Mailbag

The Idea of Being on Leashes Is Kinda Hot ...

I have waited a couple of issues to write this, mostly because I am not a letter writer, but I must now say, WTF? What happened?

You have taken an alternative source of information and turned it into another publication with the same message as the rest. Your support of incumbent candidates? The longer they have been in is only more strikes against them, as far as I am concerned. Steve Huffman? And now, not? You did not see that before?

Check your leashes. They have been shortened considerably. My only question: Who is holding the other end ?

Marsha Gallo

Claim: Regan Shows She Has a "Childlike" View

I found Margaret Regan's article to be written with almost a childlike view of the world ("Back to Mexico," Sept. 7). I especially enjoyed the "Christian touch" you threw in regarding the "washing of the swollen and blistered feet of the poor immigrants" (paraphrasing), as if the intelligent thing to do is to get them healed up as quickly as possible so they can try to make such a dangerous trek again as soon as possible.

You see, the "childlike view" I speak of is the fact that they should not be attempting to make such a journey illegally in the first place. The ideas of not paying any taxes; being a drain on our infrastructure, our state welfare and assistance programs to the tune of billions each year; taking American jobs due to them lowballing what they will accept from a company (half the wages and none of the benefits); is probably as much a foreign concept to you as it would be to a child. Don't get me wrong; I want the companies to be fined heavily for hiring them in the first place. With no jobs to come to, they'll go back home. But I digress.

Another example of your childlike view is your inability to differentiate between the various words you used to describe your subject matter. So for your convenience, I have enclosed the definitions of the different terminologies that you either used incorrectly or did not use at all.

Immigrant: "a person who has legally come to a different country in order to live there permanently." Illegal alien: "someone who goes to live or work in another country when they do not have the legal right to do so or is a person who has entered a country without government permission." Citizen: "A person who was born in a particular country and has certain rights or has been given certain rights because of having been born there or having immigrated there legally."

Your attempt to sway public opinion into thinking the poor, weary, Mexicans are harmless is like the view of a child who seems incapable of understanding the serious consequences of a nation being force-fed an enormous population influx. I feel I must add here that I am a liberal Democrat. Having said that, I understand what exactly is at stake here. If we are not diligent in preventing this invasion, we risk a change in our national character. As an American who has fought for his country, this is unacceptable.

I do respect your opinion that we should just open the gates and let 'em all "come on down," but this is definitely the wrong thing to do.

Bill Cottle

If More People Felt This Way, Ted Downing Would Have Been Re-Elected

Grandstanding? What you call grandstanding, I call refusing to descend into the mud-slinging fray ("The Return of Schrödinger's Ballot Box," The Skinny, Sept. 14).

Ted Downing's campaign was grounded in his values about the integrity of the election process. He is the acknowledged architect of Arizona's landmark election-integrity legislation, and he tried to bring integrity to the campaign trail. When Paula Aboud unleashed her shameless distortion of his record, demonized him as an enemy of women and conducted a repugnant push poll against him, Downing took the high road. He tried to shine a light on these shady practices and asked the Democratic Party to stand up for clean, informative and fair campaign tactics. It's no surprise the party declined to do so--the voters have confirmed once again that dirty campaigning works.

Now we are represented by a run-of-the-mill member of the minority party who cheerleads for Democratic causes that have no chance of making it through the legislative process, while we have benched our most successful quarterback. It's no wonder the Republican party supported Aboud by sponsoring a last-minute robo-call against Downing. Nice work, District 28 Dems--you've done exactly what the Republicans want.

Merrill Eisenberg

Nielsen: We Must Overcome Urges to Get Even

Regarding the letter writers who found my Guest Commentary (Aug. 24) frustrating: Peacemakers' motives, words and behavior are often "frustrating" for those who believe that retaliation is a necessary part of life. They don't understand why I would want the police to prevent further assault yet not want to spend my time trying to punish the offender.

I understand the writer's frustration. I experience that frustration internally. I am not automatically nonviolent. When I am being tormented, I have the urge to haul off and punch the bully, but, given enough distance and time, I realize that anyone who would hurt me is crazy. I'm grateful for the urge that allows me to identify with the people who want to "get even" and grateful for the awareness that can allow me to overpower that urge.

Two children--already formed as bullies--stand among us Wednesday mornings, holding signs like, "Kill 'em all--let God sort 'em out." The father, who takes pleasure in shouting, "Here comes the ugly old c---," when I walk past them, blocked my path a few weeks ago and insisted I look at the words on his T-shirt: "PEACE IS DEAD." "You're next," he said. When I asked if it was a threat, he answered a menacing, "Maybe."

These people have served in the military; they have lost children in the Iraq war; they have been honored as heroes for their sacrifice; and, having been praised by the authorities they worship, they are planning to send the children they have trained to abuse the Tucson peacemakers to Iraq to kill and possibly be killed, like their brothers. It is a chain of behavior that must be broken if our species is to survive.

The warriors of the United States could set an example for all the world if they would give up their pride and turn the country over to leaders who "hate the crime, not the criminal."

Gretchen Nielsen

Tuttle Should Realize All Change Is Not Bad

I can appreciate Connie Tuttle's message about the changes in Tucson (Aug. 31), having arrived here myself in 1947. But, as she undoubtedly knows, changes often bring opportunities along with disappointments.

The spirit of Tucson and its future can be still found through such cool stuff as Rio Nuevo, the biomedical and academic developments on the southeast side and getting the transportation system going, so we can move around again.

It's the uniqueness of Tucson that I bet you like. Maybe the sour grapes of the changes can be sweetened a bit, with the dark spring water from which this place flows.

D.A. Ruben