Readers Write (Jan. 2): Hennepin County Medical Center, work rules and the Minnesota Legislature, U football crisis, air travel, U.S. Bank Stadium and wind damage

How can a person have a negative and positive experience in the same time frame? It doesn't happen often, but that is exactly what happened to me on Dec. 2. I took an unfortunate tumble down a set of stairs and ended up in the trauma surgery unit of Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC). In a heartbeat, I left my world as I knew it and had to rely on others to assist me in caring for my very basic needs (including going to the bathroom — in a bedpan no less). I felt humbled and very grateful that someone would help me. Afraid and uncertain of where I was, I soon experienced the professional care and reassurance from the amazing doctors and nurses at my bedside who told me I would be OK, that it would just take time. I spent 17 days in the hospital, where I received round-the-clock attention from some of the most dedicated, caring and gentle souls I have ever encountered. I met with doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, recreational therapists and a psychologist. Wow! How did I get so lucky? And lucky I was to make it home for Christmas.

HCMC is a shining star in the midst of our city — one that often gets overlooked. I will always remember this experience and the expert care and special kindness I received. I thank HCMC and staff from the bottom of my heart.

So the Legislature wants to get involved in setting standards for work issues, such as time off, wages, and sick leave? ("Who sets work law: the state, or cities?" Dec. 29.) It never ceases to amaze me what the legislators decide they should concern themselves with, while at the same time ignoring those things that only they can take care of — things like taxes, roads, health care, and maybe 50 other things.

Here's an idea: If this is what the Legislature is interested in putting its signature on, why not go all the way? Set wages for all workers in the state — from the food handlers, cabdrivers, teachers, construction workers, and, heck, let's not forget all the CEOs.

Geez, legislators couldn't even set their own working wages without shoving it off onto the public — now they want to take care of work standards for the cities? Please: Someone make it stop!

I was disgusted and disturbed by the victim-blaming and shaming in Lynda McDonnell's Dec. 29 commentary ("How has sexual intercourse become so degraded?"), in which she asserts that the sexual assault allegedly committed by members of the University of Minnesota football team "had little to do with consent," and claims instead that "hookup culture" and the loss of the "question of morality" in modern sexual relationships are really to blame. As a high school teacher, I'm used to hearing adults echo the tired refrain of "these kids today," blaming society's ills on youth culture. If only they were more like we were at their age, the ignorant line of thought goes, this never would have happened. But there's a point at which blaming youth culture is simply blaming youth, and indeed McDonnell lumps everyone involved — the victim and her attackers — into that category. She notes irrelevantly — twice — that the victim had been "downing shots" before concluding that the actions of the young woman and young men that night "will cost them dearly." Much more dangerous than some dubiously supported moral erosion (McDonnell cites a "Web-based survey" as the source for stats suggesting "hookups" cause long-term emotional damage) is the chorus of adults so quick to point the finger at youth culture rather than squarely at the men who rape and assault women and the polemicists who try to defend or explain for them.

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I read McDonnell's commentary and must shake my head in amazement at her "60 to 80 percent of college students" and their "brief and uncommitted" relationships. Who's to say about this particular study? There may be some truth there.

But a more overarching and devastating problem, especially at the University of Minnesota, is the reality of loneliness and disconnection among many people who come to classes and go home without any interaction with another human. On a campus of more than 40,000 students, an individual must work harder to find his way.

I graduated 40 years ago, when the problem was a difficult one. Now, with smartphones, automated libraries and ever larger classes, it must be even worse.

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As the writer of a Dec. 20 letter pointing out how good work at the University of Minnesota doesn't get the kind of attention the recent football crisis has, I could not agree more with a Dec. 22 letter writer's response in which she stresses the absolute necessity to address sexual violence. Work being done in the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at the School of Public Health, and by my own research team, has documented the high prevalence of dating violence (both physical and sexual) in young people and its associations with a number of harmful outcomes. We have provided empirical data to show that there is a need to promote respect for young peoples' bodies and prevent unwanted sexual behaviors. The point in my previous letter is that work being done within the field of public health, in determining the prevalence of problems of public health concern, identifying risk and protective factors for these problems, and developing behavioral interventions and policies aimed at prevention, is of great importance, yet often goes unnoticed. We need to invest in prevention to avoid the horrible problems that we read about in our newspapers.

We'd been sliced and diced as we waited to board the plane, arriving seemingly as equals, but then herded into holding pens according to miles, family structure, impairment, degrees of feigned loyalty and, most of all, ability to pay ("Air travel can be basic, premium or much more," Dec. 25). No obvious discrimination using creed or color, at least. At the end of the 10-hour trip from Europe, our exit from holding pens in the livestock section of the megajet was blocked by a stewardess telling us to wait until first-class passengers could exit from their regal roosts up front. We, the unwashed in steerage, stood anxiously pawing the ground watching them pass by leisurely in still-crisp suits carrying their leather cases.

We outnumbered them at least 10 to 1, and we could have overpowered them. But Christian temperament and fear of losing our credits for miles ensured restraint as we naively believed some day we, too, might be upgraded and allowed up front. We should have rushed them.

As a professional engineer with approximately 40 years of experience designing building structures throughout the U.S., I can assure you that there were absolutely no "unexpectedly strong wind pressures" generated last summer in the vicinity of U.S. Bank Stadium construction as noted in "Winds again rip at panels on stadium," Dec. 28). Although I will not speculate on the exact cause of any distress in the panel system, it is reasonable to conclude that a lack of appropriate attention to the design and/or detailing of the fastening system by the design and construction team is contributory.