A whole lot of stupid
going around
Well, I know it’s not polite to say it, but obviously the time has come to say it: Some people are just stupid.
If you refuse to wear a mask in public places during a pandemic, you are stupid. If you think people of color are treated the same as white people in the justice system, you are stupid. If you think Donald Trump is morally fit to lead America, sorry, you are stupid. If you think it is proper to revere the losers of our bloody Civil War with statues and monuments, you, too, are stupid. If you believe your political party is always right, yep, you’re stupid. If you think climate change is a hoax, I’m pretty sure you’re stupid. If you get all your news and opinions from social media, boy, are you stupid.
Now, I am aware that if I am correct, that means more than half of our country is just plain stupid.
Carl Foster
Green Valley
We are obliged
to do better
For a species as smart and creative as we are we’ve surely made a mess of things. We fly to the moon and send remote vehicles beyond the sun while we attack one another over the color of our skins. We look to the heavens for guidance from above while we allow our brothers and sisters to starve.
We create myriad languages and clever to ways to express ourselves, but the language of love requires no translation. We read sacred texts to define good and evil, but that knowledge already resides in our hearts. Receiving the undeserved blessings of these brief seconds of existence means we can do far better than this. Far better.
Jay Quick
North side
Stop blaming
Trump for everything
A recent letter blamed President Trump for not being allowed to visit her father for 11 weeks before he died. I blame state officials for not demanding solutions.
Most facilities should have an area that could be transformed into a visiting room. Make half-hour appointments, with each visitor getting temperature-checked, hand-sanitized and then proceed to gowning up. Hair wrap to foot wrap and yes, a fresh face mask.
This would dramatically lower the risk of contamination. The paper gown products bought in bulk and made into kits would not be that expensive.
Local officials and health-care experts are to blame on this issue, not the president. Perhaps our mayor can hang an “Elderly Lives Matter” banner from City Hall.
Carol Mingus
West side
Endorsement given
to Magnus was hasty
The city manager is dead wrong in giving a pass to the police chief. Just like Watergate, investigation is required before giving him a pass.
Who knew what and when? Who was the death first reported to in the department? What did they do with the notice and who had the video in their possession? What are the rules for reporting up the command ladder? Who withheld the info/video from the chief and/or the deputy? The fire emergency people knew also, why were they silent? Is it a case of both agencies covering up?
Thomas Jones
Foothills
Conover positioned
to fix a broken system
Pima County is long overdue for real criminal-justice reform. The County Attorney’s Office cannot be changed by a career prosecutor who has profited from this broken system. Laura Conover is the real reform candidate because she has made her career fighting for change within the criminal-justice system and the Tucson community.
From the first time I heard Laura speak about ending cash bail, she had my vote. She genuinely cares about all members of the Tucson community and her track record speaks for itself. Unlike the other candidates, she doesn’t make empty promises on hot-topic issues to win over voters.
Career prosecutors claim to be the only “qualified” county attorney candidates, but they are the very people who have created the broken system we are left with today. This office needs an outsider who is responsive to our community.
Calli Siegler
Oro Valley
Introspection
a good thing
One of the encouraging things about the #MeToo movement is the men who see themselves as part of problem, but want to be part the movement. They see how they have contributed to the harmful way women are discussed and treated as part of their “male” culture. Some made a commitment, and a few even attended classes where men talked about how to stop doing this and to then tell their sons, brothers and friends that what they were doing was not right and they no longer want to participate in it.
The parallels to the current Black Lives Matter movement seem obvious. As white people, it would be most helpful for us to examine how we have contributed to the way Black people are treated in our society — including turning the other way when racist comments or actions are taken. When we examine this, we can make a commitment to change our own behavior and talk to others about our commitment and refusal to take part in it anymore.
Kathleen Harris
Northeast side
Touched by kindness
Re: the June 25 letter “Kindness is true greatness.”
Wonderful reminder of what’s truly important. May we never forget!
Julie Case
Southwest side
Mental health team may have made a difference
Carlos Lopez would be alive today if the call to 911 operator was routed to TPD’s well-trained and nationally recognized Mental Health Support Team. Unfortunately uniformed officers in a police car were dispatched to the scene.
While Mr. Lopez was acting erratically, he was unarmed and apparently posed no immediate threat to his family’s safety. If officers from the Mental Health Support Team working in plainclothes and driving an unmarked car had been dispatched, they would have assessed Lopez’s behavior and very likely taken him to the mental health unit at Banner-UMC South. He would have had a full mental health assessment. Maybe he’d be home now preparing a meal for his nana and young son.
Richard White
Northeast side
The revolving door of ‘great’ people
Interesting that Donald Trump made the statement on Fox News last Thursday evening that he has great people with him in Washington, D.C.
Who? The revolving door of “great” people, his appointees, who’ve turned out to be “not so great” (in his opinion), continues to expunge those who think for themselves and have some degree of self-respect.
That leaves the “great people” to be defined, apparently, as his supplicants. Mike Pence, Mitch McConnell, Kellyanne Conway, a number of senators including Martha McSally and those who think they’re riding the coattails of history but rather are riding the coattails of oblivion! Don’t think, just genuflect! Sterling group to be sure!
Scott Lukomski
Northeast side
Tell me why
If wearing a mask doesn’t harm you and benefits others, tell me again why you won’t wear a mask?
Stanley Curd
Midtown
Start enforcing
mask ordinance
Gov. Doug Ducey stated, “This virus is everywhere; it’s likely in this room right now.” Thanks for stating the obvious. COVID-19 case numbers are exploding and hospital beds will be at capacity within the week.
We have an ordinance that everyone should wear a mask, but people flaunt their right to go without them, while endangering everyone else.
Social distancing is a must. Six feet saves lives, but people roll their eyes if you ask them to move back. When will citizens stop guarding their “rights” and guard the rights of others to stay alive and well? Sure, masks are uncomfortable and hot, but if wearing a mask will save even one life, is it not worth it?
Governor, please make lifesaving rules and enforce them. Do you want your legacy to be counted in dollars or lives saved?
Carol Ruiz
East side
Move troubling statue, but don’t destroy it
I, too, call for our statue of Pancho Villa to be removed. For its own protection, it should be in a museum or a private garden. Despite problems with the character of the subject, this is a very fine equestrian statue. I remember Peter Birmingham, then director of the University of Arizona Museum of Art commenting on its artistic excellence and unfortunate subject.
If we learned that the model for the Mona Lisa was a Borgia who had poisoned hundreds of people, would we destroy it?
The people who are destroying art, pulling down statues, are no better than the Taliban who destroyed the World Heritage Buddha statues.
Nancy Martin
Midtown
High-quality police a thing of the past?
During my 15 years as a civilian employee at TPD, I had nothing but the highest respect for the vast majority of the officers and command staff that I had the privilege to work with and support. I am very concerned about the current attitude toward law enforcement and how it will potentially affect the law-abiding citizens of Tucson.
To see the lack of support from our city leaders for those who are willing to risk their lives to protect us is angering and scary. It seems that it is now getting to the point where no rational man or woman will choose this as a viable career due to the fact that an accusation or mistake can quickly end it, or worse, land them in prison!
I am concerned that we will end up with a police force made up of those who, rather than wanting to “serve and protect,” cannot find a job doing anything else.
Philip Netherton
East side
Biden can’t match Trump’s achievements
Re: the June 26 letter “See no COVID, hear no COVID.”
The letter writer said, “Instead Trump could blame all the suffering and death on Joe Biden.”
You can’t blame Joe Biden for anything. What has he done for the criminal-justice system? Oh, yeah, he is responsible for the legislation to put more Black males in prison!
And what mark has he left on any aspect of American life in the 47 years he has been in office? Oh yes, a paycheck!
Oh, while I am here, how has anything he has done for veterans measure up against what Donald J. Trump has done for those in uniform serving our country both on the job and then as a veteran when they leave the service? No guts, no glory!
Thomas Verville
Southeast side
