Offer thanks, not judgment, this Thanksgiving

(PNI) On this Thanksgiving Day, I hope all Arizonans and Americans will take time to truly reflect and pray and ask themselves these questions: Do you have a roof over your head? Do you have food on your table? Do you have a loved one who is in the hospital and receiving medical care whether or not they have insurance?

If you can answer yes to these questions, you are richly blessed. Please don't complain if our government has helped others in need achieve these three basic needs. Be thankful that you live in such a great nation that helps its own.

Please don't judge those who may not have reacted to negative experiences the same way you did. Count every blessing, deeply reflect and pray for all those less fortunate than you. In every way, we are the same.

Happy Thanksgiving.

-- Diana Hurst Wyllie,

Phoenix

Redistricting was a farce

So now, Arizona, which has a large majority of conservative Republican citizens overall, is being represented in the House by five Democrats and only four Republicans. This is a direct result of the underhanded gerrymandering pushed through earlier by the so-called Independent Redistricting Commission.

The commission was headed by a longtime Democratic Party activist who falsely filed as an independent when she was certainly not nonpartisan. She then banded together with the two Democrat members to ram through all the redistricting maps and decisions by a party-line 3-2 majority in all cases.

The redrawn maps, which greatly favored the Democrats in the election process, ended up with the desired result of having a Democratic Arizona majority in the House, even though this does not represent the desires of the majority of Arizona citizens.

The worst part is that this farce cannot be remedied for another 10 years. I guess crime does pay, as long as you're a crooked politician.

-- Brian Callahan, Sun City

Obama's gift: Respect

To those who think we voted for Barack Obama because we've received or expect to receive "gifts" from him:

Many of us voted for the president because he offers us the gift of respect.

Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan and many other Republicans have shown contempt for women, minorities, LGBT people, immigrants, the poor, recipients of food stamps, Social Security and Medicare and -- above all -- contempt for honesty.

When you treat people with respect, we'll respect you in return. If you're contemptuous, we'll return your contempt with interest.

-- Tony Chambers, Tempe

Tax hike won't hurt rich

Do the voters really believe their taxes will not rise? Only the wealthy will see an increase?

Are the people so naive that they don't realize the wealthy have plenty of tax shelters and ways to hide their money? The middle class will bear the burden of these tax increases, not the wealthy.

A realistic voter.

-- J. A. Younger, Scottsdale

Not the captain we need

Having Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett do an "overhaul" of the voting process is like giving the captain of the Titanic the keys to a newer, bigger ship.

-- Tom Dunning, Payson

Embassy safety is crucial

The partisan wrangling over Benghazi is a sideshow to the real problem of addressing the purposes of our U.S. diplomatic objectives in the Islamic world.

Our embassies, consulates and missions are hiding behind fortresses with blast-resistant barriers, iron fences with razor wire and armed security guards. Embassy personnel have restricted access to the public and travel in body armor and reinforced vehicles. Increased security perimeters in vulnerable locations will not resolve how we communicate in Islamic countries.

If local governments cannot protect our missions, we should leave. The real issue for Congress is to rethink our global diplomatic mission in light of the overall terrorist threats and not score political points on a setback that exposed our vulnerabilities everywhere.

-- Don Sharpes, Scottsdale

GOP must change views

Since losing the presidential election, there has been a lot of talk among the pundits about changing the Republican Party. I contend there is no Republican Party, just as there is no color purple.

The Republican Party is a combination of people with many different viewpoints. To change the shading of the party, there must be change to the viewpoints of its membership.

For example, adopting a Dream Act for the sake of wooing voters is not a change in viewpoint, it is superficial. Allowing abortion and contraception for votes is not a change in viewpoint.

I therefore also contend that this change is more difficult because the views held by many, particularly in Arizona, are deeply ingrained.

Change can happen only when we change our views, and that comes from learning tolerance for other human beings.

-- Mike Ullery, Glendale

Hamas' deadly strategy

Question: What's the real reason Hamas fires rockets into Israel?

We would be wrong to believe they think they can significantly hurt Israel's citizens or military by doing this. The larger strategic purpose is simple: to provoke an Israeli air war on Gaza.

Look behind this cynical action and you'll find their strategic success: worldwide TV coverage of children killed and mass demonstrations in other countries supporting Hamas.

It is, clearly, the hate-filled, brainwashed Hamas leadership that brings the human tragedy of war on themselves.

-- Steve Berliner, Buckeye

The elephant in the room

OK, I'm going to say it. I'm going to say what no one seems willing or able to say:

Ken Whisenhunt must go.

-- Mary Ann Bashaw, Phoenix

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