Readers Write: ‘No Kings’ rallies, Second District race, Aurora FC

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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Heather Martens’ Soviet-era KGB encounter is a chilling reminder of real authoritarianism, and I commend her zeal for the rule of law (“Why I’ll attend No Kings and stand for the rule of law,” Strib Voices, Oct. 14). Yet equating today’s America with Vladimir Putin’s Russia — where opposition figures like Maxim Kruglov face arrest for mere dissent — overstates the threat. Our freedoms allow pieces like hers and protests without reprisal. Here’s why the parallels falter.

Her anecdote highlights true oppression: no due process, jailed journalists, banned books. In 2025 Russia, activists like Mikhail Kriger hunger-strike from prison for criticizing the war. Contrast that with the U.S., where courts actively check executive power — blocking President Donald Trump’s immigration executive orders and diversity, equity and inclusion rollbacks amid ongoing lawsuits. Prosecutors pursue cases independently; no “disappearances” of foes.

The line about being a dictator on Day One, from a 2023 Fox interview, was a quip about swift border and energy actions — not jailing rivals. Rhetoric cuts both ways, but hyperbole like “subhuman” foes hasn’t dismantled trials or elections here.

March proudly at the Oct. 18 “No Kings” rally in Minneapolis — it’s democracy in action, with events across 69 Minnesota cities. But inflating routine friction as tyranny risks the division you decry. Our resilient system — judges, juries, votes — holds. Defend it with facts, not fears, and let’s bridge the rural-urban divide you invoke.

Don McConnell, Mendota Heights

We who are unfortunate enough to be represented by the Sixth District’s Rep. Tom Emmer have grown accustomed to his misrepresentations and fearmongering.

Recent “Tom Emmer Washington Update” email newsletters (Oct. 1, 7) have made the claim, widely debunked, that “[Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer] and his colleagues are demanding the reinstatement of free health care for illegal aliens.” There is not even any such thing to be “reinstated.”

He also had the nerve (Sept. 19) to tell representatives from Minnesota’s Children’s Hospital about “the work we are doing at the federal level to support Minnesota’s health care workforce, medical innovation, and research” — flying in the face of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s wrecking ball.

But on Oct. 10 Emmer catapulted into a whole new dimension of authoritarian bluster. At a news conference he said that Democrats caused the government shutdown to “score political points with the terrorist wing of their party, which is set to hold … a ‘hate America’ rally in D.C. next week.”

Doubling down, appearing on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria” on Oct. 14, Emmer said of the nationwide “No Kings” rally slated for Oct. 18, “These guys are playing to the most radical, small, and violent base in the country. You’ll see them on Saturday on the Mall. They just do not love this country.”

Patrick Henry, Waite Park, Minn.

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I was deeply disappointed to hear Emmer, my congressional representative, characterize the upcoming, nationwide “No Kings” protest as a “hate America rally.” Many of Emmer’s constituents, myself included, believe in the fundamental right to peacefully assemble and speak out against policies and actions we perceive as unjust or authoritarian. This is not hatred — it is patriotism in its truest form. The right to dissent is not only protected by the First Amendment; it is one of the most vital expressions of our democracy.

To label such gatherings as un-American is dismissive and dangerous and belittles the very constitutional freedoms Emmer was elected to uphold. Anyone is free to disagree with the message of the protest, but to paint it broadly as anti-American is to reject the essential democratic principle that we the people have a right to challenge power. Minnesota deserves leaders who listen (even when the message is uncomfortable), not ones who vilify civic engagement in an effort to score cheap political points.

Heather Lee Carciofini, Centerville, Minn.

Republican leaders like Emmer and House Speaker Mike Johnson insult the very idea of American freedom when they dismiss “No Kings” protests as “hate America” rallies. My father flew B-24s over Europe in World War II to help free that continent from tyranny. He risked his life to defeat Adolf Hitler, to end fascism and to defend democracy itself. He believed deeply that no one man should ever have unchecked power — that America’s strength lies in our shared voice, our Constitution and our right to dissent.

Would these representatives call him anti-American for standing in the crowd of a “No Kings” rally? Would they accuse a decorated veteran who fought for liberty of hating the nation he nearly died to protect — simply because he believed no leader should stand above the law? That accusation dishonors every veteran who served for freedom, not obedience.

To protest authoritarianism is not to hate America — it is to love it fiercely. True patriotism demands vigilance, courage and accountability from those who govern. Those who brand dissent as hate reveal their fear, not their strength. My father fought to keep this a democracy, not a monarchy. “No Kings” is his legacy — and mine.

Ross Davis, Minneapolis

I am writing to express my strong support for state Rep. Kaela Berg as she announces her candidacy for the Democratic nomination in Minnesota’s Second Congressional District. Having had the privilege of getting to know Berg over the years — both personally and through work on her past campaigns — I can say without hesitation that she is the kind of leader we need representing us in Washington.

What stands out most about Berg is her lived experience and deep community ties. She isn’t a politician who parachuted into office — she is one of us. As a labor leader, organizer and state legislator, she has spent her career lifting up the voices of those too often overlooked. She knows how to get things done because she has already done it here in Minnesota.

I am proud to call Kaela Berg a friend, and I believe she is the right person to carry our district’s values to Washington. If given the chance, she will fight with the same passion, integrity and determination that she has shown throughout her career.

Ryan Fagan, Rosemount

We were delighted to see the Star Tribune featuring the incredible growth in women’s sports, especially locally (“Minneapolis leads in women’s sports," Strib Voices, Oct. 14). However, the conversation about our local teams isn’t complete without including one that is literally owned by our community: Minnesota Aurora FC. The desire for women’s soccer in Minnesota is so strong that more than 5,000 owners, locally and all over the world, put their money in to support this team — and the team has given back in innumerable ways, both on and off the field.

In its four seasons of play, Aurora has never lost a regular-season game and has made it to the playoffs all four seasons. Additionally, the club was just named the USL-W Organization of the Year for the second time and regularly draws crowds of 5,000-plus to TCO Stadium — outperforming many professional teams in soccer and beyond. As a community-owned and community-funded team, Aurora stresses values of inclusivity, transformation, accessibility and empowerment. The team has an all-woman front office, a mostly female board and is active in many community programs — for example, it raised nearly $20,000 in a season-long partnership for NAMI Minnesota to support mental health programs. This team truly belongs to — and supports — Minnesota.

Lizzie Breyer Bowman, St. Louis Park

Laura Bishop, Eden Prairie