Look to native cultures and their resilience
When COVID-19 cases grew to the ironic number of 1,492 million in the U.S., I realized there is in our country a large but ignored population of experts on coping with the aftermath of pandemics — Native Americans. These nations still bear the scars of their 500-year history of horrific virulence, because the trauma of widespread illness and death can remain in body and mind for generations.
As divisiveness over COVID-19 threatens to overcome our society we need to ask, how did Native Americans survive novel European-born pandemics without surrendering their sense of community? Each agonizing day we hear experts and leaders debate and politicize the fight against COVID-19 and the economic blow it has dealt us.
Yet, we don’t hear much about rebuilding community, spirit, and trust in one another. Perhaps it is time to tap into Native Americans’ enormous body of knowledge about cultural resilience and social recovery to help us chart a way out of coronavirus malaise.
Maria Nieves Zedeño
Midtown
Coronavirus
When this COVID-19 pandemic passes, and it will, we will look back and realize that the inflicted economic shutdown is the most grievous and damaging decision made by our elected public officials in recent history.
Richard Ulery
Green Valley
Hey, Mark Kelly, keep on campaigning
Re: the May 19 letter “Political aspiration should take a back seat.”
A letter writer criticizes Mark Kelly for campaigning during this time of suffering due to COVID-19. The writer suggests Kelly should “put campaigning on hold” or echo “Martha McSally’s current message of hope.”
To the contrary, many of us see Mark Kelly’s campaign as an exceptional message of hope, hope for lower cost, life-saving drugs, hope for sensible gun laws, hope for honesty instead of continual lies and hope for the election of an Arizona senator with courage to speak his mind, instead of one cowed by a vindictive leader.
Thank you, Mark Kelly, for fighting and succeeding to be heard amidst the continual cacophony emanating from the top.
Beth Isabelle
Northeast side
Vote for Mosher for Pima County Attorney
I will be voting for Jonathan Mosher for Pima County Attorney in the August 4 Democratic primary. I ask you to do the same. I am a professor of practice at the University of Arizona’s College of Law where I have taught criminal law courses for the last 10 years.
Jonathan Mosher has, for many years, successfully prosecuted the most dangerous offenders in our county, particularly those who harm children and other vulnerable persons. He also will expand drug treatment, victim assistance, and restorative justice programs, building upon Pima County’s well-deserved reputation as a national leader. You can read about much more at Mosher2020.com.
In these challenging times, we have seen the danger of electing unqualified leaders. One of Jonathan’s opponents has no experience as a prosecutor. We need our next county attorney to be someone who has the knowledge and experience to do the job immediately. Jonathan Mosher is a tested prosecutor, experienced manager, and committed reformer. That is why he deserves your vote.
Hank Shea
West side
Tucson full of brown noses
Thank you to all the heroes of the Daily Star’s Letters to the Editor section, who, without even being asked, courageously labor at their keyboards every day to educate their fellow readers. With no remuneration other than smug self-satisfaction, they provide Tucson with a constant background noise of nagging, lecturing, and hectoring.
Many of these brave souls also venture out and report any real or perceived violations of mask-wearing, face-touching and social-distancing protocols to the appropriate authorities, and anyone else who will listen, or can’t get away. This heroic army stands ready to use any and all weapons at their disposal, including finger-wagging, clucking, eye-rolling and the ultimate arrow in their quiver: name-calling.
So rest assured that these “social-distancing warriors” will be on the lookout for anyone not displaying adequate fear in the face of this pandemic. Yes, amid all of the confusion surrounding the virus, we’re lucky to have these elites to keep the rest of us in line and show us the way.
Bill Buth
Marana
Lots of votes and consciences needed
By being complicit in the criminal incompetence of Donald Trump’s coronavirus response, his denial of any federal responsibility, and his daily dose of lies, our Republican senators and representatives are betraying their country, their party, and their conscience. This is the cost of prioritizing your political career over your constituents, in the age of Trump. For 3.5 years, day after day, they have turned a blind eye to each new depth of his despicable behavior, disheartening those of us who proudly supported Senator John McCain, and his willingness to be the conscience of the Republican Party.
Our current Republican senators’ willingness to sacrifice the health and wellbeing of their constituents, and their country, does not make them good Republicans. It makes them traitors.
I believe the Republican Party still has voters who are ready to say, “Enough is enough.” For America’s sake, and your own, do what our politicians won’t. Vote your conscience in November.
Mark McKinney
East side
New York versus Florida
New York’s population is about 19.5 million people, while Florida’s is 21.6 million. New York has had over 360,000 COVID-19 cases, Florida has had about 50,000. New York has had over 28,000 COVID deaths, Florida just over 2,100.
But here’s the most critical statistic. New York has 3.2 million people over the age of 65, Florida a whopping 4.4 million. Older people are the most vulnerable to COVID-19 because of age and the higher incidence of underlying conditions. The superior results in Florida are stunning.
So why is Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo a darling of the mainstream media for his handling of the COVID crisis, while Republican Florida Governor Ron Desantis is ignored? It’s because nearly all of the mainstream media are biased for Democrats, and a large chunk of the media giants (New York Times, ABC News, NBC, CBS and CNN News) are all based in New York City.
Steve Sollenberger
Foothills
Non-Partisan Covid
COVID-19 is neither a Republican or Democratic issue, it is a medical issue. At least it should be. Medical issues should rely on science. Most of us agree but think that both sides have made it political. To make it worse, the president and his followers announced that the media was slanted. The sides were chosen, and this virus became political.
Luckily, the public found an impartial, apolitical source. Dr. Anthony Fauci was introduced and addressed medical issues and refrained from stating any political feelings.
Yesterday I read an article that discussed COVID-19 differently. Search and read the article written by Dr. Sanjay Gupta. The article discusses the virus as a diseases, it is absolutely not political.
Michael Ullery
Midtown
Obamagate
I’ve been hearing a lot about Obamagate recently, so I did a deep dive into President Barack Obama’s scandals. If you take away the 11.6 million new jobs he created, the health care he achieved for 15 million more Americans, his defeat of the Ebola and H1N1 pandemics, that the populace saw their weekly earnings go up 4% after inflation and that the S&P index rose 166%, that he saved the auto industry, or that he increased wind and solar power by 369 percent, won the Nobel Peace Prize and had zero impeachments, then you have such scandal!
Obama is to blame for all of this, but he gets none of the credit. The most unfair treatment in presidential history!
Barbara Jones
Oro Valley
