Since when is it OK for Luke Air Force Base jets to fly over our houses?
They fly above homes affecting hundreds of thousands of people. Every day and night.
The noise is deafening.
There are about 25 or more every day, and there are another 20 or so every night until after 11 p.m. Who authorized this?
This has changed the lives of West Valley residents.
Letter: I thought I'd hate Luke Air Force Base's jet noise. Now, I love it
This base has an incredible amount of acreage for training to its west, yet they choose to fly over the West Valley.
These are our homes. We live here. This has changed people's lives. The frequency and incredible intense noise are hard to describe. I don't know who has the audacity to think this is acceptable.
Daniel Mauro, Phoenix
As a retired Arizona teacher, I've noticed a steady decline in critical thinking skills as trust in news outlets erodes nationwide.
I want to confront the rising tide of fear-based clickbait masquerading as news. Sensationalism has replaced journalism — not to inform, but to provoke emotional, knee-jerk reactions. This corrodes democracy by dividing us with fear.
We can't function as an informed electorate if every headline is designed to trigger anxiety without providing essential context. I urge readers to notice emotionally loaded terms like 'outrage,' 'devastating,' or 'under siege' — words that create panic but rarely offer real solutions.
In 1933, FDR warned, 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.' Today, fear is a marketing strategy.
To honor his wisdom, we must embed critical thinking and media literacy into education, just as fear has embedded itself into our news.
Mary Patton, Tucson
Governor, your veto of Senate Bill 1109 ensures that my family will never support you at the ballot box.
You are, of course, free to frame your decision however you wish, but we see it for what it is: a deeply troubling move that compromises national security to the benefit of Communist China.
There will likely come a time when the United States finds itself in open conflict with that regime, and your actions may well contribute to American casualties in the future.
By enabling the possibility of Chinese ownership of land near military installations and critical infrastructure, such as the Palo Verde nuclear power plant, you have taken a step that we believe is both dangerous and deliberate.
It defies belief that such a decision could come from ignorance. We are left to conclude that your actions are intentional and aligned with interests that oppose the security of this nation.
It is a sad day when someone willing to take such a stance holds high office.
Timothy Carl, Queen Creek
I have known the Hickmans of Hickmans' Family Farms for more than 60 years. My father was a small poultry farmer in Glendale, and we knew Bill Hickman and others quite well.
I am dismayed at the 'whack-a-mole' people who pop up with conspiracy theories of 'profiteering' or their opinions on cage vs. no cage.
As poultry farmers, we had to destroy our laying flock twice due to Newcastle disease. The Hickmans have been so involved with the community, going all the way back to when their mother started selling eggs.
They are the most honorable businessmen and have provided help and employment of deserving inmates from our prisons as well as others who just simply wished to work.
It will take time to recover from the loss off 95% of their chickens due to bird flu. In the interim, I would wish uninformed, opinionated whack-a-moles to do their research before they put their mouth in gear without engaging their brain.
Robert Randolph, Waddell
As a Jewish Arizonan, I was disgusted by those trying to use Jewish history to oppress and stifle free speech.
Critique and open debate are Jewish values. The right to criticize the current Israeli government is not harming Israel. It's actually essential, and many Israelis I know are doing the same.
In my opinion, the 'Antisemitism in Education' bill (House Bill 2867) that Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed was actually antisemitic by attacking free expression about topics important to Jews.
If you want to crack down on free speech, do it yourself. Don't try to use Jews as your excuse.
Golda Velez, Tucson
What's on your mind? Send us a letter to the editor online or via email at opinions@arizonarepublic.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Luke Air Force Base jet noise is ruining our lives | Letters
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