Readers Write (Nov. 18): Government surveillance, Keystone XL pipeline, St. Paul skyway arrest, homeless kids, mail delivery

Last week, we heard that the feds are intercepting our cell calls via airplanes that "trick" mobile phones into receiving the signals. ("Report: Justice Department uses small planes and high-tech gear to gather cellphone data," Nov. 13). Outrage? Not for me. Rather, I'm delighted to know that someone in charge is paying attention. Finally!

Now Big Brother knows that we are running late, we are picking up milk, we are worried about Mom's memory, we caught the office cold, we wonder if we have Ebola, we want to order a pizza for dinner, we are stopping by Target to buy toilet paper and poster board, we have to go back to the doctor for more tests, we are frustrated by the glitches with the new computer system at work, we wonder why they don't give us some training, we can't believe the sidewalks are already icy, we are worried about another war, we saw a strange orange bird at the feeder, we have to walk the dog, we hope there is a new" Modern Family" tonight, we saw steam coming off the lake, we are out of gas, we saw the full moon setting, we are irritated with the woman who talks too loud at the office, we are happy Minneapolis got the Final Four, we are going to blow off going to the gym, we need to answer a few e-mails after dinner, we hit another pothole, we like the one-bin recycling, we missed the bus, we can't believe how much college costs, we don't know what to do about John's bipolar when he won't take his meds, we are going to the school play, we did not sleep well last night, we thought that movie was overrated, we are reading a good book, we are thinking of going on a warm vacation, we wish it were Friday, we wish you were here, we have a headache, we wonder if we have brain cancer, we've got to do a load of laundry, we love this song, we need to buy pasta, and we are almost home.

The writer is executive director of The Loft Literary Center.

U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan and state Sen. David Tomassoni say that their main reason for supporting Keystone XL is to boost the economy of the Iron Range by driving demand for Minnesota steel ("Three Minnesota Dems break with party, support Keystone pipeline," Nov. 15). At best, this is an uninformed opinion; at worst, it's deliberate dishonesty. TransCanada has already signed contracts for most of Keystone XL's steel, primarily with Russian and Indian companies. Some of the pipe has already been delivered. The only manufacturing planned to take place in the United States will be in Arkansas, and the raw steel will be imported from Asia. Keystone XL's major impact on the Iron Range will be climate destabilization as further extraction and use of tar sands oil brings more extreme weather events and species loss. Nolan and Tomassoni should reconsider their support for this pipeline, which has never been planned with the economic interests of northern Minnesota in mind.

I was shocked, disturbed and saddened to read in the paper ("Internal probe clears St. Paul cops in skyway tasing, arrest," Nov. 15) that St. Paul police officers have been cleared of improper conduct in what was clearly racially motivated harassment of Chris Lollie. I've only heard the audio recording of the incident and it made me cry.

The thought of being black in America and having to live continually under the threat of unfair and unjust profiling and targeting by law enforcement, businesses, and racist members of my community is hard to comprehend. It breaks my heart to think of what Lollie endured in front of his children, and the trauma his kids suffered watching their dad be physically assaulted and tased. It's an absolute outrage.

On top of all that, our mayor, who I've voted for in every election, apparently agreed with the findings of the police review and decided to escape media and public scrutiny by only issuing a written statement. I don't think I've ever been so angry and disappointed with St. Paul city officials and police. The mayor often claims we reside in the most livable city in America. For whom?

Thank God, my situation is only temporary: The church and the cafeteria are actually my school's chapel and cafeteria, and my "family" are my classmates. I am a freshman at a Minnesota college, and I am taking a course called "Politics of Homelessness." I am participating in a homeless "sleep out" with my colleagues. After fewer than 24 hours, I am already feeling the effects. With no breakfast or lunch today, and little sleep on a hard church pew last night, it was exponentially harder to focus in class.

Homelessness among our nation's youth is inexcusable ("1 in 30 kids is without a home," Nov. 17). How do we expect these children to do well in school when they don't even know where they are going to sleep tonight or where their next meal will come from? A fundamental principle of America is providing an equal opportunity for everyone. Can we honestly say these children are given an equal opportunity? Something needs to change — whether it's the addition of more affordable housing or an increased minimum wage so that the children of hardworking, employed parents no longer have to live like this.

In regards to the U.S. Postal Service's plans to diminish service in certain areas, I would submit this option: Charge a fee for home delivery. We live in a rural area where we have to pay over $40 a year for a post office box and then get ourselves up to the post office through rain, snow and cold to get the mail. Why can't the Postal Service charge a nominal fee to people who get mail delivered to their homes? It would not even have to be as much as we pay out here. Would not a small annual charge for home delivery go a long way toward deficit reduction?