Readers Write: COVID restrictions, vaccine incentives, thanking Trump, anti-Asian racism

Gov. Tim Walz, often challenged by Republicans, states he is guided by science and expert medical advice in addressing the pandemic. In that light, Michael Osterholm, who accurately predicted each COVID phase, warned in early February of an impending COVID resurgence, comparing the present lull to the calm preceding a Category 5 hurricane. New COVID lockdowns in Europe serve to reinforce Osterholm's premonitions.

Put schools aside as that environment is a different dynamic, especially with vaccinated teachers. With new COVID variants present, Minnesota, within 60-90 days of mass vaccinations and with billions in business relief available, lowers restrictions and now increases risk, compromises a year of hard sacrifices and only offers a brief respite.

Lowering safeguards is a voluntary decision of choice, not an inescapable measure of last resort. In 60-90 days, we could confidently make the same decisions based on actual data and vaccination levels vs. wistful conjecture today. Claiming we can tighten back down if there is a breakout is delusional as the COVID beast will be out of the cage.

Yet Walz, apparently engaging in "Neanderthal thinking" as cited by President Joe Biden, has decided to lower Minnesota's pandemic restrictions at exactly the wrong time. Should increased hospitalizations and death occur just as success is within grasp, Walz and staff will be responsible.

It seems both political parties are scientifically and pandemically dysfunctional. Either Osterholm is right or Walz. Our health and money, and the lives of many, favor Osterholm.

Our Minnesota state government is structured with legislative, executive and judicial branches, each having distinct obligations and duties to perform on behalf of the citizens of Minnesota.

Gov. Walz heads up the executive branch and last year declared a state of peacetime emergency, acting quickly during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the effects of the pandemic somewhat remediating, Walz has been gradually lifting protective restrictions.

However, the lifting of restrictions has not been at a pace satisfactory to some legislative members such as Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-East Gull Lake, and state Sen. David Osmek, R-Mound, who want to make the legislators "active partners" with the executive branch, according to the language of the article ("Senate tries to curb Walz powers," March 16).

It's not clear what "active partner" means in this instance, or how it squares with separation of powers.

Perhaps, while both Gazelka and Osmek appear to be in the helping-out mood, Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill could use some assistance with the Derek Chauvin trial. I suspect both senators would be excellent in working with the judge in completing jury selection, making bench rulings and such.

Oh wait, my bad — what am I thinking? I, too, must require a primer in Civics 101.

Regardless of his intentions, Gov. Walz has enacted a redistribution of wealth from small business (family or employee-owned, deemed "unessential") to large corporations (Target, Walmart and others deemed "essential"). It is as if millions of dollars were yanked from neighborhood cash registers and given to international shareholders.

By mandating the closure of some (small) businesses and not others, he chose to support the wealthy and to suffocate the poor.

At the present time, there is no fixing this (unless shareholders choose to return their earnings). And so, additional riots are much more likely because millions of people are stone cold broke or in debt and have no clear future to look forward to, beyond handouts.

At a time when we should have been proceeding carefully, protecting the wealth and incomes of the middle and lower economic classes, our governor has proven to be dictatorial and reckless. His micromanagement of policy has injured many and will leave the state in ruins. He should resign.

With the COVID vaccine becoming political and controversial, businesses could help. Why not offer a discount to people who show their vaccination card? Airlines could give priority seating to vaccinated fliers. Local restaurants and bars could offer two-for-one meals or drinks. Vaccinated sports fans should get priority tickets to sporting events.

Everyone is going to either get the disease or get vaccinated. It's real; it's out there. You can play Russian roulette and hope the virus doesn't kill you, or you can get the vaccination. Servers, retail workers and grocery clerks live in fear at work and want you to get vaccinated. Stores at the malls close down if an employee comes down with COVID-19; they want us to get vaccinated. The only way we're going to get out of this pandemic and open up the economy is if enough people get vaccinated or enough people get the disease. I, myself, will take the vaccination.

A March 15 letter writer asked readers not to forget to thank former President Donald Trump for the vaccines. I agree that we should acknowledge that the Trump administration did play a positive role in an unprecedented vaccine development campaign. Thank you, Donald Trump. The writer also asked that we thank Trump for banning travel from China. I'll decline to thank the former president as all international travel should have been halted earlier, not just from China. So yes, let's acknowledge the Trump administration's role in vaccine development, but we need to tell a complete story. One positive act does not negate dozens of deadly missteps.

The former administration botched the vaccine rollout, denied the severity of COVID-19, politicized wearing masks, was mostly inactive in responding to the need for personal protective equipment and did not take any real responsibility for protecting Americans. If we are to thank Trump for the vaccine, let's also thank him for the fact that the U.S. continues to have the world's highest COVID death toll. How is that possible in a country with such resources? All told, Trump's actions and inactions represent failure and unnecessary death, not a cause for thanks.

Newspapers, cable and local television programs proclaim the latest: The United Kingdom virus variant, B.1.1.7, seems to be more likely to kill than other strains.

So why aren't we harassing the English? Why are Americans of English heritage still safe on our streets? Why haven't we come up with a catchy slur? Why aren't we circling English shoppers and mimicking their ethnic accent, as was done recently to one of my daughters of Korean heritage?

Guess it is because we cannot tell an English person from the kind of Americans thought to symbolize our country. And people with skin as white as a Norwegian cannot possibly be scary. Or infectious.

Perhaps this virus variant is more lethal, and perhaps it is also enlightening — if we are bright enough, kind enough and openhearted enough to pay attention.

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