Tucson Speaks Out: December 6

Illegalities

The American president has released former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez from a U.S. federal prison after granting him a full pardon. Hernandez was serving a 45-year prison sentence, convicted of sending South American cocaine to the U.S., lots of it, as in 400 tons (and maybe more) while enriching himself by protecting traffickers from extradition and prosecution.

In comparison, Trump and Company, specifically Pete Hegseth, are relentlessly bombing and killing people on boats south of Venezuela that supposedly carry fentanyl to the U.S. (although Venezuela does not produce fentanyl), despite reports that these boats are more likely carrying cocaine to countries other than the U.S.

An illegal drug is an illegal drug, whether fentanyl or cocaine. But unwarranted killings are murder, and unwarranted pardons are sad proof of the collaboration in corruption at the highest levels within our own administration.

Melody Sears

North side

The business of outrage

A new feature on X (formerly Twitter) has revealed that many popular accounts with divisive partisan postings, purportedly from Americans, are coming from Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe.

Foreign governments have used social media to spread disinformation (fake videos, news stories, and posts) to manipulate voters and influence U.S. elections. But the platforms incentivize another motive: money. Clicks, likes, and reposts generate revenue for the person doing the posting, and it is well-known that divisive content increases these responses.

In a recent Washington Post op-ed, Rad and Schapira call for more transparency on an influencer’s location. “After all, posts from the “Ivanka Trump News” account with 1 million followers feel very different once you learn the account is posting from Nigeria.”

They state: “Americans debating issues that affect their communities deserve a feed that reflects real local voices and the real local popularity of those voices.”

Of course, a personal response to this “rage-baiting” business is to think before responding, i.e., paying the poster.

Barbara Hall

Midtown

Handsome does not mean innocent

Accused killer Luigi Mangione is back in court with all the money for his defense, mailed to him by fellow Americans. He has also received love letters from women. Some of our most cold-blooded murderers appealed to women because of their good looks. Scott Peterson wrapped barbed wire around the dead body of his 8-month pregnant wife and tossed her into San Francisco Bay. Both the Menendez brothers had wives. That most evil of women killers, Ted Bundy, had a wife who insisted their child had been conceived behind a Coke machine in the prison visitor center.

What motivates these women? I ran across a book titled "Women Who Love Men Who Kill". Author Sheila Isenberg traveled around America to interview many of them and found most had suffered abuse at the hands of men. Marrying a man in prison meant their complete control of an illusion of life with a fantasy man, not a real one.

Elizabeth Furrer

Northwest side

Decorum lost

POTUS recently took to calling a female reporter "Piggy," referred to Somalis as "garbage", has diagnosed a sitting U.S. governor as "retarded" and labeled a War Hero, Astronaut, U.S. Senator a "traitor". Press Sec. Leavitt has banally referred to the "frankness" of POTUS when confronted with, and dismissing, his statements. Let's take her at her word. Since decorum is no longer feasible, perhaps reporters should also revel in newfound frankness. POTUS questions will be prefaced with: You Lying Fat B*st*rd. Or if POTUS prefers: Sir, You Lying Fat B*st*rd, allowing frankness from both Reporters and POTUS, dispelling the notion that the press room remains a place of dignity, not a mud-slinging pigsty.

POTUS denigrated the highest office in the land with his crass and vulgar descriptions of anyone with the temerity to oppose him. Leaders lead by example. POTUS' example: Piggy, garbage, shithole countries, traitor, retarded, ugly inside and out.

BTW, Sen. Kelly, as a retired U.S. paratrooper, I agree 100% with you quoting the UCMJ.

Steve Arnold

Foothills

A moral slum

George Will, in his recent Washington Post column, referred to the DJT administration as "... a moral slum ...". Other words are surplussage.

Kenneth Haber

Northwest side

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Climate change and extinction

Tim Steller’s column in the Star highlighted Professor John Wiens and Kirsten Saban challenging a looming mass extinction of 75% of Earth’s species based on their review of recent global extinctions, mostly caused by invasive species on islands and habitat loss. Ancient packrat middens contained fossil remains of hundreds of species of animals and plants in the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts at the end of the last Pleistocene (ca. 11,000 years ago). The impact of this huge climate change on most species was shrinking or expanding geographic ranges -- not speciation or extinction (excluding large mammals hunted by Paleoindians). Endemic species are common on oceanic islands and rare in Sky Island mountains. Mass extinction with current climate exchange is very unlikely. In the Southwest, species extinctions are only expected from climate change on mountaintops and unique soils, from human activities drying up springs, and the introduction of more non-native species.

Tom Van Devender

North side

Arizona football

I have to admit I was wrong. I thought Coach Brennan was over his head and too nice to coach at the power 5 level. I was wrong. The best part of Coach Brennan is he wants to be here. He is not looking for another job like the last coach who was here.

The best thing about beating the school up north is the team won it with class. They didn't dance on the field or disrespect the opponent the way the Sun Devils did last year, and that is a reflection of coaching. Win with class.

Bear Down.

Gabriel M Bustamante

South side

The gullible needy

I watched the Cabinet meeting this past Tuesday. It was enlightening to listen to each Cabinet head, unfiltered, describe what their department was doing with total openness and providing full access to reporters and interested viewers. A far cry from the blurred access provided during the Biden Administration. Although I was watching on FOX, I switched to CNN to see how they were covering the meeting. They would carry a few minutes of the meeting, then switch to their commentators. These CNN talking heads would then decipher, translate and interpret the meeting comments instead of just observing the meeting. Apparently, CNN believes that their viewers are so ignorant, so stupid, so gullible that they are unable to think for themselves and should not trust their lying eyes. They must be instructed in the true liberal path. And sadly, that may be what CNN viewers require and desire.

Loyal M Johnson Jr

Oro Valley

Old Mother Hubbard

Trump’s Cabinet meetings seem like a comedy skit. Here we have the President speaking gibberish to his sycophants. Each must signal their approval, and then stuff in a compliment, or face the fury of Old Mother Hubbard himself, unless he is napping.

The nation, spellbound by the idiocy of it all, wants to bring the gavel down on the whole lopsided spectacle.

But then, who would run the country when the clowns are put to bed? Well, there are some people left with their dignity intact, who know the difference between right and wrong, and who are not from Fox. It would have to be a morally competent group to bring us back alive again as a shining light to the world.

Trump has a blind spot, and it is America. We need to make him see through his disability to what blindness alone can cause.

Ron Lancaster

North side

The disaster of HHS

As a retired healthcare professional, I am deeply disturbed by the news that HHS may decide to delay Hepatitis B vaccination in infants, the standard practice since 1991. The decision can lead to infections that develop into lifelong, chronic diseases. Over time, Hepatitis B is known to lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. The direction that HHS is taking with this and its many other decisions to disrupt proven medical practices over is contrary to good health.

Another example of havoc is the confusion and mistrust over the safety of vaccinations. The outbreak of measles led to unnecessary deaths thanks to the chaotic leadership of RFK Jr.

In addition, the research presented at the 13th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2025) stated that modeling suggests that reductions in donor funding could lead to 10.8 million extra HIV infections and 2.9 million extra deaths by 2030.

The actions by this administration threaten the lives of the public. We must vote this administration out of office.

Nancy Lefkowitz

Foothills