North metro letters

We are speaking on behalf of the current St. Francis High School incident about the racial comments written on the bathroom stall. We, as students, think this does not represent our school as a whole. We don't want one student reflecting our whole student body.

Our parents taught us that everyone is equal. We all have our own unique differences; otherwise the world would be boring. It takes a coward to scribble things on a bathroom stall, but it takes courage to speak out and stand up against discrimination. We do not need one student to ruin it for the rest of us at St. Francis High School. The students at this school are kind to each other and we never expected this to come up here.

Many students here are offended by this racial comment at our school. We are appalled that someone from St. Francis High School would do something like this to make others feel they are not wanted.

BRITTANY HANSON,

BRITTANY BRATTELID,

AND Brandi Usher

Not a '70s gas crisis When Sebastian Mallaby ("Economics and Emotion," Opinion Exchange, July 1) contends that in the 1970s price controls "punished motorists with gas lines," he seems to have forgotten that the real culprit was a shortage of supply. An oil embargo by Arab nations caused a shortage of supply and thus price increases.

If it looks like a duck ...

J TODD EMBURY

RAMSEY

It's time for change The buzz word this political season is "Change." All the candidates want "Change." I wholeheartedly agree 100 percent, let's "Change." Let's "Change" from not building nuclear power plants. Let's "Change" from not drilling domestically. Let's "Change" from no longer building oil refineries.

Let's "Change" from everything we are not doing to everything we should be doing to ease our energy problems.

COON RAPIDS

Lower the limit

I must agree with [a July 1 letter to the editor] "Slow Down And Save." Why hasn't something been done to lower the speed limit to 55? Even the truckers have slowed their trucks to save gas and they need to make good time.

I have tried but am nearly blown off the road by someone climbing up my bumper at even 60 miles per hour!

Where is our president, our governor or senators talking about conserving gas? Someone with some authority needs to make some decisions now!

BROOKLYN PARK

Disposable society How sad that a local news station had to report that family pets are the latest to suffer in this economy gone wild. Not really -- we live in an era that wants everything and is willing to sacrifice nothing.

I'm not sure what is more sad -- that people who have no business getting a pet in the first place due to monetary reasons take on an animal and don't realize that it isn't a disposable animal. ... Or people who get animals, can afford them, but would rather get rid of the family pet than give up their dinners out, their fishing trips, the kids' movies, their cigarettes, the family vacation.

What are you teaching your children? Really? What is most important? What a sad nation we have become.

KARYN ROESLER