and the finance person was not fired, just moved. Then we are told that Dave Heeke, Athletic Director, quit. Now we hear the school is going to pay him for the rest of his contract. Why would the school continue to a pay a person who quit? Then we are told the school has lots of money.

We have three colleges in this state and yet only one is in financial trouble. Why?

I am thinking these prominent Tucsonans need to look at this fiasco more closely.

Jose Salgado

Northeast side

Is this sportsmanship?

Re: the Jan. 27 article “Pueblo’s Cazares: Scoring and soaring.”

I want to start by congratulating America and her family for all her accomplishments and wish her continued success in her athletic journey.

What disappoints me is Coach Galindo. He seems to think that setting state records is more important than the integrity of the sport. It appears he will go to any length to set records regardless of how it affects the players on the opposing team. In the game where America scored 59 points to set a state record he “graciously” said he took her out once she set it. They won that game 101-16. How can you justify running up the score just for individual goals? My granddaughter plays basketball and I have witnessed blow out games on both sides, winning and losing. The coaches usually try to hold back once the game is out of reach. Running up a score just for personal goals is not good sportsmanship!

Rick Lopez

Nogales

I have questions, do you?

Is it all right that a Republican governor allows a mother and two children to drown in the Rio Grande for political points? Is it OK that the Christian Republican Speaker takes his commandments on immigration and governing not from fellow Congressional members, but from a psychopath who rapes, lies, commits fraud, theft, and insurrection, who wants the immigration issue to run on (again and again) to be YOUR Republican President? Is it splendid the Republican House withholds funds helping Ukraine fend off another a monster hungry to eat a nation? Do Republicans think these actions laudable as campaign maneuvers? Does this get your vote?

How about the 147 Congressional Republicans that, in 2020, refused to count Biden votes and are running for office again? Is it ironic the efforts, the theater Republicans create (no success) to find something on this Administration (Mayorkas, et al.) instead of governing? They want your vote, including Rep. Ciscomani, who now votes with these stupefying offenders. Are you proud of this? Is this leadership you want?

Nancy Jacques

Northeast side

Jordan missile attack

What part of the $6 billion dollars that President Biden released last year were used by Iran to manufacture the missiles that killed three American service members in Jordan today? Robert Gates, former Secretary of Defense under Presidents Bush and Obama, had it right when he said, “he (Biden) has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades.”

Bill Jacklin

Southeast side

Teach kids history of communism

I see one of our state representatives wants to mandate 45 minutes of instruction on the failings of Communist system of government. Seems to me that time might be better spent watching an episode of South Park — Communism bad, Democracies good Mmmkay?

Richard Govern

Foothills

Conservative videos for schools

Re: the Feb. 1 article “AZ offers conservative videos to schools.”

To the Editor:

Under the headline AZ offers conservative videos to schools, we’re told that lessons include “an animated video of Christopher Columbus saying, ‘Being taken as a slave is better than being killed, no? I don’t see the problem.’”

Are conservatives now quoting Patrick Henry as saying, “Give me liberty or give me slavery!” or have they just erased that iconic patriot from our history books altogether? Superintendent Horne doesn’t see a problem either: he says this content is “promoting American values.” Criminy!

Ashleen O’Gaea

Northwest side

Bridging pathways

As CEO of Pipeline AZ, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to connecting career aspirations with local education, training, and jobs, I am acutely aware of the importance of having diverse post-secondary options to drive high school graduation rates, school enrollments and skills development.

The university has made significant strides in expanding non-degree programs, a commendable act under Dr. Robbins that underscores UA’s commitment to community impact beyond traditional academia. This leadership is noteworthy, as it highlights the university’s multifaceted contributions, often overshadowed by its athletic endeavors, research program and traditional degree programs.

I support the proposed Financial Action Plan because it acknowledges and addresses long-standing structural issues inherent in many large educational institutions. The university serves as a pivotal partner in empowering individuals and broadening the spectrum of educational opportunities, thereby enhancing access to education for Arizonans. This plan emphasizes a stronger local focus, aligning with the overarching vision of Pipeline AZ to foster economic opportunity for all Arizonans by facilitating access and awareness of career-ready pathways.

Amber Smith

Northwest side

PragerU

Re: the Feb. 1 article “AZ offers conservative videos to schools.”

I initially wondered who Tom Horne thinks he’s kidding, and then I realized it’s the students in Arizona’s public schools. I’m speaking, of course, about Mr. Horne’s use of clown college PragerU to perpetrate malicious propaganda with regard to Christopher Columbus, climate change, European suicide and opposition to a $15 per hour minimum wage. Pursuant to the wishes of Mr. Horne, PragerU, among other things, actually cooked-up nonsensical quotes about what Christopher Columbus would likely have said regarding slavery. The following is a real quote: “Mr. Horne, your thinly veiled attempt to brainwash the young minds of Arizona is a disgrace and beneath anyone who purports to be an educator. An understanding of any nation’s history demands a serious and thorough analysis of all points of view, no matter how much one disagrees with it. What you are doing is a grotesque disservice to the students of Arizona and PragerU’s blithering drivel should be trashcanned immediately.”

John Riley

Oro Valley

Robbins caused UA illness

Re: the Feb. 1 article “Robbins: ‘I fully intend’ to solve UA crisis.”

Interesting metaphor that Robert Robbins chose to describe the University of Arizona and its financial problems: a sick patient, needing the correct diagnosis.

What the university needed long before this, doctor, was preventive medicine to keep the illness from occurring in the first place.

That should have come from Robbins, a former cardiothoracic surgeon who is president of the university. He has been in charge for nearly seven years, during which the patient’s finances got sicker and sicker.

What was the doctor doing? Overspending on his strategic plan, lending tens of millions to athletics, declaring himself the UA sports teams’ No. 1 fan, going to football and basketball games.

All the while, the patient was in decline, resulting in serious illness because of Robbins’ neglect.

Time to change doctors.

Shraddha Hilda Oropeza

West side