Immigration needs solution
Re: the May 20 article “Arizonans quitting jobs at high rate.”
Instead of screaming about undocumented immigrants crossing the border in droves and building a wall, please write to your senators and ask them to fix the immigration problem. They spend so much time on negatives without coming up with solutions. Surely there is a way to change our immigration policies to help bring in the workforce we appear to need. The May 20 issue of the Star stated people were leaving their jobs for better pay and it is evident everywhere you go we need the workers. They would rather scare us than come up with solutions.
I am an immigrant, a legal one who came to this country in 1969 with my widowed mother and two younger brothers. People are willing to come legally if given the chance.
Patricia Newman
Marana
Sinema needs to act now
I understand that Sen. Kyrsten Sinema supports abortion rights. The right to choose. The right to be in charge of our own bodies. The right to make our own health-care decisions. The right to not bring a child into the world if we’re not ready or able. The senator needs to protect that right. She needs to do whatever it takes. Because there is too much at stake if she doesn’t. I urge Sinema to be our hero! She will not win any points supporting Republicans; they will not support her. And obviously, way more important, she will cost millions of people their human rights. I urge her to act now and do the right thing; it’s urgent and we are counting on her.
Serena Mendoza
West side
Baby formula
As an 80-year-old “Carnation Baby,” I can recommend the homemade formula. My mother was unable to breastfeed when she went to work at Precision Casting in Cleveland during WWII. There was no such thing as “nursing stations” in those days. So I was fed the Carnation formula, which is: 12 ounces of evaporated milk, 18 ounces of boiled water and 2 tablespoons of corn syrup. This and other formulas can be Googled online. It must have been good for me because I have outlived my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, who died at earlier ages.
Sandi Bunker
Foothills
We are not the Virgin Mary
God did not see fit to have a woman create a child by herself. Therefore, if abortion is no longer an option, an additional law is required. All males, living in, or visiting the U.S., 13 years of age or older, must submit their DNA to a government database. So when a child is born, it will be clear who will cover the costs of living, including medical and educational expenses.
That should also lower the cases of incest and rape, as those men will be in jail.
FM (Frances) Westra, former Pima County C.A.S.A. 1998-2008
East side
Abraham joins water dialog
Re: the May 18 article “The case for water conservation.”
I applaud state Rep. Morgan Abraham for his article here last week. In it, he maintains “we are not going to have enough water in Arizona in the future based on our current uses and projected growth.” I agree.
Abraham writes that conservation (think drip irrigation) is much preferred over costly augmentation (think water piped in from the Columbia River). But there is a third challenge he does not mention, i.e., coming to terms with our long-held economic growth assumptions here in the desert.
More growth wanted means more water needed. Can we have both traditional growth and still have water for the generations to come? Basic math makes that outcome unlikely. The way forward is not clear. And questions abound.
Let’s encourage our other elected officials to make public where they stand now.
Richard Kaiser
Midtown
Build your own success
Historically, education has been the key to a successful life. If there is such a thing as “replacement theory,” it is because minorities and women have taken advantage of educational opportunities availed to them. This has allowed them to attain the skills and temperament needed for a good job and a quality life. If we white males are worried about losing our influence we would be best served to take advantage of our own educational opportunities rather than try to take this success away from others.
Craig Wunderlich
West side
Blaming Biden
Re: the May 21 letter “USA, Third-World country?”
I want to blame everything on Joe Biden. Isn’t it obvious he’s responsible for everything? Evidence? Doesn’t matter. I think what I’m told. Facts and reality are of no concern to me. Fear, hate and ignorance are what motivate me. I’m in lockstep with my great leader, that self-serving, corrupt and incompetent liar who trashed the Constitution and tried his best to steal a free and fair election. My guy is a traitor, but so what, Biden is worse. I fully endorse the GOP, even if they don’t stand for anything but grievance, lies and hypocrisy. I’m all for the party of NO-NO platform, NO plan for dealing with any of the crises that face us. Doesn’t matter because it’s all Joe’s fault. I’m a privileged white guy who fears his entitlement is being threatened every day. Who is the useful idiot?
Stanley Steik
Midtown
A different world
Re: the May 20 article “Memories of growing up in a ‘neighborhood.’”
I can only echo Paul Simon’s memories of growing up in Pittsburgh. My neighborhood was filled with kids and we played outdoors or travelled freely throughout the city. I remember taking the 73 streetcar on my own numerous times down to the Carnegie Museum on Saturdays then walking across the plaza to Forbes Field to watch Roberto Clemente perform his magic on the baseball diamond. On many days when I walked home from school, I would be greeted with a friendly hello by television’s Mr. Rogers who lived a block away. We live in a much different world today, sadly.
Charles Schultz
Northeast side
The death of public health
I think the passage of the latest two bills by our Legislature and signed by Gov. Doug Ducey has undermined all future efforts to assure effective public health for the citizens of Arizona. Banning ever requiring COVID vaccinations for school attendance and banning any state or local agency from ever requiring face masks again for COVID mitigation is nuts. Forever is a long time. There will be absolute chaos the next time a severe wave of COVID (or its next incarnation) comes along without effective public-health measures. Politics should not dictate our public health. I’m just sick of this!
James Vavra
SaddleBrooke
Abortion and Catholic Church
The Catholic Church has taken the stance that Nancy Pelosi may not receive communion because of her position on abortion. Are they taking the same stance for pedophile priests?
Maureen O’Brien Salz
Oro Valley
Political letters
It is easy to deflect criticism of President Joe Biden by bringing up President Donald Trump in the conversation.
Biden (oh, I forgot it’s “President Joe Biden” unlike just “Trump”) stands alone in answering for his performance since being in office. President Donald Trump is not germane to the conversation unless of course you can’t defend the criticism rationally.
It’s like saying “yes, my son failed chemistry, but the kid next to him failed it worse.”
Fact: Your son failed chemistry.
Charles Nedrow
Northwest side
I will still vote for AZ Republicans
I am a Republican and I intend to vote that way in the November national and state elections. Yes, the Arizona Legislature has some odd Republican characters making proposals that I do not necessarily agree with. But, I will not vote for Democrats to take control over this state. Yes, they will provide more funding to schools and teachers, but that does not necessarily translate into better education. I do not want more divisive CRT, gender neutrality and transgenderism taught in schools. I do not want the “Stand Your Ground” self-defense law to be replaced with having to flee first. I do not want concealed carry laws eliminated and punitive firearms restrictions placed on law-abiding gun owners. I do not want a progressive attorney general who puts the well being of criminals over victims. I do not want state legislation legalizing abortions beyond 12 weeks. I do not want my taxes raised. To my knowledge, no state Republican legislator has proposed halting physically turning out to vote.
Darrin Styles
Midtown
Who’s the traitor?
Re: the May 21 letter “USA, Third-World country?”
Without offering an opinion of any reasons or justifications, the letter claimed President Joe Biden and his administration are “deliberately destroying the USA” and should be tried for treason for betraying oath of office to uphold the Constitution. I can think of no one more treasonous or guilty of such betrayal of office than Donald Trump. What does the letter writer think should be a proper punishment for Trump for telling Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger to find 11,780 votes (this on tape)? What punishment fits for inciting a deadly insurrection for the purpose of overturning a free and fair election? Talk about treason! What should happen to a person who has worked nonstop to destroy our election system by telling lies over and over about election fraud? What about being Vladimir Putin’s very useful and willing idiot (recall Helsinki)? Insert “Trump” wherever “Biden” appears in the letter and you have something that makes sense.
Deb Klumpp
Oro Valley
Visual statement
Re: the May 18 Editorial cartoon by Dave Whamond.
That cartoon was a bull’s eye on the destructiveness of our modern gun laws. The cartoon expressing the dismay of a police officer with the line “Sir, we’ve tried sending in thoughts and prayers but it’s not working! Should we try to take away his gun?” perfectly aligns the tragedy of this situation of mass killings out of control and puts a light on the political madness behind it. I’ve rarely seen such a powerfully conceived cartoon. Restrictions on guns to those who’ve shown interest in causing harm before or clear potential for that? Beats “thoughts and prayers”!
Richard Broderick
Vail
