Tucson Speaks Out: February 6

Opinions should have value

I respect everyone’s right to an opinion. However, it is hard to respect an opinion that is baseless. It is factual to say that Jan 6 was an insurrection against our country, and the DC police were under attack by homegrown MAGA terrorists. It is also factual to say that in Minnesota, an “unarmed” peaceful protester was shot multiple times by ICE for no reason. They disarmed his legally holstered gun and then opened fire. ICE illegally and randomly targets people of color. They are incompetent masked thugs who don’t go after bad guys. However, 4% of the time, they stumble across one. 96% of the time, they disrupt families and cause chaos. They have defied due process laws and have deported citizens and documented noncitizens. People have vanished without family contact. A recent writer was concerned about protecting women and children from “criminal illegals”. I think we should protect them from all criminals. I did my part. I voted Harris.

Ray Bonner

Midtown

Name-calling

It is particularly uncomfortable — discouraging — to hear ICE and other federal agents being called "goons," even if it's not entirely unjustified. The origin of that name appears to be a result of actions that have been allowed by policing agents in other countries, agents who are strong-armed and ruthless in their policing conduct. What is additionally disturbing about the use of that name is that it sets into play a diminishing respect for all policing bodies. We can't afford that. We need policing bodies that can be trusted and respected, that follow the rules of law and conduct themselves in a fair and reasonable manner. We cannot afford — survive? — three more years without lawful, fair, and civil policing. That needs to be clearly displayed and made highly visible to the public. Unfortunately, our current political environment works against that.

Don Gerlach

East side

Eastside potholes

I looked up future projects on the RTA’s website. Two eastside projects should be listed. Pantano Parkway and Irvington Road now have potholes 2 to 4 feet wide. I’ve lived on the eastside for over 40 years, and they can’t fill them in fast enough. I have to drive on the shoulder to avoid most potholes because it takes 2 to 3 weeks to fill them, while new potholes appear. I have seen many near misses due to no left turn lane on Irvington Road. It’s nice to have a plan to make roads safer, but having to avoid potholes isn’t safe driving. The worst of the roads need to be fixed ASAP. I think their priorities need to change. Making some roads safer has led to more speeding with cars going 70 mph zigzagging through traffic, like on Valencia Road from Kolb Road to I-10. I’ll vote no unless these two roads are addressed.

Alan Brizee

East side

Common sense

Re "Once one succumbs to accepting the impossible, rejecting the incontestable becomes effortless" from Mr. Gavlak's letter of Feb. 3, in reference to flat-earthers and climate change deniers. I believe this to be true of Trump followers also. I hope others, more than just the Canadian Mr. Mark Carney, would tell Mr. Trump, "Show your work" when he says things like 25 million illegal immigrants crossed our border during Biden's term.

Duane Barbour

Midtown

Congress must stop being complicit

For many years, I lived and worked in Washington, D.C., and some of the most inspirational experiences took place at the Kennedy Center. To witness what President Trump has done to that institution and his desecration of the White House prompts both anger and sadness. I am infuriated and embarrassed by his cruel behavior and tired of the daily chaos and insensitivity toward our citizens and cultural norms.

Trump’s trampling of our democracy and destruction of cultural institutions is undeniable. But he isn’t doing it alone. Congress must stop enabling and putting their political aspirations above their oaths of office. They can put an end to these horrendous atrocities.

Now the Kennedy Center will close for two years. Good! I look forward to the day when this madman is no longer in office, and we have a president and members of Congress who appreciate the beauty of this diverse country and its cultural symbols of our democracy.

Teresa Jenkins

SaddleBrooke

A review of 'lawlessness'

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While chaos, corruption and criminality abound in the current administration, a recent letter's main concerns are a one-day traffic disruption in downtown Tucson and some profane rally protest signs. Encouraging "obeyance to federal, state and local law enforcement" must involve having agents of those entities behaving "lawfully." Masked ICE agents now act like uncontrolled thugs whose excessive violence serves to terrorize people who otherwise would likely respond lawfully. These agents, at the slightest provocation, draw guns, yank people out of their vehicles, brutalize people already on the ground and pepper-spray faces from inches away. Speaking of lawlessness, DHS has disregarded multiple court orders with impunity. Regarding profanity, how about a "president" who gives the middle finger to a heckler and mouths "f--- you" to that person — subjecting us again to Trump's classless vulgarity. Not surprisingly, the administration's rabid dog communications director, Steven Cheung, described Trump's grotesque display at the Ford plant as an "appropriate and unambiguous response." Unbelievable.

Hope Gastelum

East side

Protecting our elections begins now

The 2026 midterms are only months away. It is clear the Trump regime and his loyal followers are already working hard to discredit our election process and suppress our vote in any way it can.

Arizona’s MAGA-led Legislature is fast tracking bills that block our democratic elections. Republican Alexander Kolodin is sponsoring a House Concurrent Resolution HCR2001 compelling voters to ax the early voting system, which Arizona pioneered, ban all mail-in ballots, and require all voters to present a government-issued ID in person. Arizonans already rejected the Legislature's push to toughen voter ID requirements in 2022 by voting them down. It's worth noting Concurrent Resolutions cannot be vetoed, and Alexander Kolodin is a vocal election denier running for AZ Secretary of State in November.

Email your state legislators. Tell them Hands Off! Arizona’s Elections. Check that you, your family and friends are registered to vote by visiting servicearizona.com. Sign pro-democracy candidates’ petitions at azsos.gov/equal.

We can, and we must do this.

Tina Whitley

Northeast side

Lead by example

I ask Jeffrey McConnell: Will Trump, Noem, ICE agents and CPB officers lead by example by obeying “all federal, state and local law”, as well adhere to the principles of the U.S. Constitution?

So far, they have not. They have abused their authority under color of law.

The majority of the people of this yet to be established country chose to escalate on April 19, 1775, when military forces were sent to oppress the people. Military oppression ordered by political oppressors.

It is always a good time for good trouble, is it not?

James Abels

Midtown

ICE

Border Czar Homan said mistakes were made in Minnesota. What an insensitive understatement. ICE murdered two Minneapolis residents. That’s 2 murders by ICE in the last month in Minneapolis, and I think none by undocumented immigrants.

How does ICE serve the interests of the country and its people? How does a violent, untrained mob destroying property, beating and gassing citizens and roaming cities asking for “papers” deserve to be a department of the federal government? It is in fact, a domestic terrorist group, much as the Republican Party is becoming by funding it.

Charles McDonald

Northeast side