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Home | Opinion Exchange | Letters

Readers Write for Sunday, June 28

Last update: June 28, 2009 - 10:37 AM

STATE BUDGET WOES

Investing in our people is no waste of money

There seems to be a problem understanding the difference between public investment and public spending. We invest in schools, health care and infrastructure. We spend on prisons.

We need to concentrate on using our resources where our society will get a return on it -- producing better educated and healthier citizens.

MARCIA MILLER, MINNEAPOLIS

•••

I have a quick, easy and cost-free way to solve our flawed educational system in Minnesota. Remove the politicians from decisionmaking and let the educators run the system.

KEITH KRAMER, FARMINGTON

KEILLOR'S FATHER'S DAY

What a Scrooge he turned out to be

Why spoil Father's Day with Garrison Keillor's mean-spirited column ("Hallmark doesn't serve my Father's Day needs," June 21)?

Who cares if Garrison Keillor never wanted to be a father? I certainly don't.

I celebrated the day with my wonderful husband and father to our two children. I also remembered all the great years I spent with my father.

Bah, humbug, to you, Garrison!

ELLIE MEADE, PLYMOUTH

OBAMA REACTS TO IRAN

Anything short of lying us into war is fine

A June 21 letter writer ("This is leadership? / Iran is in crisis, and Obama is bumbling") failed to define the word "bumbling."

If bumbling means not telling the American people that Iran has materials to produce WMDs or that the United States must not ignore Iran's threat to us or wait for final proof because the smoking gun could come in the form of a mushroom cloud, then I, for one, hope and pray that President Obama continues "bumbling"'!

COLLIN MORIARTY, BLOOMINGTON

•••

After watching his reaction to the Iranian election and the unrest that occurred after it, I'd like to say thank you, John McCain, for once again reminding us why we did not elect you to the presidency.

And thank you, President Obama, for thinking before you speak.

BRIAN PAULSEN, EXCELSIOR

•••

Responding to growing criticism of America's response to the fraudulent election and brutal crackdown on a dissenting Iranian public, President Obama claims we "just need to wait to see how this plays out," and says we cannot become the foil for Iranian leaders to shift the blame.

Well, the situation has already played out by almost any measure. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are still firmly in place. There will be no new and fair election, despite admitted fraud and irregularities. Dozens of innocent Iranian citizens have been killed. No international press is allowed to witness or publish accurate accounts of the daily events. Iranian dissent is being trampled.

Mr. President, can you please define what "playing out" means?

RICK BORG. EDINA

IT'S NOT THE SWINE FLU

Livelihoods are affected by mislabeling H1N1

I was very disappointed in the June 21 headline "10 at muscular dystrophy camp get swine flu."

The article referenced the H1N1 website, but maybe the headline writer should have read the info on the website so that he or she knew the correct name.

Calling this illness the swine flu has already cost the hog industry more than $400 million.

If truth is important to the Star Tribune, then your reporters and editors need to report the correct name of the H1N1 virus. Hogs need to be protected from catching this disease from humans, not the other way around. Please be aware of the consequences when reporting is not accurate.

MYRON OFTEDAHL,

LESTER PRAIRIE, MINN.

BEER AT TCF STADIUM

University lost the high ground a long time ago

By banning the sale of alcohol at the new TCF Bank Stadium, the University of Minnesota is cutting itself off from a huge source of revenue while claiming a sense of moral responsibility. But the ban is, in fact, merely an attempt to save face.

Any attempt to defend the principles of integrity and social responsibility can hardly be touted by an institution that is opening a new and improved campus stadium named after TCF Bank (with whom the university has been a close bedfellow).

My suggestion to the university: You've already sold your soul for a stadium; now it's time to bite the bullet and find a way to pay for it. Do the right thing and sell your overpriced beer to the laymen. They'll love you for it.

REBECCA ERNST, MINNEAPOLIS

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