Tucson Speaks Out: Jan. 8 letters of the day

Revenge and retribution never permanently resolve any issue, just serve to increase hate and misunderstanding. Evidently lessons not learned by adversaries in the Middle East for millennia nor on the political scene in the USA for decades. Where are the peacemakers/moderates who possess the courage to promote and insist on respect and empathy and compassion and the golden rule while following the guidelines demanded by honor and integrity? Still missing in action!

Phil “Bulldog” Bentley

Foothills

Pumped hydropower

Re: the Dec. 27 article “’Pumped’ hydropower plans grow in Arizona”

The story says there was a lot of confusion about pumped hydro. Unfortunately, this story contains several incorrect or confusing statements adding to the confusion.

Pumped hydro doesn’t “generate” electricity as stated in the story, it’s a method for storing electricity, it’s like a battery. Water is pumped up the hill when there is surplus power during the day and goes back down in the evening when power is needed. As stated, the process is a closed loop, water is needed once and then reused, over and over, so the net water requirement is minimal.

In the paragraph about the process, the author says that the generating phase of the process generates more than the pumping side uses, leading one to believe that there is a net gain of power, which is, of course, physically impossible. In fact, pumped hydro is 75 to 80% efficient, 20 to 25% of the energy is lost in the process.

Loring Green

Foothills

Cherry-pick the constitution at will?

We may not freely cherry-pick the constitution that constitutes us.

If we could revisit any amendment that irritates us, we could revisit the second amendment, the right to bear arms. The founders of our nation used muskets, not AR15s and Glocks. Based on “originalism” we could legally ban all weapons invented since the founders wrote the constitution, originally.

If we could freely cherry-pick amendments, we could look freedom of speech, written well before the influences of the internet, social media, Russia, AI and ChatGPT.

Our constitution stands as written until amended as designed.

Following our constitution, the former president is disqualified.

Paul Zohav

East side

Just a question

Amid all the talk of defending/destroying our Democracy, I have found myself wondering something honestly. (If anyone knows, please advise.)

Is all the hype about Trump just a distraction so that Article V — to re-write the Constitution — won’t be noticed?

I’m not a Trump supporter, but re-writing the Constitution would be a disaster.

Thanks in advance for a reliable answer.

Claudette Haney

Green Valley

Matthew Salinas shooting

On October 26th, Matthew Salinas was killed by TPD for firing his weapon in the air. This is a sad tragedy but everyone should know “what goes up must come down.” Salinas was shooting his weapon in the air in his neighborhood. Think about it: what would have happened if one of those bullets come down and killed a neighbor … this would have been accidental but Salinas should still be held responsible. Thankfully there were no accidents as the bullets come down from the sky. (speaking from experience)

Diane Dailey

Southeast side

Nothing better

There’s nothing better, than a letter

Written to the editor.

We write of jail, about no bail,

Partisans together.

Unjust wars, and wild boars

Climate change and weather.

Yes, nothing better, than a letter

Written to our Editor.

We often write, of Russia’s might,

Of Chinese neutrality.

Of murder rates, and Jewish hates

And local police brutality.

But nothing better, than a letter

Written to our Editor.

We write of peace, that wars might cease,

And all about creation.

Economic woes, political foes,

How great this is our nation.

Yes nothing better, than a letter

Written to our Editor.

Of civil rights, and congress fights

Of a crisis at our border

Of dying well, why prices swell,

The cry for law and order.

Tis nothing better, than a letter

Written to the Stars Editor.

Tom McGorray

Northwest side

Election ‘audit’

Re: the Jan. 2 article “Truth about election ‘audit’ emerged through records fight”

This remarkable article shows the critical importance of two things to the survival of democracy: 1. a free and courageous press (plaudits to the Arizona Republic for doing their superb investigation, and the Star for reprinting it); and 2. people of integrity and courage willing to stand up to defend our precious heritage of democracy and freedom. This would certainly include Clint Hickman, Stephen Richer, Rusty Bowers, Cochise County Attorney McIntyre and others. Their opponents appear willing to sacrifice any principles they ever had for transient political gain. They unfortunately exemplify the warning of Samuel Adams (1779): “A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued but when once they lose their virtue they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader.”

Abraham R. Byrd III

North side

Jealousy and resentment

Re: the Jan. 2 letter “The denouement of Jewish supremacy”

Some letters demand a response and this is one of those. Growing up as an advantaged, upper middle-class Anglo in the 1960s what I observed amongst my Jewish friends were hardworking families who generally were successful as small business entrepreneurs. It appeared to me that Jews were ‘the chosen people’ not by their creator any more than any other religious group but chosen as ‘the Other’ for discrimination. They had to create their own economic opportunities. Significant success in becoming the elite of their own corporations was testament to their drive and intelligence and benefited the nation. To claim that Jewish young people, rather than succeeding on their own abilities have instead relied on family connections and wealth is to choose them as different than other families who provide benefits to their young. What I read in this letter is jealousy, resentment, and the feeling of being disadvantaged, thereby needing ‘The Other’ in their life to avoid personal responsibility for their circumstances.

Eric Gormally

Oro Valley

Don’t publish antisemitic rants

Re: the Jan. 2 letter “The denouement of Jewish supremacy”

I condemn the Arizona Daily Star’s Jan. 2 publication of two virulently antisemitic letters to the editor from Mr. Jake Pickering. Airing differing opinions is important to a functioning democracy. Publishing opinions that reinforce long-debunked antisemitic tropes concerning Jews is not. Among the tropes Mr. Pickering mentions is that corporate news sources are under the control of Jewish or Israeli-Americans with “dual loyalties.” If that were true (it’s not), how does one account for the volume of news stories that criticize Israel’s policies in Gaza? The Arizona Daily Star has both a journalistic and civic responsibility to exercise discretion that draws the line at publishing opinions that cross into antisemitic territory. Criticizing Israel’s wartime policies is fair game. Publishing antisemitic rants that echo “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” is not. The Arizona Daily Star has failed its readers and community. Do better.

Mitch Tobin

Foothills

Civil discord

What is it now, 12 states that are trying to ban Trump from the ballot box? There’s a left wing and there’s a right wing. One side seems to want a democracy. The other side seems to want a dictatorship. How many of us remain somewhere in the middle?

What will happen if or when the right wing wanna-be authoritarians don’t get their way? Will there be a civil war this time? It sure won’t be fought over slavery!

When and how will we all wake up? And while we’re on the subject, is it really SO important that Trump gets to saturate the news 24-7? I think we are all being brainwashed in a very negative way! It’s pathetic.

God help us all and may God please save this democracy!

Janice Campos

Foothills