Arizona men’s basketball player Filip Borovicanin sprawls out in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokek, Israel, as the UA team’s traveling party makes its way through parts of Israel for its Summer 2023 Mideast tour. Coming Monday: the Wildcats’ first game action of the tour, with an exhibition matchup scheduled for 9 a.m. Arizona time.
Fascism’s symptoms
Since there is a close association between psychopathy and fascist leaders, the most insidious aspect of fascism is that its leader’s psychopathic vices like deception, hate, violence and vengeance are normalized and rationalized by fascist propaganda. Followers adopt these vices as a means to save the country (or so they’re told). A once placid society becomes a hellscape of deviant behavior. Fascism becomes the new truth (which is now based on emotion rather than facts). The old fact-based truth becomes evil and is disregarded. Much of this has already happened in the US. The existing regime is viewed as totally corrupt and must be torn down. Fascism is seen as the savior of the nation, even though it’s not seen as fascism by its acolytes. It’s seen as the new patriotism; the new 1776 moment. It’s not, and it should be a warning sign, a red flag. We ignore symptoms at our own peril.
Steve Rasmussen
Foothills
Congress
An open letter to our elected officials and the people,
As our elected officials, you are tasked with making laws that are for all the people of the country. All either party does is blame the other on almost every matter concerning the well-being of the people and the country. States passing laws that are restrictive to voting rights, abortion, common decency. Immigration laws have not been fixed in the last 25 years.
SCOTUS-elected judges that lied at their confirmation hearing are not impeached. Laws standing for over 50 years changed, even with 60-70% of the country wanting them to remain. Judges accept gifts and do not report receiving them. No ethics requirements for the highest court in the land. Congress refuses to compromise and pass guidelines.
We can change things back the way our country was meant to act. Remember, our country was formed to be “BY The People For The People”. Time we changed it back.
Hal Brown
East side
Incorrectly stored documents
Re: the Aug. 1 letter “Trump documents.”
Well, ‘letter writer,’ in your reply to a July 22 letter, you stated you “think” the writer “is assuming ALL the boxes of papers are classified documents,” which YOU “expect is not the case.”
You’re making YOUR case by “thinking” the letter writer was making assumptions; then make your own: “I am assuming the other boxes of papers in the unsecured locations are not classified.”
The Justice Department has verified there were classified documents in those unsecured locations. AND some were shared by him with unauthorized individuals.
Do you “assume” the DOJ is just beating up on your man? In attempting to compare Trump’s actions to maintain control of classified documents after being requested to turn them over, you disregarded what former Vice President Pence and President Biden both did when asked, THEY DID SO. Trump attempted to hold on to those documents even after a subpoena was issued! There is no comparison between his actions and those of others who might well have had documents incorrectly stored.
John Roldan
West side
School vouchers
Re: the Aug. 8 letter “Voucher insanity.”
This prompted me to do some research of my own. The average voucher in Arizona is reported as $7,200. The average private school cost is reported as $9,770 for Elementary Schools and $13,854 for high schools. With the vouchers, that leaves $2,570 or $6,654 for parents to pay for each enrolled child. With 42% of students attending schools that qualify for the free or reduced lunch program, it is unrealistic to believe these families at or near the poverty level can afford these costs. Is it any wonder that the vast majority of the voucher money goes to families in the wealthiest zip codes? The claims of parental choice of schools for all seems to ring hollow when looking at the actual program.
Jack Garner
Southeast side
T
EP rate increase
Re: the Aug. 19 article “TEP home bills are going up. Here’s how much.”
I find TEP President and CEO Susan Gray’s plea for sympathy over a nearly 10% risk-free return troubling. It’s essential to recognize that the parent company, Fortis Inc., is a foreign entity, and such profits primarily leave Tucson. Rather than yielding to demands that further impoverish our community, why not consider a locally-owned utility cooperative model? Such a conversion isn’t a left or right issue; it’s about economic self-determination and sustainability, keeping profits with the people of Tucson, fostering local innovation, and resisting a profit-driven approach that siphons wealth away. Let’s prioritize what’s best for our community, not foreign rentiers.
Jeffrey Anthony
Midtown
Gentleman?
The editorial pages boil over with indictments of one group/political point of view or position after another.
How we address one another is important; dignity and respect go a long way in promoting useful communication.
The use of the word gentleman in describing a perpetrator of a criminal act devalues the concept itself. The murderer, rapist, arsonist is certainly not a gentleman. Reporters in print and on television frequently use the word as in “the FBI apprehended the gentleman.” Lazy and thoughtless. Perhaps a minor observation, but it does diminish the concept — one our society needs more than ever.
Tom Knox
Northeast side
Thanks for covering Cats’ trip to Mideast
Kudos to Bruce Pascoe for his coverage of the men’s basketball team’s trip to the Mideast. He brings to life the places the group is visiting and paints a compelling picture of the complicated and awe-inspiring clash of religions and cultures that is Israel. No matter one’s beliefs or absence of beliefs, the Wildcats are getting to experience places and people that truly are, as Mr. Pascoe writes, “ life-changing.”
Marcy Tigerman
Midtown
Abortion outlined
Re: the Aug. 13 article “To change abortion, change sexual culture.”
This problem has nothing to do with “love, sex, rape,” nor of sexual culture. Unless THAT approach to the abortion question is eliminated, opposition will remain because no one knows whereof they speak!
The public MUST understand that this “medical procedure” is not only for eliminating pregnancy, nor does it deal in religious beliefs, nor is it just about males keeping it zipped up!
All of the above will be considered, and some should move to correct personal actions. But, nothing said OR done will stop rape or incest, which are nothing but deranged male satisfaction.
Medical facts and the necessities of health care for females MUST be outlined, or be graphically described, if need be! Medical reality MUST explain that similar “surgical procedures” (to abortion) are necessary to solve other problems … anything from simple D & C to immediate life-saving intervention due to complicated situations regarding pregnancy, any time between conception and term. This is medical care for females, not a discussion for permission to perform by anyone else.
Elaine Cummings
Northwest side
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