Why is the anthem even played?
Concerning the ongoing controversy over athletes’ response to the national anthem: I have a simple solution. Stop playing it. There is no law that says it must be played at sporting events. I am also not sure when sporting events became a forum for political views and social opinions.
In the future, if circumstances change, and athletes find that they are happy enough with the country to be respectful of such ceremony, then it could be resumed.
Sidney Hall
Oro Valley
County must hold Border Patrol accountable
Kudos to Pima County Supervisor Betty Villegas for her resolution passed by the board of supervisors on Aug. 17 in opposition to the use of rubber bullets by law enforcement.
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Also encouraging was the board scrapping a vote on Operation Stonegarden, which is Border Patrol funding Sheriff Mark Napier sought that results in more families torn apart by deportations.
The corrupt Border Patrol has routinely violated civil liberties and human rights in Pima County for decades, with the federal government’s blessing. Their motto is “Honor First” but I think “Shoot First” is more appropriate. Also Border Patrol agents don’t use body-worn cameras, which can help reduce police brutality.
Pima County Supervisors and the County Attorney’s office must take strong action to rein in Border Patrol abuses.
Richard Boren
Southeast side
Schools are a mess, but there’s a solution
Arizona’s brick-and-mortar schools have recently made news headlines for their ill-preparedness as the school year begins. The circumstances seem impossible for families who want to keep their children healthy and challenged academically. Thankfully, families do not need to pick between one or the other.
I made the decision to put my children in Arizona Virtual Academy after I witnessed how disengaged local students were in school. It’s made an enormous difference for their education and for our family as a whole. My children have the support they need from their teachers, plenty of one-on-one instruction, and are following an enriched curriculum.
Plus, I’m there as their learning coach and can consistently take an active role in their classwork. It gives me peace of mind to know my kids are getting a great education and aren’t exposed to the virus on a daily basis. For parents searching for better options, look into online academies. They can be the resources your family needs!
Renee Hernandez
Southwest side
‘Whopping’ tax increase
for schools makes sense
I nearly choked on my dry toast this morning when I read in this newspaper that Governor Doug Ducey opposes Proposition 210, the invest in education initiative, because it would impose a “whopping” tax increase on Arizona’s wealthiest people. Really? The proposed additional 3.5% tax on individual incomes above $250,000 and couples’ incomes above $500,000 means, for example, that individuals earning $500,000 and couples earning $1,000,000 would pay about $8,500 more in state income tax than they would have otherwise paid. A “whopping” tax increase?
Hardly. This increased amount of dollars, when matched with the paltry amount presently paid per pupil to educate our children (about $5,000 per student, ranking Arizona the third lowest paying state), would help to bring us closer to the national average for funding per pupil.
The tax increase of $700 per month paid by some of our wealthiest residents equals the amount they pay monthly for their minimum food and drink assessment at their private country clubs.
Charles S. Sabalos
Foothills
It’s time for a new postmaster
It is now time for a special prosecutor to be assigned in Arizona to investigate interference in the coming elections caused by actions of the U.S. Postal Service. Attorney General Mark Brnovich has made clear through his aide Joe Kanefield that he will not look into the actions by the new USPS postmaster who has already resulted in delays in Arizona mail. Despite reported problems, Brnovich, who is a Trump supporter, denies that there is any evidence of such interference with voting due to the USPS changes.
We need an immediate, independent, objective, in-depth investigation on USPS mail-in voting in Arizona so our votes will be received and counted correctly on Nov. 3.
John Higgins
Southeast side
