I agree with state Sen. Paul Gazelka regarding tax exemptions for military retired pay ("Make Minnesota a place where veterans want to retire," Sept. 12), with one caveat. The amount of military retired pay exempted should be capped at some level, perhaps the first $25,000 or $30,000. Those of us in the senior grades, colonels and generals, retire quite comfortably. Those who retire in the enlisted grades are the ones whom we particularly need to care for.

Col. Tim Hunt (U.S. Army, retired), Fergus Falls, Minn.

• • •

Gazelka argues that creating an exemption would encourage military retirees to move to Minnesota. Perhaps. But that argument would apply to retirees who live elsewhere regardless of their occupation — so why just military retirees? And what about those retirees who have lived here all their lives — should they get an exemption so that they don't move away?

Implicit in Gazelka's argument is the notion that those who have served in the military deserve a special exemption. But lots of folks serve our country in many different ways — and many of them don't even have a pension at all. Indeed, military pensions are among the most generous.

Of course, if an exemption is granted to one group, everyone else has to pay more.

Our federal and state tax codes need fewer exemptions and loopholes, not more.

Eric W. Forsberg, Golden Valley
ADRIAN PETERSON

Can any good come from this situation?

Adrian Peterson, charged with a felony after beating his 4-year-old son with a switch, played his two trump "abuse" cards to explain his behavior:

1) Blame the victim: He expressed regret that his son didn't cry, because that would have let him know that he was hurting the boy.

2) Be the victim: He used the same kind of discipline that he experienced as a child.

Victims are stuck in their behaviors. There is hope for the 4-year-old to grow up and learn not to push people to get his way. Maybe at 29, Peterson can grow up and learn some new plays, too.

Sandra Willson, Maple Grove

• • •

Real men do not strike women, children and dogs, no matter what the reason might be.

Kristine Lindholm, Minneapolis

• • •

Peterson's son did not deserve switching. Neither did I as a small, shy child. And neither did my (well-behaved) husband. But switching we got in our 1950s childhoods. And I imagine that's the kind of discipline our parents got, and theirs …

Such forms of discipline with which we grow up have to be unlearned. Apparently Adrian did not unlearn, and it's a shame. So much training for so many things, and the most important — parenting — no training? I hope this is a wake-up call for all parents depending on old ways of disciplining (punishing) their children.

Sue Kearns, Minneapolis

• • •

Peterson's son's wounds will heal, but he will carry the scars of the abuse forever. He will never respect his father out of love; any respect will be borne of fear. What a terrible burden for a child to go through life with. Yet, with time, this incident will be forgotten by most. The Vikings will protect their investment and valuable property in Peterson. It is just business and about making money.

Don Hanson, Rochester

• • •

When you look at a person and your stomach churns, that's not a good sign. However, I believe one way Peterson could redeem himself is to save many other children from the same fate. It frightens me knowing what might be happening behind closed doors across the country in the name of "being a good father." How many other 4-year-olds are being beaten by "loving" parents? I shudder. But if Adrian could become the spokesperson who teaches and educates others about how to parent, that beating your child is not the way, and patience is mandatory as a parent, that would be true redemption. If he does that, I will love him again.

Men respect him. They would listen. And if it is true he really didn't know (and they really don't know) that it is wrong to "whoop" a 4-year-old, the difference he could make would be astounding. He would be a real hero to so many voiceless children.

Beverly Gores, Minneapolis

• • •

Right or wrong, I lost count of the times I was disciplined with a switch as a lad. Likewise my siblings and friends. It stung, but left no damage. Mom's hairbrush was always handy, but could cause bruises. The best disciplinary tool was dad's leather razor strop, always hanging in clear sight on the bathroom door.

Dick Chapman, St. Michael

• • •

The Sunday Star Tribune mentioned that Peterson may stand trial in 2015. Rather than stretching out the process, he should shed his attorney's cultural defense, get into a Texas courtroom as soon as possible to plead guilty to the lowest mutually acceptable count, publicly apologize to his son, promise to get some much needed parenting training and try to get on with his life.

Martin Demgen, Minneapolis

• • •

I took one look at the front page of Monday's paper and said, "Really? People wore their Adrian Peterson jerseys to the game?" I hope I am not the only one who is disgusted in this whole NFL/Ray Rice/Adrian Peterson series of scandals. The only way to make the league clean up is to boycott its games on TV and in the stadium. Who is with me?

Natalie Bonfig, Maplewood

• • •

To the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority: Please tell me you've removed any player's image from renderings of the stadium. Thank you.

Bob Miller, Minneapolis
SOUVENIR HUNTING

Scoring a Twins foul ball? No problem.

I laughed out loud when I finished reading Michael Rand's article "Souvenir hunting a dangerous game" (Sept. 10). While attending a recent Twins game at Target Field, my daughter, Elise, scored a souvenir foul ball simply by standing in line at a food vendor. The ball apparently bounced through an opening in the stands, rolled down the gangway, trickled across the concourse and stopped right at her feet while she was waiting to buy a hamburger. She bent down and picked up the ball, and said, "Hey, Dad, look at this!"

Needless to say, Elise doesn't think that snagging a souvenir ball is particularly difficult — or "dangerous."

Paul Lohmann, Woodbury