FILE - Asylum-seekers walk to a U.S. Border Patrol van after crossing the nearby border with Mexico, Tuesday Sept. 26, 2023, near Jacumba Hot Springs, Calif. Migrants continue to arrive to desert campsites along California's border with Mexico, as they await processing. Congress is discussing changes to the immigration system in exchange for providing money to Ukraine in its fight against Russia and Israel for the war with Hamas. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)
Migrants against migrants
Re: the Dec. 8 letter “Providing shelter for migrants.”
Editor,
This letter writer’s letter to the editor, in which he admonished migrants for not staying in their home country and fighting for change, left me wondering why his ancestors, who left their home country — probably Italy — and came to the United States for basically the same reasons today’s migrants come to America, didn’t stay home and “protest” their conditions?
Too many descendants of migrants want to close the door on today’s migrants that was open to their families when they migrated to America.
Dave Gallagher
Foothills
School safety
As usual, Tom Horne is behind the curve in his enthusiasm for armed police in schools. After many studies proved that armed guards do not prevent school shootings, school districts such as Denver, Minneapolis and Seattle have ended their SRO (school resource officer) programs.
Not only are SROs ineffective, they may actually do more harm than good. The National Association of School Psychologists has argued that armed guards increase student’s fears, rather than making them feel safer.
Also, studies have consistently found that SROs increase suspensions, expulsions, and arrests of students (the school-to-prison pipeline), with Black students twice as affected as white students.
Since the majority of school shooters seem to be students or former students, it would seem to make more sense to hire more school psychologists or counselors to work with troubled students to prevent shootings than to have a tired cop with a handgun trying to stop someone with an AR-15.
Kathleen Dubbs
West side
It was never about abortion
Today’s Republican party supports policies that can only be described as sadistic. A woman with an unviable pregnancy must, in their view, carry a dead or dying fetus to the bitter end, even if it makes the mother extremely ill or even kills her. An overwhelming majority rejects such cruelty, yet the GOP is intent on forcing it on us anyway. I used to wonder why the Republicans would force such policies in spite of majority opposition, but I’ve come to the conclusion that the Republicans are forcing it precisely because of majority opposition. This is a test- to see how much they can force an unwilling public to accept. If they can force us to accept such cruelty regarding abortion rights, what else can they force us to accept? If they prevail in this, don’t think they’ll stop there.
Marian Weaver
Bisbee
Jim Douthit guest opinion
Re: the Dec. 8 article “Protect the bedrock concept of freedom.”
I noticed Tucson has a local writer, Jim Douthit, who occasionally contributes opinion articles and letters to the editor. His most recent “Bedrock of Freedom.”
You should have him contribute on a regular basis because he engages your reader with interesting and controversial concepts without name-calling and “ism” accusations. He challenges us to use our minds, not our emotions, to determine how we look at our world and society.
Ken Smalley
Midtown
Christian country?!
Anyone who thinks this is a Christian country must have their head in some hole.
The carnage that our government is funding and supporting in the Middle East does not have one single Christian priest, minister, deacon or prominent laity speaking out against this genocide. Quite frankly, I think most Christians can site all the fairy tales in the ‘Old Testament’ and claim that they are true, but they do not give the slightest support to the “Love thy neighbor as they self,” that Jesus and a number of other religious leaders espouse. Christianity does not give the option to be only a part-time, special occasion practitioner.
If you are really a Christian and are upset with the lack of Christian leadership, I say stop giving in to hear-no-evil, see-no-evil, speak-no-evil churches. There are many other places where your money can actually assist people who need our support.
Vincent Allen
Northwest side
Participating in direct democracy
Only 26 states have the citizen initiative. Fortunately, Arizona is one. When a registered voter in Arizona signs a petition and a sufficient number of signatures are gathered the citizen proposed legislation or constitutional amendment appears on the next general election ballot. All voters in the state then have the opportunity to vote for or against the citizen proposal. This process is consistent with Article 2 Section 2 of the Arizona Constitution, which recognizes that “[a]ll political power is inherent in the people”. What a wonderful notion. This is democracy in action. Please seek out petition signature collectors who are working to get issues like the right to reproductive freedom enshrined in the Arizona Constitution and, if you agree with the initiative, sign it. Be part of the legislative process. It’s a great feeling.
Brenda Wexler
Midtown
12 Days of Cheer
There are still more to come, but I couldn’t wait to thank the Arizona Daily Star and the artists who gifted us readers with not only cheer but great wrapping paper. I was surprised at how well newsprint holds up as gift wrap and doesn’t rip easily. And, it’s free and biodegradable. Day 6, by Nathalie Aall of Aall Forms of Life (how perfect!), should be framed, not folded: her illustrations of desert flora and fauna are exquisite. Another, today’s Pink Eraser Project collage by Serena Rios McRae, is going to my granddaughter Bella, 15, a budding artist in Minnesota. Please make this an Arizona Daily Star annual tradition! What joy to be writing a letter of praise instead of protest! Merry Days and a bright New Year to all who contributed to 12 Days of Cheer. And may their creative gifts bring them prosperity.
Sherry Machen
Green Valley
Reply to ‘No Lack of Hypocrisy’
Re: the Dec. 9 letter “No lack of hypocrisy.”
The letter I am replying to stated that Christians are “Hypocrites” for supporting Israel and even gave a bible verse.
Well, my reply is to read your Old Testament Bible. Jews are God’s CHOSEN people and have been since the beginning of time. This verse is in Zechariah, and I will not give exact location last time I did that, my article did not get published. He who harms you harms the apple of my eye. We would do well to stay in support of Israel.
Amy Barnard
East side
Steller on free speech on campus
Re: the Dec. 10 article “Conflict shouldn’t change UA speech rules.”
Editor,
Tim Steller’s column pointing out double standards on campus regarding the issue of free speech is commendable, and it should be widely read and discussed. It reminded me of my American Government class at the U of A in the 1960s in which the outstanding professor, Dr. Clifford Lytle, defined politics thusly: “It all depends on whose ox is being gored.”
Perhaps the answer is to stop the goring and to have respect for all sentient beings.
Dave Gallagher
Foothills
War is not the answer
I’ll start by stating that in no way do I support Hamas or condone their horrific Oct. 7 attack on Israel, but it is beyond sadness and outrage that I witness Israel’s brutal revenge campaign on Gaza. I also wonder where the U.S. is in this human catastrophe. Israel’s stated claim is to eliminate, forever Hamas’ ability to ever attack Israel again. Does this pretext allow Israel’s unrelenting destruction of Gaza and indiscriminate killing of many thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians, most of whom are women and children? Is Israel perpetuating their own atrocities the answer?
Israel seems ignorant of history, human nature and reality. Rather than eliminate the threat of future attacks — unless you kill them all — Israel is obviously breeding a new generation of haters who clearly have very justifiable reasons for seeking their own revenge. So the cycle of hate, violence and revenge continues.
Stanley Steik
Midtown
Is this the country you want?
Next year you have the choice of voting for continuing Democracy by voting for Biden, or ending it by voting for Trump. If you have any doubts about what a second Trump term would entail, you need to read Project 2025 and Agenda 47. Both detail the plan to reshape the Federal Government to support the agenda of Donald Trump, which will effectively give him the power he craves. Don’t think the courts will protect us this time since the judiciary will be under the control of the Executive Branch. When Trump talks about “rooting out the vermin,” you may be surprised to find out the vermin is you. If this is the country you want and if you decide that this will be the last free election, then I guess Trump is your man. I’ve already seen my first Trump 2024 flag on a golf cart in SaddleBrooke.
Mary Zimmerman
SaddleBrooke
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