Readers Write (May 7): 'Tale of two Girards,' Trump and clarity, title insurance

Having once lived on Girard Avenue (South), and having once worked as a county case manager with a client who lived on Girard Avenue (North), I was intrigued when I read the April 30 Opinion Exchange headline "The tale of two Girards" — and disappointed with the rest. I had hoped to read about real people — kids with names — and not about ghetto/privileged character types.

The writer is a retired Hennepin County social worker.

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Gary Marvin Davison undoubtedly recognizes that children on Minneapolis' North Side are bright, talented, creative, hardworking, playful, thoughtful and loving. He has apparently devoted much time and energy to helping children in this community realize their potential. However, his "Tale of two Girards" did nothing to assist and much to offend.

Davison perpetuates the worst possible stereotypes: "Mama never came home last night; Daddy never has been around." It is inconceivable that he would portray an entire community in such an ugly light. In reality, despite living under challenging circumstances, there are many parents, grandparents, neighbors and friends who are doing everything in their power to support children in their community — coaching them, reading to them, helping with homework, driving them to dance class or drum line, and leading church programs.

Even more egregious than Davison's perpetuation of stereotypes were his hostile and uninformed comments about Bethune Community School, where I have the privilege of serving as a Reading Partners volunteer. I suspect that Davison has not been to Bethune since Cheryl Martin became principal there. Ms. Martin obviously cares deeply about all of her students and their families. Her team of teachers, administrative staff, social workers and counselors are equally genuine. The atmosphere at Bethune is very positive, and students generally seem very happy to be at school. Mr. Davison ought to visit Bethune. Perhaps he will then try collaborating with — rather than tearing down — those who share his vision.

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What we were not aware of was the support the state gave my contemporaries when we were in school back in the 1960s. My classmates and I paid $400 a year in tuition, while the state paid 50 percent of the university budget. The state currently pays 15 percent of the university budget, while the students pay thousands.

We were all able to earn enough in the summer back then to pay for tuition, books and other expenses to survive college.

The politics of the state government over the past 50 years definitely have negatively affected upward mobility of the students in the northern part of Girard Avenue. I would be the first to acknowledge that it was not easy. I lived at home, commuted in a carpool to the U and parked in the Mississippi flats for 15 cents a day, while having a first-rate education and a great start in life.

Thanks, Minnesota taxpayers.

Having just read Mike Meyers' April 30 commentary "Donald J. Trump is to clarity what vodka is to sobriety," I find it important to let Meyers know that he and I have some common ground. Donald Trump wasn't my first choice for president, nor second or third. But he was and is my choice for president. And today I couldn't be happier. In my view, there are two main reasons we have Trump as president today: Barack Obama as president and Hillary Clinton as Trump's Democrat challenger. Absent either of these, the U.S. would likely have a different president today.

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I think Meyers made some valid points. Voters would rather take a chance on Trump's promises, no matter how ridiculous or far-fetched, than to continue down the road of scandals, career politicians and deteriorating partisan politics. The American people were that desperate for a change in our political climate. Perhaps Trump's face on a $3 bill (to which Meyers satirically alludes), would force those in politics to realize that they weren't doing things right and change, in one way or another, was needed.

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I was enjoying Meyers' commentary when I came upon his comparison of President Trump to Louis Armstrong, the great jazz improviser. I've played jazz for decades, and based on my experience, Trump is no jazz musician. "Winging it" is not what real jazz musicians do. This is a common misconception about jazz.

It's easy to focus on the soloist, like Armstrong, and miss the collaborative nature of jazz. Jazz is group improvisation. Every player, moment to moment, adds their notes to the group effort while listening deeply to each other. Anyone can influence the performance because leadership floats freely among all the players. If one member stubbornly insists on playing whatever he feels like without regard for everyone else, the result is musical chaos.

The April 30 article "Party is over for state title industry" unfairly portrayed the title insurance industry and failed to share the many benefits it provides to homeowners.

A home is probably the largest investment a person will make in their life. You insure everything else that's valuable to you — your life, car, health, pets, etc., so why not your largest investment? For a onetime fee, title insurance protects a homeowner's property rights for as long as they own their home.

The article suggests that the sole factor a consumer should consider in evaluating a company is price. There are many factors to consider, such as local expertise, service standards, market conduct and commitment to the community. Consumers should ask questions to make sure they select a company they are comfortable with. An informed consumer is best equipped to make good decisions.

The Minnesota Land Title Association has worked with the Department of Commerce to develop materials — which can be found in the Consumer Section of MLTA's website at www.mlta.org — to inform consumers about their rights to choose a title and settlement services company.

Not only do title professionals protect property rights, this industry works to guard against criminals looking to steal consumer funds for real estate closings. Criminals frequently target homebuyers prior to a title company getting involved in the transaction.