Tucson Speaks Out: January 25

Switzerland

Apparently Trump told a gathering in Switzerland that "If they had not had the United States to protect them during WWII, they would all now be speaking German." The predominant language in Switzerland is German. Do you ever wonder, as I do, whether Trump ever feels the need to check things out before talking about them? I know, I know, he is so brilliant with his magnificent IQ that he knows all. Unfortunately, he believes that, but it isn't true. His mind is warped, and his intellect is sorely lacking. This man belongs in a care home, with the shades drawn, where he can be tended to and allowed to decline into oblivion.

Philip Reinecker

East side

Peace officers

As the violence becomes worse and worse on our American streets, two thoughts come to me:

1. Whether ICE or in Police Depts., I think they should be called peace officers. A simple name change can act as a reminder to start with respect; for the uniform, for the person, for our country.

2. Our sons shouldn't be killing our sons. If so many want to fight, there are lots of places around the world needing our help.

Maybe Aretha was right! R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

Linda Rothchild

Midtown

Arizona shouldn’t ban cell-cultured protein

This is in response to “Arizona anti lab-meat bill has teeth” by Howard Fischer (Jan. 20).

I work in food system sustainability and was raised in Tucson. I was alarmed by Rep. Lupe Diaz’s anti-innovation proposal to ban the sale of cell-cultured protein in Arizona, with penalties of up to 18 months in prison.

According to public campaign finance disclosures, Rep. Diaz has received contributions from corporate animal agriculture interests. On Jan. 13, he also introduced a bill to expand the market for Arizona-produced beef, a major driver of agricultural water use in Arizona. By contrast, studies estimate that cell-cultured protein could require up to 96% less water per kilogram than conventional beef.

The effect of these misguided policies would be to limit competition and block Arizona from participating in a rapidly growing, innovative industry. At a time of historic drought, Arizona cannot afford to ban water-saving technologies.

We should encourage solutions, not criminalize them.

New Roots Institute,

Becca Rogers

Foothills

ICE prosecution

Pima County Attorney Laura Conover provided a guest opinion regarding the community’s response to ICE raids. She rebuked “a long-time local columnist,” stating, “He is implying we should meet recklessness with more recklessness, and I wanted to scream from the rooftops against that.”

In supporting blanket resistance, I believe Tim Steller is stating that we, the people, cannot possibly be informed regarding which officers are doing long-term warranted investigations and which ones are breaking the law.

What we want from our county attorney and local law enforcement is a commitment that if ICE gets out of line, their officers will be arrested, jailed and prosecuted. We will continue to observe and document to support you, but we need you to do your job.

Thanks for praying for community safety, but action to protect our constitutional rights will go far in keeping us “cool, calm and collected.”

Hannah Glasston

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Midtown

Cringeworthy

Searching for an appropriate word to describe Trump's incoherent rambling at the recent World Economic Summit, I settled on "cringeworthy". Something beyond "embarrassing" is in order. What did summit attendees think, listening to Trump blather on for 70 minutes, reiterating his Big Lie about the 2020 election (landslide win, won all seven swing states, blatant election fraud occurred, etc.) He denigrated Biden (worst president ever). Inherited a mess. Then, talk of how he can lower drug prices, maybe even 800% (huh?) by getting France to increase their drug prices. Then, on to totally incoherent remarks about housing prices and mortgages that made no sense. Throughout his speech, he repeatedly referred to Greenland as Iceland - not once, not twice, but over and over. I truly think he believes they are one and the same. Mix in a good dose of bragging and threatening force if the spirit moves him. The president of the U.S. showed the world his vast ignorance, stupidity and incompetence. We are the laughingstock of the world.

Deb Klumpp

Oro Valley

The art of the deal

Trump likes to tout himself as a savvy dealmaker. This is how it's done. First, you create a crisis, like threatening to invade Greenland and slapping illegal tariffs on our European allies. This, in turn, tanks the stock market. There is pushback all around, both domestically and abroad, so you announce you have a "concept of a framework of a deal" and you won't invade Greenland. Details to follow. Crisis is averted, and you pat yourself on the back for avoiding the crisis. Pravda, excuse me, Fox News, gushes over Trump's great deal-making. Meanwhile, Putin is thrilled overwatching Trump tearing apart NATO.

Mary Zimmerman

SaddleBrooke

Harrop column

I was disappointed to see that you ran the Wednesday, Jan. 21 column by Froma Harrop blaming absentee fathers for declining birth rates.

Harrop erroneously conflates unpaid child support with a lack of father involvement. Studies find that the majority of fathers who live separately from their children are actively and meaningfully involved in their lives. This is especially true as parenting culture now promotes 50/50 custody arrangements, and a dozen states have passed laws making equal parenting time the legal presumption.

Research finds that fathers want to pay child support but cannot afford to. Harrop leans on the “deadbeat dad” trope, while contemporary families know these men are good fathers who are—like their female co-parents — dead broke.

Moms understand what decades of social science shows: Parenting is more valuable than child support payments. Low-income single mothers increasingly choose not to file for child support, telling surveys that they do not believe payments are fair to fathers who care for and financially support their kids.

Emma Johnson

Downtown

Kennedy and flu shots

Recently, Robert Kennedy Jr. announced he was not taking flu shots anymore. His reason was that he thought his throat problem could be caused by flu shots. Since his early 40s, he has had a condition called Dysphonia, which affects his vocal cords. Medical research says that flu shots do not cause this rare disorder. However, Kennedy, in typical double-speak fashion, said he could not prove flu shots caused the disorder, but he could not rule it out either.

So he is not taking them and made sure the world knew.

One can take this logic and add a Trump spin. Many people have said that watching FOX News can lower IQ. I am skeptical of that, and there is no research to back it up. However, I cannot rule it out either. So I won't be watching FOX News because it could lower IQ.

Gary Haslett

SaddleBrooke

Open letter to Juan Ciscomani

I am writing to inform you I no longer have confidence in your leadership or your representation of our district. I have not come to this conclusion lightly. I have waited for you to make a commitment to the values and priorities you campaigned on, responsiveness, accountability, and genuine service for and to the people. Instead, I have watched as you left actions against the community by Federal Storm Troopers go unchallenged and supported the questionable actions and statements of POTUS and his regime. Elected officials earn trust through a willingness to stand up for the people they serve. I no longer see these qualities in you, and will not support you. I hope you take this message seriously, not only from one constituent but as a broader concern shared by many in our community.

Charles K. Hammond

Northeast side