Readers write for April 28, 2010

DFL CONVENTION

Representative process picked the nominee

Former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton is wondering, "Why should 1,300 people presume to make the decision for 400,000 people?" ("Kelliher wins party nod as Rybak concedes," April 25).

May I remind him that thousands of caucus attendees elected the 1,300 delegates to represent them at the DFL convention in Duluth. This is certainly not undemocratic, as he asserts. Many people attend the caucuses who have little wealth. Not many candidates have the independent wealth to run a primary campaign, as does Dayton.

ROGER LILLEODDEN, ST. Paul

• • •

As a first-time delegate to the state DFL convention, I was impressed to witness such a fair and open system. Although there were several viable candidates for governor, the delegates were able to work together and unite behind one.

It was truly an experience on how democracy is supposed to work.

JIM DAHLGREN, CRYSTAL

• • •

Well, that certainly was an anticlimax.

Here we have a candidate in Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak with an almost Obama-like ability to not only define the problems but suggest solutions. He was ahead in the polls and was starting to generate a lot off excitement leading up to the primaries. Then a few hundred party hacks get together and decide that "more of the same old song" Margaret Anderson Kelliher deserves the endorsement. Rybak, as a good team player, decides to bow out, leaving us with Mark Dayton (our own version of Jimmy Carter) as the only opponent.

Part unity is great, but couldn't we unite around the candidate who won the majority of caucus votes instead of the candidate who had to work the backrooms of Duluth to secure 651 votes? Please, Mayor Rybak, continue to run.

OLLE LINDQVIST, ST. Louis Park

highway deaths

It's time to toughen teen license system

The rash of recent teen driving deaths should be a wake-up call for all of us. Although Minnesota has a graduated license system for teens, it may be time to implement tougher penalties and make it more difficult for teens to earn their driver's licenses.

In Massachusetts, such laws have reduced the number of tickets issued for speeding, failure to use seat belts and other violations by as much as 60 percent. In five of the last six months, Massachusetts has ended the month with no fatalities among drivers under 18.

Stronger policies are especially needed on rural roads, where a disproportionate number of fatalities -- and all of the recent Minnesota ones -- are happening.

We obviously can't undo these tragedies. But we can strengthen our policies to reduce the likelihood of future heartbreak.

LEE W. MUNNICH JR., DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN RURAL SAFETY, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

new immigration law

Arizona is a result of Obama's inaction

There are millions of illegal aliens, with hundreds of thousands more crossing the border every year. Yet, President Obama has the gall to say laws intended to stop the invasion are bad. Why isn't he enforcing all immigration laws? He and his allies stoop to name-calling against those who believe in laws and want immigration reduced to sustainable, historical levels.

DELL ERICKSON, MINNEAPOLIS

• • •

Now that Arizona has passed the first of its own Nuremberg laws, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor had better not walk around the poorer sections of Phoenix in her casual clothes.

RICHARD BREITMAN, MINNEAPOLIS

middle east peace

Keep aid to Israel, our one true Mideast ally

An April 26 letter writer displays an unfortunate yet commonly seen level of ignorance and lack of historical perspective by suggesting that to further peace, the United States should stop funding Israel.

The Israelis, as well as most of the world, want peace. Unfortunately, Hamas, which rules Gaza, continues to hold firm to its central declaration, which seeks the destruction of the Jewish state. As the well-known saying goes, if the Palestinians laid down their arms, there would be peace in the Middle East; if the Israelis laid down theirs, there would be a massacre.

Israel is our only ally in a sea of enemies, and is only democracy in the entire region. All of its citizens, including Palestinians, enjoy health care, education, freedom to vote, travel and other amenities of western civilization. Not to mention the fact that Israel represents the best U.S. partner in the fight against global terrorism.

KEN FINK, MINNEAPOLIS

south park

Islamic extremists now controlling Hollywood?

Reading about the Revolution Muslim group's reaction to Comedy Central's "South Park," I had to wonder about the difference between a threat and a warning ("'South Park' gets a warning, then gets censored," April 24). The two creators were warned that they would probably end up like Theo van Gogh, the Dutch filmmaker who was slain by an Islamic militant. This sounded very much like a death threat, even though it was described as "but a warning of which will likely happen to them." This incident, in addition to the wrestling show that was canceled ("Wrestling-show skit prompts an apology," April 24) because of objections to one of the wrestlers playing the part of an Iranian wrestler, makes me wonder: Are Muslim radicals beginning to take control of the entertainment industry through threats?

JAMES MCguire, Rosemount