Mosher the clear choice for county attorney
I believe that Jonathan Mosher is the only candidate qualified to be Pima County attorney. I was a victim advocate working solely on homicide cases in Tucson from 2014-2018 and he prosecuted many of the homicide cases I worked on. He is one of the most incredible advocates for families of victims who have gone through unspeakable tragedies. There is no other prosecutor I worked with who took as much extra time as needed to meet the victims’ families, explain the criminal justice process and most importantly LISTEN to what the survivors had to say. There are three candidates running for Pima County attorney in 2020, but there is only one that is a true victim advocate, and that candidate is Jonathan Mosher. I have not witnessed either of the other candidates fight for the rights of victims the way he has, if at all.
Rebecca Porter
People are also reading…
Midtown
Don’t forget other groups who suffer
I do agree we should condemn excessive force. But we shall not forget others.
Who is demonstrating for the Native Americans who were exiled into the worst areas of this country?
Who is demonstrating for the Chinese Railroad workers, their deaths and their families?
Who is demonstrating for the Japanese camp survivors, their deaths and their families?
Who is demonstrating for the new age slaves, the working undocumented immigrants, who are being suppressed and are in worse or at least equal conditions as the slaves from Africa many decades ago?
Who is demonstrating for the military, first responders and police officers who died or got injured while serving?
We should look at ourselves in the mirror and start working and living together!
Forget about handouts: DO HANDS ON! Start building and not destructing!
Learn from the past: Europe and Germany were completely destroyed. But they pulled up their sleeves, worked together and became world leaders in less than 50 years!
Gabriele Koschorke
Foothills
Get ready to write the next page of US history
We live a stark tale of contrasting realities, which the current administration seems incapable of reconciling. Hong Kong protests legislation criminalizing disrespect of their Chinese national anthem, even on the anniversary of Tienanmen Square. Meanwhile, our own (impeached) president tweets against kneeling during our own anthem as a way to recognize the ongoing inequalities that make “liberty and justice for all” part of Dr. King’s yet-unrealized dream.
In some states armed protesters storm legislative buildings consequence-free, blatantly defying emergency measures to contain the coronavirus within manageable levels. But curfews become the solution to controlling the looters and agitators that hijacked peaceful demonstrations against the collective refusal to accept this status quo for another day, or mourn one more unacknowledged wrongful death.
Sit-ins for today’s times: documented digitally- kneeling, at social distance while masked (and sunscreened!). Occupy the public sphere beyond the sporting arenas, to the National Mall and ballot box. The next chapter in American history will truly be written of, for and by all its people.
Camille Kershner
East side
Trump cowering in White House
It’s long been known that Trump was too scared to fight alongside my fellow infantrymen in Vietnam. We’ve seen how he compensates for his lack of courage by bullying, bloviating and playacting as a tough guy.
Now the White House has been surrounded by new fences, concrete barriers, additional armed patrols, along with sharpshooters and military personal. This effectively turned what used to be “The People’s House” into Fortress Trump.
It’s clear that this small, pretentious man is still scared. This time it’s not the North Vietnamese Army he fears, but protesting American citizens, the vast majority of whom are peacefully exercising their constitutional right to protest
It’s just the latest manifestation of the man who I don’t think has never had the interest or competence to lead our country. Let’s hope that the protesters who are voters will also exercise another vital constitutional right in November.
Dan Gipple
Southeast side
White America needs to start speaking up
White America is witness to a murder. This murder we have witnessed resonates like nothing most of us have every seen. It will forever be seen. As much as we wish, it cannot be “unseen.” As witnesses to a crime, how many of us, when called upon, would testify to what we saw?
Perhaps our willingness to testify is expressed by our march in the streets. I would rather there be a million willing to attend court and testify to what they saw. Does white America have the courage to do that?
Charlene Frederick
Foothills
Black-on-black killings are getting no coverage
On May 31, Chicago recorded 18 murders making it the city’s deadliest day in 60 years. It was black-on-black violence. But there was no national outrage about this like there has been over a white officer killing a black man in Minneapolis. Why is it that Democrats get so agitated over a police killing demanding justice, yet ignore black on black violence? This violence has been going on for decades in Democratic-run cities like Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit, etc. No mass national protests about any of it. And how many white men have been unjustifiably killed by police officers with no fanfare at all?
Democrats are now looking to pass a policing reform bill, lowering the thresholds for personal liability against officers. The impact would be good officers leaving departments across the country — and 99% of police officers are good people, out on the streets every day protecting you and me. They look around now and see themselves being targeted, demonized, unappreciated, with threats of being defunded. Why stay?
Frederick Summers
East side
Kaepernick disrespected the national anthem
Re: the June 6 opinion piece “‘Taking a knee’ in no way disrespects America’s flag.”
While I can not disagree with the author’s contention, he seems to disregard the fact that it is disrespectful to take a knee while the national anthem is being played.
Since Mr. Kaepernick took a knee when the national anthem was being played, technically he was not being disrespectful to our flag; however, he was, intentionally or not, being disrespectful to our national anthem and what that represents.
I certainly hope that the author and I, both veterans, can agree.
John Cioffi
Northeast side
Confronting history of racism in Arizona
In 1871, the VIPs of Tucson launched a bloody assault on the Apache at Camp Grant. In less than 30 minutes, 144 Apache were murdered; 27 Apache children were kidnapped and sold into slavery in Mexico. Only six were recovered. How do we in Arizona remember this, other than forgetting it happened? We name cities, streets, neighborhoods and recreation centers after the organizers: William Oury, John Wasson, A.P.K Safford and Samuel Hughes.
When do we in Arizona start looking in our backyard and addressing our racist past? In this day and age of Black Lives Matter and the #MeToo movement, why have we forgotten the blood we have spilled that is Native American?
In this day and age of removing Confederate statues, when do we in Arizona remove the legacy of Native American oppression and genocide? Are our racists in Arizona just sacred cows that we can’t touch?
Aram Katz
Midtown
There was no saving Floyd from death
Re: the June 10 letter “Bystanders could’ve saved Floyd’s life.”
I am responding to the 90-year-old letter writer who was sure George Floyd’s death could have been avoided had a bystander stopped filming and stepped in. Plenty of people shouted out to the police telling them to stop.
I can only imagine what would have happened if the 17-year-old young woman had tried to physically intercede. More likely she would have been thrown to the street as well. That policeman was executing a man on a city street and was not going to be deterred by anyone or anything, even the knowledge that Floyd was no longer breathing.
He and the Minneapolis police department had a history of this kind of treatment within the black community and had that young woman not filmed it, the world would never have known of this unspeakable tragedy.
Jinny Leineweber
Foothills
Social distancing is key to defeating COVID-19
COVID-19 has turned into a wildfire in Arizona and Pima County. The rolling seven-day average of reported cases in Arizona has increased from 317 on May 26 to 1,215 on June 11. That’s a 383% increase in 16 days. A similar increase is seen here in Pima County. Our rolling seven-day average of new reported cases per day have risen from 26 to 116 over the same period. A 440% increase.
As a doctor of public health, I am very concerned about the coming increases in Arizona deaths and the potential overflows in our hospitals. What can we do as individuals? Social distancing is key. Do not rely on your cloth mask to keep you or others safe. I must say that again. Social distancing (6 feet from others) is our best weapon to fight this wildfire. Stay safe Tucson. We are not yet done with this fight.
Dean Reker, PhD
East side
