Get kids back to school as soon as we safely can
The worst thing about this pandemic is that kids can’t go to school. There are probably a great many who are not getting enough to eat and may not even be in a safe situation now while school is closed. If they can’t learn and can’t get enough to eat, they can’t live. Let us all do whatever we can in stopping the spread of this terrible thing so that kids can safely go back to school as soon as possible. They really are our future!
Erin Rowden
Mount Lemmon
Don’t defund the police; reform them
While we’re reforming law enforcement agencies and hopefully making them peacekeepers instead, why not do the same with the military.
The Department of Defense was once called the Department of War. While we’re “considering” renaming inappropriately named bases, why not rename the military the Peace Departmen?
People are also reading…
A. Lawrence Glynn
East side
Don’t defund,
just refocus
I am all for getting rid of bad apples in any profession, including police, education (I was an educator) and others. Unions can be complicit in this problem and need to work with retraining and termination when needed instead of overprotecting. I am not in favor of cutting the budget for TPD.
Its budget has been slashed and burned, affecting salaries and positions! I am in favor of more funding for improving hiring practices and hiring social workers/counselors to work with the department, as some issues are better resolved by those professionals.
Arlene Kutoroff
East side
Thoughtless remarks spill from the president
In response to the letter writer about conservative letters rarely published in the Arizona Daily Star, I would point out to the author that if you read the Star every day, you will see a fair mix of letters from both conservatives and liberals. I would be interested in seeing the great accomplishments and promises that this president has accomplished. Yes, I will say that he is the best liar the United States has seen in decades. Richard Nixon, anyone?
I can list a few of his “wisdoms.” “Mexico will pay for the wall.” “John McCain is not a war hero.” “Global warming is a hoax.” And his best, “I’m a very stable genius.”
Are these really statements to be proud of? He declares the economy great when the reality is very different. We are in terrible times and it’s due in large part to this president.
Jean Getek
Foothills
Star photographers capture fire’s scale
Thanks to Rick Wiley, Kelly Presnell, Rebecca Sasnett, Mamta Popat, Josh Galemore and any other Star photographers I may have missed mentioning for their stunning and comprehensive photographs of the Bighorn Fire. They really showed us the size and impact of this fire.
Jeffrey Dean
Northwest side
Law enforcement plays valuable role in schools
Like most true patriots I was disgusted by the senseless murder of George Floyd and have been proud and encouraged by the peaceful protests in support of black victims of police brutality around the world.
I am concerned, however, that we become so anti-police that we ignore efforts that are working well. One of these has been the placement of school resource officers (SROs) in Tucson schools. As a school social worker in a 80% minority high school, I have worked with an SRO for the past five years. This has allowed me to see significant value in this partnership between social services and law enforcement.
Our SRO has given our students a humanized resource, attended support groups and has been on hand for crises like child abuse and suicide threats that school personnel cannot legally handle. I would urge the TUSD board and others to continue this program as the very type of effort we need to heal this divide between our minority communities and police departments.
Craig Wunderlich
West side
Don’t distort meaning of conservatism
A writer complained of too few conservative letters to the editor and said his would not be published. I read his letter in the paper, so I guess this very liberal paper did publish it!
Most “conservative” letters are whining complaints or hate-filled diatribes against Democrats, or explanations for Donald Trump’s actions without rational supporting facts. “Conservative” has come to be associated with racism, hatred, and mean-spirited Republicans who forgot what true conservatism means and would rather take this country backward than move it forward to be truly great.
The articles recently written by Michael Gerson and Jonah Goldberg embody true conservatism. Trump is not a conservative but a morally bankrupt impostor who hijacked the Republican Party and hastened its decline. He is the worst president we’ve ever had. He divides the country and tries to tear down the Constitution. Not my idea of a patriot.
Klara Cserny
Southwest side
Firefighters are much appreciated
From my backyard I can see, up close, the helicopters and DC-10s spraying water and fire retardant, and realize what a dangerous job this is. They are doing this to keep us safe in our homes. Our hats are off to these dedicated people. God bless them.
Anant Pathak
Foothills
Don’t worry, says Ducey; we have hospital beds!
Gov. Ducey’s attitude seems to be, “Don’t worry about getting COVID-19 because we have enough hospital beds to take care of you. Do be careful and practice good COVID-19 safety guidelines, but if you choose not to or become careless, don’t worry because we have enough hospital beds.”
He ignores the physical and emotional effects that message has on the rest of us. The governors mistake was to too quickly open up businesses, and in the process, wittingly or unwittingly, made COVID-19 safety guidelines secondary in importance. His attitude: practice the guidelines if you can or want to, otherwise, we have enough beds for you as well as for those you could carelessly cause to be infected.
Don Gerlach
Northwest side
Thank you,
fire pilots
I’m a helicopter pilot, and what an amazing show on Thursday, June 11, of two CH-47D Chinook helicopters with Bambi Buckets, Sikorsky S-46s and the Very Large Air Tankers. There were two DC-10s, one MD-87, one BAe 146, and two Beechcraft Super King-Air lead planes to show the fast jets where to go, when it’s safe to drop and where to drop the retardant.
The jets flew all day, and went to Fort Huachuca and Mesa Gateway airport to refuel and get retardant. The CH-47s and the S-46s refueled off a helistop set up on Oracle Road for them, and got water from the reservoir on Magee Road.
Seeing the Chinooks pass each other going east and west, and the skycranes dropping water, and the VLATs coming in 500 feet above ground level to drop the red/purple fire retardant was awesome.
Thank you to our firefighter people who saved our homes!
Ehud Gavron
Foothills
Time to remove Pancho Villa
Re: the June 12 letter “Offensive statues in Tucson.”
I agree with the letter writer. I have never understood the statue of Pancho Villa in the downtown park. Pancho Villa was another example of a traitor to our country by the killings of American citizens and soldiers. Some may say he was a hero helping the poor while some say he is a murderer. I think history shows the latter. Lets take down this statue to honor those he killed.
SJ Early
North side
Educator leaves out why police exist
Re: the June 13 opinion “Get institutionalized policing out of our schools.”
I disagree with this opinion article about getting police officers out of schools. The letter writer is an educator but did not educate her child about why police officers exist. He is armed so he can protect citizens or himself, to enforce the law.
A child should not be traumatized by discipline in school, the home or enforcement of laws. It is a part of growing up. Learning this is valuable.
The writer wants to sacrifice the possible protection of her child from bullying, or worse, a shooter, so the 8-year-old does not have to face an armed officer. Think about it, lady. Is that a good trade?
In my opinion, it was a poor decision by editors to accept the long and poorly-thought-out letter. A moment’s discomfort in time should not overrule the reality of why police officers exist.
Doug Morris
Foothills
On masks, Marana mayor brings up communism
Arizona’s a coronavirus hot spot for new cases. Gov. Doug Ducey lifted restrictions to allow local municipalities to take their own actions to curb the spread. What is the town of Marana’s position regarding the Pima County regulation requiring masks for public health and safety?
Marana Mayor Ed Honea claims he is not “anti-mask.” However, he told the Arizona Daily Star he’s considering an appeal of Pima County’s mask regulation with the state Attorney General’s Office.
Honea stated, “My philosophy on government is the government should be responsive to the people and not people responsive to the government.” And, “This is not a communist state. People have a certain amount of culpability themselves.”
Is Mayor Honea responding for most of the people in Marana or is he imposing his political ideology on the people? Are most of the people of Marana against wearing masks in public? I’m not!
Donald Bristow
Marana
Thankful
for the Star
It is easy to take our daily paper for granted. Many communities have lost their local paper and with that the coverage of local issues that have an impact on daily life. It is vital that independent reporters keep an eye on governmental actions so that citizens stay informed. Local laws can have a significant impact on the community.
An example of of the value of local reporting appears in the Sunday, June 21, paper with the article by Tim Steller on the UA’s Center for the Philosophy of Freedom. Hasan Minhaj has an episode on Netflix’s “Patriot Act” on the value of local newspapers and the demise of so many. It is worth watching.
Elias Toubassi
East side
Brush and Bulky pickup is good for the soul
Thank you, Tucson Brush and Bulky, for once again providing us all the opportunity to clean out unnecessary stuff in our homes, yards, garages and sheds. You know, the kind of stuff that gets in our way. I think it helps us all to reflect upon what is really important and needed in our lives and just maybe someone else may want or need it before the big truck arrives to scoop it up.
Now we can focus on cleaning out our mind, heart and soul of bias and negativity toward one another. Why are we hanging on to some of that “stuff?” Are you up for it Tucson? Of course we are!
Nancy Blanchard
East side
