Readers Write (Jan. 24): Legislature, voter ID, water pollution, Joe Paterno, Sen. Koch, Andrew Zimmern

January 24, 2012 at 2:23AM
(Susan Hogan — Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

THE LEGISLATURE

Starting point of any discussion is revenue

As legislators begin their 2012 session, a bit of advice: Rather than focusing first on the multitude of divisive issues, such as the Vikings stadium, jobs and school-shift repayments, acknowledge the need for new revenue.

Minnesotans recognize that need, and the people I talk to don't mind where it comes from -- gambling, new taxes on the wealthy, whatever. We just want it done.

It's an election year. Get some real new revenue on the table to build the stadium, repay the schools and put people back to work.

GABRIEL RHOLL, NORTHFIELD

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VOTER ID

Not racist, just reality in a modern society

If I read one more absurd letter to the editor over Voter ID laws, I am going to scream. The latest one compared the proposal to the Jim Crow laws.

This suggests that those of us who support requiring a photo ID to vote are racists, and it is the excuse the left uses to shut down the conversation. But the suggestion is false and should no longer be tolerated.

It is virtually impossible to function in today's society without a photo ID -- from the bank to the grocery store to the doctor's office and beyond. Anyone who claims otherwise is not being honest.

MARY MCINTOSH LINNIHAN, MINNEAPOLIS

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WATER POLLUTION

Don't single out farming as culprit

I was disappointed recently to see the large photo and highlighted statistics vilifying the 2 percent of our population who make their living farming ("Minnesota launches river cleanup effort," Jan. 17).

Certainly, agricultural runoff plays a role in water pollution, but don't headlines like that give the other 98 percent a false sense of blamelessness? Excess nutrients and bacteria come from many sources.

How do we determine if bacteria came from barns or from ill-performing septic systems? How many acres of our state's land mass are made up of perfectly green, weed-free, overfertilized lawns? Colorful pellets of excess fertilizer are commonly seen on streets and sidewalks, waiting to be washed down the gutter.

Are we considering the highly coveted waterfront property in our state? Do those homes overlook swampy areas full of cattails, nature's effective filtration system, or do we see even more perfectly green lawns?

Water conservation is everyone's problem, and placing blame on a small number of us is divisive and leads us to inaction.

LISA RUEDY-DECKER, NEW PRAGUE, MINN.

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JOE PATERNO

A scapegoat for higher authorities?

What a sad final chapter in an extraordinary life ("Paterno, football legend, dies at 85," Jan. 23). There is something I missed in past coverage of the scandal around the sexual abuse of children at Penn State. I thought that Paterno had failed to notify the appropriate authorities, but learned today that he spoke with the athletic director; his boss (which I knew), and the fellow responsible for the campus police. My impression when I was in college was that campus cops were real, gun-toting cops. If that's true and if Paterno spoke with the head of that organization, it seems to me that he did what he was obligated to do, and that the failure to follow up lies with the police.

Paterno said he wished he had done more, and I have no doubt that's true. But I think his termination by Penn State needs to be reassessed, and if in fact he did what he should have done, an apology should be issued to his family. Perhaps I'm misinformed, but if not, his treatment by the university seems cruel and shabby.

JOHN F. HETTERICK, PLYMOUTH

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SEN. AMY KOCH

Kindness to others would be returned

The headline "Koch back up after 'punch to the face' "(Jan. 21) implied that the consequences of the former state Senate majority leader's infidelity and abuse of power are somehow attributable to another. The only metaphorical haymaker in this situation was delivered by Amy Koch, to her own chin.

Those of Koch's political ilk are quick to denounce claims of victimization. Yet, here she is, playing the victim card. That is quite the interesting juxtaposition.

The truth is that many people find themselves in difficult situations, sometimes as a function of circumstance, sometimes of their own doing. What is really needed in those situations is a little empathy. If Koch were to simply extend it to others, she might be surprised at how it might come back to her when she really needs it. Hopefully, that is her takeaway from all of this.

KEVIN LINDSTROM, BROOKLYN PARK

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ANDREW ZIMMERN

No friend to octopus, -- nor to humanity

A few weeks ago, I read a fascinating article about research being done on octopus. The researchers observed behavior indicating that the octopus recognizes people and has likes and dislikes, shooting ink at those it doesn't like and swimming up to those it does. I'm going to guess that Andrew Zimmern would get inked ("Home cooking," Jan. 23). I was horrified to read about his giddy delight in mutilating living creatures and serving their writhing limbs up for a dinner party. Torturing living creatures shouldn't be entertaining, and is not a prerequisite for being a carnivore.

LENORE MILLIBERGITY, MINNEAPOLIS

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CORRECTION

A Jan. 21 letter about Internet piracy was incorrectly attributed to Elaine Frankowski of Minneapolis. The letter writer was Eric Hulting of Plymouth.

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