Where is Goldwater when we need him?
Where have the ethical values of a Barry Goldwater gone? Goldwater finally decided to act on an issue affecting the entire country, with then-President Richard Nixon’s behavior. He realized that the continued misconduct of Nixon was affecting the entire country, not just the Republican Party. He moved on those convictions, went personally to Nixon and the rest is history.
Where are the Republicans today who can stand on ethics and explain to this president that it is time to move on and let the country heal? His continued divisiveness is morally wrong and nationally dangerous to the sovereignty of the United States of America.
Where are you, Mr. Goldwater?
Robin Lenaker
Oro Valley
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Sunshine Mile should be transit-oriented
The proposed Sunshine Mile Overlay District already is confronted with encouraging transit- and pedestrian-oriented historic reuse/development in the face of the RTA’s failure to enact the 2006 vote for dedicated transit on Broadway. This represents a tremendous setback to the intent behind both the city’s Complete Streets and Climate Change ordinances, in accordance with Plan Tucson-stated principles.
Another huge missed opportunity is represented in the current lack of commitment to attaining the Tucson 2030 District’s goals for reducing transportation emissions, aligned with the Paris climate accord, through leveraging the use of existing and future transit options over personal vehicles. The Sunshine Mile and Tucson’s 2030 District overlap at the northwest quadrant of Broadway/Campbell, providing significant potential to decrease parking requirements and enact meaningful travel demand management strategies.
For example, Rio Nuevo could offset the TCC parking garage overflow by redirecting its neighborhood parking permit funds into extending streetcar/BRT along Broadway, per the recent RTA proposed project list, to further support walkable, connected communities.
Camille Kershner
East side
Pull up your
bootstraps
Re: the Dec. 15 article “New administration must fix access to higher ed.”
As a Hispanic “boomer” male with an engineering degree, I was appalled at the whiny column that led your Opinion section. Here we have a 26-year-old Latinx millennial who has a bachelor’s degree in English complaining she has accumulated $36,000 in student debt and is on her way to more debt as she pursues a master’s and possibly a doctorate in journalism.
What’s more worthless than a bachelor’s degree in English? A master’s in journalism. You get what you pay for.
And now she wants debt forgiveness so she can continue with her bad choices She should start working now and go to night school, like I did. Some businesses will even help with advance-degree tuition.
Maybe the Daily Star could hire her at $70,000 so she can pay off her debt and live the life she thinks she’s entitled to because she’s a millennial Latinx. She does have a degree in English.
Marvin Montez
Oro Valley
TUSD is failing its students
Re: the Dec. 13 article “‘Lost year’ feared as students here fail their classes at alarming rate.”
I was horrified to read the article about the number of students who are failing. My reaction was “it’s not the kids who are failing, it’s the policymakers.”
Leaders need to address the current reality. The policy should be “No F’s, only incompletes.” Each teacher should have an end-of-course test for students to take to prove they have mastered the course content and they should have the opportunity to test and retest up to three times with quality instruction provided on the areas where they have not mastered the content.
Right now, the reasons for students “failing” is endless, including technology, health, etc. The job of policymakers is to reimagine how to help students. I urge the policymakers, school superintendents and teachers to reconsider the F’s.
After so many F’s, kids will give up because the system gave up on them. Please consider incompletes.
Cindy Duncan
Northwest side
Teachers don’t deserve to get COVID vaccine
I find it laughable that teachers are second in line to receive the COVID vaccine “along with other essential workers.” The teachers have already demonstrated that they are not essential workers. They have refused to go back to work while they expect their local grocery store workers and others to go to work to provide what they need to stay at home.
Unbelievably, they are still getting paid. Since they are not likely to go back to work until the next school year starts in the fall of 2021, I say put them at the end of the line. If you want the vaccine, go back to work teachers!
Tim Robertson
Foothills
Sumlin’s downfall similar to others’
With every coach there is a moment when the downfall starts. For Coach Dick Tomey, may he rest in peace, it was in 1999 when we lost 41-7 to Penn State. For Coach Mike Stoops, it was when we lost 30-29 to ASU in double overtime (I sill remember the energy evaporate when Alex Zendejas had his second blocked PAT). For Rich Rodriguez it was in 2015 when the heart and soul of the program, Scobby Wright, went down with a knee injury.
Sad to say, Kevin Sumlin’s came in his first year when we blew a 19-point lead to our hated rival, when his choice to go conservative cost us a bowl and 365 days of bragging rights. Yet his attitude of it being just another game is what rubbed this alumni wrong.
Sumlin is good man but not the right fit for us. Bear Down!
Gabriel Bustamante
South side
UA has a disastrous football program
As a University of Arizona alum, I am angered and appalled at the frivolity of the buyout of yet another failing football coach. Did Coach Kevin Sumlin have no obligation to win or any performance clause? Seems to me he failed at every turn.
How can any of this excessive payout be defended? My heart breaks for those student athletes and the UA. During this unprecedented pandemic, where so many are suffering, it’s inexcusable. Perhaps more due diligence should be given to the next coaching choice and their contract.
Lisa Hart
Northwest side
Trump ducked
climate responsibility
Re: Dec. 11 letter “Trump has done so much good.”
The writer provided a long list that he believes readers “probably don’t know about.” It included “freeing us from Obama’s treaty with global warming alarmists.”
He was referring to the Paris climate accord which, apparently, President Trump didn’t know much about either. On the day he “freed” us, he said: “It was a good deal for Paris, but not for us.”
The “treaty” was not with Paris, you see. That was just the city where negotiations took place.
Those “global warming alarmists” were virtually all of the world’s top climate scientists, admitting that the onset of global climate change had been grossly underestimated.
Reduce carbon emissions 50% by 2030 and 100% by 2050 to avoid the worst effects, they warned. But President Trump chose to “free us” from any responsibility, just as he did with COVID-19 last spring.
Not so good.
Greg Lewis
Midtown
Millennials want something for nothing
Re: the Dec. 15 article “New administration must fix access to higher ed.”
Katya Mendoza, like many, if not most millennials, thinks the country owes her something for nothing, in this case a college education. I don’t see free college educations in the Constitution. Or free anything, for that matter.
First, she complains about student debt. Why didn’t she attend a two-year college and live at home before finishing her college education at the UA?
Most student debt is held by graduate students, most of whom come from more affluent families. Thus, to tax citizens to pay for student debt is transferring money from the working class to the wealthy.
In addition, to cancel all student debt, as Mendoza advocates, wouldn’t be fair to all the responsible people now working to pay back their student debt.
Mendoza complains about “an unforgiving society that values individualism ... over collectivism.”
If she wants collectivism, I suggest she move to Venezuela, where she could experience collectivism firsthand.
David Pearse
Foothills
Zoo raises
awareness
I am a teen volunteer at the Reid Park Zoo. The reason why I support the zoo is simple. I appreciate what they are trying to do by educating the public about conservation of the wildlife.
It is very sad to see animals go extinct or to die. As human beings, we should be using our resources wisely and do our best not to take advantage of what God has given us, whether we are believers or not.
As the zoo is connecting people with nature and raising awareness, I believe that the expansion could be very valuable for children who have never seen animals from Asia, and will never get the chance to actually go there.
I hope this is helpful to the zoo’s expansion and will tell the protesters something about what the zoo is actually trying to do.
Hannah Kibbey
Green Valley
How to visit
Santa safely
One of the most unique, innovative and safe experiences of Santa Claus in the country is right here in Tucson. Yes, that’s right. Did I mention it’s loads of fun? Free photos, too!
There are so many good things about Santa’s Snow Globe experience, but one of the best is jolly Santa Claus himself — a man dressed in red — filled with warmth, authentic optimism and kindness. Santa created the “Snow Globe” (a protective shield) that could also provide exceptionally good photos — it’s safe, socially distanced and outdoors — what could be better than that?
He’s at University Main Gate in Geronimo Plaza on University Boulevard on Sundays from 1-4 p.m. and on Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, during the same hours.
This year is different, but it doesn’t have to be, and shouldn’t be a time without hope. Kids can still have a sense of wonder, a Christmas season filled with magic and love, a longing for and an expectation of better times and a belief, not only in Santa, but in the future.
Patrick Cunningham
Northwest side
