We have an opportunity. Let's take advantage of it. The art subcommittee of the Minnesota State Capitol Preservation Commission appropriately brought Native voices to the table for their important task. I hope we are willing to hear them.
The subcommittee has recommended that the two most offensive paintings be removed from the Governor's Reception Room to another location in the Capitol. Shelley Buck has responded with the support of several Minnesota tribes: That's not enough. ("Move offensive art out — not just around," March 17.) Our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is greater than that.
When I began really looking at the artwork, I thought it might be appropriate to move a few pieces and add new art with Native artists involved. But I studied the artwork, photographed it and read much of the available documentation. That prompted me to pay much more attention to the fate of Minnesota's Native people at the hands of European settlers. Now I can't help agreeing with Buck's response. It is entirely appropriate to see this as an opportunity for action comparable to the removal of the Confederate flag from the capitol of South Carolina. It's an opportunity not to placate but to make clear that we grasp the legacy of the genocide some of the artwork represents and will not accept perpetuating it in our State Capitol's artwork.
Kenneth Ford, Minneapolis
IRON RANGE BOARD
Strict scrutiny that should've been inherent didn't happen
The recent report from Legislative Auditor James Noble regarding the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board ("Harsh critique for Range agency," March 19) sheds light on the importance of the Minnesota Constitution's separation-of-powers clause.
It's a clause too often disregarded by all three branches of government in Minnesota. Although all the facts are not clear, politicians in both the legislative and the executive branches of government appear to have coalesced around a political deal to spend taxpayer money to find replacement jobs for jobs lost in Minnesota's dying iron-mining industry. New jobs should not be created through subsidies at the expense of other Minnesota taxpayers, or at the expense of the environment by permitting PolyMet Mining. Yes, some families may need to move from the Iron Range to find jobs, but that is preferable to political corruption or environmental water poisoning.
John P. Mazzitelli, Hopkins
DONALD TRUMP
He tells it like it is, as long as you wrap 'like it is' in air quotes
Donald Trump's supporters repeatedly say they like him because Trump tells it like it is. Well, according to the PolitiFact data on the March 19 Opinion Exchange page, Trump is really telling it like it isn't. A whopping 77 percent of the time, his statements are either mostly false, false or pants on fire. Ted Cruz is not far behind at 65 percent. Compare that to Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, who are at 28 percent and 31 percent respectively. John Kasich is at 32 percent, so it can't be said that these are left-leaning stats. Either Trump supporters don't realize that they are being told things that are at least "mostly true" 8 percent of the time or they just want someone to tell them that their unfounded beliefs are justified and they don't care what the facts are.
Bill Bloomberg, Eden Prairie
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A Trump supporter claims that Trump will not look weak dealing with unfriendly countries. My question for him: How can a country with as much air power as the U.S. has appear weak to anyone in the world? Is it not true that the U.S. could reduce North Korea or a Middle Eastern country to powder in about 30 minutes? Is that something we want to do?
