Drone operators at fire should be punished
What is going on in Tucson? We have a serious fire in the Catalina Mountains and two fools decide to fly drones near it, for worthless pictures on Facebook. In the meantime, the air tankers couldn’t fly because of their selfishness. Because of them the fire has spread, putting more at risk, especially those fighting the fire. I say shoot the damn things out of the sky, find the identifying features on the pieces and arrest the operators.
Mary Bradley
Midtown
Attitude adjustment needed by police
Once again the police are in the news. Those who are living the American dream are generally supportive. Those who are not, are not. Some even claim “systemic racism” as the problem. I see a lack of respect. What’s the first thing a police officer does when arresting someone? Handcuff them, usually behind the back. Why? Why was George Floyd handcuffed? And why was it necessary to pin him to the ground once handcuffed?
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An even more damning image is that of the CNN reporter being handcuffed on national TV. There is no acceptable reason for this to happen. I can think of two reasons. One is to humiliate and demean the suspect. The other is that police policies seem to take the view that citizens are guilty until proven innocent. Until these attitudes are addressed the police will have a devil of a time earning the respect of all the public.
Steven Brown
Midtown
Offensive statues in Tucson
Re: the June 9 article “Remove Confederate monument, Arizona’s secretary of state urges.”
On Monday, Arizona’s Secretary of State Katie Hobbs asked Gov. Doug Ducey’s administration to remove a monument to the Confederacy from a state park across from the Capitol. This is a reasonable request to consider, mostly because it sends the wrong message and the Confederate States of America caused huge numbers of deaths through their actions making war on the United States.
But let’s not forget that the city of Tucson memorializes a person who executed some 17 U.S. citizens at Santa Isabel, Chihuahua, in January 1916 and two months later attacked Columbus, New Mexico, killing about 17 Americans. While we are doing all these symbolic things, how about removing the statue of Pancho Villa in downtown Tucson.
I am personally offended by having to walk by a statue of a bandit who murdered Americans and killed U.S. Army soldiers defending U.S. soil.
David Germain
Northeast side
Candidate Putzova cares about people
Come Aug. 4, Congressional District 1 voters will have a choice. Eva Putzova is a solid, progressive Democrat who cares about people more than corporations.
When I was 16, my father got a job with benefits. I was finally able to receive an operation I had always needed. Fast-forward 50 years and me calling 911 for my wife. We take her to the “wrong” ER. Despite good insurance and biweekly payments to them, she now has a $2,000 bill. Currently, millions of workers have lost their jobs and thus their insurance as well. Medicare for all could solve all these problems.
This is just one area that Eva Putzova, a four-year veteran of the Flagstaff city council, would fight to keep us moving forward. She takes no corporate money and owes them nothing. Instead, she will represent the people and what they need. Check out her story, other issues and much more at evaforcongress.com.
Aaron Essif
Marana
Redressing wrongs should be the focus
We are lucky that black people want justice, not revenge. In the protests there are beautiful polished apples and some rotten ones. But, take a look at our side of the ledger: We (our ancestors) went into their lands and stole whole villages away. Our ancestors threw them into the dark holds of ships and took them a thousand miles away to serve their captors. To work their fields and serve them food and to allow any sort of indignity. To take away power to live lives of their own. To have their children or wives sold away. To be lynched. To be kept from voting. To be abused by policemen and Southern entitled whites. To kill them with impunity and cover it up with a winking system of good ol’ boys.
How can we redress these wrongs? That should be our focus. We can never make it right, but we can fix the system and make sure that there is never snickering evil to harm them again.
Jonnie Cohen
Foothills
A question
for the president
It is said if history is ignored we are doomed to follow it. My question to the president is one originally ask during the McCarthy Senate hearings by Chief Counsel Joseph Welch, and I quote “Sir, have you no decency? Sir, at long last have you no decency?”
I ask this because I’m appalled at the tweet about 75-year-old Martin Gugino, the man in Buffalo, New York, shoved to the ground. To claim that he is to blame is unbelievable and that is part of a conspiracy to me. I repeat the same question to the Senate party leader, representatives of the people. We elected you to represent us not Trump.
Leslie Carney
East side
A special thanks
to brave firefighters
Over the last 24 hours I have observed the kind of bravery that illuminates the current very dark world.
The hots hot crews, the many firefighting units and the pilots dropping water and retardant are heroic. All of those men and women put themselves in harm’s way to prevent the loss of homes and lives. For those selfless acts of courage my family and I extend the deepest appreciation. In a world looking for more heroes these individuals qualify as such.
Sandra Heater
Foothills
Identify grocery stores that don’t require masks
For years, the Star has listed restaurants that have failed health department inspections and thus pose an increased health risk. This is valuable public information. The same should hold for Tucson grocery stores that fail to take the simple but important step of requiring masks for all customers and employees. To my knowledge, Costco and Whole Foods are the only ones that do. These should be recognized and serve as models for others.
I cannot understand why others are dragging their feet on this issue, especially with the current surge in COVID-19 cases in Arizona. These stores should be identified and hopefully shamed into doing the right thing. Most of their customers and all of their employees would appreciate it. I’m almost 77 and have a heart condition, and I see the risk of contracting COVID-19 at a grocery store far more serious than the risk of eating at a restaurant with a bad inspection report.
Denny Murano
East side
Respect yourself
by educating ourselves
Another awesome thing happening in our country in addition to the peaceful protests is the willingness of people to learn about racism. While books such as “How to be an Antiracist” and “White Fragility” are flying off the shelves, I would ask that we further educate ourselves and learn about the Tulsa Race Massacre, the Scottsboro Boys, the Port Chicago disaster and mutiny as well as the debate on race between William Shockley and Dr. Frances Cress Welsing. These stories and many more are readily available on the internet. African American bravery and heroism are also available on the internet. Two stories from the Civil War come to mind: the Robert Smalls story and the story of 14 African-American Medal of Honor recipients at the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm.
Some of our previous presidents, including the president’s hero, Andrew Jackson, were horrible racists. His views on race, black equality and Native Americans are chilling. Maybe history is repeating itself. An educated public is feared by those in power.
James Robinett
Southwest side
Putting American workers first …
Sen. Martha McSally’s latest campaign ad tagline is laughable: “Put American workers first.” Allow me to clarify: “Put American workers first in line for food stamps.” When was the last time McSally voted to raise the minimum wage? When was the last time she supported unions? Equal pay for women? Worker safety regulations? Child care for working parents?
Just like virtually all of today’s Republicans, McSally puts the American rich first. They’re the ones benefiting from paying artificially low wages. They’re the ones who profit off of lax worker safety requirements and a demoralized workforce with no union bargaining power.
McSally has had ample time to show us who she serves and it’s not the American workers. Hopefully, the American workers have been paying attention.
Duncan Stitt
Midtown
Democrats should keep wearing masks
Keep wearing your masks Democrats; we want you to be around to vote in November.
Ruth Kelley
East side
Please wear masks, distance at tourist sites
I’m writing in response to the “Escape coronavirus cabin fever with these Arizona summer trips” article that appeared in the Star’s Caliente on June 11. Communities such as Bisbee, where my wife Judy and I live, rely on tourism to survive. We are glad tourists visit and hope they return. But if you visit, you will not be escaping the virus. It’s here as well.
Please remember that Bisbee isn’t just a tourist destination. Thousands live and work here — many of who are retired and/or have preexisting medical conditions that make exposure to COVID-19 a potentially deadly possibility. We have seen an influx of tourists since the stay-at-home order was lifted. Most are not social distancing and very few wear masks. Please, if you are going to visit, respect us, wear a mask in public and follow the other procedures public health officials recommend.
Mike Anderson
Bisbee
Protests and public compliance
For health reasons, we shut down the economy and ruined many small businesses. Now it turns out, protests and other gatherings for issues that are consistent with the local politicians and media viewpoints are just fine. We shouldn’t expect public compliance with mandates when the government starts picking and choosing which ideas are worthy of exceptions.
Richard Hawley
Northwest side
No surprise in rising COVID-19 cases
Coronavirus infections rising in Arizona is no surprise to me. I have personally observed the following: Three weeks ago on a Sunday, I had to pick up an order at a Lowe’s on the east side. In the pick-up line, everyone wore a mask and practiced social distancing but on the main floor a majority of a large crowd wore no masks and were not socially distancing. Last week, I stopped at an Albertsons on the west side where a majority were wearing masks but many paid no attention to the arrows signifying one-way traffic in the aisles thereby ignoring social distancing. This week, I went to a Food City to pick up a prescription on the west side and face masks were a minority and no one seemed to observe the aisle restrictions. We are in for a long hard battle against this virus in Arizona
John Kuisti
West side
Conservative letters rarely seen in Star
When I moved to Marana last year, I was told that the Arizona Daily Star was a very liberal newspaper. I have met many Republicans in my new neighborhood, and Arizona has a Republican governor. So, you would expect conservative philosophies would be equally represented in the editorial pages. After six months, I have rarely seen conservative letters. This letter will, also, not be published. A recent paper included one claiming Trump to be the worst president since Harding. Many of us believe the opposite — he is the best president in recent history. Maybe some people don’t like his personality, but he was not elected to compete for Mr. Popular. He was elected based on his promises, and he is doing a great job in delivering them. I don’t have the space to enumerate all of his accomplishments, but any fair-minded person should know them.
Ken Wolfe
Marana
Economy boom is not a fact
During our boom times, most of us increase our savings. I have heard and been told that during this president’s term we have had a booming economy. In fact, I think that this message has been repeated so many times that it has become a fact. Because a politician says something repeatedly it is not a fact.
Using the measure of savings, we have an easy measure of the boom(?). Has the national debt decreased? No. It increased. Remember during most of this term of office there was no virus to blame for the increase in debt.
We are bombarded by political ads with the president taking credit of bringing us this boom and suggesting he can do it again. Look at the history of the national debt, and question the ad.
Mike Ullery
Midtown
