Netlets for Thursday, Jan. 31

I was heartened to read the response of Allina's chief clinical officer, Dr. Penny Wheeler, to the nurses caring for little Maverick, the infant unfortunately burned at Mercy Hospital.

Experts will examine the case with utmost care; hopefully, any future event will be averted. My heart goes out to Maverick and his family, but I also am moved with compassion to the nurses at his bedside. Wheeler stated that "they were traumatized by the event."

In my 30 years of pediatric nursing, numerous nurses, including myself, have been traumatized by "adverse events" in the course of performing our duties. Recognizing that nurses are at risk every day for potentially traumatic experiences is to affirm the courage and compassion necessary and expected in our profession. Nurses caring for the infant will assure that he has the best possible outcome from this tragedy. The nurses who responded to the unimaginable event will continue to need the support of their peers and administration to heal from their trauma as well, and to be able to see that they are and will continue to be experts in the art of caring.

BARBARA WANG, SHOREVIEW

Celebrate a politician's flexibility I admire Rep. Keith Ellison's ability to observe a situation (Guantanamo in this case) and admit that he has rethought his attitude about closing the prison ("Ellison's feelings on Guantanamo mixed," Jan. 26). The ability to look at the facts as they exist now and have a change of mind about the stand you are taking on the situation is a great characteristic.

I cannot understand why our current herd of presidential candidates make such a big deal about someone voting one way in the past and now after reviewing the facts and listening to the voices of constituents, changing his or her mind. This should not be condemned as "waffling" but rather should be celebrated as a measure of the politician's flexibility and appreciation of the fact that he or she represents us and should be responsive to the people's will and change of mind.

SUSAN WHITEAKER, PRIOR LAKE

DOUG WILLIAMS, ROBBINSDALE

Double standard at work It is astonishing to me that now that Hillary Clinton has been defending herself against the attacks from Barack Obama, she is being excoriated, while Obama never has been for his attacks and subtle jabs, which were not just about her record, but her looks and even how nice she is (or isn't).

Hillary just can't get a break when she stands up and does what apparently is acceptable when her male rival does it. This is just another example of the double standard for women that is alive and well in this country, especially for a woman in power.

Hillary has done unbelievably good work for people in need for decades -- something Obama just can't say.

PAUL MARAVIGLI, CHANHASSEN

In listing his reasons why we shouldn't fear today's enemies of humanity as much as Adolf Hitler, the writer snuck one in that is patently false. They are not "a huge ocean away from us." In our information age, a hateful ideology can infect anyone and is no longer contained by distance or borders.

Of course the seriousness of the threat should not be exaggerated, but neither should it be played down. People who appreciate the meaning of "never again" and who recognize the similarities between what is happening today and what happened during the Third Reich should not be ridiculed or dismissed out of hand as fear-mongers, any more than the letter writer should be branded an appeaser or "useful idiot" helping to pave the way for terrorism on our soil. We need to discuss this honestly and rationally and not shut each other up; the stakes are too high.

Just as an interesting side note, Krystallnacht, the "night of broken glass" which was considered the main kickoff event, if you will, for the Holocaust, occurred on Nov. 9, which is expressed numerically in Europe as 9/11.