President can think
only of himself
As a Vietnam veteran, we averaged 200 dead per week killed in action during the Vietnam War. On April 1, 2020, we lost 917 to the coronavirus! President 45 was happy he was No. 1 on Facebook. Facebook! So remember that 917 died April 1, 2020. Your president was concerned about Facebook. Vote blue!
David Leon
Vail
Steller’s columns
are well-reported
One positive wrinkle from this horrific pandemic in Tucson is the return of Tim Steller to the front page of the Daily Star’s local section. He is the heartbeat of this newspaper and consequently our community as expressed in the Star’s newsprint.
People are also reading…
Most daily papers, and now news websites, of any quality have at least one writer who brings it, day in and day out. Think Leonard Pitts, Maureen Dowd, David Ignatius, Mitch Albom, Joe Nocera. Steller reports and opines ranging from secret sessions in our state capital, to the progress made with Tucson’s homeless residents. It ranges from roadwork on our fractured infrastructure to exposing actions by city and county elected officials, to prompting recipients who don’t need their coronavirus government stimulus checks to share with those who are in desperate need.
His sourcing depth is wide-ranging. When the virus dust settles, Tim may go back to his well deserved Pulliam grant, but for the time being, whether you agree with him or not, he’s the heartbeat of the Daily Star.
Baird Thompson
Foothills
The Arizona Daily Star and coffee — perfect!
I am a newspaper lover. I grew up with the Chicago Tribune and moved on to the Kansas City Star, both excellent newspapers. I am truly blessed with the Arizona Daily Star and it helps me get my day started. A cup of coffee and the Star — perfect! Caliente is a great weekend planner. Marilyn Heins’ column is helpful as she chronicles her journey into her elder years. I was right with her as she planned her move into assisted living and then delayed her move. We are going on 45 years of the Star and I’ve loved every day. Thank you.
Ginny Roberts
Foothills
Foot-dragging
proved deadly
How can it be that the United States, as of Monday, had more new cases of COVID-19 than the next seven countries (Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Iran, China, and the UK), despite having much more time to prepare? Why are we so far behind in providing personal protective equipment? Why was it that it took until last Friday to announce the advice to wear masks to reduce the spread of infection?
The answer is obvious. Our president told us all that everything was under control, refused for weeks to use his power to order production of ventilators, and only reluctantly suggested we wear masks (and then immediately undercut his own suggestion by saying that he would ignore it). The plain truth is that Trump’s foot-dragging and denial will be responsible for tens of thousands of avoidable American deaths.
Neil Weinstein
Foothills
On China, Zakaria is too trusting
Re: the April 7 opinion “Current problems are the beginning of a series of worsening crises.”
Once again Fareed Zakaria, globalist extraordinaire promoting “can’t we all just get along.” Suggesting that we could get together with China and resolve future pandemics. Isn’t it enough that China’s lies and influence over the World Health Organization has probably cost more lives than D-Day? Isn’t it enough that they are withholding aid from France while negotiating for Huawei product?
Our government believes Huawei has a back door in their system that allows China to spy. I’ll repeat the words or Ronald Reagan: “Trust but verify.” We’ve already seen what the first Neville Chamberlain’s approach did, let’s not repeat history.
Bill Blaine
Marana
Nuclear stockpile
is never neglected
Our present situation seems just a sketchy foreshadow of the catastrophic political, economic, social and public health aftermath of nuclear war, even one “limited” to a single nuclear warhead bursting over any major city on the globe.
Nuclear weapons which, by the way and just in case, we’ve been stockpiling, maintaining and periodically upgrading for generations all the while advancing new systems for their accelerated delivery to affected populations.
Hmm. There’s a thought. Public-health stockpiles, maintained and kept up to date, ready for fast delivery to affected populations. Just in case. That would be my primary metric for authentic national security in the months and years to come. And it’d probably be a good deal less expensive. It’s past time to move the nuclear weapons money!
Jack Cohen-Joppa
Midtown
Happy to be able to vote by mail
On April 7, I watched film on TV of many, many citizens of Milwaukee, most masked to battle the present plague and dressed to battle obvious cold weather. They stood in a long line and waited to cast a vote at a limited number of polls because the local Republican politicians had succeed in limiting the ability to vote by mail via a series of court cases that went as high as the Supreme Court, a conservative entity.
I urge all voters to vote by mail. The voting booths are really from a time past.
Hal Bardach
Southwest side
Trump undermines
relief oversight
So, last week it was the inspector general of the intelligence community. Now, the acting inspector general of the Department of Defense, who was also selected by his peers to head the watchdog group overseeing the administrations implementation of the more than $2 trillion COVID-19 relief bill.
Gone, both of them! Donald Trump is so Machiavellian it is beyond description. His nightly follies serve only to camouflage the sinister nature of himself and his administration. It’s time to cut to the chase — put Kushner and Ivanka in charge!
Norman Patten
Midtown
Be a good neighbor
and wear your mask
While shopping the other day at a major grocery store I was surprised and dismayed to see that about 75% of the customers were not wearing masks.
The CDC recommends that masks should be worn when out in public as the COVID-19 virus can spread from people who have no symptoms. Taking this simple measure helps protect not only you but the people passing around you in the aisles.
All stores should require their customers to wear masks to gain admittance. COVID-19 cases are rising in Pima County and we are weeks away from a possible peak. There are easy ways to make a mask and you can find instructions on the internet and YouTube. Think about your fellow citizens!
Sherry Massie
East side
Empathy for those
in group homes
Now that most of us have experienced isolation due to the coronavirus, perhaps we will be more understanding of the elderly, and mentally and physically disabled who are warehoused and living without their loved ones.
No matter how good their care, they still need their loved ones to visit and spend time with them. Even those with dementia recognize people who they see often, though they may not be able to discern the relationship.
It is important to know that the care they are receiving is good. I have seen poor care while visiting, and I remember a place that forgot about meals and another that neglected to help residents to the bathroom. We need to remember and visit our loved ones often, safely. Make sure they are all right, and tell them you love them.
Isabel Carnes
Foothills
Being Asian American during COVID-19
At the grocery store, people whisper and point at you. On a run, people yell at you. At the gas station, people give you dirty looks. Staying positive is already hard during these times, but being Asian American makes it 10 times harder.
The Asian American church in my neighborhood was vandalized for the first time in decades. Vandals broke down doors and cut pipes during a time of financial hardship for all. This church has provided essential items during this pandemic, but some still try to harm it. Why are people hurting others when there is already so much pain?
I find that there are people that destroy, discriminate and stereotype; however, there are also those who are nice, loving and accepting. Those who show kindness protect vulnerable minorities and stand up for their rights. To those who serve on the front lines and help all people, they are our courageous and compassionate heroes. This is what we need today: embracing our differences to fight against this virus.
Wesley Peng
Downtown
Amid health crisis,
heroes emerge
This country has now seen the emergence of a host of new heroes and heroines, our doctors, nurses, all members of medical staffs around the country who toil under the worst of conditions any human can imagine. And yet they must do so, so many of them, without the proper personal protective equipment (PPEs) that they so desperately need to keep themselves and their patients safe.
My heart bleeds for each and every one of them. It is incumbent upon our federal government to provide them with these lifesaving garments and masks as soon as possible. There should be no politics, no red states vs. blue states. We are all in this horrific health battle together.
Our heartfelt thanks also to other essential workers for all they do to to make life less complicated: our new front-line responders, grocery clerks and workers, restaurant chefs and workers, waste management workers. And of course our postal workers and newspaper deliverers.
Thank all of you at the Star who also provide us with a sense of normalcy with your insightful cartoons and opinion pieces, not to mention the puzzles that we now have time to enjoy. Our morning coffee would not taste the same if we didn’t have the paper to enjoy as we sipped. Thank you all for providing us with a sense of normalcy.
Gladys Lujan
SaddleBrooke
Use it where most needed
The recent letter urging those who don’t need the stimulus checks to send it where it is most needed reflects a conversation I had with my wife a few weeks ago. We would rather see it put to use by those who don’t have the resources we have, instead of us spending it for something nonessential. I urge all those who can live without the extra cash to forward it to an individual or nonprofit who can make better use of it.
Carl Boswell
Oro Valley
Postal Service
worth protecting
The United States Postal Service is not only an important part of our American history, but a vital part of our society, creating jobs and moving around important items for over 150 years.
To let the USPS die would be turning our back on our American heritage and throwing a vital service to the wayside. Letting the USPS fail will further erode away what truly makes us American, which is what links us together, helps us connect and is also utilitarian.
Trump should be ashamed to bail out large companies and let this historic service die. Shame on him! Shame!
Leanne Miller
East side
Forget toilet paper; flour is the most precious gift
For the last month I have been staying at home with the dogs, going to my Fry’s every 10 days or so. Every trip includes flour. Not because I have been baking up a storm, but because each time the flour shelves are bare.
At first I thought it was because of hoarders scared that flour would never again be in the grocery stores. But in today’s paper there were three pages of recipes calling for flour.
People must be baking again. Flour has replaced toilet paper as the best gift to give on all special occasions.
Mimi Pollow
East side
