Heed warnings on climate
Re: the Oct. 13 article “Ignoring the costs of climate change is inexcusable.”
Professor Pickrell’s article was informative on the risk of inaction on the hazards of climate change. It is imperative that local and national governments address the dangers in a scientific manner. ACC chair Lea Marquez Peterson’s scatter plan approach to appease everyone is not a solution. We need to heed the warnings from the last few years and act with deliberate haste.
Elias Toubassi
East side
We need more forest restoration on public lands
Arizona’s landscape evolved with frequent low-intensity fires, but a century of fire suppression has turned too many hillsides into matchboxes.
We need safe reintroduction of prescribed fire and thinning forest ecosystems to make them better able to withstand the impacts of increasing forest fires. As a hunter and angler, we need to get moving to protect our public lands and the habitat that supports wildlife. Forest projects that protect communities and our natural resources, such as repairing road culverts, thinning forests and restoring watersheds, are critical. This is the work needed now to address drought, floods, and fires, and prevent wildlife populations from withering away. For example, by recovering meadows and strengthening riparian areas, not only do we keep water colder for native trout, but we also provide a natural fuel break against intense fire and store water for late-season irrigation needs. In an age of unnaturally intense wildfires, forest management can play a vital role in keeping communities safe.
Cyndi Ruehl
North side
Who?
He used the concept of the “Big Lie” in his effort to return to power. He encouraged violence from his followers. He admired and praised many dictators. He aligned himself with other despots. He viewed himself as a genius, smarter than virtually everyone else. He suppressed participation and opposition by those who did not share his views. He stigmatized and marginalized minorities.
I’m referring, of course, to Adolf Hitler.
Did you think I was referring to a more modern tyrant?
Barry Corey
Foothills
Congress shouldn’t act like COVID is gone
The CDC is reporting that nearly one in five Americans who had COVID are still showing signs of “long COVID,” and I am part of that statistic.
Even having been vaccinated, I have contracted COVID, not once — but four times, and I have not been able to regain my sense of taste or smell.
For patients like me, there are still a lot of unknowns, and I am dependent on any new treatments uncovered from the pharmaceutical industry.
Given the heavy focus from our federal government on finding vaccinations when this virus first broke out, I thought that this same mindset would continue as more patients like me continued to show lingering symptoms.
I was upset to see instead that Congress put treatment research on the backburner by passing price-setting policies in the Inflation Reduction Act. While the pandemic and its impact might be over for them, it is not for everyone.
Carly Verdarame
Oro Valley
The 2024 campaign now begins — beware
We’re being led to believe that the elections are over. False. They’ve just begun — written Monday, I’m guessing Trump has just anointed himself Ruler for Life, as did his best friend across the world. Political ads will most likely begin on Thanksgiving. The two leading contenders both claim to be the anointed “savior” of God, more like Satan and the Antichrist, your choice. Both men adjoin Atheism. Neither is religious, but for the sake of politicking: the prize — Naive Evangelicals. Vote your heart, not your religion.
Both candidates are loud-mouthed hucksters who speak fast and furiously so no one else can get a word in edgewise. Neither man is very good at pushing facts — just the opposite. Trump has a slight advantage in mendacity. And we will hear from them every day.
I am disturbed that the so-called “liberal media” seems to be unaware they aided Trump’s election in 2016 (and almost 2020) by airing every campaign speech he made and few of Hillary Clinton’s or Joe Biden’s.
Sheldon Metz
Northeast side
Prosecute the right person
Re: the Nov 7 letter “Prosecute Biden.”
What evidence is there? To consider prosecuting him for alleged unproven lies? Why not prosecute someone who tried to overturn a legally approved election verdict?
A former president that allowed (and instigated) a mob to stop and try to kill his vice president (with a gallows) from certifying the election. Storming and destroying part of the U.S. Capitol building and find and kill Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others. Groups of terrorists hurt some police officers who were protecting the Capitol.
This is a president who was trying to undo and change our system of democratic voting and creating election deniers that, with all evidence to the contrary, continue to believe a lie. This is a definition of a traitor, that should be prosecuted and imprisoned.
Peter Strauss
Marana
Citizens for Sanity
A few years ago I canceled my subscription to the Star. I did this because I object to some of the advertising that the Star publishes. I objected to gun show ads featuring an AR15, an American flag and a “Children Under 12 Free” statement. Today, I picked up a copy of the Star and found a half-page ad about Mark Kelly, credited to Citizens for Sanity. This organization is very far right with associations with people like Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn and many pro-Trump characters. They run ads depicting immigrants as “drug dealers, sex traffickers, and violent predators.” They refer to African Americans as “hardened criminals.” What is next? Ads for The Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, the KKK, the NRA? I believe in freedom of the press but there has to be some standards. Shame on the Star for taking money from such a disgusting organization. This is not a paper that I can support. This is not who we are as a community.
Terry Etherton
Downtown
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