Federal helicopters hurt quality of life in S. Arizona
TUCSON -- More than almost anything else, the military helicopter is a symbol of oppression. These loud and invasive craft now fly daily from DMAFB over central Tucson, harming quality of life.Increased fed and military chopper use started in 2003. Shaking historic neighborhoods near downtown such as Armory Park.
The Santa Rita Park Neighborhood Association made a recent informal agreement with US Dept. of Homeland Security to keep choppers away, and it has worked somewhat.
Look for DHS choppers flying over your head, they have the distinctive yellow stripe down the side.
But DHS is not the only arm of the federal government flying loud choppers, so is the military. Often lower, louder, in formations, and longer hours. Attempts to deal with DMAFB on reducing their impacts on families have not been positive. DM answer men explain they cannot answer anything, or do anything. We are just supposed to assume the rattle of our houses at all hours somehow keeps us safer. Wrong! No one is fooled.
The increase in military helicopters in Tucson is part of what we all get as long as DM is open. But the added harm of having the Bush administration in control is that they do nothing to mitigate impacts to people, and they don't care.
Comments
If they cease for a few moments, the train (which in any other town sounds comforting to me) blares its horn for a couple of minutes; barring either of those sounds, there can at any given time be several police sirens going off in what sounds like a multi-officer high-speed chase (why they all need their sirens at once and one alone won't do, I don't know). Combine this with normal city noises (occasional arguing, rowdy college kids, zooming motorcycles) and we have a severe problem largely caused by reckless decisions by officials. All night long, no peace.
I just moved here -- I work from home, able to choose where I live, and thought I'd put some of my hard-earned salary into this town for a while -- but this lack of focus, enjoyment, or sleep is not going to work. Thanks for nothing, Tucson.