Tucson Speaks Out: Sept. 4 letters of the day

Double standard on moral infidelity

I frequently read letters here from liberal progressives complaining about Trump's moral failings for sowing his wild oats thirty to forty years ago. However, I never see any mention of Kamala Harris' history. The 29-year-old law school grad moved to San Francisco and immediately began sleeping with Willie Brown, the married 61-year-old mayor of the city. He details their affair in his autobiography and explains how he gave her several lucrative positions in the San Francisco city government. She parlayed this into her climb up the political establishment in the Bay Area. It makes me wonder who else she slept with for political purposes. Trump supposedly slept with porn stars and beauty queens, but Kamala slept with politicians who could help her career. How can we elect a woman who used her body for political purposes? Feminists should be outraged.

Richard Solsten

Foothills

Fa'a Samoa

It's wonderful that college football season has begun and wonderful to see Arizona Coach Brennan and others wearing the traditional Samoan ula (oo - rhymes with moo - + lah), not lei as the game announcers referred to them.

Having lived and worked in Pago Pago, American Samoa, for six years, I had the opportunity to wear many an ula, of leaves or flowers or both.

And when one arrives on the island, he/she is welcomed with a flower ula. When departing for good, the presented ula is made of something permanent: seashells.

This fa'a Samoa — in the Samoan way — is a lovely tradition.

Camille Gannon

West side

Wildcat football on TV

Almost 4 1/2 hours! There was a bit of football sprinkled amongst a parade of commercial after commercial after commercial. Disgusting. I feel bad for people at the game, sitting on hard seats and twiddling their thumbs waiting for the ESPN stage manager (the guy with the big orange mittens) to give the signal for "action". At least at home I can go to the fridge, use the bathroom, read a few chapters in a book, watch a movie. I will not be attending a game at the stadium.

William Russell

Foothills

Palo Verde Park closure and library closures

I live in the Palo Verde Park neighborhood, near Wilmot and Broadway. With zero notification or input from our neighborhood, the City of Tucson has fenced off and closed the park for "renovations," which will take approximately 10 months. This could easily and obviously have been achieved with just partial closure doing the project in quadrants. Just plain bad planning.

On libraries: Tucson has a free, seldom-used streetcar line and a free bus system, yet we are considering closing libraries because of lack of staffing. I have an idea: shut down the streetcar and shift those employees to library staff. If there was ever an institution worth preserving it is the library system. The downtown library is an absolute gem and should be considered untouchable. Preserve our parks and libraries!

Dan Egan

East side

How will Trump pay for universal IVF

No problem with financing universal IVF! Because he is so astute with government financing, he will lump domestic funding with foreign funding and come up with more than enough money to cover this big-ticket item.

If you ask him, he will come up with a one-word funding source ... Mexico. IVF funding will be covered by our neighbors to the south.

When Trump talks anything is possible!

Albert (Bert) Hanson

Northwest side

Political illumination

Kudos for the satirical Trump Illuminated tabletop tree ad. Some suggestions for the new Hamilton Irony Collection.

Josh Hawley Running Shoes. As lightweight and flexible as your ethics. Incite insurrectionists in the morning with a fist pump and then strap on these sprinters as you escape the mob you incited in the afternoon. The perfect workout! Includes optional Rachel Jones stilettos and Juan Ciscomani cowboy heels to add stature for those short on morals.

Supreme Court Puppet Collection. Hollow heads of your favorite Supremes— Thomas, Alito and Gorsuch — hanging by a thread, much like the Constitution they claim to cherish.

The Insurrectionist Home Makeover. The ultimate MAGA-themed extravaganza. Hundreds of crazed non-voters storm your home dressed like contestants for Let’s Make a Deal. You will be amazed as they build gallows on your front lawn, smash windows, smear excrement on your walls and play hide-and-seek with Mike Pence.

Get it now for only three easy payments of “Are you kidding me?”

Jim Lombardo

Oro Valley

Exploiting our heroes

Donald Trump has demonstrated once again that he has no sense of honor or appreciation for the sacrifices made by our men and women in the military. He hauled a camera crew to Arlington National Cemetery and dishonored the graves of war heroes. It was deeply shocking.

Section 60 is the resting place of men and women who recently died for our country. For a former president to visit those graves is appropriate. But to use the occasion to generate a political ad is highly inappropriate. He and his team knew photos and videos were not allowed, but he disgraced a sacred place anyway.

Do not become complacent with his antics. He is a dangerous man who can never again be our Commander in Chief.

Lois Postil

Oro Valley

Cut the consultant, not the library

Please do not close our libraries! The main library is in some ways the heart of downtown, I often work there and have held meetings in the library rooms. If I am working remotely downtown, it's hard to hold a meeting in a coffee shop but it's quite easy in the library if you grab a room. And there are books! Valuable and entertaining books, and when my children were small the main library was a favorite stop.

Libraries are one of the few remaining places where we are all welcome, and all equal. It is perfectly all right with me if unhoused people find refuge in a place of books, cool off and are treated with humanity, and can access computers to login to important social services — its impossible today to gain services without a computer!

Maybe we should cut the consultants, instead.

Golda Velez

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North side

Kelly Presnell is UA football 12th man

The Wildcats might not go all the way this year, but this new conference season will be a memorable one no matter what happens — because Star photographer Kelly Presnell will make it so. Did you stop and look at his images from the Lobos game? Almost any one of them would be front-page sports section in any paper in the country, that’s how good they are. It’s almost mind-boggling how many spot-on peak action moments Presnell made. Sure, there’s a lot to photograph in a 100-point game, but likely few photographers in the country who could match the sheer number of superb photographs Kelly made that night. I couldn’t be there, but Presnell delivered the next best thing. Kudos to you Kelly; we’re all the beneficiaries of your rare talent.

Rick Rappaport

Oro Valley

Kamala's alleged flip-flops

Let’s put the flip-flop charge against Kamala Harris regarding fracking (and other issues) to rest. Why did she reverse her opinion on fracking? Because although climate change is a very serious issue that demands a high priority, she realized that the economic problems of Pennsylvania citizens demand a higher prioritization. Dictatorial mandates in a pluralistic and democratic society should give way to compromise of bipartisan fellowship. Compromise is not a dirty word that signifies flip-flopping, but rather reflects a mature and pragmatic approach to complex issues. As to being true to her values, Harris understands that we as a society and governing body can and will find alternative ways to address the pressing issue of global warming.

Joe Aguanno

West side

Lea Marquez Peterson for re-election to ACC

I am a Tucson native and I am interested in energy issues in Arizona. My family and I understand that Arizona needs to transition to energy diversity with less reliance on fossil fuels, and Arizona needs to take an educated and thoughtful approach to our energy decisions so we can avoid problems, for example the rolling blackouts of California. We need common-sense energy regulators on our Arizona Corporation Commission to meet these goals and I want good representation from a commissioner who understands Southern Arizona, is a resident of Tucson and shares my energy concerns. That’s why I support Lea Márquez Peterson for re-election to the Arizona Corporation Commission. Lea has taken a practical approach to regulating our electric utilities during her last term in office and is our only statewide elected commissioner from Southern Arizona. Please vote to re-elect Lea to our Arizona Corporation Commission this November.

Jean McKnight

Midtown

An idea to consider

Yesterday, on an early morning neighborhood walk, I noticed some “VOTE FOR” signs had been pulled out of the ground and thrown face down on someone’s front yard.

How stupid, or immature, and meaningless.

So ... here is an idea to consider: If you are convinced you will never change your mind on which candidate for whom to vote, and are willing to admit you are probably not going to change the other person’s mind …

Instead of hurtful name calling, and disgraceful activities, do something we all can do about it:

Put it to a VOTE.

On November 5.

It’s called democracy.

Richard P. Sauer

Oro Valley

Vote country over party

At age 96, November’s Presidential election will be my last, but the most important of my lifetime. Our nation’s core values and ideals are under siege by extremist and anti-democratic interests, witness recent controversy surrounding Court decisions re: Roe v. Wade and Presidential immunity. (No one above the law now a memory). This assault is led by Donald Trump, a senile sociopath, morally and intellectually bankrupt, with a lengthy criminal and racist resume’. Another Trump administration would implement the tyranny and oppression explicit in the infamous Project 2025, cementing kinship with Russia, China and North Korea.

The alternative is a party led by a young, charismatic woman of color and integrity, experienced and qualified to advance the nation into an era of hope, prosperity and opportunity for all. In November disregard meaningless political labels and petty grievances, vote country over party so history will record America finally exorcised the malignancy of Trumpism.

Joseph Stanley

Northeast side

Trump's visit to Arlington

I recently read several letters to the editor from obvious Democratic liberals criticizing President Trump for attending a ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery for the express reason for a photo op. Let's set the record straight. Both Biden and Harris were notified of the tribute to the thirteen soldiers who were murdered under their botched Afghanistan withdrawal, and they chose to ignore the event. It was then that the Gold Star Family's invited President Trump because they knew that he would honor their children, and he replied positively to attend. Hats off to Trump for taking time to pay tribute to these fallen heroes while Harris was out fund raising, and Biden was working on his tan at the beach in Delaware. What a disgrace.

Dennis Jacobsen

Oro Valley

Anti-democracy ballot propositions

I hope all Arizona voters are as fed up with our Legislature as I am. In an effort to stop citizens from passing laws and to lock out independent candidates for office, the Legislature has put several anti-democracy propositions on the November ballot.

Partisan legislators are pushing Proposition 133 in order to enshrine partisan primaries in our state constitution. The current system makes it all but impossible for any independent candidate to get on the ballot, let alone win a seat in the Legislature.

Proposition 134 would raise the requirements on citizen-driven ballot initiatives to the point that they would become impossible to pass.

Proposition 136 would further thwart citizen-driven ballot initiatives by tying them up in court even before they can be put on the ballot.

Voters, including small business owners like me, should reject the Legislature’s anti-democracy efforts to limit the rights of citizens and vote against Propositions 133,134 and 136 this November.

Alison Lueders

Vail

Vote for Democracy

The United States needs Kamala Harris for President! I support Vice President Harris because of her policies, values, and economic plans. President Harris will protect women's right to choose, pass an assault gun ban, provide first time home buyers with the opportunity to purchase their homes, pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, lower the cost of prescription drugs, protect the Affordable Care Act, provide a child tax credit to assist with infant care, make the wealthy and large corporations pay their fair share of taxes, and pass a bipartisan immigration bill to secure the border and reform the asylum process. On November 5, I will vote for Kamala Harris for President of the United States of America!

Robert Mckinlay

Downtown