Mailbag

Illegal Aliens Bring Park Employee Angst

To the Editor,

I find it very interesting that a senior writer writes an article about national park employees ("Unhappy Campers," Nov. 20) and leaves out a major reason for these park employees to be so unhappy and in danger: Many of these employees' lives are actually in constant danger from illegals and drug smugglers. They have not only burglarized national park employees' homes and threatened their families but have also murdered park rangers.

Kris Eggle, a 28-year-old park ranger, was murdered a year ago. Mexican drug smugglers literally run many of our national parks at night--the situation is so completely out of control. It is dangerous for Americans to go camping in our own country! It is time your newspaper, which is supposed to be an alternative newspaper, where one is supposed to be able to find out the "real story," stopped being so politically correct and started telling the American people what is really happening.

Many of these illegals have destroyed and repeatedly vandalized park equipment and land. They have done the same to historic monuments in these parks, not to mention killing flora and fauna and endangered species, while our environmental groups, such as the Sierra Club, turn a blind eye--again because they fear being politically incorrect while our country is being destroyed.

These parks are tremendously understaffed and extremely "undergunned" while drug smugglers have the latest night vision equipment and the best weapons putting all staff, visitors and campers in tremendous danger especially at night. Let's hear the real stuff--before it's too late. "Politically correct" just means "fear of saying the truth."

--Laura Leighton


KTKT Cuts Go Beyond Political Shows

To the Editor,

Thanks to Chris Limberis for letting us in ("Dead Air," Nov. 20) on Steve Groesbeck's poor decision to cut an important part of Tucson's communication highway: talk radio shows. As we come to the final weeks of some talk show's existence, it seems timely to bring to light some gems of Tucsonan talk radio.

I am a longtime fan of talk radio and come from Chicago and San Francisco, where it's actually immensely popular. In the words of radio legend Paul Harvey, here's "the rest of the story." Chris left untouched a unique show that airs weekdays at 7 a.m., called DivaTalk. It's a bit of everything but nothing mainstream. Scientists, doctors, local artists, divers, hikers, environmentalists and even centerfold models have appeared. The hostess/producer diva, Marcella, appears to have worked herself right out of a job worrying more about the content than the marketing.

--Fred Pisarski

For an update on this matter, read this week's The Skinny.


Third-Party Candidates Don't Thwart Elections

To the Editor,

I simply love the level of whine in Jimmy Goeller's letter in your Nov. 27 issue ("Swanson Caused Volgy's Loss").

Jim Nintzel did a fine job of dissecting the results of our recent mayoral election in a previous issue. However, Mr. Goeller insists Tom Volgy's loss to Bob Walkup can be blamed on Kimberly Swanson, the Libertarian candidate.

Citizenship 101 for Mr. Goeller (and anyone with a similar turn of mind):

The purpose of a vote, from the individual voter's standpoint, is to express his or her personal belief and wish regarding how they want to be governed. It turns out 2,071 Tucsonans felt Ms. Swanson best represented their wishes and beliefs. That's why they voted for her. For those folks, neither Mr. Volgy or Mr. Walkup seemed to fit their desires for mayor.

Does anyone here believe that these 2,000-some fellow citizens should NOT have expressed their political will? What kind of a society would THAT be? No, third party candidates, Libertarian, Green, whatever, are NOT "spoilers." They represent the diversity of political opinion that is necessary for a free society.

--Dan Starr


Reform the Voting System!

To the Editor,

Realistically, the kind of people who vote for third party candidates are the kind of people who are sick of the two-party system. If there wasn't a Libertarian or a Green on the ballot, they probably wouldn't vote at all.

As someone who would like to see these citizens find a reason to make it to the polls without being blamed for spoiling elections, I propose we ask our government to begin using an instant run-off voting system. That way the revolutionaries and rugged individuals of America could vote their conscience while giving their second priority vote to a candidate with a realistic shot of winning.

Besides, I seriously doubt those 2,071 Libertarians would have all voted for Tom Volgy anyway.

--Andrew Coltrin