Letters to the editor for Thursday, Sept. 11

Attorney Joe Snodgrass notes that the U.S. legal system has long accommodated the demands of Christians ("Somalis win prayer case at Gold'n Plump," Sept. 10). He goes on to say that, "no matter how unpopular or popular [minorities] are, there has to be accommodations if they are reasonable and practical."

Really? As a Christian whose chosen field has been law enforcement for the past 20 years, it has always been made very crystal-clear to me on job descriptions, applications for employment and in interviews that I will be expected to work evenings, weekends and holidays (e.g. Easter and Christmas). Oh, and I am also required to wear a "men's-looking" type uniform, too.

My point is that these so-called employees are now part of the American workforce and it is time that they begin to assimilate and stop expecting their every whim to be coddled.

JO RICHMOND, ELK RIVER

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E pluribus unum used to be a great value of the American identity, bringing everyone together under a common value. After reading about the Somali workers winning the prayer case at Gold'n Plump, I realize that value has been replaced with multiculturalism. The former brought the country together, the latter will rip it apart.

CHUCK CHARNSTROM, WATERTOWN

There are many powerful people who say they love the Constitution, but also work to inject religion into public education, government policy and national culture. Journalists who confront such hypocrisy are often punished, and not just by lightning bolts and plagues of boils.

DAVE MOTES, PLYMOUTH

I come at this with some level of objectivity as an independent who attended Barack Obama's first rally at International Market Square and contributed $75 to his campaign before it became clear to me that he had no real leadership experience or accomplishments in political office.

The Republicans are right to point out that a "community organizer" is not on the par with an elected small-town mayor, an elected governor and especially with an accomplished U.S. senator who has a record of working across the aisle to build consensus and pass legislation. John McCain is a proven leader.

This does not diminish the importance of community organizing as a form volunteering or community service; it just doesn't demonstrate any leadership on Obama's part. If Obama had portrayed this part of his life as similar to being a Peace Corps volunteer, fine, but it really is something less than being a successful elected mayor of a small town in Alaska -- and plain folk in the heartland like me know it.

CRAIG VANDERAH, PRIOR LAKE

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I am proud to have worked with community organizers for the past 10 years, currently with ISAIAH, the Twin Cities-area congregation-centered organizing group. Community organizers do good and necessary work, work that should not be ridiculed for political gain.

Sarah Palin's and Rudy Giuliani's dismissive statements concerning community organizing were irresponsible and ignorant. I get that problems can't be solved by the government wading in. I agree with that. But can any thinking person cleave to that argument and at the same time make fun of people who work with communities to help them solve their own problems? We expect and deserve better from those who would represent us in government.

THE REV. STEPHEN SYLVESTER, PASTOR, OUR SAVIOR'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, CIRCLE PINES

We still know very little about where Sarah Palin stands on such important issues as the economy or international affairs. People should be elected for how they would help run our country and what their priorities would be once they are in office.

Please stop putting articles in the Star Tribune based on the fact that a candidate is a mom. There are lots of special moms here in the United States who are wonderful mothers and are not qualified to be vice president or president of our great, diverse country just because we shop.

JAN FITZGERALD, BLOOMINGTON

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If you have the sense that John McCain is different from George W. Bush, notice that his veep choice has holed up in some bunker.

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If certain portions of the U.S. population are going to use the Palins as the example of being prolife and profamily, then they will also have to accept the Palins as the poster family for how well abstinence-only education works. It is time that adults realize that sex education and access to birth control doesn't make children promiscuous, it makes them responsible.