Book banning
A Republican member of The House Oversight and Homeland Security Committees ‘suggested’ that public libraries be replaced with ‘church-owned-alternatives.’
I shudder to think what it would be like if Public Libraries were to contain naught but the creation myths of the world’s five great religions — with only one being displayed in each of these libraries to the exclusion of the other four.
Consider: No Shakespeare. No Star Wars. No Emily Dickinson or Robert Frost.
I have recently published a book this past December (Gotham Books) which is available on Amazon. Although not worthy to be displayed among the works of Shakespeare or Cervantes — or — even as a minor work — I can rest assured that it would never grace the shelves of such a library or even reach the sitting room of The Governor of Florida.
Turbulent times indeed.
Richard Donahue
Huachuca City
Hudbay Legacy
What legacy will we leave for our children, grandchildren and future generations? Will we leave a legacy of abandoned copper mines that spew toxic dust into the air, pollute our drinking water, and ruin the views of our beautiful mountains? Will we let foreign-owned companies pump unlimited groundwater and deplete our aquifers so that there is no water left?
We cannot stand idly by while Hudbay Corporation constructs a huge open-pit mine complex in our beautiful Santa Rita mountains. The idea that we would let a foreign-owned company make millions of dollars while they pollute our groundwater, foul the air, ruin our views, deplete our water supply and walk away afterward is unconscionable!
Copper is sold on the open market like oil. It will all be shipped overseas for smelting, so this isn’t a national security issue. That’s what the mining industry would like you to believe.
Please visit SavetheScenicSantaRitas.org for information about how to fight this ‘Copper World’ abomination.
Rick Johnson, member of the Save The Scenic Santa Ritas Organization
Sahuarita
Rising Arizona gas prices
Recently, I saw an ad from Juan Ciscomani, my congressperson, blaming the Biden administration’s “Green New Deal” for rising gas prices in Arizona. Unfortunately, this argument is a sham.
In fact, according to the Center for Biological Diversity, President Biden has approved 6,430 drilling permits on public lands in his first two years in office. President Trump approved only 6,172 during his first two years. The problem is refinery production shortages, not the “Green New Deal.”
Refinery maintenance has delayed gasoline production in both the California and Texas refineries that service gasoline to the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas, respectively. These production shortfalls, along with higher oil prices, have cost us all at the pump.
No amount of propaganda or lip service given by Ciscomani will reduce gas prices in the short term. However, supporting energy independence and sustainability initiatives would be a good start. The electorate deserves real solutions, not political spin. Stop lying and start getting things done, Ciscomani.
Joshua Reilly
North side
Four more years
Thank you, President Joe Biden, for the great economic news: 253,000 jobs added, the lowest unemployment rate (3.4%) in 54 years, wages rising faster than in decades, a drop in inflation and more people (especially women) working than at any point in American history.
What does NOT matter is his age, stutters, gaffes, or polling numbers. What counts is his record of accomplishments. Biden is a proven transformational leader, fighting COVID, building our infrastructure and manufacturing, and addressing climate action with solar power.
At the border, he’s expedited asylum screenings, sent troops to support the Border Patrol, and set new rules requiring migrants to get prior authorization to reduce the number of border crossers.
He’ll protect Social Security, Medicare, voting rights, access to healthcare, public schools, and the right to safe and legal abortion.
America needs his experience, bipartisan spirit, and willingness to stand up to bullies. These reasons are why I will support Biden for four more years.
Larry Bodine
Foothills
The Republican Party
Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, has had more mass shootings in his state than anywhere else in this country. Yet, after the latest, in Allen, Texas, now he says more mental health services are needed. How can Texans get those services when Abbot cut millions from the state budget for mental health? There would be movement on gun legislation if he wasn’t in the Governor’s office. Guess what, Republicans, your choices don’t reflect America, and for the first time in my life, I think you’re done for.
Mary Bradley
Northeast side
Prop 412
Reliable, affordable electricity is critical to Tucson’s economy. That’s why Mayor Regina Romero, many other elected officials and business leaders like The Tucson Metro Chamber and Southern Arizona Leadership Council have all endorsed Prop 412.
Prop 412 will continue Tucson’s century-plus partnership with TEP and enable necessary investments in the grid to make sure our local homes and businesses continue to get the energy they need. Failure of Prop 412 will likely lead to higher electric bills and create questions about energy delivery in the future.
That kind of uncertainty is bad for business and bad for the economy.
Let’s make sure Tucson has the reliable, affordable energy our community needs. Join me in voting YES on Prop 412.
Larry Lucero, Chair of the Yes on Prop 412 Tucson campaign
Midtown
Pursuit of EVs is destructive
The Biden administration gave fast-track approval to the Hermosa Critical Minerals project in the Patagonia Mountains, located in the Coronado National Forest in Santa Cruz County. It would be a massive open pit mining project for zinc and manganese used in EV batteries. The mining would be done by an Australian firm. Currently, China controls most raw minerals used to make EV batteries, including cobalt mines in The Republic of the Congo, where these mines are destroying the environment and child labor is used. It is quite ironic that the Biden administration impedes the permitting of fracking and oil drilling operations due to environmental concerns but is now fast-tracking environmentally destructive open pit mining in Southern Arizona. Is it OK with climate change activists to pursue zero-emissions EVs, which batteries require toxic minerals obtained from destroying landscapes, adversely impacting wildlife habitat and contaminating underground water supplies? And what about the EV owners, who escape paying state and federal gasoline highway taxes, yet still drive on them?
Shaki Johnson
East side
Senate bill favors Hudbay
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has introduced legislation to allow mining companies to occupy and construct on land without having valid mineral claims. This would provide a way for Hudbay to get around the federal court decision that barred dumping on forest land without first demonstrating valid mineral rights. This bill would also prevent BLM from having a say on siting of pipelines and roads that would be needed if they were to construct Copper World. Yes, Sen. Sinema is bringing together Republicans and Democrats to solve problems, alright. Trouble is, she’s solving problems for corporations that already enjoy privileged positions at the public trough. Every time there’s a procedural delay on public lands, there’s a senator ready to rewrite the laws. The requirement for a valid mineral discovery has been in place since 1872. The already-minimal requirements of the 1872 Mining Act don’t need loosening!
Julia Fonseca
Midtown
Ciscomani doesn’t represent residents
Seniors, Veterans, sick children — these folks in our community don’t seem to matter to Rep. Juan Ciscomani — contrary to what he claims in his Newsletter, saying, “I’ll never stop fighting to ensure our courageous veterans receive the services and high-quality benefits ...”
If they did matter, he would have had enough of a backbone to reject pressure from the extreme wing of the Republican Party. But Rep. Ciscomani didn’t want to upset the MAGA apple cart!
He showed us exactly who he is: a partisan politician who is OK with voting for massive budget cuts to Medicaid, veterans’ health care, Meals on Wheels, and more, all to force an unnecessary fight against raising the debt ceiling.
Ciscomani should have a town hall in the City of Tucson and face his constituents so that he can hear how we feel about actions that deserve priority-and, vote to raise the debt ceiling without precondition!
Kathryn Salm
Midtown
