Opinion

Column: Preaching from the congressional pulpit
Opinion

Column: Preaching from the congressional pulpit

By Kevin Hartung A moralistic government is appealing but may not be plausible, unless you can conceive of a government without incongruities. Governments need to gauge what is fundamental to support wellbeing and what is an altruistic desire to support success. Some believe that a government ‘by the people and for the people’ should provide equal outcomes for all its citizens. Their ambitions are the result of research that establishes the downtrodden are victims of injustices; the poor result from unfair labor practices and unequal educational systems that exist in our nation. These believers desire improvement in the circumstances of the disadvantaged. Conversely, others believe that the blame for disadvantaged people lies on their own doorstep. The circumstances of indigents, they sa...
Opinion

Vote ‘YES’ on Prop 208: It won’t cost you a penny

By Noor Haghighi The great state of Arizona is notorious for its failure to meet national education standards.  As of this year, we sit at 49th place for overall education based on data determining quality and safety. In 2018, Arizonans took to the streets to protest in favor of Red for Ed, a movement that pushed for an increase in state government spending on public education. Since the outcome of Red for Ed was unfortunately of little help,  the state still has a long way to go. And now that the elections are coming up in November, Proposition 208 has come into play.  A stripped down, digestible version of what the proposition introduces in regards to educational funding in Arizona is as follows: A vote “yes” on the ballot will support increasing the income tax from 4.5% to 8% on incom...
Arts & Entertainment, Opinion

Four horror flicks for an indoor Halloween

By Nate Martinez It's that time of year again: cooler air and pumpkin spice flavored everything signals the coming of fall and all the aesthetics that come with it. Yellow leaves litter the sidewalks, there’s a slightly darker tinge to the sky and that certain smell of the autumn afternoons all seem to make us Arizonans happier. All of these things are miniscule compared to the big day that headlines fall: Halloween. This holiday holds a special place in my heart, from the feelings of nostalgia to simply carving pumpkins with friends.  This Halloween may feel a little bit different, due to the spread of COVID 19. However, do not consider Halloween cancelled just yet. October 31 is the perfect date to sit inside with your friends and/or family and enjoy a scary movie or two; no need to ri...
Opinion

Funerals in the age of COVID

Photo by Ashim D'Silva By Troy Hutchison In the last eight months, the world has gone through drastic changes to keep itself safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Events have been canceled, celebrations have been put on hold, classes gone from in-person to virtual classrooms, and these are just some examples of how society has had to adapt to the new COVID-19 world.   No matter how much society adapts to the situation we currently live in, nothing can prepare a person for a COVID-style funeral experience. When talking about this, I am not speaking just about COVID-19 related deaths; I’m talking about any death that comes during this time and the changes a family has to make to keep the funeral safe. That is something I recently went through, and it was an experience that I thought ...
Opinion

Column: Serious Thinking

By Kevin Hartung How do you solve societal problems with people who are not seriously thinking them through and coming to rational and workable solutions? Partisanship has mobilized the masses. The ‘us vs. them’ mentality of the populace is escalating. Volatile debates between political opponents have intensified stronger hostilities between the constituencies. Our Founding Fathers were leery of identity politics and warned against it. James Madison addressed the destructive behavior of ‘factions.’ He states in The Federalist Papers No. 10, “Among the numerous advantages promised by a well-constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction.” Meaning the inherent nature of ‘faction’ is violence and the union mus...
Opinion

Opinion: The American people are being fed misinformation, half-truths, and outright lies

By Kevin Hartung Today’s political polarization has stolen the knowledge base that eventually leads to our wisdom and without which we cannot make definitive and relevant decisions. We are facing a division in our country that recalls the contentious arguments between the North and South just before the Civil War. It is certainly demoralizing that today’s politicians lack even one courageous voice for saving the union.  As Henry Clay, keenly aware of the controversial nature of his proposals, urged his colleagues “to beware, to pause, to reflect before they lend themselves to any purposes which shall destroy that Union.” Or as Senator Daniel Webster of Massachusetts declared: “I wish to speak today, not as a Massachusetts man, nor as a Northern man, but as an American . . . I speak today...
News, Opinion

Covid-19 vs mental health

By NOOR HAGHIGHI A few weeks ago, my dad came home from Walgreens where he picked up some Zinc supplements for me. Many of us, myself included, have developed a keen sense of hypochondria during the pandemic. The slightest tickle in the throat scared me into believing that the virus was coming for me. He told me that all the supplements like Ashwagandha, which helps your body relieve stress, other nerve relaxants and stomach relaxants were quite scarce. When I stopped by Target later on, his claims were verified, as the sleeping pills and Vitamin Cs had also been wiped out. It feels like everyone is on edge; that this nervousness in the air is not confined to any particular age group. It’s taken a toll on my friends and I as high schoolers; I’ve seen it ripping families apart and it’s har...
Opinion: Trump and Biden debate, America dumber for it
Opinion

Opinion: Trump and Biden debate, America dumber for it

Photos by Gage Skidmore By Dalton Grijalva Leading up to this debate between Democratic nominee Joe Biden and Republican President Donald Trump, the two parties have never been more divided, at least not in modern times. At a time when we are experiencing a global pandemic and city-wide rioting, red vs blue is the understatement of the century. This wasn’t a debate: it was a shouting match between two old men. It begs the question: why exactly do we let people who are going to die soon make the decisions for our nation? What was in a lot of talking points was how Biden would handle Trump in the debate. Trump has attacked Biden for his incoherent sentences, often mocking his cognitive ability and giving him the demeaning nickname ‘Sleepy Joe.’  In turn, Biden called him a clown, which I a...
Opinion

Op-Ed: PCC Board of Governors Candidate Catherine Ripley

By Catherine Ripley, Pima Community College Governing Board candidate My training as an officer in the U.S. Navy and as a U.S. diplomat demanded that I learn each position from the bottom up so I could better lead from top down. On a ship, the sailor turning a wrench in the boiler room is as critical as the captain steering the ship up top. With one mistake, either could imperil the vessel. So the captain must know every inch of that ship and every sailor running it.  That’s how I’ve approached my candidacy for the Pima Community College Governing Board. I’m seeking this position because, as an Adjunct Professor of Political Science for the past five years, I’ve come to appreciate just how valuable this institution is to our community. But I also believe that my unique expertise can help ...
The Birds Are Back in Town: Arizona Cardinals Look to Get Back to Winning Ways
Opinion, Sports, Uncategorized

The Birds Are Back in Town: Arizona Cardinals Look to Get Back to Winning Ways

By Nate Martinez It's time to bust out your favorite chips n dip and grab that 30 case of beer on sale because football is back.  For many, this feeling is comparable to the feeling of taking your crush on a date for the first time or running downstairs to find Christmas presents; it's just pure innocent excitement! This feeling of excitement doubles if you are an Arizona Cardinals fan. The Bird Gang look to build off an offseason filled with hype and make a run deep into the playoffs. Given the offseason trades, a stellar draft-class, a killer receiving core and a quarterback that has limitless potential, things seem to be looking pretty good for the Cardinals.  Before the Cardinals kick off their season against their longtime rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, let’s recap some of the bi...