We have quit America
When the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights were authored, our Founding Fathers could not envision how American society would change the meaning of being free and happy 247 years hence. It’s akin to the growth of a saguaro cactus — 247 years ago the saguaro was 6 inches tall, today it towers 30 feet, with multiple arms and weighs a ton. It is entirely different but still a saguaro. Today, we are still Americans.
What does it mean to be free and happy in today’s America? With our modern times we have opportunities to be more free, more happy with better lives. So, why the social anger? We should be celebratory, not shouting, shooting or shaming.
We have abandoned our fundamental American values. We have quit America. Becoming devoid of respect for human feelings, and human worth. We need a fix. It’s an individual fix. We must be better people- better parents, better mentors, better leaders, and better Americans living American ideals.
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Trump’s doings
I am a Mexican, first-generation U.S. woman that loves my heritage and is a proud American. The day former President Donald Trump stood in front of the White House, and spoke to his followers, and encouraged them to attack the Capital Building of the United States, I cried. Trump told them he would meet them there. He incited them to do something especially bad. This evil, corrupt man urged his thugs to stop Vice President Mike Pence from validating President Joe Biden’s election. How can Trump’s party members, especially those in Congress, continue to support him? It is a truly very sad time in this great nation. Our Democracy is being destroyed by this man that admires Vladimir Putin and Kim Jung Un of North Korea. Trump even claps his hands like Kim when he meets his crowds. A dictator Trump would like to be. Let us stop him!
Julieta Bustamante Portillo
After the Blue Ribbon Commission exploring the fate of the Pima County Jail adjourned on Thursday, the protestors held their own meeting, discussing the problems at the jail.
Tucson favorites
Tucson and Vail and Arizona places
Phoenix and Scottsdale and many other spaces
Beautiful weather and the joy that it brings
These are a few of my favorite things
Cactus and grey dove and Palo Verde growing
Barrel and hedgehogs and white cotton sowing
Sunshine and monsoons and good weather swings
These are a few of my favorite things
When the rains come, and the clouds drum
I honestly think of my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so bad.
Mission del Bac and the great Pima Air
Rodeo time the big County Fair
Museums and zoo, and backyards with swings
These are a few of my favorite things
Climbing Mt Lemmon, and historic homes,
National Parks and and old cow bones
Knowing that voice, when e’r Linda Sings
These are a few of my favorite things
When the Cats play, in a bad way
Then I remember my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so bad.
Animal adoption to euthanasia
I was visiting my grandmother when we went to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona. I met Beast Boy, a 3-year-old Heeler. I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I decided to adopt him and get him transported to me. I contacted the shelter. The Operations Manager told me he had an unknown medical condition and would be put down. I offered financial backing for more medical tests, found a rescue that would take him, and stated I wanted to adopt him. However, she said his fate was sealed. They wouldn’t allow me to help. She stressed that the shelter did not have a contract with the rescue, so they did not know if it would be a safe place for him. Ironically, they will, instead, euthanize him. How can people fight to save animals, when the shelters, deny us the ability to do so? Why can’t he be released to those who want to help him? How can a refusal be justified?
Bureau of Land Management
Re: the Aug. 18 article “Ensuring the health of public lands for tomorrow.”
Glaringly absent from her opinion is the abuse that livestock grazers have imposed on our public land for over a century. Just one example is Cliven Bundy’s trespass cattle still grazing BLM land for free. The riparian areas on BLM land throughout the West have been destroyed by overgrazing. Since grazers have denuded public land for the past century by that overgrazing that is allowed by very poor BLM management, livestock grazing should be completely prohibited on BLM land for the next 100 years. That would balance things fairly and allow public land to recover for the benefit of wildlife and all of us.
Illegal self-help
Donald Trump and his equally delusional supporters rationalize his actions regarding the fake elector scheme as justified because he actually believed (really?) the 2020 election was stolen from him. The logical disconnect is that even a good faith belief in a perceived harm does not justify an illegal act as a self-help remedy. For example, say my bank stole money from my account. I have been wronged. I can complain; sue; or, report the theft to authorities. What I cannot do is rob the bank to retrieve my money.
Rick Jones, retired criminal defense lawyer
New Pima County jail
Pima County has convened a Blue Ribbon Commission to study the possibility of building a new larger jail. The argument includes a statement of increase in crime, although most of that increase is due to nonviolent crime. Mental illness is one of the reasons people can be incarcerated in the jail. No where else to go. Sheriff Nanos himself has said that many of those in the jail are people with mental illness who don’t belong there. Therefore, it seems to me that we are addressing this problem backward. We need to use the money proposed for the new jail to expand treatment of mental illness, thereby reducing the jail population. The Pima County Supervisors will be considering this issue soon.
Unfair Gouging (DRUG) Act
I’ve caught COVID-19 seven times since the height of the pandemic and every time I’ve caught it, my symptoms have gotten progressively worse. I’m very worried about the lasting impact the disease will have on my body and health, which is why I still mask up to this day.
Unfortunately, price-setting policies not only have a negative impact on the availability of certain medications on the market today, but also can threaten access to the resources scientists need to keep innovating and developing new, life-saving drugs, and hopefully cures. Lawmakers could start by working to reform negative impact Pharmacy Benefit managers, PBMs, have on prescription drug access and affordability.
The Delinking Revenue from Unfair Gouging (DRUG) Act would help reform PBMs and benefit patients while still protecting medical innovation. Congress should pass this bill immediately — and Arizona’s legislators should help lead the charge.
Confused indeed
Re: the Aug. 24 letter “Confused.”
I feel so sorry for the letter writer whose loyalty to extreme Right Wing propaganda and alternate reality has left him with such a dystopian view of things. Of course, everything is President JOe Biden’s fault. Of his many concerns, has he ever considered what Donald Trump, or any Republican has proposed for comprehensive immigration reform or the drug crisis? Republicans choose not to fund education while refusing to teach history and banning books. How about inflation, health care, homelessness and guns? The environment? let’s just ignore that “inconvenient truth” about climate change. Law and order? Let’s also ignore Donald Trump’s four indictments for 91 criminal charges, including stealing secret documents and an attempted coup. Apparently, he prefers fascism over his so-called socialism. Confused indeed.
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