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Readers Write for Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009

Last update: September 29, 2009 - 3:02 PM

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HEALTH CARE REFORM

Frist's is a voice that we should ignore

Regarding Dr. William H. Frist's comments on reforming Medicare (Commentary, Sept. 28): I find it strange that he should be considered as a spokesman for conservatives on health care. After all, his family's hospital group overbilled Medicare for billions of dollars. Oh, yeah, I forgot. He said he didn't know anything about that.

GENE LE VITRE, MINNEAPOLIS

PAWLENTY FOR PREZ

Minnesotans should be honored, not angry

Why all the fuss about Gov. Tim Pawlenty traveling ("Details needed on governor's travels," Sept. 27)? Shouldn't we be proud to have a governor who is popular enough to be considered? This is just political whining by Democrats.

MARTIN MAYERCHAK, OTSEGO

•••

Thank you for finally addressing the elephant in the closet. The editorial makes the point that our governor seems to be running for president with travels and speeches throughout the country while refusing to admit the details. Pawlenty's spokesman, Brian McClung, responds that our dedicated governor is not required to inform his office of his "outside political activities."

So, let me get this straight -- Pawlenty has a full-time job running the state of Minnesota but does not have to actually be in Minnesota or tell his boss -- the voters -- what he is doing?

KAREN WATTERS, STILLWATER

•••

Considering all the time that our governor is spending outside of Minnesota pursuing his own personal agenda rather than the interests of the state, I am wondering if failure to show up for work or dereliction of duty are grounds for impeachment.

BRIAN MARSH, SPRING LAKE PARK

BROOKLYN PARK HATE CRIME

They're tragic regardless of the race being attacked

Some years back, an elderly woman was attacked and robbed at the Kmart store on Lake Street. The suspect yelled racial epithets at her as he broke her elbows. This incident was afforded one paragraph inside the Metro section.

The victim was white and her attacker was African-American.

There has been an epidemic of violent black-on-white hate crimes in this state for years, and it has been ignored by the media. No outrage has ever been expressed by any public official.

What happened to Derrick Thomas and his uncle is a tragedy and their attackers should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. But it has happened to many others before and will again.

Let's have media coverage and outrage expressed over all hate crimes.

TOM EGAN, MINNEAPOLIS

JOHN ADDINGTON

He was a teacher to many in the newsroom

To most people, a copy editor probably is an ordinary job -- unless, of course, you are John Addington, whose obituary appeared in Saturday's newspaper. Then you are an editor extraordinaire.

A long time ago I joined the news staff of the old Minneapolis Tribune and worked alongside John on the copy desk rim. When I left a few years later to go into college teaching, John had been at the paper for nearly 10 years, and he continued for another 40.

So many of the things that I learned from John I applied to my teaching -- first at the University of Kansas and then back in my native Twin Cities at St. Thomas, and I have always felt indebted to him.

NORMAN W. LARSON, EAGAN

CARLSON'S OPINIONS

Retired pols' advice should be sought out

A Sept. 25 letter writer makes an interesting, if dubious, point. So former Gov. Arne Carlson should keep his opinions to himself now that he's no longer in office, as should the Nobel Laureate Jimmy Carter?

If politicians' advice is no longer welcome after they leave office, I wonder if the writer would say the same thing to Dick Cheney or Sarah Palin? Or does the rule only apply when the retired politician disagrees with him?

I would think it a good thing to have the ear and the advice of elder statesmen and stateswomen in consideration whenever we make decisions involving the lives of millions of Americans.

KEVIN MOBERG, MINNEAPOLIS

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