Confederate flag
fertilizes evil
Using history to justify a symbol of inhumanity and immorality is simply wrong. Symbols of the past need not be waved in the present, especially when doing so reawakens evils of the past and allows those evils to find fertile ground to grow in the present. White supremacist ideology does not need to be hauled up a flagpole today. The Confederate flag is a part of history and should remain in the history books for study. It should not be a contemporary symbol, and those who seek to make it so are certainly not distinguished in my mind.
When I see a flag, I don’t automatically think, “Hmm. The person flying this flag is trying to remind me of history, both good and bad.” I think, “This person espouses whatever this flag symbolizes.”
I disagree with Mr. Classen because his use of history is a warpage of intellectual integrity.
People are also reading…
Richard West
Oro Valley
Help Tucson economy
by shopping local
Friday, a workday for most, I went shopping for some essentials. Traffic was heavy. Parking lots were full. I had to think for a moment, was this a weekend?
I went to the Dollar Store first. I saw several employees working and stocking shelves throughout the store.
Next stop was Target. At the entrance was a “Help Needed” sign. I am usually saddened by the lack of shoppers when I go to this store. Not this time. There were shoppers everywhere.
Last stop was the grocery store. One store was so busy, I left and headed to my local store. It was packed and all registers had cashiers working. They were out of the dried beans and lentils I wanted but I got everything else I needed.
I knew this was all a result of the coronavirus scare. It made me wonder what an impact it would have on our Tucson economy if we all made an effort to buy local instead of online.
Donna Pierce
Northeast side
Biden-Sanders debate was telling
Joe Biden is a nice guy, Mr. Congeniality in fact, but is this the demeanor that will beat Donald Trump? People who vote in the Democratic primaries say that their highest priority is choosing the candidate who can beat Trump. Beats me how they can favor Biden over Bernie Sanders. They complain that Bernie is too gruff, but isn’t “gruff” what’s needed in upcoming contests with our present president? Bernie is angry, but we know where that anger is coming from.
I am afraid that Biden will treat Trump like his esteemed colleague and defer to his office. Besides, Joe hasn’t articulated good ideas like Bernie has, such as Medicare for All. I hope everyone watching the debate realizes that Bernie’s demands are warranted. Biden needs to explain his positions on many issues that have heretofore been glossed over, and he needs to shelve that “Mr. Nice” disposition.
Kathleen Pastryk
Oro Valley
A time to reflect
on climate change
As we weather the coronavirus pandemic, passenger aircraft aren’t flying, factories aren’t producing and people are staying home or working remotely. Satellite photos over China, Italy and wherever quarantines are in effect show a dramatic decline in air pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions.
China’s quarantine alone saved over 100 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Italy’s air is cleaner, and Venice’s canals are their clearest in many years. Soon we’ll see similar results in the U.S.
These major changes in a short time prove that climate change is caused by human industrial activity. Stop that activity and Mother Nature heals quickly.
Halting our economy and subjecting millions of people to financial hardship is no way to fight climate change! However, quarantines and social distancing offer an opportunity to reflect and reorder our priorities. Fighting climate change should be near the top of everyone’s new list.
Jerry Borchardt
East side
Gov. Ducey, issue
a lockdown order
This letter serves as a call for Gov. Doug Ducey to issue a statewide lockdown. The COVID-19 situation continues to escalate daily, as viewable on the Center for Disease Control website. The CDC has noted on their U.S. cases map that Arizona is having widespread community transmission of the virus.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the state’s population consists of 17.5% of individuals over the age of 65. This group is the most at risk of requiring critical care and dying of the novel coronavirus. Action taken in the next two days to prevent the spread of this illness is crucial to protect our residents and health-care system alike.
Debby Cogley
Midtown
