Former President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom April 4 with his attorneys, from left, Todd Blanche, Susan Necheles, Joe Tacopina and Boris Epshteyn, during his arraignment in New York City.
Our ex-president
As a participant in the war in Vietnam as a member of the Marine Corps infantry, it disturbs me when Donald Trump disparages veterans as suckers and trivializes the contribution of true warriors such as John McCain. A trumped-up draft deferment because of a bone spur is ludicrous. Why does a large proportion of the voting population continue to support him? He has never experienced any level of depredation and cannot relate to the experience of many voters. I hope he fades from the political scene.
David Byrne
Northwest side
Ukraine abandonment
I am 82 years of age. This has allowed me to live through some truly embarrassing episodes in our country’s history; e.g., the ignominious fall of Saigon, the Taliban’s resurgence in Iraq, and — most recently — the abandonment of Afghanistan, with faithful allies hanging from the wings of the escape planes!
But now, a new low: the House of Representatives spurning aid to Ukraine. We made a great show over the past two years of support to Ukraine. We lined up our NATO allies and all blew trumpets in support. Suddenly, we have a cabal of representatives deciding to withhold support, support we have promised to the beleaguered people of Ukraine, for the sake of our immigration issues. Certainly the immigration issues need to be resolved, but NOT with the blood of those Ukrainian patriots.
Congressman Ciscomani, are you listening?
Vladimir, for once you can celebrate Christmas!
Robert Legato
East side
God’s favoritism
Just finishing reading last Sunday’s (12/10) paper. A letter writer repeated a popular lie, that Israel is God’s chosen people. Makes no sense. Why would creation favor one group of people over another? We’re all God’s children, and we’re all equal. Thinking otherwise is what brings war.
Ellis Sutton
Oracle
Another AR view
The notes from the right wing gun enthusiast shows his abject ignorance and lack of understanding and certainly compassion. I am not a gun expert, but I know that a “little” bullet can destroy or injure a life and a family; something the writer obviously cares little about.
Dee Chandler
North side
If you fear Trump, vote for Haley in primary
Editors, every day there are letters to the editor warning us of the dangers of another Trump presidency. For example on Dec. 15 letter headings included “Trump and Authoritarianism”, “Holy moly” and “Not ‘him’, but ‘us.’” Other than saying how terrible Trump is- with which I agree-the writers offer no solution to the pollsters’ predictions that Trump will win the Republican nomination and possibly the presidency.
But there is something we can do to preclude a Trump victory: register as a Republican in the primary and vote for Nikki Haley. She’s experienced, intelligent, and moderate. Not perfect. No candidate is. And remember how some Democrats advocated voting in the Republican primaries to elect the most extreme Republican candidate so the Democrat could win? How cynical. Do the opposite and vote for Nikki Haley in the Republican primary and at least place a competent and reasonable Republican on the ballot. We can do this. But if we don’t, then we’re all responsible for a Trump victory.
James Tuthill
Oro Valley
The price paid for Democracy
Voting for Trump is disrespectful to all those who paid a high price to defend our freedom. Think of the troops who stormed the beaches of Normandy to take down another dictator who also wanted to root out the vermin. There were those brave souls who marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge for justice. The Capitol Police who fought against the odds on Jan. 6 while Trump gleefully watched the carnage on TV. A brave Congresswoman from Wyoming gave up her political career to warn us not to sleepwalk into a dictatorship. Too much was given for freedom and justice to throw it away now. Don’t let Trump anywhere near the Oval Office or the nuclear codes.
Mary Zimmerman
SaddleBrooke
“Poisoning the Blood of America”
“They’re poisoning the blood of America,” Donald Trump proclaims. This statement, which is racist at it’s most basic level, reinforces the ideology of white nationalists or white supremacists in their effort to create a white only ethnic landscape in America. Trump’s angry statements serve to congeal these racist groups into a common powerful force as a way to get reelected.
We need only to reflect back to Jan. 6 to understand how Trump’s words and deeds can lead to violence and political backlash from his supporters in Congress and in the general population. A report by Rushin and Edwards identified a statistically significant surge in hate crimes subsequent to Trump’s election. Their conclusion was that Trump’s rhetoric validated hate crimes in the eyes of the perpetrators of those crimes. Trump’s hate speech doubles down on his hatred of immigrants and stirs up racist anger by further dividing our nation. His candidacy is a slap in the face to Americans and to our democracy.
Richard Harper
Northeast side
Pima County prosperity plan
Re: the Dec. 18 article “Plan seeks to tackle poverty, social ills.”
I am pleased to read of the Prosperity Plan approved by the Pima County Board of Supervisors. This plan, and more, are very needed. There is a lack of understanding of the deep and entrenched costs to poverty — homelessness, incarceration, broken families, substance abuse, crime, medical care for the under- and un-insured, lack of civic engagement, as well as the unmeasurable psychological damage of raising children in an environment that butchers ambition and potential. Let’s champion the Prosperity Plan and build on it to reverse this growing cost to society and to better our world.
Linda Dobbyn
Midtown
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