Workers install a sign reading "Alligator Alcatraz" at the entrance to a new migrant detention facility July 3 at Dade-Collier Training and Transition facility in Ochopee, Fla.
Alligator Alcatraz, Siberia, Rwanda?
Famed Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-61), speaking from experience, said it best: "The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons." He was jailed in a Siberian prison under horrific conditions for four years for belonging to a literary group that “discussed banned books critical of Tsarist Russia.” (Wikipedia)
Do we really want our leaders to emulate Tsarist Russia? Or send undisclosed individuals to a third country, where due process, already ignored here, definitely wouldn’t apply? Citizens, speak up; don't be complicit.
Additionally, why do ICE squads wear masks, eschew visible ID? How does a person being detained know agents aren’t terrorists not sanctioned by the government? Other law enforcement, from police to Border Patrol, do sometimes-dangerous work and serve all unmasked and wearing identification.
Mask parade: Medieval executioners, Spanish Inquisition, Ku Klux Klan — and, oh yes, ICE enforcement agents.
Ila Abernathy
Midtown
Badly needed Amendments
Arizona led the way back in 1912, 113 years ago, with provisions enabling initiative, recall, and referendum — direct democracy — in its constitution.. The national constitution still hasn't caught up with Arizona and several other states. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, a compliant Congress, and a compliant Roberts Supreme Court have been making a farce out of the U.S. Constitution and, of course, the government itself of the United States.
Omission of these three measures, along with an egregious ethical leniency, has sent our nation into a downward spiral that will not end well. It is high time that we got strict with our elected and appointed officials and enable initiative, recall, and referendum, as the foresighted writers of this state's constitution did, and immediately kick out and bar convicted felons from ever having anything to do with government.
William Winkelman
Midtown
Alamo Wash project
The city is proposing a project that will create a nice pathway for walkers, bicycles, scooters and skateboards. Portions of this will run along very narrow streets that presently have problems if cars are parked along the curbs. These streets are used by school buses and Sun Van. Putting people using skateboards and scooters here is insane. Areas have no sidewalks, and the sandy areas adjacent to the street are very narrow. Also, people use driveways to access the street and kids on skateboards and scooters will be very vulnerable. I love the idea of pathways, but running down city streets is just asking for someone to be killed. There is no room in most of the places to put this and still use the street for access to the homes.
Bette Bunker Richards
Midtown
Protect democratic principles
Dear Representative Ciscomani,
As a concerned constituent, I am deeply troubled by the proposed redrawing of congressional districts in Texas ahead of the midterms. Our democracy depends on fair representation and the principle that every vote counts. Attempts to manipulate district boundaries for partisan gain, as proposed, threaten to undermine public trust and disenfranchise voters.
I urge you to stand against any efforts to gerrymander districts and instead support transparent, nonpartisan redistricting. Upholding fairness and equal representation is essential to the integrity of our democracy. Please use your influence to protect our electoral process and ensure that all citizens’ voices are fairly represented.
Thank you for your service and dedication to the values that strengthen our community and country.
John McConnaughey
Oro Valley
Just a thought
'During the Vietnam conflict, we were reminded that POWs "never had a good day." The same can be said for the Palestinians in Gaza. Make of that what you will.
Ted Morrison
Midtown
The real danger
The Jeffrey Epstein saga may be newsworthy, but it’s a distraction. We don’t need info on Trump’s Epstein activities to define Trump. He is a convicted sex abuser. He self-confessed to being able to grab women by the …. Those of us who think his conduct is deplorable don’t need more reinforcement. His MAGA base could care less. Meanwhile we have Kennedy canceling @$500 million in vaccine research re: mRNA vaccines; the EPA promising to repeal the underlying rationale for climate protective laws and emission standards: the administration taking away billions in funding for low- and middle-income solar panel subsidies. Wind energy projects are being canceled capriciously, tariffs are crushing small businesses, and Trump is contemplating tariff rebate checks (of course, signed by him) when such revenue is supposed to reduce the national debt. Across the board, his administration is wreaking havoc, crushing needed research and attacking messengers when the truth doesn’t match Trump’s narrative. Focus on the real damage being done.
Norman Patten
Midtown
Back-to-school vaccinations
As reported in “Tucson Event to Provide Back-to-School Vaccines,” there is now a quick and easy way to get your child vaccinated. According to the CDC's 2025 Kindergarten Vaccination Data, Arizona currently ranks 40th in the nation for MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccinations. Our statewide vaccination rate is now 88.6%, an all-time low.
The MMR vaccine provides critical, long-term immunity for children, significantly reducing the risk of complications such as pneumonia. As a healthcare worker, I have witnessed firsthand the toll these complications can take. I’ve heard the wheezing as a child’s lungs fill with fluid. I’ve seen once-active kids, running and playing soccer, suddenly confined to a hospital bed.
While the MMR vaccine has been effective, keeping cases in Arizona in the single digits, outbreaks can still occur. In 2016, Arkansas experienced a measles outbreak with 248 reported cases, despite a higher vaccination rate of 94% that year.
Protect your child and our community. Get them vaccinated.
Wesley Peng
Downtown
Come back, Pete the Beak!
Remember Pete the Beak?
From the late 1970s into the ’90s, Pete was the mascot of Tucson Water's Beat the Peak program. He encouraged Tucsonans to reduce water use during peak hours and to "help create awareness of the importance of water efficiency year-round."
A few years ago, Pete came out of retirement to help Tucson Electric Power deliver a similar message. And that's smart, because our water and power resources are limited. We have to look out for each other and share what we have.
That's why building a data center here is senseless. It requires as much power as the rest of the city. And here's the kicker: that power creates a lot of heat that has to be cooled with millions of gallons of our water.
Sharing our resources with such a hog makes me a tad peevish. I can't even imagine how Pete the Beak must feel about it.
Steve Godwin
Midtown
Five more seats in Texas
Donald Trump is ordering Texas Governor Greg Abbott to redistrict the state, even though this is not the time for redistricting, only after the 10-year National Census. Why? He wants Abbott to create five more Republican districts, eliminating minority districts — Hispanics and Blacks - which tend to vote Democratic, before the midterms.
And he doesn’t hide it.
“We have a really good governor, and we have good people in Texas. And I won Texas. I got the highest vote in the history of Texas, as you probably know, and we are 'entitled' to five more seats. Check it!”
As usual, Trump lied. Mitt Romney, George W., Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, LBJ and Harry Truman all did better than Trump.
These Texans are the same "good people" who have repeatedly promoted Texas' secession from 1861 through 2024. The 'Republic of Texas Organization' claimed that the US had annexed Texas ‘illegally’ and considered it to be held captive. The organization held itself out as an alternative government.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Saving Social Security and Medicare
I finally figured out how Trump will save Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Trump puts Kennedy in charge of Health and Human Services. Kennedy is not a doctor and espouses false medical claims constantly and knows absolutely nothing about medicine. He is anti-vaccine. Vaccines have saved millions of lives, and mRNA has the potential to save millions more. Anybody remember polio? mRNA vaccines can be produced quickly and are able to control many viruses because they are using our own body systems to control infection. Typically, when a dangerous infectious disease ravages a nation, it kills the very young, the infirm and the elderly as those folks have underdeveloped or weakened immune systems. If all the very young, infirm and elderly die from Kennedy's lack of intelligence about medicine, Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid won't have to cover dead people. The savings will be astronomical. Problem solved.
Richard Bechtold
West side
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