Inside Mesa

Each time my husband and I hear the name Glendale, AZ during a nationally televised event we writhe in pain and gag on the irony. It’s been nearly five years since the anti-stadium /anti-Cardinals rhetoric reached a fever pitch and the possibility of an NFL stadium in Mesa was finally banished. Now we are known as a town of naysayers.But where have those infamous naysayers gone? What fabulous economic progress have they contributed to the Mesa community? Oh… maybe they are the ones who fought against the Riverview project or pushed for no property tax - more fruitful efforts that gain us nothing.Sorry to rehash the past, but it lends itself to some basic questions. Who are some of these people living around us and why are they so determined to undermine the economic progress of our city? More importantly, why does anyone listen to them? The big name retailers and venues continue to migrate to our sister cities in the Valley while we in Mesa have a difficult time keeping our roads paved and parks patrolled for a lack of revenue.Please don’t tell me that an NFL stadium wouldn’t have made a huge impact on Mesa; prestige and reputation go a long way as do JOBS! When I moved to the Valley in 1995, some East Coast buddies asked me if we had malls here! That’s the impression we had on the rest of the world. Recently a friend back in DC asked me if I was near that new stadium in Glendale that she saw on Monday Night Football. I had to say, no I live way on the "other" side of town, in Mesa.

Making an educated vote on sitting judges is nearly impossible. Voters need the useful information we care about in terms we can understand when voting for a judge’s retention, and right now we are not getting it. I applaud the efforts of the Center for Arizona Policy (CAP) for working to provide voters with meatier information as we review the daunting list of judges up for retention this November.The "Judicial Performance Review" provided by the AZ Secretary of State is inadequate at best and laughable at worst. This is very sad considering the hard work of 13,000 people used to create a voter information guide that is not helpful to voters. The performance review generally confirms what most voters assume based upon their hiring: a sitting judge is "qualified" for their position in terms of legal ability, integrity, communication skills, temperament, and administration.However, what voters want to know is whether or not a certain judge made or agrees with decisions that end up on national television like giving a child rapist probation, revoking parental consent for abortions, or other decisions that are/are not in step with societal consciousness. The problem as evidenced in the abysmal response to the voter-friendly, CAP survey by the judges is their need to appear fair and impartial.Most judges are rightfully afraid of having labels like "for/against abortion" or "activist" or "pawn of the government". The voters’ need for information versus a judge’s requirement to deal with the facts as presented in individual cases real quandary for which I have no immediate solution.My general suggestion would be for the AZ Commission to revamp the Judicial Performance Review to somehow categorize the types of cases before the judges and then indicate the rulings and categorized sentences imposed by a judge. Then we the voters can decide whether he / she are indeed "qualified".

As a 1990 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), allow me to say "Congratulations!" on 30 years of Women at the Service Academies and in particular, the Naval Academy. In July 1976, 81 women reported to Annapolis, MD as members of the class of 1980. Thirty years later, 273 women were sworn into Naval Service totally nearly 2700 women during that time. A "30 years of Women at USNA" celebration was held in Annapolis September 7-9th, where the keynote speaker was Rear Admiral (sel) Michelle Howard, the first female Admiral from the Naval Academy and first African-American woman to command a U.S. Navy ship. The debate continues in certain circles on the value of women in the military and our training at the Service Academies. The combat exclusion law was finally lifted in 1992 and opened most military careers doors to women. Although the military has always led the way in integration, there are still doubters as to our contribution despite years of service providing evidence to the contrary.Allow me to quote a recent article from Proceedings (a military magazine) written by Sharon Disher, USNA ‘80, entitled "Women Can Fight" (a fitting title countering James Webb’s 1979 piece, "Women Can’t Fight"):"Cdr. Kirk Lippold, was the Commanding Officer of the USS COLE when it was attacked by terrorists. Debbie Courtney was his engineer and Ann Chamberlain was his navigator. Both are Naval Academy graduates. In his view, they are heroes. "Despite a 40 by 40 foot hole in the side of our ship and inoperable generators, LT. Courtney, in just four hours, stabilized the ship and prevented it from sinking. The USS COLE was kept afloat as a direct result of her extensive engineering knowledge, indomitable leadership abilities, and calm demeanor…"Yeah… I would say that we women are holding our own in and out of the military! While there remains some lack of respect of women on the whole worldwide, we still keep plugging forward often as leaders no matter what the task at hand. Although I am not an official "Blue & Gold Officer" (USNA recruiter), if anyone has any questions about the Naval Academy or being a Naval Officer, please feel free to email me. If I don’t know, then "I’ll find out, sir!" This year also marks the 20 year anniversary of my ‘plebe summer’. (I wonder if the tourists still yell, "Look! There’s a girl one!’) Remember, "BEAT ARMY!" and "SINK AIR FORCE!"

Proposition 107 (Protect Marriage Arizona) is nothing new or radical to our state. We currently have a state law that defines marriage as being between one man and one woman. Over 300,000 AZ voters signed petitions to get Prop.107 on the ballot. This is not some conservative witch hunt, but an opportunity for Arizona citizens to not become victims like the citizens of Massachusetts. Remember what happened there?With no say from the voters or legislators, the Massachusetts Supreme Court decided that the state constitution mandated that homosexual marriage be allowed. Just like that the moral and social landscape was hijacked by their state judiciary. Two years later, MA citizens are heartily gathering signatures to amend their constitution to define marriage as being between one man and one woman.A constitutional amendment is the best protection of the institution of marriage from the onslaught of small but influential groups. Twenty states have already amended their constitutions to protect traditional marriage with an unheard of passage rate of 70%.The best defense against the twisting of constitutions is a clear definition of marriage in the Arizona Constitution. Vote yes on Proposition 107 and defend our laws from future judicial activism!

Voting is a small duty in exchange for the freedoms we enjoy. Be a part of the solution or at least try to be. Every US citizen should register and vote! What many Americans consider a nuisance, many foreign citizens consider a joy and a privilege. You may not always get your way, but you should always be a part of the process. Primary elections are September 12th and the general election in November. Are you ready? Maybe your vote isn’t enough. There are plenty of opportunities to make a difference in our government:- Join the local caucus of your political party of choice and help create its platform.- Become a Precinct Committeeman to influence the direction and policies of your political party: www.azgop.org, www.azdem.org- Host a political candidate forum at your church or other locale to meet the candidates and educate fellow voters and peers on the issues.- Support your candidate of choice financially.- Write a letter/email/phone your legislator on an issue. This goes a long way and takes very little time.- Join a lobbyist group to influence public policy.- Start/join a prayer group for good government! (www.azpolicy.org/prayer)I become especially agitated with how many church-goers do not register or vote or get involved at all. We in particular are supposed to take seriously the social condition of our nation and care about other citizens. If we don’t do it, then someone with differing values will - guaranteed. Be the prudent person who votes the issues and their conscience, not based upon one 30 second TV spot. Let me preface the following story with, "I AM NOT FROM CALIFORNIA!" I did however live there during my military days, and became a registered voter there. In the late ’90s, I survived a particularly painful election day during which every single one of my preferred candidates lost. Particularly painful was the election of Grey Davis as governor and re-election of Senator Diane Feinstein whose views I find particularly contemptible. Despite that experience, I have continued to vote and increasingly petitioned my elected officials during my residencies in Pennsylvania and here in Arizona. It has never dawned on me to abandon the political process despite the fact that I don’t always get my own way. So, don’t get discouraged - keep trying. Thousands of men & women have died to ensure that we have the right to a democratic process; their sacrifices should not be in vain. Please do your part and "rock the vote"!

Marriage Amendment shouldn’t be necessary, but it is…Marriage has been defined as being between one man and one woman since its inception. It is the cornerstone of the family and human society, not just some political special interest. Cohabitation and no-fault divorce have been undermining marriage and families for years. This growing apathy toward marriage makes it a perfect time for homosexual proponents to attempt to change the definition of marriage through the judiciary, but our society must stop and address this important issue. The Protect Marriage Arizona Constitutional Amendment protects the precious institution of marriage by effectively

I commend Sen. Jon Kyl and President Bush for supporting adult stem-cell research and the ban on fetal farming. This is a position that is both pro-life and pro-science.Despite the media hype, embryonic stem-cell research has not produced any real results or cured any conditions. On the other hand, adult stem-cell research has cured thousands of patients. Stem cells from umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid and the placenta have also produced much more promising results than stem cells from embryos. I want to see diseases cured and new treatments discovered, but not at the expense of destroying human life in any form. That is why I support the alternative stem-cells bill and the ban on fetal farming. These bills allow for scientists to conduct research that actually works while still respecting the dignity of human life. By supporting non-embryonic stem-cell research, we are supporting good, effective research that will actually help people. In light of the alternatives, it makes no sense to continue to publicly fund efforts that are unproven and are ethically questionable.