Continued: North metro letters

Keillor has gone from funny to bitter

What happened to Garrison Keillor? He used to be funny. Now his column keeps repeating itself, as if we, his readers, still miss his point after the last 15 iterations. The "Old Scout" has turned into the "Old Curmudgeon."

Unfortunately for himself, and for his former fans, Mr. Keillor demonstrates what so many people find offensive about liberalism: He comes across as elitist, knowing better, scornful, sneering, supercilious, bitter: looking down at the "little people" -- conservatives, churchgoers, bowlers, fat people and motorcyclists -- who can't seem to understand that we need to be governed and ruled by people like him.

Not all of us loathe President Bush -- whom Mr. Keillor calls "the Current Occupant" -- the way Mr. Keillor appears to. We might not like some of what he's done, but as liberals like to remind us, "Hate is not a family value."

And despite the admittedly stupefying effects of years of NEA-approved government education, and television shows produced by (surprise!) Hollywood liberals, we little people occasionally crush the empty beer can, arise from our La-Z-Boys, shake off the soporific torpor induced by too much television-watching, and remember some of the truths and values we learned in Lake Wobegon.

We realize that this man Obama reminds us an awful lot of the Wizard of Oz, of a living Rorschach test, or as one of his supporters on the Daily Kos put it, "... an empty suit into which people pour their own dreams."

MICHAEL W. BIRD

ST. ANTHONY

Accountability for the bridge collapse

Tragically it has been disclosed employees of the Minneapolis Golf Club were aware of series problems regarding problems with their swimming pool -- and a young girl died a horrible death ("Pool staff was aware of drain dangers," Sept. 4). Who will ultimately be held accountable for knowing of serious problems associated with the 35W bridge collapse and the deaths of 13 people and over 100 serious injuries?

MARK J. NOVITSKY

FRIDLEY

A nay for the music

I just have one question after watching the RNC on Wednesday evening: If the McCain ticket wins, will we be subjected to four years of country music from the White House?

SHELDON WINNIG

CRYSTAL