I was pleased to see that the Minneapolis Police Department is changing the color of SWAT team gear from military olive-green camouflage to a more traditional police navy blue ("Minneapolis SWAT teams get less militarized look," March 1). It definitely will lessen the feeling in many communities that we have become "policed" by our military, rather than having a citizen police force that is here to "protect and serve."

I was disturbed, though, by the comments of Bob Kroll, the Minneapolis police union president, who seemed to mock the change by characterizing it as being "more of the softer touch, warm fuzzies they want to give everybody." I am not sure that I or most other folks will ever feel a "warm fuzzy" when an officer climbs out of a vehicle with a machine gun, but unfortunately, there is a time and a place for that use of force. What Kroll may need some reminding about is that our Constitution set up a society where we are not policed by our military — that is why the commander-in-chief is a civilian, elected official. Having police officers show up at a peaceful sit-in in military-style assault vehicles dressed in green camo and helmets makes me feel the "cold and sharp" reality of life in a military dictatorship. Please wake up, Mr. Kroll

James R. Rowader Jr., Minneapolis
SUPREME COURT PHILOSOPHY

So-called judicial activism is more like a fairer reflection

Regarding Scott Turow's otherwise excellent opinion and analysis ("The next justice should be …," March 1), his claim that "legal realism" is a fairly modern concept appears to be unreal. For instance, in the Supreme Court's infamous Dred Scott decision of 1857, the five southern slaveholders on the court as well as another judge with a strong proslavery stance unsurprisingly held to their own moral and political preferences and ruled that blacks had no rights under the Constitution at all. Never mind that blacks represented a fairly large proportion of the army of George Washington that fought for our independence, as documented in Ron Chernow's recent biography of our first president.

The court has always been peopled by members of the power political class, and only really since FDR have justices been appointed who represent a broader range of our citizenry. It is this change to the system that has so many up in arms about so-called judicial activism and legal realism.

James Page, Coon Rapids
AIRPORT SECURITY DELAYS

A little common sense could go a long way

I can't understand why any passengers are missing flights at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport as a result of a new TSA system ("As security lines grow longer, patience at MSP gets shorter," Feb. 27). It needn't happen even with the longest lines during the heaviest traffic periods.

When my husband and I encountered a similar situation while traveling through an extremely busy airport, the staff had a list of soon-to-depart flights and walked the lines calling for people booked on those flights. They then moved those in danger of missing a flight to the front of the line, where those passengers were quickly processed and sent to their gates.

Kate Woodfill, Ramsey
STILLWATER SCHOOLS

Snubbing of constituents has implications for us all

I live in the southwestern part of the Twin Cities area, but I've been watching the news about the Stillwater school board proposing to close the three elementary schools in the northern parts of the school district ("Majority opposes school closing plan in Stillwater," Feb. 28). It sounds like the over 2,500 signatures on the "STOP BOLD COLD" petition — referring to the district's acronym for its proposal — hasn't made the school board budge.

To close those three elementary schools would be a travesty. I've heard that they are highly ranked academically, and the one in Marine on St. Croix — that community's only school — is historic. It has been in existence since 1848, and closing it would change the feel of quaint Marine forever.

It sounds as if with the housing boom rebounding, there will be a lot of new people moving up to the northern parts of the district and building new homes, a trend projected by the Metropolitan Council. I live in rapidly growing Shakopee, and thank goodness we've not closed any of our schools, even those in the much quieter, remote areas, because now we need each and every one. In fact, we are expanding in a big way, and I see that happening in northern Stillwater, too, in the next few years. It seems clear to me that if you close those schools, in just a few years there will be a need for an elementary up there anyway, but to build it new and start over will cost millions and millions of dollars in future cash, more than needed now to simply keep the current three schools operating.

In a few years, this BOLD proposal will look like a very bad idea indeed. And where is the civic pride in these highly ranked academic schools with such stellar staff? And what can justify treating all of the children in those current schools so poorly, by ignoring their pleas and subjecting them to long bus rides each day with no neighborhood schools to attend? The leadership of first-time superintendent Denise Pontrelli is very troubling. I sure hope that the Stillwater school board will listen to all of its taxpaying citizens. Now is not the time to ignore them simply to save one's pride.

Mary Kaufenberg, Shakopee
MEDICAL DEVICE CASE

CEO deserves our gratitude for standing up to charges

When we think of patriots, we think of people who stood up to an oppressive government despite great personal risk to themselves. With that in mind, the entire country owes Howard Root, CEO of the Maple Grove medical-device maker Vascular Solutions, a debt of gratitude for standing up to federal prosecutors ("Device CEO acquitted in off-label case," Feb. 27). Countless business executives before him have capitulated to spurious charges in order to end the ordeal, expense and risk of defending against a prosecution with limitless resources and very little oversight. Well done, Howard.

Bob Gust, Bloomington
NAMING RIGHTS

Vikings, our street and your money could be a match

I, for one, think that it is a marvelous idea to allow the Vikings to rename part of Chicago Avenue in front of their new stadium ("Vikings want their Way in Mpls.," Feb. 27). Presumably, the City Council will cheerfully grant the team this special naming right for an appropriate amount. So, just how may millions of dollars per block per year would that amount be?

Sue Smukler, Minneapolis
DONALD TRUMP

Would he settle instead for the Martin Sheen role?

Any chance we could bring back "The West Wing" with Donald Trump as president and call it good?

Larry Schussler, Spring Park