Letters to the editor for Friday, May 23

As the Central Corridor Management Committee continues to entertain the University of Minnesota's Northern Alignment ("Light rail's route through U on hold, again," May 22), which every reasonable and knowledgeable person agrees is untenable, we have forgotten about the communities along University Avenue. These communities and their dreams for the Central Corridor project deserve the same consideration being given to the university.

While the university continues to push for a plan that would cost at least $40 million more in inflation, neighborhoods asking for only $15 million to build out stations at Hamline, Victoria and Western, stations that are critical to jobs and opportunities for the people who live there, are ignored.

Communities that were displaced and harmed when Interstate 94 went through St. Paul are once again being pushed aside in the interest of a seemingly more powerful player. People will not stand for this, and the CCMC would be wise to reconsider its priorities.

DAVID GREENE, MINNEAPOLIS

You forgot one critical demographic in your "What's in it for me" wrap-up of the 2008 legislative session. If you are not affiliated with a major party you can now serve as an election judge!

True, all of the people on lists provided by major-party operatives have to be offered the chance to serve before you can, but major-party affiliation is no longer a legal requisite. Given the fact that this is a major election year, this is probably worth a mention.

JULIE RISSER, EDINA

Douglas is certainly entitled to his opinions about global warming theory, and as a trained meteorologist who is on the Star Tribune payroll, there is a place for his beliefs on global warming. That place, however, is the opinion page, not in the news section camouflaged as part of the weather forecast.

JOHN QUAST, MAPLE GROVE

In her May 21 column, "California ruling hijacks middle ground on marriage," Katherine Kersten seems to suggest that same-sex couples are asking for too much if they dare to seek full equality. In all fairness, how can we deny them their full rights when the preponderance of evidence demonstrates that same-sex couples are as capable as heterosexual couples in having healthy relationships and in raising well-adjusted children? This is reflected in the position statements of our major professional organizations for medicine, mental health, social work and adoption.

Perhaps Kersten should acknowledge this. Otherwise her discussion on this subject not only avoids the pertinent facts, it also conveys a certain lack of humanity.

MARK BISIGNANI, MINNEAPOLIS

KURT SEABERG, MINNEAPOLIS

As a Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer supporter, I find the sources of money for the other U.S. Senate candidates really weird (front page, May 21). The Playboy heiress? The Myanmar junta?

Some people have discounted Jack because he doesn't get this sort of contribution. It's true that Jack accepts no PAC money, and that 96 percent of his donations come from Minnesotans. His typical donor tends to be a teacher, nurse, farmer or college student -- regular citizens interested in better government.

For being squeaky clean, it seems that Jack is sometimes not taken seriously as a candidate. Even though he has raised over a half-million dollars, some have failed to see the grass-roots power in such a campaign.

Make up your minds, people. Can a candidate be electable running a grass-roots campaign depending on small donations? Or would you rather deal with donation scandals?

I am completely shocked by the May 22 Minnesota Poll that shows President Bush with a 68 percent disapproval rate. Who are these people, the 25 percent, who actually approve of his performance? And what, exactly, do they approve of?

I can think of only one thing he has done in 7 1/2 years that I agree with: expanding daylight savings time. So thanks, George, for the extra daylight, but it really hasn't been worth it.

JEFF ANDERSON, MINNETONKA

What's next in the airlines' search for new revenue? Pay toilets?

CLAYTON KAUFMAN, ST. LOUIS PARK

Passengers and all of their luggage should get on the scale at the ticket counter. If over the allowed weight limit, then I suggest per pound would be the only fair way to charge for extra pounds. This might also help the increasing obesity problem in the United States.

HEATHER LAYTON, MINNEAPOLIS

It's 10:05 p.m. Tonight's top story? You guessed it, gas prices. This time it's "Parents can't attend their kids' sports games."

Is this really my state? Minnesota endures some of the harshest of weather conditions, has some of the best social service programs in the nation and has carpool lanes. So let's view this thing as not only a political crisis to complain about but also as an opportunity for us to come together as a community, to take a unified responsibility for circumstances we ourselves have helped create.

We can make our kids' sports games. What are the car-pool lanes for, anyway?