Tucson Speaks Out: December 28

Wrong again

Here are some real figures. Total deaths of Palestinians is 60,000-69,000. Over 145,000 wounded. This does not include the nearly 10,000 not accounted for and presumed buried under the ruble. More than 18,500 were children; 10,000 were women. Israel has disputed this, but Israel has not provided its own comprehensive account of Palestinian casualties. Every day we saw Israel bombing hospitals, schools and places of worship. If they suspected Hamas in those places why not send troops to root them out instead of killing everyone? I used to support Israel, but not now or ever again. What we saw was genocide, period.

Kym Jones

Midtown

Include public in your healthcare plans

Dear Congress members and Senators —

The public wants a healthcare plan identical to yours. Your healthcare comes via the DC Health Link, which was established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The federal government covers 72-75% of your premium on your plans. When you are in Washington, D.C., you get care from the Office of the Attending Physician for exams, consultations, and tests ($650/year). Middle- and lower-income Americans would love to have these benefits. With the expiration of ACA supplements, will your plans greatly increase in cost to you?

You can retain this insurance after five years in office, whether you resign, retire, or are voted out of office, unless convicted of a felony while in office. This does not apply if you have immunity status from the Supreme Court. By the way, the healthcare plans for the Supremes are even more benevolent.

How can you consciously let the supplement to the public for the ACA terminate while you are so coddled?

Jay Gandolfi

Northeast side

Help with TDS

I've got it, and I can still function as a civil, functioning member of society.

First, TDS is not fatal. Every day or every other day I see a live picture of this sham of a man and you can see him deteriorating in his looks and mental acuity. I know we are all getting older, but you can really see this man on a daily basis sliding "downhill." Using his own volition, he won't make it to the end of his elected term.

Second, I am revisiting the television series "The West Wing" ...which I really enjoyed in the early 2000s.

I was reluctant to view, but I have not seen the technological drawback that I was anticipating. It's just real quality programming, and many storylines are still in today's news.

I'm getting through my TDS by watching Martin Sheen do what is morally right (in most cases) for America.

Bert Hanson

Northwest side

The double standard lives on

A Christmas letter ignores the point my letter makes, it was a war in Gaza. This is what happens in war, however the writer wants this war to be judged differently. This writer belittled that 54,000 civilians died monthly in the Korean War, but that's the analogy the Chair of Urban War at West Point uses, who continues, " If we used (that) logic, every major war would be called genocide." My critic speaks of limiting food aid into Gaza, while reality is that Israel facilitated more than 2 million tons into Gaza. The Lieber Institute says, "Legally there is no obligation to provide humanitarian relief to the civilian population under the control of the other party (Hamas)." No historical precedent exists for the vast quantity of aid Israel facilitated into Gaza. The writer laments Israel's not giving land back. Israel tried that in 2005, giving back all the land, resulting in Palestinians electing Hamas and attacking Israel.

Barbara Katz

Green Valley

Excellent opinion pieces

I'd like to offer a thousand thanks to the Star for printing two exceptional opinion pieces, one by Robert Gavlak and the other by Robert Kimball Shinkoskey. Mr. Gavlak speaks to the inappropriate pairing of science and religion in the same classroom. The piece is articulate, intelligent and generally spot on as it clearly and concisely explains the wildly disparate positions of evolutionary theory and Intelligent Design, and why one should stay in the classroom while the other should remain in the church. Mr. Shinkoskey's article, "A trend worse than gerrymandering," absolutely nails the current Republican governing theory - one which rejects governance as public service to the country in favor of "too much is never enough" — translated as however much corruption they can get away with and how much money they can stuff in their pockets. Both of these articles soar a million miles above the MAGA mindset op-eds that have appeared in some recent editions. Thank you!

S. Ross Emmanuel

Southeast side

Appalling comparison

The LTE comparing MLK and Charlie Kirk was appalling. Aside from both meeting violent ends, there are no similarities. MLK, putting aside his personal shortcomings, was a consummate humanitarian. Charlie Kirk, by his own words, was a racist and bigot. Simply including both in the same LTE is offensive.

Kenneth Haber

Northwest side

Cows for generals

Trump strikes again. This time, Nigeria, but he is still involved in Venezuela by sea, and soon by land. Yes, our Peace President has ambitious plans to expand American influence worldwide. No country is safe. Our trailblazing despot is doing this, not by charity and diplomacy, but by fire and annihilation. Murder is always on the docket. None dare call it murder, however, since the Supreme Court has given him the authority to carry on as he pleases.

Trump is a man to fear, not just here at home with his personal police force, ICE, but everywhere his military can reach. He has no fear that his generals will refuse to carry out his orders. In this, they are more cows than bulls. They sit quietly when he walks into a room.

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President Trump has a big appetite for conquest, even if no one else has the stomach for it.

Ron Lancaster

North side

Cure for TDS

... don't think I could make this up ...

Elise "all hat no cattle" Shamp wants to spend money researching this.

Isn't the cure obvious? Impeachment!

So un-MAGA to waste money on science.

Richard Eaton

West side

Stamp out Shamp

Arizona Senator Janae Shamp joined the list of sycophants trying to get President Trump's attention and favor. As sponsor of SB 1070, Stamp proposes using taxpayer money to examine the “origins, manifestations, and long-term effects on individuals, communities and the public discourse” of a fabricated term, “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Stamp's ludicrous bill would distract from the efforts of the state health department to control the growth of infectious diseases like measles and other contagious diseases. Refusing to make additional comments about her grandstanding efforts, Stamp adds to the many ill-conceived legislative bills proposed by Arizona legislators. Hopefully, Arizona voters will send a “veto” to Shamp by voting her out of office.

Roger Shanley

East side

Study TDS

I'm so glad they finally want to investigate the derangement of Trump voters. Why do intelligent moral people vote for a man who bragged about the felony sexual assault he has committed? Who enthusiastically told of walking into the dressing rooms of underage girls? Who likes girls "young" with the "too young" age being 12? All his own stories. What patriot votes for a man orchestrating a coup? Who supports dictator Putin? A six-times-bankrupt businessman? Who puts a video of himself bombing his citizens with feces, who proudly claims he hates his opponents, his fellow citizens? This is a short list of available topics but how deranged are you to keep voting for him expecting him to be a decent moral president? Oh wait — the study on TDS is about studying people appalled by his character and actions? Wow, that is a truly deranged study.

William Garrity

Foothills

Precise statement

The opinion piece by Robert Gavlak is not only timely in these uncertain times, but probably the most precise statement I have yet to come across that makes the necessary demarcation of science and religion so necessary. It should go without saying that the only reason that 'religious' interests continue to try and invade the secular is that by whatever name they may wish to describe themselves, their own dogma and doctrine are without the insight or authority to achieve their ends. That should, in itself, expose their fake claims to speak for a deity. What true God would leave his servants without the power to achieve His ends?

Robert Landbeck

Patagonia

Crying ’til I laughed

I love reading the Arizona Daily Star, not just for the news, but for the humor. It often is found in unexpected places. For instance, in the Dec. 26 Section B Page 1, there is a sad piece about self-deporting through the CBP Home app. It “is the best gift that an illegal alien can give themselves and their families this holiday season”, "fast, free, and easy ... download the app ... fill out your information.” The inducement has increased to $3,000 until the end of the year. Now the laughter part begins. “DHS will take care of the rest including arranging and paying for your travel back home.” Does that include the armor tank, the Gestapo? Are you laughing yet? If not, close your eyes and imagine the scenes passing through your mind. You’ve seen them before. Aren’t they etched there?

Margaret Gordon Magruder

Downtown

Taxes: Thanks, TUSD

Thanks to the TUSD Board for the tax rate increase and the increase in my taxes. My impound account increase has consumed my entire 2026 Social Security COLA increase.

William Long

Foothills

Religion, science in the classroom

As a non-religious person who firmly believes in the separation of church and state, I began reading Robert Gaviak’s column “Religions, science don’t belong in the same classroom” thinking I would agree with it entirely, but then there was an aspect of it that I found disturbing: his one-sided portrayal of religion as something that “has remained throughout history the blunt instrument of oppression used to cudgel humankind into submission through discouragement of independent thought an deterrence of self-determination”. This view of religion is both unfair and harmful to our society. First, there are numerous scientists who are still members of a religious community, and religious people who respect the findings of science. And in our current highly polarized society, defaming a large percentage of our population in this way can only lead to further strife. We need to find a path of respect for each other’s beliefs — or non-beliefs.

Thomas Kovach

North side