To McSally,
we’re all hacks
On Wednesday, Jan. 22, I called Sen. Martha McSally’s office. I spoke to the person who answered after first identifying myself. “I am calling to encourage the senator to continue serving her country as she hears the impeachment evidence and not simply follow President Trump.”
As I continued, I realized the person had hung up on me. I decided to ignore this rudeness until I read in today’s paper the support for McSally’s “liberal hack” comment.
I am a constituent. I am not a liberal hack. Yet I was treated in the same manner.
This is not how I expect the people of Arizona to be treated. It tells us that McSally does not consider our views to be relevant and has trained her staff to treat us as “hacks.”
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Patricia Hemann, Retired Federal Magistrate Judge
Northwest side
The Trump addiction and democracy
It appears Donald Trump’s supporters and elected Republicans have received the memo and have all the talking points down. Some I don’t dispute, but I have to keep asking, at what cost to our democracy?
It is like an addiction and makes us feel good. We keep supporting our habit despite the cost. Until we can’t. Will there be a naloxone to bring us back? Will there be enough public support to make sure we never return to this addiction that can’t sustain our democracy?
Susan Bennett
Vail
Money isn’t answer
to all school problems
There are endless articles about the quality of education and what to do to improve it. Most resolutions center around more funds, as if to say more money will solve it.
Has anyone thought about reviewing the curriculum? Why not wipe the board clean and start again. Besides teaching the basic “Three R’s,” make sure we teach civics, personal finance and subjects that will enable the individual to survive once graduated.
How about giving the teachers the ability to enforce discipline in the classrooms, like not allowing cellphones in class? Continuing to kick the can down the road and then criticize the results is not logical. Wake up, school boards and legislators, and address the real problem.
Bill Dowdall
Foothills
Fight back against dark money
Our democracy depends on free and fair elections. Voters need to make informed decisions based on facts and solid information. But a flood of dirty, dark money is muddying the waters and undermining the foundation of our democracy.
Current law permits so-called “social welfare organizations” to spend unlimited money to influence voters. They are not required to disclose who funds them. Vast sums were spent pushing an expansion of Arizona’s school voucher program. Did the money come from owners of for-profit schools or from vested individuals who run private religious schools? Who wants to siphon money from public education?
We’ll never know. Anonymous donors are permitted to hide behind dirty/dark money organizations.
I urge my fellow Arizonans to go to outlawdirtymoney.com to find out where they can sign the Stop Political Dirty Money Amendment petition. This is a nonpartisan effort to secure the people’s right to know.
Sue Garcia
Foothills
Keep up good coverage of UA women’s basketball
Re: the Jan. 26 article “Freshman Pueyo ‘will be a star in this league.’”
PJ Brown’s coverage of Arizona Wildcats women’s basketball is just outstanding. She has a knack for describing the personalities on the team, their talent, and how they all fit together. Beyond telling what actually happens, she gives great insight into the tone of the team and the feel of the basketball program.
The coverage in your paper also helps excite the city and definitely effects the attendance at McKale, which in turn helps the team on the court. The women’s games are now similar to the men’s games in attendance and excitement. There is now a very definite home court advantage!
Thanks for your excellent coverage and please congratulate Brown for her insightful and informative articles. Brown is very talented.
Steven Corben
Oro Valley
Humane Lobby Day gives voice to animals
When Humane Lobby Day registrants descend on the Arizona Capitol this week, they will be participating in an annual event established to champion society’s most vulnerable. Last year, we successfully lobbied for a bill that protected Good Samaritans from civil liability if they rescue an animal or child from a hot car. We also successfully advocated for an increased felony penalty for egregious animal cruelty.
This year, animal advocates will lobby for several bills: Implementing a penalty for possessing animal fighting paraphernalia; banning feline declawing (amputation); and returning the right to cities to require pet stores to end the commercial sale of puppies and kittens and convert to a humane rescue-only model that would protect our beloved animals.
Animals do not know politics. They need humans. Their lives and well-being simply depend on caring humans respecting their desire to live in peace.
Don Scott
Northeast side
Educational equality is always relevant
Re: the Jan. 16 letter “Desegregation case has gone on too long.”
The Mendoza plaintiffs’ engagement in the TUSD desegregation case has remained constant, with a driving desire for TUSD to comply with its court order. They selected me as their representative 15 years ago. These facts refute a Jan. 16 letter by Elena Hidalgo saturated with falsehoods, the most offensive of which is the disrespectful claim that the Mendoza plaintiffs are “long deceased.”
She asserts TUSD is “integrated,” but 2019 enrollment data confirms more schools are racially concentrated than integrated. Failure to integrate several magnet schools resulted in the loss of magnet status in 2016 with a decrease in funding, staffing and programs for six schools, which have since worsened in racial isolation, and several have lost significant enrollment. Additional magnet schools were at risk of the same consequences last year.
Civil rights experts argue against racial segregation in public schools, citing its demonstrated adverse impact on academic achievement. Hidalgo says that the desegregation case is no longer relevant, but effectuating legitimate equality is always relevant, even after 40 years.
Sylvia Campoy
Midtown
