Tucson Speaks Out: Sept. 7 letters of the day

Law enforcement agencies for Trump

On a regular basis, I meet with active and retired members of state, county, and local law enforcement officers. At our last meeting a topic of interest was discussed by the group, and all were amazed at the reasons for several police associations endorsing Trump. Mainly, these organizations used the excuse that he was a “law and order” man. We talked about the meaning of law and order and realized that many do not know the meaning of law and order. Webster’s Dictionary defines law and order as “situation characterized by respect for and obedience to the rules of society.” Considering that, there are thousands of admirable law enforcement officers that give their lives daily to ensure the community they represent can go about their lives in safety.

So, why is the Arizona Police Association standing next to a felon supporting him and helping in his campaign for President? How much money are they spending endorsing Trump from their PAC?

Thomas Wilson

Northwest side

‘Pro birth’ is more apt

With all of the calls to remedy hunger in America, because so many school children are going hungry, it occurs to me that those who call themselves “pro Life” are using a misleading slogan. They are actually “pro birth.” All they want is for children to be born, but they care nothing for them afterward. Thus, “pro life” is a misnomer and “pro birth” more apt.

Barbara Benjamin

Foothills

Double standards

Re: the Sept. 4 letter “Double standard on moral infidelity.”

To the letter writer,

Sir, if women slept their way to the top, there would be more of us at the top.

Toni Kane

Oro Valley

Your federal tax dollars at work

At Trump’s latest speech at a Moms for Liberty meeting, according to the Associated Press story of Sept. 3, those attending had to pass a painting of Kamala Harris “kneeling over a bald eagle carcass, a communist symbol on her jacket and her mouth dripping in blood.” The Moms for Liberty is a 501(c )(4) organization. Such an organization can be politically active, but it must be operated exclusively to promote social welfare. You’d hardly know that’s true from the story and the painting.

Such organizations receive money from the Heritage Foundation, the group who gave us Leonard Leo and the three latest conservatives on the Supreme Court. The Heritage Foundation, a 501(c )(3), also has tax-exempt status, just like the Moms for Liberty.

Remember that the venom spewed in Trump’s and other Republicans’ ads and their conservative allies are partially paid for by all Americans’ federal tax dollars. It’s subsidized, socialized hatred. It’s another reason we can’t feed, clothe and shelter the poor like the Bible mandates.

Matt Somers

Midtown

R.I.P. to the GOP

It’s time for the GOP to come clean. The GOP has died, long live the GUY!

The political party that had supported “conservative values” for decades has lost its collective mind.

The guy candidates running for office this election cycle have abandoned independent thought, morality, honesty and common sense and hypocritically flip-flopped on issues to align closely to the GUY. Where do the orphaned RINOs go to promote their conservative values? What do they do when the GUY is no more?

Good luck. It’s a mystery to me.

Dave Burns

North side

US withdrawal from Afghanistan

Donald Trump made a deal with the Taliban, a terrorist organization. In the agreement, he promised to release 5000 Taliban Prisoners. Feb. 29, 2020, he reduced US troop levels from 13,000 to 8,600. By Sept. 3, 2020, Trump released the last 400 of the Taliban prisoners; even though the Taliban did not uphold their end of the agreement. On Jan. 15, 2021, Trump reduced the number of US troops to 2,500, and left one airport open, the one containing Abbey Gate. Marco Rubio’s warning of a “Saigon-type situation” in Nov. 2020 proved prophetic.

Frank E. Montez, veteran

East side

How/why U.S. society is failing young men

Another wake-up call from the school shooting in Georgia!

Young men are responsible for the majority of mass shootings, especially school shootings. What are possible negative influences on young men today?

• Bullying, isolation, hate

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Absent parenting, a lack of moral teaching and example

Social media

Violent video games, movies, music

Lack of awareness and reporting of warning signs by parents, doctors, schools, friends, neighbors, relatives…

What are the consequences? Mass injuries, deaths, trauma

1. America has by far more guns per capita than any other developed nation. Why?

2. Lack of/or enforcement of common sense gun laws. Why?

3. Weapons of war are widely available. Why?

Which of the above issues are preventable or changeable? All of them!

As an aside: How can any state in America justify charging a 14-year-old as an adult? As if that will deter the next messed up 14-year-old or absolve us as a society for our abject failure!

Wake up, America!

Mary Richling

SaddleBrooke

Republican no longer

Hi. My name is Jack, and I am a recovering Republican. For 40 years I voted Republican in support of a sound economy, a strong national defense, and family values. All issues that I support.

Twenty years ago I came to realize that an economy based on tax cuts for the rich serves only the rich; it massively serves the rich. Trickle-down has not happened and will never happen. What has happened is that working poor and middle-class families are stuck decades behind the growth of the national economy. That is why inflation hurts so much today.

Our strong national defense was misused for a war that was justified by non-existent Weapons of Mass Destruction.

The party of family values has deteriorated to “Your Family, my Values”.

Luckily, my recovery program is only a single step: Vote Democrat.

John Garner

Southeast side

Do something

With only about 60 days till the election, Michelle Obama’s challenging call to action, “Do Something,” rings in my ears. This letter is one of my personal do somethings. I am writing it to remind us all of the positive values we embrace as Kamala Harris’ supporters: decency, hard work, empathy and truth! Our candidate for president embodies all of these values and she will fight for our rights and our democracy.

So I ask you all to find your “do something” activities and do them every day through Nov. 5 until we win and elect Kamala Harris as our next president.

Sally Mayersohn

Northwest side

Isn’t it ironic?

The MAGA and America First crowd rail against “global” politics. Yesterday, as well as in 2016 and 2020, the Russians have been implicated in meddling with our presidential campaign. Where is the outrage against this foreign interference in our election?

The Trumpers are again showing exactly how flexible their morals are in dealing with their favored candidate. It was not enough for them to hear the “Grab ‘em by the ____” quote, or the extortion of a foreign president, or “Find me 11,791 votes”, so I expect we will hear nothing from them on the recent indictments of the Russians’ attempts to sway this election towards the only candidate who is going to assist them.

Most of us know right from wrong. Why does he deserve your vote? Is it because you do not know right from wrong?

Jeff Rayner

SaddleBrooke

Assault weapons

Another school shooting, this time in Georgia. The slaughter continues as a 14-year-old student brought an assault-style rifle to school and started his rampage killing. The bravery of two police school resource officers ended the incident. Don’t get too smug Tucson, we had a 12-year-old murder an adult in a shooting last year in East Tucson and 90 shots fired in a shooting incident near Swan and Speedway. It’s hard to describe the disgust I have for our politicians right now. I wonder if Washington, Adams, Lincoln, or even Martin Luther King Jr. would have stood silently by. The voices of our children and teachers are being drowned by the hurricane of violence in this nation, and there is no end in sight. But, I have a dream, I have a dream that one day the children of my four grandchildren will be able to attend school without the worry of active shooter drills or being killed by some coward with an assault weapon.

Richard Harper

Northeast side