January 6th conclusions
During the final January 6th House Committee hearing, reformed Trump-supporter Rep. Liz Cheney stated unequivocally, “No man who would behave that way at that moment in time can ever serve in any position of authority in our nation again. He is unfit for any office.”
Better late than never.
It took Trump’s second chief of staff, Gen. John Kelly, almost 1½ years to finally see the light, stating, “The depths of his [Trump’s] dishonesty is astounding to me. The dishonesty, the transactional nature of every relationship, though it’s more pathetic than anything else. He is the most flawed person I have ever met in my life.”
Yet there are conservatives in government, industry, media, and “religion” who still excuse the filth of Trump-world. Are these folks reputable Americans? No. Are they qualified to vote? To hold positions of responsibility? I think not. They are citizenship failures.
Ron Rude
West side
Patriotism
To Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL): True American patriots do not waste or disregard the value of each of us and contrary to your view, “patriots to save America” are not limited to just “conservatives.” Are you saying “liberals” are not patriotic? When will you honor the patriotism of those “liberals” who served and continue to serve and even die in service around the world to protect America? America does need to be “saved” from those who refuse to practice and defend truth, honor, integrity, respect, against all comers, including the former president. McCarthyism, both the “Joseph 1950s”-type and the “Kevin 2020s”-type, and “trumpism” are alive and well in America and they need to be countered with courage now. Otherwise it will be “divided we fall.” It takes all of us to “save/secure our democracy.”
Phil Bentley
Foothills
Trump a mob boss?
How could he possibly be a mob boss (Taking a cue from Liz Cheney’s declaration)?
He birthed the mob; He suckled the mob; He nurtured the mob; He prepared the mob; He promised the mob; He convinced the mob; He summoned the mob; He gathered the mob; He deceived the mob; He incited the mob; He directed the mob; He led the mob; He delivered the mob; He delayed dismissing the mob; He thanked the mob; He praised the mob; He promised to pardon the mob.
In the end, he abandoned the mob, so how could he possibly be prosecuted as a mob boss? Impossible!
Gerald Farrington
SaddleBrooke
House of Representatives
Whether you are an Independent, Republican or Democrat, you must feel very confused and don’t understand why this discord is going on. As “Americans” I feel “united we stand and divided we fall.” I feel there are several politicians that are “in our government that aspire to influence” but are no longer standing for democracy. We need politicians from all factions who can find compromise to be united for the betterment of the American people … their neighbors.
Mary Beth Schneider
Northwest side
Crying babies
Re: the Dec. 25 article “Please ignore my screaming baby.”
So typical for travelers to selfishly think only of themselves when traveling by air in the presence of a crying child. You’d cry, too, if you couldn’t clear your eustachian tubes. The pain is real and almost unbearable. The answer is to give the child a pacifier, bottle or breast, or let an older kid chew gum. No more pain, no more crying. The so-called adults should bring their own earplugs.
Rick Howell
East side
What is woke
“Woke” seems to be the latest insult to be thrown around by some. Merriam-Webster added the word to its dictionary in 2017, defining it as, “aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).” To me, it can stand for wisdom, organization or openness, kindness, and equity, and it’s something to be proud of.
Sharon Johnson
Northwest side
Hobbs hates vouchers
Arizona now has the most progressive school funding program in the country, having open voucher legislation. Our state is an incubator of democracy and others will follow if we succeed.
Newly elected Gov. Hobbs’ budget request would terminate vouchers. Why is she so afraid of providing our families with options? There are two answers: she’s bowing to the massive public school voting bloc that elected her and that our failed public school systems, in both academics and cost, can’t stand up to competition.
Whatever your opinions about this letter we can all certainly agree that education always begins in the home.
Jeffrey McConnell
West side
Civility
What a pleasure to watch the Australian Open tennis tournament, indeed most tennis tournaments. Both winners and losers congratulate each other. No accusations of cheating, threats of retaliation, physical altercations. Opponents are gracious in victory or defeat and quietly exit the court, waving to the fans.
Hearts may be temporarily broken, but resolve is dedication to self-improvement and the next competition.
Why can’t politicians be more like them?
Susan VonKersburg
Northeast side
Invasive grasses
Today, while driving down Swan Road between Skyline and Sunrise Drive, I saw the crew of a private landscaping company trimming vegetation along this public roadside.
All along this stretch of Swan Road there are thick infestations of Buffelgrass — a picture seen all over the greater Tucson Valley.
None of this noxious grass along this roadside was touch/removed by the crew. It is obvious the government entity paying for this service did not make the proper removal of noxious grasses an emphasis/priority of the work.
This is another example of the apathetic, laissez faire attitude our local governments and the USFS have towards this invasive plant which threatens property and the diversity of our lovely Sonoran Desert.
Lee Cooper
Foothills
Profits, anyone?
When increases in corporate taxes are discussed, counter arguments always assume that customer costs will go up and wage increases for workers will be delayed.
Why is it that no one mentions that those two could be unaffected if profits were reduced? The hidden assumption in the usual discussion is that corporations (want to/need to/are entitled to) — take your pick — maintain their profit margins.
Barbara Hall
Midtown
Fire Bill Walton
Bill Walton needs to go. He injects individual opinions, instead of calling the game.
Being biased is one thing, but to berate teams for having a bad game has gone on too long. And now he’s throwing darts at athletes.
“Kerr Kriisa — send him home to the Baltics” isn’t what a color commentator should be saying about any college athlete. I don’t think he really thought about what he said or even why he said it. College athletes will try to get in their opponent’s head by posting stuff and it sometimes backfires.
ESPN has a few biased announcers, but for Walton to take a side, isn’t what he’s getting paid for. Walton hasn’t apologized for what he said.
I know it’s time for ESPN to send Walton home to go hug a cactus.
Alan Brizee
East side
Old Glory
Over the past several years, I’ve noticed more and more unserviceable U.S. flags flying all over town. Please, if you’re going to fly the “Stars and Stripes,” fly it properly. And remember, size is not everything. There’s a super-sized flag on Speedway that’s starting to tatter on one end. It’s much more patriotic to fly a standard or storm-sized flag that’s serviceable than to fly a behemoth that’s starting to fray.
Not far from where I live, there’s an Elks Lodge currently flying a flag that looks like it’s been partially trapped in a woodchipper. The American Legion will properly dispose of a worn out or damaged U.S. flag. Please take advantage of this wonderful resource, we currently have 12 chapters in Pima County.
Connie Brannock
Midtown
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