Tucson Speaks Out: April 12 letters of the day

Trump and stochastic terrorism

I and others have mentioned the term: “stochastic terrorism” in this forum. I discovered the term in 2016 and was amazed at how well it fit what Donald Trump continues to do during his rants to the press and lectures to his loyal followers. Remember when he goaded one of his minions to physically assault another rally goer, telling him not to be reluctant to do so because he would cover lawyers’ fees for the assault? Trump continues to act out like a disgruntled child, showing his pain to his followers and the rest of the world but most of all, to keep his name and face in the daily news cycle. Today we see a judge issue a severe statement to Trump to stop issuing threats for every incident he considered a slight. This rhetoric has been numbing to all. We can make it stop. Vote!

Alan Barreuther

Foothills

Votes disappear

Arizona Legislature is set to bombard our ballot with propositions that erase or restrict citizens’ votes.

Judges who are influenced by large gifts, family, or religion, refusing to recuse themselves, need to go. Voters demand term limits. But, instead of AZ citizens voting to retain judges (or not) every 4 to 6 years, Mr. Gowan (LD19) wants to retain 100+ judges placed by Doug Ducey until their mandatory retirement age of 70. This legislation would end term limits that came from a people’s initiative proposition. Our votes? Gone.

Mr. Mesnard (LD13) would allow anyone to sue to remove a people’s initiative from the ballot by claiming it is not constitutional, despite hundreds of thousands of voters who signed petitions. Our voices silenced. Ms. Jones (LD17) wants to give all our electoral votes to Donald Trump, and close voting centers, forcing voters to vote in their own precincts. Our votes? Erased. Voting confined.

Beware of propositions “by the Legislature.”

Cindy Doklan

Midtown

Islamophobic Opinion Page

Re: the April 3 article “The Israeli-Hamas war in historical context.”

Any Opinion page piece that begins with “The Israeli-Hamas war is, sadly, simply one more battle in Islam’s centuries-long war against Western civilization . . .” is simply Islamophobic. Jim Douthit can be ignored for his ignorance of history from the Crusades to the Balfour Declaration, but, sadly, not the AzDS Opinion page. To print such a mindless distortion of history prominently on the Opinion page is a disgrace and reprehensible. The AzDS Editorial Board should be ashamed of itself. Douthit can say anything he wants, but the AzDS is not obligated to print such garbage. I am not justifying Hamas, far from it, but to paint all Muslims as Hamas supporters is nonsense; it’s the equivalent to painting all Jews as supporting the annihilation of Palestinians. “In defending themselves,, they are defending our civilization”; the Poles defended Vienna without slaughtering tens of thousands of women and children.

Richard Janik

Northeast side

Vote for climate recovery

Not a week goes by without more news concerning the dire effects of climate change. Last week’s bulletin announced giant heat waves are occurring 67% more often across the globe that are lasting longer, covering larger areas, and afflicting more people with increasingly higher temperatures.

Since he took office, Biden’s administration has made great strides toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions by restoring 104 EPA protections Trump eliminated, adding more protections with stricter standards, and passing the largest climate relief package in the world with widespread investments in renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, and charging stations.

Trump’s Project 2025 paints an entirely different and devastating picture that includes increasing the use of fossil fuels as one of his top priorities, eliminating Biden’s Global Change Research Program, and replacing the current White House climate adviser with a fossil fuel advocate.

If we want a livable planet for ourselves, our children and grandchildren, our choice is clear. Every vote for Biden is a vote for climate recovery..

Lois Postil

Oro Valley

Biden is not a nice guy!

I have read a few Letters to the Editor claiming that Joe Biden is a nice guy. Not hardly. Just recently Biden stated at a Women’s history event that he had four granddaughters, leaving out granddaughter Navy. Nice guy Biden willfully kept classified materials at several locations for use in doing a $8 million book deal. He shared classified information with his ghost writer. Biden has tolerated his brother James’ ripping off others like Americorp, and his son Hunter repeatedly using his name to conduct shady deals receiving millions from our adversaries such as China and Russia. Under Mr. nice guy Biden, there have been record numbers of migrant deaths along both sides of the border. Tara Reade does not think Biden is a nice guy. She has alleged he sexually assaulted her while as a U.S. Senator. The father of murdered Laken Riley does not think Biden is a nice guy either for allowing millions to illegally enter the country. Joe Biden is not a nice guy!

Alan Jeffords

Midtown

Dubious commencement choice

Re: the April 5 article “Actor Craig T. Nelson to deliver UA commencement speech.”

Surely, with tens of thousands of alumni, a more illustrious choice for commencement speaker could have been made than a right-wing Tea Party-ite. To what will Craig T. Smith urge graduates to aspire? Promoting not paying taxes, as he told Glenn Beck? The praises of President Robbins are never a good sign.

Mary Bradshaw

Oro Valley

See the light

To get the support of anti-immigration white Christian nationalists, Donald Trump calls migrants animals who poison the blood of America.

Immigrants are human beings, not objects. Some come here to work and get an education. Others flee persecution, armed conflicts or violence. For them, America is a shining beacon of light. That has always been our promise. I have immigrant ancestors who came here from Europe and served in both World Wars. They didn’t wreck this country. Rather, they contributed to it by protecting our democracy.

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The six immigrant workers from Mexico and Central America who died in the Key Bridge collapse were doing labor essential to the Baltimore community. Hispanic workers are more likely than other racial and ethnic groups to die on the job with construction being a particularly deadly industry.

What would Jesus say to those who, under the cloak of religion, seek to objectify human beings and sow hatred? How about forgiving those you hate and opening your hearts?

Cindy Bordelon

Downtown

George Will’s voucher scam

Re: the April 8 article “Arizona is a model for school choice, and Dems aren’t happy.”

George Will’s opinion column about Arizona being a model for school choice was ignorant and grossly misinformed. He cites an average of about $7100 as the cost to the state (read “local public schools”), but that figure doesn’t take into account some of the outrageous amounts being covered for luxuries and non-essentials. Nor does it account for the massive transfer of wealth taking place from poorer taxpayers to wealthy individuals. In fact, substantial amounts of taxpayer money is now going to those who were previously paying for private schools with their own money and can now spend our money instead. Many less well-off parents are still left short by vouchers, as they can’t also afford to pay for uniforms, books and transportation. “School Choice” is a scam on taxpayers from rich rightwing backers and we need to push back against it.

Gail Kamaras

East side

Trump no underdog

A letter writer’s explanation of why #45 is now an underdog due to liberal media and the courts is pure fantasy. Because we all know he’s “The Overcat.” I’m amazed at the length this letter goes to try to tell us that the former and worst prez ever to inhabit 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. is a better person than we all know he is. His premise that because his hero hasn’t been convicted yet #45 isn’t guilty. He goes on to say that the media and liberals should have convicted Hillary and the “Biden family.” Why exactly he can’t say since they didn’t/haven’t done anything wrong. His idol has been charged with 71 felony counts that haven’t proceeded through court yet, thus the reason he hasn’t been convicted. If you are of the mind to support this man, I feel sorry that you’re being conned and still don’t realize it.

John Bingham

Northwest side

Young voters and Biden

Re: the April 8 article “Young voters spell trouble for Biden.”

Every American voter has the right to make an independent decision. However, in our archaic system with only two parties, voting against one candidate, i.e. Biden, means voting for the other, i.e., Trump. We had that dilemma before, with the Green party candidate Ralph Nader spoiling Al Gore’s chance of winning against Bush in 2000. The results were the illegal and catastrophic wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of course, criticize Biden, for instance, but would you be ready to accept a second term for Trump? Does the Generation Z even comprehend the dire consequences for themselves in that case? Book burnings, a total ban on abortions, environmental disasters, the militarization of the southern border, abandonment of Ukraine, buckling under Putin, endangerment of our public education system, etc. would all be part of Trump’s agenda. I do not believe that young people would accept all those changes in their lives, so they better vote for what they truly believe in. Pragmatic politics require some compromise, not radicalism.

Albrecht Classen

Midtown

Biden, the “cafeteria” Catholic

President Biden claims to be a practicing Catholic, yet supports issues that are contrary to the Church’s teachings. The Vatican released its Dignitas Infinita, Latin for “Infinite Dignity.” In it, the Church reaffirmed its opposition to gender theory (gender transitioning) calling it an attempt to play God. The Church is staunchly against abortion. Meanwhile, Biden staunchly supports abortion rights, even into the third trimester. He supports gender transitioning, even by children without parental consent. The same with abortion. Recently, Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington, D.C., chastised Biden for being a “cafeteria Catholic”, choosing what parts of Catholicism to adhere to. That although Biden attends Mass regularly with “great devotion”, he “steps aside” and exploits certain “hot button issues” to his political advantage. In other words, Biden has sold out his Catholic faith for political gain. I have never understood how anyone can claim to be a Catholic or of any religion, while supporting the practice of vacuum suctioning, violently ending the developing life of an innocent beautiful baby.

Ardel Francis

Northwest side

Not antisemitism

Using one’s voice to object to the slaughter and mutilation of masses of little children with 2,000 pound “dumb” bombs, is not anti-Semitic. Starving babies to death is not defending your country.

I am pro-humanity — all humanity.

Judith Hassoun

Northwest side

PACC desperately overcrowded

Industrial production/distribution of companion animals is an epic crisis; 1 million euthanized annually, overcrowding epidemics, stray populations, exhausted supporters. Narrow special interests produce and distribute animals as disposable commodities while national animal welfare orgs, hoard millions with bloated lavish executive salaries benefits and neglect legislative and media campaigns.

ASPCA with 500 million assets, CEO’s million-dollar salary, broadcasts images of shivering, suffering mill dogs as hostages for a monthly donation subscription, only 2% distributed to local shelters. Best Friends solicits for a “Craigslist Campaign” used by backyard breeders and puppy-mills against CL own policy, yet thousands of listings continue daily. Best Friends can’t get Craigslist to enforce its own policy?

HSUS complains it can’t pass legislation because American Kennel Club legislative arm opposes. With hundreds of millions in assets, HSUS’s legislative arm can’t overcome that?

Corporate and individuals: Donate to worthy local rescues and county shelters in urgent need until national orgs produce structural change instead of hoarding millions for empire building and exorbitant salaries.

Candace Charvoz Frank

West side