Netlets for Sunday, June 8

The agenda Tom Friedman presents in his June 1 column, "Keep 'em high," is blatantly obvious: He just wants people to stop driving SUVs and Hummers. It's also incredibly elitist.

Most people in this country are already feeling choked by the high gas prices. The idea that they should stay that way forever is enough to make us faint.

But Friedman probably lives in New York, and most New Yorkers are painfully out of touch with what goes on in the rest of the country. I know, because I lived in New York City for two years after graduating from Sarah Lawrence. I never had to think very much about high gas prices in New York, because I rode the subway. High gas prices were someone else's problem. But a month ago I moved back to Minneapolis, where there is no subway (we have a light rail, which is an excellent start, but it also needs to grow), and in order to get to work, I have to drive. Lucky for me, I work at the same company as my father, and we save money by riding together. On nice days, we save even more money by riding two up on his motorcycle.

What Friedman fails to realize is that most people west of Westchester don't have a real choice when it comes to driving. If we want to get to work, we have to drive; it's been that way since the Truman years. Friedman's idea of high gas prices forever punishes all of us, not just the gas guzzlers he's gunning for.

ELIZABETH SOWDEN, MINNEAPOLIS

Thomas Friedman's June 1 column was a shining example of the correct way of explaining our current energy, and thus, economic crisis. Everyone complains about the high cost of gas, but what is the current percentage of pickups and SUVs to cars on the road? Typically anywhere from 50 to 75 percent.

The insolence of the United States is truly unbelievable. It must be someone else's fault. How anyone can blame the Mideastern nations or oil companies for demanding a premium price for a scarce resource is beyond me. The bed we made is going to be uncomfortable for a few years, until we adjust accordingly. It is possible; the Europeans have been living with it for decades. Now all we need is leadership that is willing to call a duck a duck.

I found Thomas L. Friedman's opinion on keeping gas prices high to be very narrow-minded. Some of us actually drive larger vehicles for a reason.

It's really hard to tow a horse trailer, boat or pull behind camper with a Prius. It's also impossible to crate two large dogs in a Prius. I'm sure it's pretty difficult to fit a family of six with a couple of car seats in a Prius as well. Yes, there are some people who don't need to drive a van, SUV or truck, and those people will probably trade them in for smaller vehicles, but those of us who really need them will continue to drive them and pay the price whether we can afford it or not.

I truly think that Friedman needs to reconnect with his Midwestern roots.

GINA PIZZO, MAPLEWOOD

So 25 young vandals who trashed the home of poet Robert Frost "are being required to take classes in his poetry as part of their punishment" ("Poetic justice for vandals," June 3). What a way to kill off any appreciation of poetry, especially that of Frost's.

JOHN A. HOLMQUIST, MINNEAPOLIS

In response to the recent "outrage" over Al Franken's Playboy article I can only say, "Grow up!" If there's anything my wife and I and our Republican neighbors and our "alternative lifestyle" friends and family share is an adult sense of humor.

If U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum believes her constituents, as women and mothers, cannot tell the difference between satire and bigotry/sexism, then she is sadly underestimating the intellect and humor of the average adult.

ERIC OLSON, SAVAGE

Please, may this be the last letter on the Central Corridor routing? Good.

But will anyone who continues to complain about what is essentially a fait accompli understand that, among its many wonders to perform, LRT is meant to reduce the high volume of traffic in and around the campus. Washington Avenue has always been a nightmare to use simply as a way through the campus anyway.