Tucson Speaks Out: Jan. 9 letters of the day

Re: the Nov. 6 letter “New Congress.”

Following is a Democrat’s revision of a Republican’s Letter-to-the Editor that appeared in Monday’s Arizona Daily Star “I don’t understand why some of the more sensible (delete Democrats and replace with) Republicans don’t change parties. The (delete Democratic and replace with) Republican party has lost its soul to (delete Biden and replace with) Trump and the extremists. After years of rewarding the most extreme members with committee posts and power, the party has become totally dysfunctional. (Delete Tlaib and replace with) Jordan, (delete Ocasio-Cortez and replace with) Gaetz, and (delete Omar and replace with) Taylor-Greene care more about being on (delete CNN and replace with) Fox News and raising money than actually doing their job. The (delete Democrats and replace with) Republicans in the House have become a joke and an embarrassment to our country.” It would be funny if it were not so sad.

Randy Garmon

North side

Trump’s control of religious right

I often marvel at how Trump can control the religious right. He doesn’t belong to a church. He identifies as a “non-denominational Christian” and doesn’t go to church outside of campaigning. His lifestyle isn’t Christian, his blustering screaming isn’t Christian, his destruction of friends that don’t support him 100% is not Christian. And his ambition to become permanent autocratic ruler of America certainly shouldn’t be Christian. But the really scary part is: Hitler did the same thing! About Hitler, Overy wrote “He was not a practicing Christian, but had somehow succeeded in (hiding) his own religious skepticism from millions of German voters.” Yet another scary parallel. We are on the proverbial ‘slippery slope’, and a Nazi-like America is where we will land.

Thad Appelman

Northwest side

More Biden family influence peddling

A trustee for bankrupt health care company Americore, testified before Congress that James Biden, the brother of Joe Biden, received a $600,000 loan from the company that was never repaid. James Biden was hired on the promise that his last name “Biden” could “open doors” and bring in large investments from the Middle East based on political connections. That never happened. Americore did not do any paperwork for the loan. In March 2018, Americore wired James Biden $200,000 to his personal account. That same day, he wrote a personal check to Joe Biden drawn from the same account. Americore sued James Biden for the $600,000, but only received a settlement of $350,000. I believe that Joe Biden, at the time a two-term Vice President and having been a multi decades long U.S. Senator, tolerated these corrupt influence peddling deals done by his brother and son Hunter, and financially gained from them. The presented explanation of repaying family loans to Joe disguises the payments.

Shaki Johnson

East side

Columnist ignored the whole history

Re: the Dec. 29 article “Looking back and looking forward.”

Columnist Cal Thomas relates history the way most people eat fish: taking only the parts they like and tossing what they consider distasteful.

In his Dec. 29 column, Thomas recalled that in 1924, Calvin Coolidge won the presidential election and put the “roaring” into the 1920s with policies of “limited government, reduced taxes and less regulation.” He said the current president – he snarkily declined to call Joe Biden by name – and Congress should emulate Coolidge.

Thomas ignored the distasteful part of this fish: Coolidge handed successor and fellow Republican Herbert Hoover an overheated economy, driven by Coolidge’s policies and his own and other wealthy people’s greed, leading to the Great Depression.

Michael Chihak

West side

God is real, easy to prove

Re: the Dec. 17 article “Admitting and defending disbelief at holiday time.”

A writer’s article on atheism, agnosticism and free-thinking asserts “that there is no discernible proof of a God”. He states that 90% of the members of the National Academy of Sciences are atheists and agnostics. That proves nothing. In early history, man believed the world was flat. Did that make it so?

How were the oceans created? … and the sun? Why are the oceans salt water instead of fresh water? Salt water purifies itself. Through evaporation it converts to fresh water.

Earth is tilted at 23.5 degrees. A few degrees in either direction and life could not exist.

How was the sun created? How has it been able to sustain itself since the beginning of time. Its perfectly position to the earth. There is abundant proof that every need to support life is provided.

Too many people take this amazing world for granted and question the existence of God.

I say, look around — the proof is everywhere.

JD Shulec

Foothills

NCAA trending downward

Dear NCAA — enough is enough! Your money grab proliferation of bowl games has reached the point of absurdity. Forty-one bowl games (really?) including 37 teams with seven wins or less (21 with six wins and one with five). And if that’s not bad enough many of the teams are playing without players who have opted for the transfer portal or who intend to declare for the NFL draft. Talk about “mediocrity”! Your product is seriously suffering!

Guy Brunt

West side

Christian university cancels Trump forum

Sioux City, Iowa’s Dordt Christian University canceled a forum with Trump prior to Iowa’s caucuses in January. Sounds simple, except if former-president “Covfefe’s” involved, conflict and chaos must transpire.

As it should be in America, Dordt believes in education, freedom of speech and allowing students to ask questions about what matters to them. These are the descendants of our civilization — our future leaders. The event was NOT to be publicized prior to finalization after the new year. But, remember, Trump makes up his own rules and promoted the event to eventual caucus goers, not just Dordt students. The event was titled “Call to Caucus.” The campaign renamed it “Call to Caucus for Trump.”

The Trump campaign had a different idea, however. They insisted inquiries from the audience come from their pre-planned questions, distributed to “arranged” questioners. The campaign wanted to give Trump the opportunity to, in essence, hold a stump speech rally before 800+ people. Except for the few distributed questions, only Trump would speak.

Sheldon Metz

Northeast side

Republican voter repression, again

Re: the Dec. 30 article “Judge rebuffs bid to block AZ voters’ dark money law.”

Why would we feel compelled to reject the Republican party today? We could disagree in many different areas, and this quite reasonably, leading to healthy political debates and subsequently good political compromises. But unfortunately, this is no longer possible, either on the state or national level. Case in point, “Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Timothy Ryan rejected a bid by House Speaker Ben Toma and Senate President Warren Petersen to block implementation of Proposition 211 ahead of campaign spending for the 2024 election.” Voters approved that Proposition by a 3:1 majority because it is most dangerous for our democracy when dark money can influence the political process. Obviously, Republican lawmakers deeply disrespect the voters and favor private donors whose names should remain a secret. Ergo, they want to set up an oligarchy and get rid of democracy, squashing people’s needs and wishes. Instead of debating the political issues squarely and fairly, Republicans try to establish dictatorship determined by money. Don’t trust them!

Albrecht Classen

Midtown

Remember the good ol’ days?

Remember in the spring of 2022 when Russia was routinely bombing civilian targets in Ukraine, killing thousands of innocent people and destroying homes, churches, hospitals, and critical infrastructure? Our country was outraged and our government condemned the atrocities.

How things have changed. Now our government refuses to condemn the destruction of Gaza and even provides the munitions. Yes, there was a Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7 that was indefensible. But the destruction of Gaza goes far beyond ethical levels of retaliation or defense. The stench of genocide that now hovers over Israel is only too reminiscent of that which emanated from Auschwitz.

Bruce Hilpert

North side

To these shores

Re: the Jan 2 letter “Migrants.”

What a way to start the New Year by condemning my grandparents. Canzio and Gertrude came to this country from Italy very early in the 20th century. They were immigrants as well as my great uncles Romolo and Minoti. They were Italian and not wanted. Why? They were not Anglos. But they persevered, became citizens and, well, voted. And you know they could vote for anyone they wanted. The author of the referenced letter, obviously loyal to Republicans, would have found exception to my grandparents coming ashore. What are Republicans afraid of, not being voted into office? If they shape up their acts, they would win elections. I asked a Border Patrol officer … why not just give them all a green card? They could seek employment and pay taxes. The officer’s response. “They would all vote for Democrats.” Should we leave them to starve at the border? Someday they will be citizens and grandparents.

Jon Langione

Marana