Val is not the man for the job
Re: the Oct. 18 article “Thoughts on public safety in Tucson.”
In his recent contribution regarding public safety in Tucson, City Council candidate Val Romero apparently believes “the image of law enforcement is suffering nationally after certain highly publicized incidents occurred that put excessive blame on enforcement officers.” That sentence alone disqualifies him from consideration for elective office, as it appears he has no understanding of what various minority communities have had to deal with at the hands of the police for many decades. The police officers in question deserved every bit of blame for those high-profile incidents, and those were just the tip of the iceberg! Black, brown, gay, lesbian, transgender — all have suffered from police mistreatment from coast to coast.
While I was excited to see someone taking on the unpopular incumbent in this race, Val Romero is the wrong man at the wrong time. I’ll have to sit this one out.
Robert Hansen
West side
Recall Sinema?
Once upon a time in this state, people rose up in sheer disgust at their governor, Evan Mecham. They started a recall petition, which was ultimately signed by more people than voted for him in the first place.
Fast forward to today, when we have a senator who proudly, gleefully betrays the people who put her where she is. So here’s a question — if we can recall a governor, can we recall a senator? Asking for a few hundred thousand friends.
Marian Weaver
Sierra Vista
Cover the canal
I have driven past the the Central Arizona Project (CAP canal) many times. I bet many other readers have, too.
Every time I do I wonder why is the canal uncovered for hundreds of miles so enormous amounts of water just evaporate? Is Arizona not facing water supply problems? The canal should be covered!
Jeffrey Dean
Northwest side
Don’t let politicians prescribe our medicines
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause distress for parents across Arizona and the globe. How do I protect my children? Do I send them to school? What about the vaccine? Having to worry about more than my own health during such an uncertain time has been absolutely terrifying and very overwhelming.
It is concerning to hear that some proposed policies in Washington, DC could threaten access to medication for patients.
Creating lower healthcare costs is important, but the problem lies in how Congress is attempting to do it. By implementing government price-setting policies like Medicare negotiation, Washington politicians could threaten which medications doctors can prescribe and patients can access. In countries like Canada and Germany that have similar laws, patients have access to fewer medications and are subject to longer wait-times for treatments.
I hope that Congress protects everyone’s access to medication and rejects the Medicare changes under consideration.
Emily Ramos
Foothills
Why isn’t Sen. Kyrsten Sinema a hero?
GOP Sen. Jeff Flake goes against his party policy, Democrats cheered.
GOP Sen. John McCain goes against his party policy and he is a maverick.
GOP-appointed Chief Justice John Roberts votes in favor of the Affordable Care Act and he’s a hero.
Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema displays bipartisanship in denying Democrats’ desire to suspend the Senate filibuster and she’s vilified by her party followers and accosted in a restroom.
Wondering why she isn’t also a hero?
Tom Peña
Oro Valley
What the difference really is
Re: the Oct. 24 article “Unvaxxed couple tells of COVID-19’s ferocity.”
Kudos to Patty Machelor for the story on the Tucson couple’s frightening battle with COVID-19. Kudos also to the Masons for sharing their story. As the article pointed out, many people with vaccine hesitancy have expressed the belief that “there is something different” about this new vaccine that makes them leery of it. This despite the fact they have embraced many other vaccines, flu shots, pneumonia shots, etc. and that there is plenty of scientific proof that the vaccine is safe and very effective. What makes people think this vaccine is “different?” The belief in “different” stems from Republicans, including ex-president Trump, sowing and nurturing distrust in the vaccine, encouraging conspiracy theories and spreading gross misinformation about COVID and the vaccine. (Never mind that most of them quietly got vaccinated). It stems from not doing your own fact-finding from credible sources. That is the difference, tragically a very dangerous and in many cases, deadly difference.
Deb Klumpp
Oro Valley
Speedy recovery, Huckelberry
Re: the Oct. 24 article “Huckelberry critically injured in bike crash.”
I was very sorry to read in this paper that Chuck Huckelberry, Pima County administrator, was recently critically injured when a car hit his bicycle in downtown Tucson. It brings to mind countless bicyclists and pedestrians who have suffered similar serious and even fatal accidents here in this car-centric city.
Tucson is marred and financially strapped in obsolete, decades-old, labyrinthine highway construction projects that have their fossil-fueled roots in a pre-climate crisis past. During recent years, the already collision-prone streets have been further twisted and exploded into orange-coned obstacle courses ruled by frustration and road rage.
In areas of Europe, like Holland, cars are considered obsolete. Bicycles and public transportation are the norm. Due to global warming, some cities such as London charge drivers steep fees for driving within city limits.
The irony of this bicycle-versus-vehicle tragedy is that Tucson’s beloved Loop is named after Chuck Huckelberry. I send him wishes for a speedy recovery.
Susana Manzana
Downtown
The grim numbers just keep climbing
Re: the Oct. 21 article “Ducey calls Tucson vax rule illegal.”
There was more than a little irony in the Oct. 21st edition of the Star that the headline “Ducey calls Tucson vax rule illegal” was placed directly above the daily toll of COVID-19 in Arizona. I have no idea what the governor’s motivation is, whether it is appealing to Trump’s anti-vax base, or a just plain mean spirit, but his handling of this public health crisis has been abysmal. I don’t know for sure, but I bet the Ducey family have received their shots. Whatever Ducey’s motivation, the ghastly and deadly numbers of new cases and deaths just keeps going up and up every day.
Mary Zimmerman
SaddleBrooke
Vaccines are your armor
One argument given by first responders against vaccine mandates is they were on the job serving the public without a vaccine, therefore why a mandate now? Well, we thank you for your sacrifice and service for a job well done, but vaccines weren’t available. Now, just as we send our soldiers and Marines into battle with body armor, vaccines are the armor to keep you safe and on the job.
Robert Fabio
Southeast side
