Wise politicians
heed science
Re: the March 4 article “House votes to let businesses make their own call on masks.”
The Star has published an article about the AZ House of Representatives passing legislation to let businesses ignore mask mandates to stem COVID spread partly by arguing they weren’t needed decades ago to stop the spread of AIDS.
The same Dr. Anthony Fauci who is advising President Biden on strategies to defeat COVID, mask-wearing being one of the key strategies to defeat the virus, led the research on AIDS. It became clear that HIV/AIDS could be contracted by unprotected sex, exchange of bodily fluids and by drug use using needles already used by others. No masks were used, because the disease could not be transmitted through the air.
I don’t expect politicians to understand or use science, but because of this I expect them to take the advice of scientists.
People are also reading…
Gerry Lessells
West side
One more letter
about zoo expansion
Though I realize the importance of preserving Barnum Hill, if I read just one more letter about this subject I am literally going to scream ... again. For months contributors have submitted the same things over and over and over again. Mayor Romero and the City Council have agreed to halt construction for the time being. And rightfully so. Please, people, give it a break.
Theresa Thayer
Southeast side
Zoo seems intent
on harming community
As a Reid Park neighbor for 30 years, I applaud Mayor Romero for calling to pause the zoo expansion project. By voting for Prop. 203, we kindly voted to increase our taxes to help the zoo with maintenance, improvements and free access for school groups. In return, the zoo plans to destroy the most beautiful area of century-old Reid Park, taking it from the community. This destruction includes dozens of healthy mature trees that form a large tree canopy within the city, as well as a beautiful pond.
Why can’t zoo and park coexist? Why does a beloved, vital park need to be destroyed for the zoo to improve? This is selfish, irresponsible and barbaric. If the zoo must expand, there are options that wouldn’t hurt the community that enjoys this park.
Ingvi Kallen
Midtown
Council has been known
to shroud its intent, too
It doesn’t matter what side of the argument you are on with the Reid Park Zoo expansion. What matters is the precedence it will set, and I look forward to it. We have seen more Tucson City Council members advocating for public input and feedback. Still, those who argue to continue the expansion could make the argument that the zoo had a better community engagement strategy than the city normally does. That assertion would not be wrong. Before discussing the central business district and participatory budgeting, the city frequently would spiritlessly engage in a public engagement process where the community would not understand what exactly was going with the city’s expressed goal of “keeping it broad enough to allow for changes.” So whatever mayor and council pass along for both the Zoological Society and my neighborhood park, is a robust community engagement process going to be commonplace?
Andres A. Portela
Midtown
There’s such a thing
as economic patriotism
In all the wars we have fought in the last 100 years, young men, when they reached a certain age, were drafted, except those with bone spurs. They were told they had to risk their lives to protect this country.
We are now at war with a virus that has killed more people than all the wars in the last 100 years. We don’t need young men being drafted to protect us at the risk of their lives.
Now we need to draft money from people who have a certain amount, who have benefited from those that sacrificed so much to save this country. We need to tell them that they have to risk their money to save this country.
Joseph Cox
North side
Preserve this state’s natural beauty
One of the key fundamental issues that will shape our world forever is how we address and mitigate climate change. All the science is there; what we are missing is action from our policy leaders which involves passing legislation in order to protect some of the few natural areas left in our world.
I applaud Sens. Sinema and Kelly for introducing the Grand Canyon Protection Act which involves protecting 1 million acres of public lands near the Grand Canyon. This is the legislation that we need, but it is not enough.
I am urging both senators in Arizona to pledge their support for the Biden’s administration 30x30 plan. The people of Arizona deserve a state that is filled with natural beauty. Everyone does — that is why we need policy leaders to step it up and protect public lands from contamination and development.
Casey McCann
West side
Make Jan. 6 rioters pay for their crimes
All those who breached and entered the U.S. Capitol and murdered, rioted, damaged and looted in January should be charged with the same federal crimes, including murder.
The Second Amendment does not mention taking arms to a rally and then breaking into the Capitol where Congress was in session. There was no threat to the security of the free state until the rioters brought the threat into the building.
It was also horrific that the Capitol police were injured and did not have the backup they needed to deal with the rioters. The last terrible part was some members of Congress did not accept the will of the people who voted in the election. Some members used this venue inappropriately to voice their so-called concerns about election security and fraud in states other than their own. This was neither the time nor the place for these concerns.
Charles Reiser
Oracle
Zoo planning
took a lot of work
Please do not let this small group of special-interest people stop the Asian addition, this expansion has been discussed for years and approved by the people.
Our little zoo is going to be a huge draw to so many locals and tourists when the expansions are done. For those who can’t afford the price of admission there are programs to help them.
When my husband and I moved to Tucson 20 years ago, my husband was not a fan of zoos, but after visiting and learning about all the programs including helping animals in all parts of the world, he is totally a supporter.
Just walk through and see groups of children with their teacher with their eyes so big and their excitement.
Plus all the money that has already been spent for the planning. Please listen to the people who did vote and let the work continue.
Maudene and Michael Fruehwirth
Northeast side
US Treasury will happily take your check
The Democrats’ $1.9 trillion economic relief bill has passed and it provides unemployment assistance, aid to states and municipalities, housing aid, tax credits for families, aid for education and child care, health insurance subsidies, aid for vaccines and testing, rural hospital assistance and much more. The bill also provides a stimulus check in the amount of $1,400 for most adults and their dependents.
I have some suggestions for what you might do with your stimulus check. First, spend it locally. By spending it, you will help boost our economy. If you are fortunate enough that you don’t need this money, then give it to a local charity.
Now, if you are a Republican, all of the Republicans in the House and Senate, voted against this relief package. They said it was too big. Therefore, to reduce the cost of this bill, I suggest you return your stimulus check to the United States Treasury.
Robert Ferguson
Sahuarita
Newfound concern
about the filibuster
Many recent letters have criticized the Senate filibuster and argue it should be revoked. Several writers criticize Sen. Kyrsten Sinema for saying she supports it. But where were these voices when the Democrats were the minority party in the Senate and used it to block Republican initiatives?
One writer says “in recent years, it has been used by a minority of senators to obstruct the will of the majority.” Yes, and it was the Democrats! Where have you been? To those who now argue that the filibuster should be abandoned but yet have been silent about its use by the Democrats, I ask where is your intellectual integrity?
Yes, the filibuster is subject to abuse like just about anything. But it serves an important purpose: ensuring that the minority at any time — be it Democrats or Republicans — have a voice in major government actions and preventing the tyranny of the majority.
James Tuthill
Oro Valley
Common good isn’t
a concern of the GOP
Both U.S. senators from Arizona received my vote for their courage and wisdom to make wise decisions that can have great effect on the common good in our state and country. I did not vote for them to work closely with your Republican colleagues.
Consider where the sense of common good is in today’s Republican lawmakers. Their rejection of the COVID relief bill in both the House and Senate is a graphic demonstration of their lack of that sense.
And what of Republicans’ massive injection of voter suppression laws in our states? There is no spirit of bipartisanship. It is a spirit of racism and oppression.
I beseech them to consider what is best for us when contemplating your votes coming forth in the Senate. And in regards to those votes:
The filibuster must be removed from Senate rules. Our country and our lives depend on its removal.
John Gilmore
Midtown
Barnum Hill
is not a barrio
Re: the March 10 article “City Council saves Reid Park Zoo from public resentment over plan.”
Tim Steller’s recent opinion comparing the Reid Park Zoo’s expansion into the Barnum Hill area of Reid Park to the demolition of a significant portion of a barrio is a stretch.
I support the zoo expansion. I also understand that many people, including myself, have fond memories of and still utilize the area for recreation. However, regardless of one’s opinion on the zoo expansion, I see little comparison between that area being repurposed as part of the zoo and dozens of family homes and small businesses being razed to build a convention center.
A more accurate comparison, I feel, would be the GCU campus that was blocked — where a vocal group exerted pressure to prevent something that could have had a lasting positive impact in the community.
The main difference here is how much extra expense and lost work is being incurred because of the last-minute maneuvers from the city.
Nick Riley
East side
