The border wall is a detriment to people's health
I would like to address concerns about the border wall and enforcement policies that affect the mental health of local Latinx and Indigenous communities located near the U.S./Mexico border. As a Master of Public Health student, I feel the border wall poses a critical public health threat for Latinx residents of Arizona. Issues related to border safety are especially relevant to our community of Tucson, Arizona with its proximity to the border and high percentage of Latinx communities.
In Arizona, the Latinx community is shown to have elevated levels of anxiety, depression, fear, loneliness, stress and chronic trauma. It is essential that we work to reduce the emotional suffering of systemic and structural racism that Latinx and Indigenous people experience. It ultimately affects the health of our society and community as a whole.
With this election having such high stakes for Arizonans, your vote matters! Vote for candidates who value diversity as our strength, rather than our deficit. Find your local polling place at the county recorder's website.
Tiffany Knutson
Southeast side
Slavery was the fault of the Brits
Before we were the USA, we were colonies of Great Britain. It was the British who introduced slavery into the colonies. Therefore, let us lay the blame for slavery at the feet of the English. When we fought for our independence and won, we inherited this culture of slavery.
Over the ages, a great deal has transpired to address this abhorrent condition. President Donald Trump has made the most progress in righting this wrong.
Therefore, elect him for a second term so that he can continue this path of equality.
Edythe Gissing
Northeast side
Return McSally to the Senate
Senator Martha McSally has been the most productive Senator for Arizona in the history of our state. In her short time in the Senate, she has worked to pass 48 bills with bi-partisan support. Those bills have directly benefited Arizona in the areas of protecting our military installations, our border, our universities, health care and our attractiveness for high wage industry expansion.
She is a tireless worker for our state and we have benefited significantly from her efforts. All of the negative ads are not helpful to understanding what a valuable resource we have with Sen. Martha McSally. She deserves support from both sides of the isle because her effectiveness will be lost if she is not returned to the Senate in next weeks' vote.
No one will put forth the effort she has and will continue to put forth for all of Arizona.
Chris Sheafe
Foothills
Don't be surprised when Trump wins again
"Hope deferred" is a phrase in the Christian Bible, that describes perfectly how I feel about these last two years. When I cast my vote in 2018, I had hopes for a united country, for a legislative branch that would represent their constituency, the people of the United States.
Instead, the sitting House spent most of their time and resources on a vendetta against President Donald Trump. In so doing, they stalled and delayed legislation "we the people" needed. The House has represented neither me, nor millions of other Americans, these last two years.
Don't be surprised when Trump is re-elected and the House changes hands too. In 2016, I and many other Evangelical Christians voted against Hillary Clinton because of her stand on late-term abortion. This year, I voted for Trump because of his record in office, and because of his avowed trust in God. This offers our nation more hope than the spectre of a Kamala Harris presidency.
Bonnie Milks
Southwest side
We haven't forgotten why Kelly is running
To the writer accusing Mark Kelly of being some fly-by-night, dark money candidate with out-of-town interests, do you really think Tucsonans have forgotten why he is running?
His wife, native Tucsonan and Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was shot in the head while holding a Congress on Your Corner event, while she was making herself accessible to her constituents.
That is why Mark Kelly is running. People are sending him donations because Arizona is a swing state. If you don't want out-of-state dark money in our elections, vote for people who will end Citizens United, the awful Supreme Court decision that opened that door. Mark Kelly has a petition on his site to overturn Citizens United.
Golda Velez
North side
Count every vote
In this critical moment in our country’s history, vote counting is an essential service. We may disagree about the candidates and the issues, but we should all agree that every properly cast vote should be counted before this election’s results are determined. That can only happen if the election officials across this nation are allowed to do their jobs free from improper influence and pressure from any source.
Here, in Pima County, the hard-working staff of the Pima County Recorder’s Office deserve our support and our gratitude. A legitimate vote counting process is the only way to reach a legitimate result.
Eileen Hollowell
Northwest side
