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In Erin Nystrom's insulated private Rochester country club world, she is experiencing the feeling that "everything is polarizing, so we have work to do" ("Standing up against division has its costs," Opinion Exchange, April 26). So when a group, in this case, the Center of the American Experiment, books a room at her country club to discuss the topic "Crime Crisis: Rochester," she must do her part by circulating a petition to deny them access?

Am I missing something, or doesn't that just add to the polarization? Could she instead allow this group to have its meeting and then, as a result, if they published something she disagreed with, write an opinion piece debating the issue? Would that possibly be more ... democratic?

Richard Greelis, Bloomington

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Nystrom's commentary recounting her experience with the CAE and her club in Rochester should be a wake-up call to many. It has been framed as a dispute over freedom of speech, which in many ways it is. But it is also about the very rich, their ability to use money to frame and control debates (like Elon Musk and Twitter) and their war against everyone else — a war that they are winning. The real tragedy is that so many people think that the CAE is on their "same team," when in reality they are nothing more than useful pawns — both ideologically and most certainly financially. I am sure this dispute and the attention it has garnered have increased donations to the CAE exponentially ... by so many poor souls who cannot see the forest for the trees.

David McCuskey, Orono

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Nystrom objected to the fact that this organization was going to hold a meeting at the private Rochester Golf and Country Club. I have one simple question for her. She obviously objects to some of the issues addressed by the organization, like race, crime, etc., but all I took away from her commentary was how this meeting could possibly harm her exclusive club. So, my question is, if the organization originally planned to meet at a different venue, would she have written this commentary?

Doug Jensen, Minnetonka

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Twitter recently banned misleading ads about climate change. Shouldn't we expect the same from the Star Tribune?

Steven A. Jorissen, Vadnais Heights

Talk about convictions as rock-solid as warm Jell-O! They would belong to House Minority "Leader" Kevin McCarthy. Right after the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, he acknowledged that former President Donald Trump was at least partly responsible, that he was through with Trump and that he would recommend Trump's resignation ("McCarthy urged Trump resignation," April 23). After all, this was an attempt by the sitting president to overturn fair, constitutionally directed elections to remain in office.

Soon after, McCarthy changed his mind, and after 18 months of failure to demonstrate proof of election fraud, Trump's grip on the spineless GOP remains.

Today's divide between Democrats and Republicans exists because of the political lampshade Trump is somehow holding over the heads of gutless Republican members of Congress. The apparent fear Trump has planted in their heads prevents them from doing the job they took an oath to do.

Loren W. Brabec, Braham, Minn.

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren said on national TV that McCarthy is "a liar and a traitor" because he denied saying what he was caught clearly saying on tape. Why hasn't any one asked her, or any Democrat for that matter, what their opinion is on Rep. Adam Schiff, John Brennan and James Clapper, all of whom said that they knew Donald Trump had colluded with the Russians to influence the 2016 presidential election? Then Brennan and Clapper, in front of the House Intelligence Committee, denied having seen any proof.

What was the cost to our nation for that lie, in terms of time and money spent on the investigation and time lost in actually governing this nation? Please tell me which lie is more traitorous?

Gail Mathews, Apple Valley

Sen. Warren hit the nail on the head when she called McCarthy a "liar and a traitor" for his communications with Trump and party loyalists on the one hand and the voting public on the other. It seems it is fine to tell the truth about Trump if no one but party hacks hear him, but as far as us suckers in the normal citizenry are concerned, we are only fit for lies that will prevent the rabble from bringing down this two-faced fraud and his Republican enablers. It seems that nearly the entire Republican Party, save a few brave souls, has lying baked into their DNA. There are Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger and Sen. Mitt Romney, to name a precious few who refuse to lower themselves to the abysmal depths that most of their party has sunk to. Anyone waiting for the GOP to start telling the truth about anything is in for a long wait. They will not do it. All of us should demand one thing of our politicians: Start telling the truth or you will not get our votes.

My one desire would be to see Minnesota's fine Democrat senators come forth with similar blistering pronouncements. Sen. Tina Smith? Sen. Amy Klobuchar? What say you?

Bob Brereton, St. Paul

It is with sadness that I learned today of the passing of my weekend newspaper carrier, Jim Bokovoy.

Jim and his son Bill Bokovoy have been delivering — uninterrupted for 20 years — my weekday and weekend Star Tribune. Jim delivered weekends and Bill weekdays. I pray Bill can fill the huge vacancy created when his father passed.

It would be wonderful if the paper could find some way to note this passing and place well-deserved notice for all to see.