Counterpoint: Why you should care about the 'Capitol mess'

What is it about human nature that allows us to take utterly for granted the foundations for our convenient, modern life? We never want to think about what it takes to keep those foundations strong, and we certainly don't want our day-to-day routines disrupted for such endeavors — that is, until the cracks start to show.

The much-needed and well-overdue Capitol Restoration Project took 30 years to overcome this kind of inertia and come to fruition, and still the Star Tribune, in "Capitol mess means a make-do session" (March 6), characterizes it as a "hassle."

Should we just continue to let the building rot, lest legislators and lobbyists face some minor challenges to business as usual? Should we leave in place the outdated ventilation and plumbing to create numerous unplanned problems as these systems continue to deteriorate? Should we blindly walk a path toward legislating from a ruin in the next century?

The 400 workers currently inconveniencing our legislators are engaged in vitally important work to preserve a piece of Minnesota history and the heart of our state government. The building is truly a marvel — put together over 100 years ago with hand-quarried limestone and marble and the sweat and blood of hundreds, with only limited assistance from steam cranes.

Building technologies have improved since then, but men and women must still toil with hands and bodies. The work is often dirty and unpleasant, but it must be done. Old ceilings must be climbed into, shafts must be descended, bodies bruised, dust breathed — all to ensure the future healthfulness and usability of the State Capitol.

Over the past year or so, I've worked several stints at the site, insulating new piping and ductwork to provide a comfortable environment for the future inhabitants of the Capitol. Despite the challenging and uncomfortable nature of much of this work, I feel privileged to be part of this historic endeavor, and have often found myself awe-struck by the beauty and grandeur of the exposed anatomy of the building.

Is it too much to ask reporters and legislators to take a moment, as they walk through the active construction site, to reflect on the value of the building and the purpose of this work, instead of simply dismissing it as a hassle?

The skilled craftspeople engaged in this important work deserve some recognition and respect. We get dirty every day so others don't have to.