Find compassion for all, regardless of status
I want to commend everyone who signed the full-page ad in the Sept. 23 Star, and add my name to their list.
Don't tell me there is no profiling - I wear a button that says "Stop me I might be illegal." I am white, have gone through many border crossings and never been stopped or questioned, just smiled at and motioned on.
I have talked to many Mexicans, and the tales of being stopped and why would break your heart. How about being followed by a police car from mall to your home, and when you ask why, you are told "You raised a lot of dust when you left the mall."
Please, look into your heart and find compassion for people, whatever color, and support the call to Disaster Relief for the Border Crossers. They are people like you and deserve to live, even though they are migrants.
Joan Domash
Retired teacher, Green Valley
Brewer holding state's future hostage
Why would Gov. Brewer hold education funding hostage by saying she will only work for more money for education if Prop. 204 is defeated? Proposition 204 will not increase taxes - it will keep in place the 1-cent levy approved by voters in 2010. And if 204 were defeated, she would only talk about more funding!
I would like to trust Brewer, but she allowed K-12 and university funding to be slashed to the bone while supporting increased taxpayer monies for private and parochial schools.
Our Legislature has demonstrated no interest in creating a strong public education/university system - that attracts businesses and produces a skilled work force.
The leaders of Arizona should remember the words of former CEO of Intel (Craig Barrett) when he said that if Intel were starting anew, locating in Arizona would not be an option. Barrett said, "Arizona's education system is hindering economic-development efforts."
Kathy Krucker
Tucson native, Tucson
Bicyclists' signals may startle pedestrian
Re: the Sept. 24 letter to the editor "Cyclists should share The Loop with walkers."
To the writer of the letter regarding bicyclists signaling when passing, I have been a cyclist for many years and have occasionally ridden on the river path.
Several years ago, I was riding on the path at a reasonable pace when I came upon a couple walking in front of me as I yelled out "on your left." The man became startled and moved to the left into my path and needless to say I plowed right into him.
Many of us, such as myself, have stopped indicating where we are in those instances for that very reason. The walker may be startled momentarily in that split second we ride past them unannounced, but I feel it's much safer for both parties rather than having the walkers startled, confused, and quick to make a potentially wrong move that can cause serious injury to everyone.
Dan Poore
Tucson
Copper helmets won't improve performance
The University of Arizona's head football coach failed in his one year at Michigan for not fully understanding its rich heritage.
Now in his first year here in Tucson he once again fails by thinking that by changing the helmet color will improve his team's performance.
John D. Henry
Retired Michigan alum, Tucson
NFL refs return - get back to real news
Hallelujah! Thank goodness the critical NFL referee issue is behind us.
Now perhaps the presidential candidates, other politicians and the general media will see fit to give more thought, time and ink to such mundane issues as annual trillion-dollar deficits, exploding national debt, dwindling Social Security funds, ever increasing health-care costs, the looming Medicare funding shortfalls, record numbers of food stamp recipients and brutally high unemployment.
Just perhaps.
Matthew J. Scully
Engineer, Sahuarita
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