Readers Write (Aug. 18): Treatment of women, treatment of Israel, gas prices, soccer stadium, Donald Trump

The Aug. 15 article stating that the University of Minnesota's interim athletic director, Beth Goetz, will receive a $95,000 raise demonstrates the gender inequity at the University of Minnesota. As stated in the article, university President Eric Kaler tells Goetz that she will "maintain [her] current responsibilities as deputy athletic director," earning $170,800, in addition to the new responsibilities. What a bargain, Mr. Kaler! Ms. Goetz is assigned two job roles (don't disregard the "delegating" she will have to do in a hurry), for $265,800. That's $465,000 less than you paid Norwood Teague to perform one job (poorly). If there's no gender inequity, pay Goetz the equivalent of the assignment. That would be $730,000.

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Whether it's actual ink or digital format, major newspapers need to be sensitive to layout and to how one story and image can trigger unfortunate associations and/or reinforce harmful and inaccurate stereotypes. On Sunday evening, the StarTribune.com home page led with a story about Teague, accompanied by a head shot of him, his expression clearly reflecting the fact that he has seen better days. Below Teague, the lead story for Variety was accompanied by a head shot of Victoria Beckham, her expression somewhat similar to Teague's. The title: "We're not mad: That's just our RBF" — "resting bitch face," as the article explains. C'mon — on so many levels, this is not OK.

An Aug. 15 letter writer's criticism of previous discussions in Readers Write about U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer's decision against the Iran nuclear deal with distorted information is distorted itself. The letter writer uses the better living standard of Palestinians in Israel than Palestinians living outside of Israel to imply that the Israeli government treats Palestinians better than the Palestinian government does. This example demonstrates bias in the writer's opinion about the conflict between Israel and Palestine. It is a well-known belief that Palestinians are not treated equally in Israel and that Palestinians' substandard living outside of Israel is not due to the mistreatment by their government, but is caused by Israel's aggression toward Palestinian people.

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A brief news item appeared in the Aug. 16 issue of the Star Tribune, credited to simply, "News Services." The headline: "Palestinian man shot by Israeli troops." The story: "A Palestinian man was shot by Israeli troops at a West Bank crossing after he asked a soldier for a glass of water, then stabbed the man while his back was turned. The soldier was treated at the scene and the Palestinian was taken to a hospital with a shoulder wound. The Palestinian told investigators he carried out the attack because he had gotten into an argument with his father."

This is how the media maligns Israel everyday — worldwide. The headline should have read: "Palestinian stabs Israeli soldier while getting him a glass of water." Report events in the order that they occur. Report the facts clearly. This is irresponsible and dangerous journalism, and Israel pays the price for it every day.

It's great news for the future of Major League Soccer in Minnesota that Hennepin County is fashioning a proposal, with strong support from the city of Minneapolis ("Hennepin County still a soccer suitor," Aug. 15). The county was a driving force behind Target Field and many other improvements benefiting our community. I also had the pleasure of chairing the Minnesota Ballpark Authority from its inception through last year and know firsthand the capabilities of that organization. This is a winning partnership. Combined with a superior site, and strong business and community support, a solution is at hand. My hope is that the Minnesota United FC will soon commit to the Farmers Market location so we can all look forward to professional soccer played at the highest level for years to come.

The writer is president and CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council.

An Aug. 17 letter about Donald Trump ("Whatever we think, we must see the value of independence"), while well-written, made at least two assumptions concerning Trump and his candidacy that are simply untrue, or misunderstood.

First, to suggest that Trump would not be "beholden" to any "enormously rich corporate 'persons' " is to ignore the fact that he has been bailed out of bankruptcy four times — by banks. I am certain there are more than a few bankers who would see him not only as "beholden" to them, but basically bought and paid for in advance. And Trump, like most people and certainly like most corporate "personalities," has a very real loyalty to his economic class: He speaks of almost nothing but himself and his wealth, always in the language of a privileged, angry child with a tendency to bully.

Also, the comparison with former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura (which has been seen elsewhere) is specious: Ventura said a load of egotistical and idiotic things, but he meant what he said, and he trusted in competent people to run his governorship. Even the letter writer deplores that Trump has already radically altered his stance on Planned Parenthood to accommodate the Tea Party's uneducated opinions on the matter. Since one of Ventura's most striking characteristics was his ethical fortitude, the attempted comparison falls flat immediately, even as it is being stated.