President Joe Biden speaks Wednesday in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington.
Humane Society no longer humane
Re: the Aug. 27 letter “Animal adoption to euthanasia.”
During my 14 years volunteering as a dog walker, foster, and generous donor I once was proud to be associated with the Humane Society of Southern Arizona. This shelter focused on the welfare of the animals but sadly has become one that the letter writer encountered.
Last year a beloved dog Hazel was put down despite efforts to save her. No additional time was granted, no rescue group was approved, and a respected foster was denied. Although Hazel was selective about her friends, she had many. She enjoyed car rides and trips to parks. More futile efforts by myself and many others to save Hazel resulted in my being told I was no longer welcome at HSSA, a clear warning to other volunteers to not question management’s decisions.
Hazel did not deserve her fate, nor the numerous other dogs who also met their demise. Surely, it is time for the Board of Directors to investigate these tragedies and once again make animal welfare their priority.
Marge Humphreys
Foothills
Democrats need more choices
Re: the Sept. 1 letter “Election 2024.”
I must agree with the premise of this letter where he wonders why Biden is still running even though the majority of Americans do not want him to. The Republicans have a wide choice of candidates to choose from, even though Trump is currently way ahead. Where are the Democratic challengers to Biden? Fringe candidates like RFK Jr. do not count. Why aren’t mainstream candidates running? I am a Democrat, and I want a choice in our primary, like the Republicans have. I like Joe Biden, but he is obviously declining mentally, and I do not think he will be competent to complete another term. Why can’t the Democratic establishment acknowledge this and put forth some other candidates? Let us Democrats decide if we want Biden to run again and do not force him upon us.
Jeffrey Bryant
Oro Valley
Ciscomani endangers his constituents
It’s been a year since the Dobbs decision removed women’s reproductive rights, causing every woman under 50 undue stress and trauma. I’m devastated they must now undergo extraordinary measures to receive proper healthcare and I’m weary of elected officials who continue to erode their rights in every way imaginable, putting the lives of every vulnerable young girl and woman of child-bearing age at risk.
Congressman Ciscomani is among those leading the charge to ensure a woman’s right to abortion and proper reproductive care is hindered entirely.
Even though President Biden has done his best to protect the few rights we have left, Ciscomani undermined his efforts by voting to ban the use of federal funds to provide morning-after pills and even medically required abortions.
Ciscomani is doing a terrible job by endangering the well-being of his female constituents. As a woman, I demand he start looking out for us! That starts with protecting women’s reproductive rights, not destroying them.
Diana Alexander
Oro Valley
Woman killed by policeman
Re: the Sept. 2 article “Family wants officer arrested in pregnant woman’s killing.”
The family is calling for his immediate firing and prosecution. The killing was unjustifiable they say. I read the article further to learn that police stopped her because she was suspected of theft, asked, then demanded that she get out of the car. She refused and challenged the officers by “are you going to shoot me”, just prior to turning her car toward the officer and moving forward. If this is true he had no option except to retaliate, or allow himself to be run over. Do you ever wonder, as I do, how this would have turned out it she had only obeyed and gotten out of the car. Most of us would have and it probably would have ended peacefully. None of us know all the facts but why not wait until we do before causing the officer a firing or arrest.
Phil Reinecker
East side
Speaking up for a better life for all
Re: the Sept. 2 letter “Great expectations.”
The letter writer’s good idea to make our country a better place to live doesn’t have to wait for the 2024 elections. Congress has the opportunity right now to pass the American Family Act that would use tax fairness measures to cut child poverty and help families buy food and pay bills. Another piece of legislation, a renter tax credit, would slow the flow to homelessness, by insuring families with low incomes no longer pay more than 30% of their income for rent. We can speak up to our members of Congress to pass these bills now. At the same time, we can encourage a federal living wage, asking both the current president and Congress to support and pass it. Let’s act now and create a better country for all of us to live in!
Willie Dickerson
Northwest side
Who’s sorry now
Who’s sorry now?
Who made you bow
Whose life is hurtn’ for things right now
Who’s sad and blue, you know that it’s true
O how they misguided you.
Right from the start, you did your part
I tried to warn you somehow.
You voted your way, now you must pay,
I’m sad that you’re sorry now
You gave the order, opened our border
Terrorist and drugs here to stay.
Five dollar gas, gave Hunter a pass
Threw all our justice away.
Seven million here, living in fear,
Crime on the rise everywhere.
Can’t “ford to eat, can’t walk my street.
You just don’t seem to care.
So let it be, tuition is free
Home loans at 7 percent.
Inflation is here, recession is near,
Trillions already spent.
Right to the end, just like a friend
I tried to warn you somehow
You voted your way, now you must pay
I’m sad that you’re sorry now.
Tom McGorray
Northwest side
Epitaph for a species
Somewhere in the universe, eons from now, the equivalent of historians and anthropologists will study us. I suspect this will be our epitaph:
“When this big-brained primate learned to stand upright, he freed his clever hands to create many marvels that enabled him to rule his world for a time… a few millennia. Ultimately, however, his divided nature caused him to destroy the Earth, the only home he had ever known. RIP.”
Ann Shoben
Northeast side
Who should pay for avoidable TEP damages?
According to TEP they generated 8,974,000 tons of carbon during 2021. Using a conservative socio-economic cost estimate of $150/ton, that results in $1.346 billion of climate related damages to our community each year. And TEP has increased their use of natural gas to generate electricity (Gila River Power Plant) whose upstream fugitive CH4 methane emissions are even more damaging than CO2 (coal).
Those heat trapping emissions cause higher temperatures, drought, wildfires, catastrophic weather events, damage to personal and public property, downed telephone poles, exacerbate health costs, increase the need for community cooling centers and electricity usage/costs which insidiously increase TEP revenues.
These costs can be avoided by accelerating retirement of fossil fueled generation, replacement with Solar & Energy Storage/Microgrids, funded by Federal EPA/IRA funds.
Shouldn’t For Profit TEP/Canadian Fortis shareholders, not taxpayers, pay for the AVOIDABLE damages?
Terry Finefrock
Foothills
“Proud Boys” and Trump
On September 29, 2020, during the first Presidential Debate President Trump was asked whether he condemned white supremacists and military groups, Trump demurred and then said, “Proud Boys — stand back and stand by.” Shortly after, members of this violent group were posting on social media their elation calling the President’s comments “historic.” Their view was that Trump endorsed their violent methods and were bragging about a spike in new recruits. The Proud Boys led the attack on Congress on January 6, 2021 after Trump announced “And we fight. We fight like hell And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” During the invasion of the Capitol, Proud Boys were posting triumphant videos claiming victory in stopping the peaceful transfer of power. To date, Enrique Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role as the leader, Ethan Nordeen, 18-years, Biggs 17-years, Rehl, 15-years. “Stand back and Stand by” Trump, your prison time is coming.
Richard Harper
Northeast side
Marine family
As a Marine veteran of Korea, I know what family means.
While dining at The Parish this week, I had met a female Marine drill instructor who was friendly and engaging, and as Marines will do, we chatted about the Corp.
Eventually, she and her companions left. When we asked for the bill, to our surprise and pleasure, they had paid for our meal.
We don’t know who to thank by name, but “Thanks and Semper Fi”.
Bruce and Helen Oxman
Marana
Presidential libraries
I find it interesting that soon after a president leaves office his most ardent supporters are clamoring for a library to preserve all of the documents generated during their administration, there is the usual denigrating comments from those who didn’t appreciate the former leader of the free world but I can understand why the last guy wouldn’t want a dedicated archive documenting his every move while he infested/occupied the White House.
Thomas Maza
East side
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