Readers Write (July 22): Michele Bachmann, city drivers, Boy Scouts, crime, American made, Sen. Klobuchar

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota has sunk to a new low in her political career ("Bachmann's Muslim attacks rebuked," July 19). Attacking a respected member of the U.S. State Department, who's an American citizen and member of our government, is beyond the pale. Have you no decency, Rep. Bachmann? You should resign from Congress.

DAVID W. JOHNSON, MINNEAPOLIS

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As a native-born Minnesota who now lives out of state, I've watched Bachmann's political career from afar. Her attack on the State Department's Huma Abedin is sinister, wrong, vicious, unsubstantiated and injurious. Sen. John McCain was right in stating that Bachmann's attacks have "no logic, no basis and no merit." It's Bachmann's latest verbal gaffe-- but one of many. I don't understand why Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District elects her to represent them.

MARGARET IVERSON, SAN DIEGO

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Bachmann has demonstrated once again that she's an empty-headed fear-mongerer. We've seen an Arab Spring. I'm hoping there will be something along those lines in the Sixth Congressional District. It's time to vote her out of office.

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Driving at busy times through the Twin Cities is nerve-racking, especially when dealing with incompetent drivers. If you can't roll with the big boys, stay home or take public transportation. Stay in the far right lane if you feel that 5 to 10 miles per hour under the speed limit is right for you. The left lane is the fast lane. Speeding is wrong, but the truth is that the flow of traffic is about 10 mph over the speed limit. Get in the way of this, and it creates hazards for more people than you think. Some fast-lane drivers are just plain disrespectful, but slamming on your breaks is not going to solve anything. Keeping up with city driving will create a safer road and make everyone's commute bearable.

JIM SWITTERS, EAGAN

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The story on Minnesota's Boy Scouts failed to ask a key question: How many openly gay adults or boys are currently members through the Northern Star Council ("Biggest Boy Scout group in state to stay inclusive," July 18)? If the answer is zero, then the council is no different than any other Boy Scouts of America (BSA) council. Throughout much of the BSA, you'll find inclusive jargon like "inclusive leadership selection." But at the end of the day, if no gay Scouts are admitted, it's still exclusion. The Star Tribune should do more thorough questioning and not take Boy Scout council claims at face value.

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I read with interest the story on parents murdering their children ("Unspeakable crime is not so uncommon," July 15). There's a glaring example from antiquity in which a parent murders his or her children in order to hurt the other parent. The Greek tragedy, Medea, describes what a woman has sacrificed for the love of her young husband, Jason.

However, after a few years of marriage, he plans to evict Medea from the country so that he can live with a younger, more beautiful woman. Medea decides that the best way to hurt Jason would be to slaughter the two young sons she has born to him. She murders the boys despite the great love she has for them. When Jason comes to the doors of the palace and sees the bloody bodies of his two sons, he asks Medea how she could do such a deplorable thing. Her answer: "I killed them because I hated you more than I loved them, and I wanted no connection with you." A dreadful deed, but not an uncommon one.

RONALD G. PERRIER, MINNEAPOLIS

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JAN OXENDALE, COON RAPIDS

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The controversy over U.S. Olympians' uniforms being made in China seems to ignore the role of designer, Ralph Lauren. It's sad that this event has triggered the strong degree of outrage about outsourcing. How long has our fine country been weakening many of its own for this reason? It's harder for me to ignore Lauren. Shouldn't he have put an Olympic emblem or recognition of the United States on the front of the uniforms of those representing our country? It appears that his company's logo is in direct proportion to his ego.

PATRICIA KEHR, LILYDALE

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The problem is that she operates more like a hardworking bureaucrat than a senator. She holds a leadership position with no desire or ability to lead. I have no idea what her opinions are on any of the big issues of the day.

Writer Steve Berg suggests that she would not be able to articulate a position about the big issues without lobbing grenades across the aisle. Really? This kind of write-up would be appropriate for someone who had served just two years. It has been 5.5 years. She should have tried out her leadership wings by now.

Klobuchar seems like a nice person who believes that if she lays low and avoids taking a strong stand on anything of consequence, she can get elected in Minnesota for as long as she wants the job, earning great pay and a great pension.