Letters to the Editor

The Opinion page staff’s knowledge of COVID-19 apparently exceeds their understanding of the intent of the First Amendment. The editor’s proclaimed goal of protecting the public by publishing only truthful statements in letters about the virus and its risks may seem laudable, but it is condescending and arrogant censorship.

The medical and scientific communities are deeply divided themselves on how to treat the virus, as well as which precautions are too little or too much. But apparently the editors are sure of their ability to discern the “truth.”

The First Amendment aims to assure access to the full range of information and opinions, not just popular ones or the “right” ones.

Surely you print many letters from writers you think are “wrong.” But just as they are with letters about politics or any other topic, your readers are capable of weighing the validity of letter writers’ statements of fact or opinion.

They do not need you to protect them from “wrong” ideas.

Emmett Smelser

Marana

Asian American harassment disgraceful

Re: the April 16 letter “Being Asian American during COVID-19”

The letter from an Asian American regarding documented racial hate toward Asians in Southern Arizona is disappointing but predictable. What would seem unthinkable four years ago is now commonplace.

Hispanic Americans were the first target of Donald Trump and it soon became acceptable for some of his supporters to confront Latinos in public and tell them to go back to their country.

The Asian focus was launched when Trump kept referring to the “Chinese virus.” For many of the Trumpies, racism is acceptable thought and racist harassment is in vogue again since the president of the United States approves. What has our country become?

James Gilbert

Green Valley

I wish Cuomo, Trump could swap places

Most mornings my wife and I watch Andrew Cuomo describe the health status of New York and what can and needs to be done next. He is articulate, coherent, thoughtful and genuinely conveys concern for the people of his state. On a personal note, last Friday, he described how he has learned to take more time to listen to his children and talk with his mother. Yet, he is New York-blunt about how much remains to be done.

Then at the end of the day, I listen for as many minutes as I can stomach to Donald Trump’s inarticulate, increasingly incoherent, thoughtless rambling about his imaginary success as president. He stumbles through what has been written for him like someone reading the phonebook. He seems animated only when he is praising himself, thus feeding the beast that lives in his malignant narcissistic soul.

Beyond words I know, I fervently wish these two men could swap places. Our nation, and the world, would be orders of magnitude better off.

Sam Sherrill

SaddleBrooke

UA’s big earners should take a pay cut

In 2000, Dick Tomey, Arizona’s football coach, was given $600,000 as a payout. With inflation, the payout would be worth $900,000 today.

In 2019, Kevin Sumlin’s base pay was $2,000,000.

In 2011, Lute Olson was paid about $1,000,000 a year to coach Arizona basketball. Inflation is up about 15% since then, so his salary would be $1,150,000 a year.

In 2019, Sean Miller made a base salary of about $1,700,000.

Former University of Arizona President Peter Likins made about $500,000 in 2004. He refused any more than that. Inflation is up 36% since then, to about $680,000.

President Robert Robbins’ pay package is about a million a year.

Babe Ruth once said that he should be paid more than the president of the United States because he had a better year. Sumlin, Miller and Robbins have not had better careers than Tomey, Olson nor Likins and should take a pay cut.

Matthew Somers

Midtown

Trump hasn’t learned any lessons

With time to reflect during stay-home time, it is nice to recall recent events even though it seems years ago.

Remember when the GOP admonished the Democrats over the Affordable Care Act “death panels?” Remember when Republicans said Donald Trump could not be guilty of quid pro quo with the Ukrainians?

He is now doing the same thing, but this time to the American people by jeopardizing their livelihoods through selectively directing small business grants and their lives by directing PPE and ventilators to states who kowtow to him.

Remember when folks said they thought he had learned his lesson?

Alan Barreuther

Foothills

Vote for those who will fix climate change

A letter to the editor published on April 14 stated that there is still controversy about catastrophic warming and its environmental effects. The writer is somehow unaware that almost all legitimate climate scientists agree that climate change is occurring and that its effects will be catastrophic unless increasingly aggressive actions are undertaken.

The warnings regarding an impending pandemic were not heeded and horrific consequences have resulted. We cannot afford to make the same mistake with regard to the dire warnings about climate change.

Let’s vote for those candidates who take these warnings seriously and who are willing to implement strategies that over time put the brakes on the effects of climate change.

David Rubin

Foothills

‘Personal responsibility’ is a forgotten concept

Ask anyone who grew up on a farm last century to describe a core value of their country lifestyle and you’d probably hear “personal responsibility.” I was born in Michigan during the Great Depression and am still proud to say that I’m a “farm boy.” The country values of my upbringing explain why I deferred getting married until I had a secure job and savings, at the age of 29.

I’ve always believed that saving money for a cash purchase was better than buying on credit. So, what am I supposed to think of TV news showing food lines of cars better than mine? Or parents with many children and no health insurance?

Are these 21st century “city values?” Social activists tend to blame the well-off for the plight of those living paycheck to paycheck. There’s more involved, such as taking “personal responsibility.”

Bruce Gary

Sierra Vista

Legislative inexperience was no hurdle for Trump

If the couple from midtown, whose letter appeared on April 27, think that Mark Kelly is unqualified for office because he has no previous legislative experience, then they must think with equal fervor that Donald Trump is unqualified for office as he had no governmental experience at any level.

Dale Emmel

Southeast side

Media finds fault with citizens’ recovery efforts

The Founding Fathers wanted freedom from unfair rule. Colonies accepted certain guiding principles, but freedoms are in the DNA of our country. Today the expectations are far from the original intentions.

We want the federal government to take care of us in all areas, especially this shocking virus. Not only is the government to support the business and all of the employees, but should solve the contagion for every state in record time.

When in our history has a government sent out huge amounts of financial aid to so many?

When has leadership resulted in companies, small and large, working to produce needed medical supplies? Experts in science, medicine and finance give opinions on solutions. There can’t be total agreement on what strategies are best.

Many citizens have banded together to help various causes. Still the media gleefully finds fault with every effort. We’re all Americans! Personal responsibility is a huge part of the solution.

Ethel Maloney

SaddleBrooke

Paper shouldn’t relay

Trump misinformation

It’s amusing that the Arizona Daily Star’s Opinion Page editor said that the Star will no longer publish letters that mislead on coronavirus issues. Of course, that’s a good thing, especially with all the wackos now coming out of the closet claiming the whole issue is a hoax, despite the horrendous infection and death rates.

But what about all the other pages of the Star? They regularly quote dangerous fabrications by Donald Trump. Enough people are dying of the virus without encouraging people to harm/kill themselves with lies and unproven “cures.”

Stop misleading readers on coronavirus issues on every page of the newspaper, not just in reader letters.

Barry Austin

Foothills

President apparently doesn’t want the truth

There is only one reason I can think of as to why President Trump does not want and will not fund testing for the coronavirus: He does not want to know the truth. Sadly, he seems to value money over people.

I am guessing that more than one senator regrets their choice not to convict the impeached Donald J. Trump.

Dave Gallagher

Foothills

President campaigns at our expense

A short while ago, I picked up the day’s mail. Included was a window envelope with a return address of the Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service. I was surprised because over a week ago a deposit had been made to our account as a result of one of the pandemic relief acts passed by Congress.

Inside this envelope was a letter with the White House letterhead. A quick glance showed the dramatic signature all too familiar to most Americans as that of our supreme leader, in this instance clearly campaigning at taxpayer expense. My spontaneous response will not be shared with the Star’s readers.

You won’t be surprised, however, that I urge you to register if you haven’t already, and to vote early and safely by mail to send this shameless charlatan home to Mar-A-Lago.

Frank Bergen

Northeast side

Legislative experience not required for Senate

A recent letter questioned the qualifications of Mark Kelly to run for the upcoming Senate seat, positing that he had no prior legislative experience.

Since when was that a prerequisite? The United States Constitutions sets down the requirements and Kelly meets those.

We have elected many others with no legislative experience.

I happen to admire one of those, John Glenn, who flew in space at age 77.

Gerald Schwartz

Northeast side

Letter writer took a page from Trump playbook

Re: the April 28 letter “We can disagree without insulting the other side”

It is both amusing but not so surprising to witness the workings of a Trump supporter’s thought process. This letter is a case in point.

The writer concludes his letter by stating that, “reasonable folks can disagree without deriding those with whom they disagree,” after just having accused the person he disagreed with of displaying “arrogance, ignorance and phony moral superiority.”

If he’s one of the “reasonable folks,” why doesn’t he heed his own advice?

Sounds like something out of the Trump playbook. It’s called hypocrisy.

Jorge Tapia

Midtown

Trump letter was abuse of taxpayer funds

Yesterday I received a notice from the IRS. The envelope was marked as Official Business; Penalty for Private Use, $300. Inside, on White House letterhead, was information I already knew from seeing my bank statement, that I was receiving $1,200 by direct deposit provided by the CARES Act.

The rest of the letter was self-serving claptrap and was signed with the easily recognizable angry scrawl in black ink of the incompetent man-child currently residing in the White House.

This flagrant, gross abuse of the taxpayer-funded IRS is an absolute disgrace, especially at a time when people are dying for lack of testing and personal protective equipment, and state budgets are bleeding red.

The Trump reelection campaign needs to immediately reimburse the treasury at a fee of $300 per letter that was sent out.

Barbara Liguori

Northeast side

Thankful for Star’s

opinion pages

Reading Sunday’s letters, editorials and opinions reminded me of the early 1970s and 1980s when I was living in the Los Angeles and Houston areas and traveling around the U.S. with the opportunity to sample the many different and sometimes excellent newspapers available at that time across the country.

The Sunday edition was reminiscent of those days and confirms Joni Mitchell’s lyrics: “You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.”

Thank you.

Arthur Mournian

Green Valley