Dogs are the best
Re: the July 6 article “Dogs’ joy for living renews our own.”
Kudos to Michael Gerson for his opinion piece. He is correct in saying we need to take a vacation from the negativity of the news and there are no creatures better suited to provide that emotional vacation than dogs. Any dog (or pet) owner knows the soul-crushing pain that comes from losing our loving, trusting four-legged companions. As a teacher, I frequently have students come to school saddened by the death of a pet. I tell every class the truest thing I’ve come to learn about our beloved friends; I’m paraphrasing, but I once read: “When you bring a dog into your life, you make a contract with them. They will give you their heart and one day they will break yours.” If you can rescue a pet from one of our local animal shelters — do it today. They are worth the inevitable heartbreak.
Christopher Rodarte
Midtown
Oil prices are Biden’s fault?
On May 19, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.7688 — Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act, to make it illegal to charge excessive prices to consumers for fuels during an energy emergency.
Every Republican in the House voted against this bill. It has now been introduced as a Senate bill (S. 3920) where it will undoubtedly be killed by Republicans.
Recently, President Biden has put pressures on the oil refinery owners who continue to let their refineries stand idle to stem gasoline production and preserve their high retail prices and record profits.
Why are our Republicans leaders not joining in the effort to increase supply and lift this excessive burden on our citizens and drivers around the world? Is it because they place partisan politics above our country’s best interests? Or, is it that they are more loyal to their corporate donors than their constituents?
Barba Wherry
Northwest side
Death of democracies
Take some time to look up the writings of Alexis de Tocqueville and Alexander Fraser Tytler. In there they describe in chilling reality and detail how all democracies, republics in specific, will fail. It is inevitable because of human nature to be greedy and the pursuit of absolute power. They explain how democracy gives the people a false sense of importance and that they can change how they are treated and governed. Our fragile democracy is in the last phase of demise and we all need to open our eyes and participate in order to try to save us.
Daniel Poryanda
Southeast side
Telling the truth
I watch and play sports (tennis). It seems odd that someone would cheat at sports because even if you win it does not count. But I have noticed over the years that some people make bad line calls in tennis. When they are confronted, they do not believe they made a bad call. Likewise, if people believe they are right, then they don’t think they are cheating. Even when there is an objective measure of the incident, like the “Mac Cam,” the cheaters will say that the camera is incorrect. Discussion will not resolve these disagreements. Facts will not resolve these differences. Belief will change only when the believer questions his or her beliefs. We all need to question our beliefs.
Christopher Pinhey
Foothills
States decide
Re: the June 29 article “Roe v. Wade was overturned by religious extremists.”
Gil Shapiro tries to make the overturning of Roe v. Wade a religious act perpetrated by the Supremes, when in fact it is a carefully worded opinion from the court that Roe v. Wade was in fact a bad decision legally. The court ruled strictly on its interpretation of the Constitution, which never mentions abortion and which gives no right to it. Thus, the Supremes now say that abortion rights should be settled by democratic majorities by the states, rather than having them forced upon a nation by nine unelected Supreme Court justices.
Mr. Shapiro claims the decision was not based solely on constitutional grounds, yet notice he doesn’t refer to anything in the Constitution that would allow abortion, because it isn’t there. Even liberal scholars admit that Roe v. Wade was bad precedent, since it was not based on anything in the Constitution. Rather than attacking the decision as purely religious, Mr. Shapiro needs to offer some facts rather than just his unsupported opinion.
David Pearse
Foothills
Opinion pages
I wish to express my deep concern that Lee Enterprises will follow Gannett and abolish the Opinion Pages from our local newspaper. When a complex issue arises, it’s helpful to read and assess others’ thoughts on the matter. I may not like an opinion voiced but it gives me insight into another point of view and it stretches me to find my own reasons. I also can’t imagine a newspaper without cartoonists like David Fitzsimmons; my heart sank when I read that he was semi-retiring. The Star’s cartoons are prime examples of using art to express political outrage over real world situations. A picture is truly worth a thousand words. I hope the Arizona Daily Star can continue to offer a wide range of local and national viewpoints to its readers and buck this trend to timidly appease the easily offended.
Nancy Airulla
Northeast side
Thank you, committee
The Constitution states Treason is “(1) ‘levying war’ against the United States; or (2) ‘adhering to (the) enemies (of the United States), giving them aid and comfort.’” If former President Trump’s 2020 election actions, including knowingly betraying supporters by planting lies, getting people to “fight,” encouraging storming of the Capitol and aiding the planning of it, plus overtly accepting attempts to hang Vice President Mike Pence, aren’t treasonous, what is? What is worse than cancerous enemies from within?
Arizona Republican officials collaborated, creating lists of false electors to overthrow a presidential election. Is that not treason, war against our republic? Who, besides Rep. Andy Biggs, requested a presidential pardon? Who else in Congress assisted planning, action? Who in PACs helped finance treasonous acts?
May severest sentences be served by all of them. May convictions reset governance, finance, and reporting to highest standards, reminding others: Lust for power sickens a country, drags it into filth: Lies. Corruption. Decay. There must be consequences! May convictions help bring our country back to health.
Nancy Jacques
Northeast side
Step up, AZ legislators
Now that Roe v. Wade is overturned and Arizona can go back to protecting human life, it is vital that the Arizona state Legislature enact further laws that protect human life. Many public libraries (Pima County, Maricopa, etc.) and supposedly educational (UA, NAU, ASU, etc.) libraries in Arizona allow internet access to students, staff and the public. These are government entities. I think these libraries need to block, or at least track, attempts to research abortion and attempts to purchase the means to destroy human life. Otherwise, they are accessories to murder. Pass the law, Arizona Legislature and sign it, governor! And note: violations by all the various librarians can be tracked and prosecuted by the State of Arizona, easily bypassing the regime in Tucson and elsewhere. Government librarians beware! If this happens, do the crime means you do the time. Time to lock ‘em up.
Dan Wilson
Midtown
Who really wants to indoctrinate?
Re: the June 3 article “Brainwashing claims are distracting from school funding issues.”
Many thanks to Heather Mace for her opinion piece. I, too, was struck by the outrageous claims put forth by Republican candidates for superintendent of public instruction in the voter education guide. Accusations of student indoctrination with “liberal propaganda,” brainwashing, CRT, woke agendas and other total nonsense were in the bios of each Republican candidate. Typical right-wing, anti-public school garbage. It’s amazing that highly educated people would stoop to this. I think these people are anti-public education, and want our tax dollars taken from public schools and awarded to schools where students really will be indoctrinated — in right-wing ideology and revisionist history. Two words for this anti-public education, anti-teacher effort: beyond disgusting. Do not vote for those who work to erode our public schools. Interesting to note, the voter guide was put out by Citizens Clean Election Commission — the very name falsely implying that past elections were somehow not legitimate.
Deb Klumpp
Oro Valley
Letters mostly from wealthier areas
I enjoy reading the letters to the editor every day, but I have noticed over time that the majority of them seem to come from Oro Valley, the Foothills and Northeast part of town. A sprinkling come from midtown and very few from the south side. It is unfortunate that only those who can afford to subscribe, or who actually read the paper, seem to be restricted to the higher income areas. This is telling, though I am not sure of the significance.
Jeffrey St. Clair
North side
We must remember in November
Re: the July 4 article “Women should have safe access to resources.”
We should all read and reread Dr. Evan’s powerful July 4 column on women’s reproductive health care. I can attest to his recollections as I was a medical student during the Roe decision period and remember the horror and frustration of witnessing things that did not have to happen, namely death, near death and loss of reproductive function, from “backstreet” abortions in Chicago.
I have never been a one-issue voter, but the recent Supreme Court decision to eliminate Roe v. Wade has made voting very simple for me. I understand that abortion is a complex and emotional issue, but if a candidate does not embrace a woman’s right to reproductive freedom and choice, my vote will be going somewhere else.
I am hopeful that Americans in large numbers will turn out and vote this November for candidates who support and trust a woman’s right to make her own choices when it comes to reproductive issues. Silence is not an option!
Charles Katzenberg
Foothills
USC, UCLA will fail in the Big Ten
Now that USC and UCLA have signed a contract to join the Big Ten, I hope the rest of the Pac stays together. Why? Because geography is destiny and soon there will be better recruiting possibilities for all other schools.
Los Angeles is a long way from the other Big Ten schools. Since only 2% of college football players make it to the NFL, there are 98% of players who are engineering, pre-med and pre-law students who will soon work-from-away most of their weekends during flights. These students’ GPAs will slip. They then will abandon USC and UCLA for closer schools like Arizona, Cal or even Washington State (ASU athletics is a dumpster fire).
USC and UCLA leaving is a great opportunity for the other schools. And with fewer college-level football athletes each year due to lower high school participation, it’s to the Pac’s advantage.
It is easier to take the athlete to the Big Ten instead of bringing the Big Ten to the athlete.
Matt Somers
Midtown
Blame the Supreme Court
I suggest we thank Justices Alito, Coney Barrett, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Roberts and Thomas for the latest mass shooting and murders in Illinois. Thanks to their recent ruling, I think it makes it much more difficult to pass gun legislation banning military assault weapons. I would also suggest we lay all future mass murders at their feet until these weapons are banned.
John Kautz
Midtown
Keep Marana town council incumbents
Re: the July 6 letter ‘Change Marana Town Council.”
A letter writer wrote to replace current Marana council members with three new candidates. Why? The town is what it is today because of Patti Comerford, Herb Kai, Jon Post and John Officer. Experience, knowledge and getting the job done has made Marana the town that it is. I’ve been here 19 years and the town has gotten better every year. Growth is everywhere in Arizona and you want to stop it because of losing open space. Look around you, there’s plenty of space left. We don’t need the California ideas that some of these newcomers bring. Look what has become of that state. And you want it here? No thanks. Heck, one of the candidates running (Mark Johnson) can’t even pronounce Marana correctly, saying he’s running for MA-RON-A. It’s pronounced MARANA. Keep the current council intact.
Thomas Sommerville
Marana
