Secular humanism is a belief system
Re: the April 21 article “Nonbelievers find their own comfort in this crisis.”
In his latest op-ed Gil Shapiro claims as atheists every American who is “religiously unaffiliated,” a distortion of the Pew Research Center’s finding that 26% of the U.S. population is religiously unaffiliated. According to Pew atheists account for 4% of U.S. adults, agnostics 5%, and 17% describe their religion as “nothing in particular.”
While some American believers don’t accept science that conflicts with their religious views, most are as committed to seeking scientific solutions to the coronavirus pandemic as are nonbelievers, secular humanists or atheists.
Shapiro defines secularism as “the application of reason and science to the understanding of the universe and the solving of human problems.” But that descriptor is common to the intellectual labor of anyone using cognitive and other skills to come to grips with the world we all live in.
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Secular humanism is itself a belief system, one devoid of a higher power but nonetheless a stance vis-a-vis the world as it is and a way of coping with it.
Frank Bergen
Northeast side
A poem to help cope with the coronavirus
I’d love to visit a pub and drink a beer
See friends, laugh and enjoy the cheer
Swap jokes, toasts, and silly lies
Eat a burger and a side of fries
I want to travel, see new places
Not worry about 6-foot spaces
For now, I must stay at home
Bide my time and pen this poem
I scoff at idiots who fan the flame
Boasting we’ll never be the same
I don’t buy it, not for a minute
You can’t defeat American spirit
Someday the virus will disappear
And I’ll go out and drink that beer.
Jack Steele
Northeast side
Trump’s words are being misinterpreted
I never expected this to happen, but I feel compelled to speak up in defense of President Trump.
Since his remarks on Thursday suggesting that swallowing or injecting disinfectants might cure COVID-19 infections, he has been subjected to a barrage of criticism due to the fact that this could be harmful or fatal.
This criticism is, however, unfair, since he only pointed out that ingesting disinfectants would kill the virus. He never suggested that it might not also kill the patient at the same time.
Picky, picky, picky.
George Hearn
Southwest side
Leaders risking health of their own citizens
There’s an old saying that goes “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” There’s a strong push on the part of the Trump administration and a number of state governors to reopen the country in order to get our economy moving again. In this scenario, the American people are the geese being urged to get back to work, to shopping, movies, gyms, salons and spas.
The overriding reelection concerns of those in power are the shrinking economy and soaring unemployment numbers, but where are those decision makers? They’re the ganders, most likely sitting safely in sanitized offices with plenty of access to testing and all the safeguards that power brings.
Let’s see the ganders standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the cooks, dishwashers, nursing home caregivers and all the rest of the working people of our country. Then we can believe it’s truly safe for us geese to return to normal.
Mona Udstuen
Northwest side
Do you really dislike big oil?
Shoutout to the Wall Street Journal for this. The largest producer on Earth of isopropyl alcohol, the key ingredient in disinfectants and hand sanitizer, is an ExxonMobil plant in Louisiana. Isopropyl alcohol was developed a century ago by Standard Oil. ExxonMobil is also increasing production of polypropylene, which is used in medical masks and gowns, and it’s developing new medical plastic face shields.
That’s today’s hidden reality. Everyday reality for way over a century goes from farming and mining equipment to tires, tooth brushes and mouthwash. All made possible by Big Oil. Think about it.
Steve Sollenberger
Foothills
Transparency needed on university furloughs
As one of several UA alumni in my family, why is there not more discussion on the reason(s) for the abrupt decision by the administration to impose sharp cuts across the board last week, on both staff AND faculty, with no prior communication or coordination with those affected?
Why are the two other state institutions funded by state money not making similar sacrifices? And, while other state universities have furloughed over the past couple of weeks, their actions have substantially been limited to staff, and for much shorter duration.
Why is only the UA making such an extreme move? In the week since the administration’s unilateral announcement, why is there not more information on this consequential decision? Administration owes its faculty and student body, its alumni and broader communities, answers! I want to be able to promote UA instead of being ashamed.
Hunter Williams
West side
Early opening of the country
All this talk about opening parts of the country comes way too soon and well before adequate testing. I think everyone around the country should cut out the obituary pages from their local papers every Sunday and mail them to Trump at the White House.
Purchasing local newspapers will help keep them in business and reporting the news. Purchasing the needed stamps will help keep the USPS in business as well.
Maybe this could help with this administration’s awareness of all the people in this country who are dying and all who are hurting with their poor decisions.
Norm Reddish
Downtown
It’s important we fund the US Postal Service
Fully fund the US Postal Service, with no monkey business of privatization. The world around us is swirling in ways some of us are more than confused. Nothing seems stable and the federal government is throwing money around building up massive budget debt.
Proposals of wild spending and of states using bankruptcy by the king, Donald J. Trump, of using it to “beat” your debts is crazy at best. The USPS may lose money on some necessary and needed services such as rural routes. Who in Congress is willing to stand up and propose elimination?
Ask anyone who has served in the military how important mail is, no matter where you are stationed. Veterans will tell you how important those letters from home are. Those in government can come up with excuses to spend money.
Now is the time to brave it and spend money on the U.S. Mail!
Harvey Akeson
Northwest side
GOP seems confused about mailed ballots
Re: the April 25 article “The left’s all-mail voting fantasy must be put to rest.”
The Pima County GOP chairman’s opinion in the Star was singing the party song, but it was flat. Even the GOP president used a mail ballot in a Florida election. Good for one, good for all!
Look for states that use mailed ballots. Oregon is an example, it works and is a great example. Mail ballots can be sent USPS, dropped off at any polling place, or even better placed in a secure ballot box in a public location, library, town hall or other public secure location and collected by election officials. Drop boxes would avoid the expense of postage, a fiscal improvement the GOP should like.
Is the GOP afraid of expanded democracy? Afraid the electorate will move them out of power, how democratic. They have the option to change views on health care , education, voting rights and social programs. The governed will decide who the leaders will be, let the people decide!
Truth and voting power will set us free!
Linda and Kenn Block
Oro Valley
A stranger’s kindness brings me happiness
Around noon on April 8, I left my dentist’s office on River Road near Stone Avenue and then decided that I would treat myself to a Starbucks drink and a piece of lemon cake to take home. I went to the new Starbucks, which has a drive-thru and I pulled in line. Three cars were ahead of me. When I reached my turn to pay and pick up, a young man took great delight in telling me joyfully “you are paid.”
What? I responded. He said, “The driver ahead of you paid for your order.” I was momentarily stunned and then I was amazed and very happy. That happiness and gratitude still lingers in me. Yes, I will “pay it forward” the next time I go to the Starbucks, which will be soon. Thank you so much to the anonymous person who brought me joy and re-affirmation of the basic goodness of humankind.
L Killian
Northwest side
Mail-in voting works for me
Re: the April 25 article “The left’s all-mail voting fantasy must be put to rest.”
I just have to respond to the guest opinion against mail voting. At least the last 10 years I have been voting by mail. I can research the issues, spend my time voting on candidates and propositions and be sure my ballot is correct.
The post office does a fine job of delivering the ballots to their destination. I have also tracked my ballot to know that it’s been received and counted. The paranoia, distrust and accusations this guest opines is disturbing.
The states using mail voting have not experienced these problems, and heavy penalties for voter fraud or tampering could deter it.
We need active voter participation to have a successful democracy, and making voting more convenient in these times is safer and certainly appropriate. Ask the Wisconsin voters who braved weather and disease just to be heard. Arizona is doing all it can to stifle initiatives, and now they want to be sure the vote is inconvenient. We need to be heard at election time.
JoAnne Lusk
East side
Liability protection for businesses not needed
Businesses are now requesting liability protection from the Trump administration so that they can serve the public. The question is: why is such protection necessary?
If businesses are providing all the safety processes, conditions and procedures necessary to protect their employees so that those employees can safely return to their jobs, then liability protection is not necessary. If businesses believe that their customers can safely shop in their businesses, then liability protection is not necessary. If customers and/or employees are in no danger to shop and/or work in the businesses permitted to open, then liability protection is not necessary.
If the above are not true, then the businesses should not have opened and their employees and/or customers should be able to seek legal, and more importantly, financial redress. That is the price to safely operate businesses for all concerned.
Craig Whaley
Northwest side
New appreciation for school teachers
In my 21 years of teaching, from preschool through university, I have learned a few things that I bet home schooling parents are learning now. To “teach” everything you would like a child to learn is not easy. It takes patience, intelligence, some love and a lot of time. Picture this happening in a classroom with 28 kids of scattered abilities and interests. What do you think a person who makes this happen is worth? My hope is that COVID-19 leads voters to remember to significantly increase teacher salaries.
Judith Billings, Ph.D.
Midtown
Praise for Northwest Medical Center
I want to recognize the great care I received at Northwest Medical Center recently. My heart had slowed down dangerously, and my wife drove me to the hospital. The staff, physicians, nurses, technicians and housekeepers were competent, friendly and helpful. One thing that stood out was that one of the ICU nurses called my wife several times to report my status, a great relief for her and me.
My new pacemaker has my heart back to normal for which we are thankful. Hospitals are under more stress than ever. We were so impressed with how we were treated under these conditions that we want to express our appreciation publicly.
Dick Kampa
West side