Readers Write (Oct. 15): Bob Dylan, the 2016 campaign, pipeline protest, dealing with mice

Bob Dylan's choice as a Nobel Prize winner in literature ("Dylan's prize knocks down history's door," Oct. 14) makes perfect sense to his fans, because we view him how he was intended to be viewed. As a poet, narrator and social commentator, Dylan has more in common with Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, Dylan Thomas and Woody Guthrie than with the Beatles or the Rolling Stones. The fact that his poetry, like Guthrie's before him, was delivered with a guitar sound and a voice not polished makes it that much more powerful. His lyrics have always been vivid and imaginative, but they also are able to capture the spirit of the little guy, the working man and the dreamer in all of us. Congratulations, Bob.

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Having obtained my degree in English literature, and having read many a book on poetry, critique and classic novels, I have to agree with what one of our own poets and professors, John Berryman at the University of Minnesota, once said: Bob Dylan is a "minor poet." According to this response, Dylan should not win the Nobel Prize for literature in general, but perhaps he should win the Nobel for lyrical pop culture literature in particular. Henceforth, the prize, I think, needs to be branched among various genres in literature. Where poets and novelists such as Dickens and Dickinson stand apart from Dylan, as such.

I understand the concerns of those who fear that Gary Johnson and Jill Stein might spoil the presidential election for Hillary Clinton, but I have concerns of my own: chiefly, a broken electoral system that favors two "mainstream" candidates who, increasingly, do not represent a broad segment of voters. A recent Gallup Poll showed that as many as 43 percent of Americans decline to affiliate with either of the two "major parties." Who's representing their interests?

It's simply not fair — or right — to ask voters to sacrifice their values for the sake of a broken system. That's why I'm willing to invest my time working to make a better system. After a career in corporate public affairs, I'm now volunteering with FairVote Minnesota, which advocates for ranked-choice voting (RCV) as a sound and doable alternative. It is a fairer system that will do away with the dreaded spoiler dynamic and give voters more choice and more power.

We've seen RCV work in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Why don't we push for this proven system on the state and federal levels? Our country needs the passionate engagement of all our people. That must begin with representation that is truly representative.

The writer is board chair of FairVote Minnesota.

As Donald Trump continues to fall and new revelations come out daily about Clinton, it's time for the country to consider a third choice: Evan McMullin, independent candidate for president.

After just two months on the campaign trail, a poll released Tuesday shows Evan in a three-way tie with Trump and Clinton in his home state of Utah. And once that domino falls, others will follow.

Evan doesn't have to win enough states to beat Hillary. He just needs enough to deny her and Trump the necessary 270 electoral votes. If there is no clear winner (Gary Johnson's capturing New Mexico would help that possibility), the election will go to Congress and one of the top three vote-getters will be selected. As the former chief policy director for the House GOP, Evan has a good shot at being selected.

A former undercover intelligence officer who has also worked in the business world, McMullin offers voters a credible choice. Although he describes himself as conservative, he is independent and open-minded. He "oozes with character," as former Utah Lt. Gov. Greg Bell puts it, and is not afraid to do to the right thing, as evidenced by his decision to run. Along with running mate Mindy Finn, he represents a new generation of leadership that is so desperately needed.

In addition to possibly stopping both Trump and Clinton, McMullin gives disenfranchised voters a reason to go to the polls, which could change the outlook for down-ballot candidates of both parties. Please give him a look before you cast your ballot.

The one thing that should be obvious (but has gone unspoken) is that the problems haunting this election are due to powerful men using their power to abuse women. We have the first woman, who is extremely qualified, on the ballot. Let's just see how a woman performs. We certainly have the history to judge how men have behaved. It's time to change the dynamics finally.

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An Oct. 12 writer compares his role in this year's election to that of the urban guerrillas in "Les Misérables." If the writer would read the book, he would know that Victor Hugo stood against the kinds of bigotry, cruelty, ignorance, feudal elitism and authoritarianism that make up the cars in the Trump train. If he would watch the musical through to the end, he would also know that his adopted anthem "The Songs of Angry Men," and the violent uprising of a small, entitled band of "patriots," leads to "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables."

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From Greek and Shakespearean theaters, from empire rise-and-fall histories, from theologian and shaman words, there is documentation of the tragedy and suffering arising from hubris and absolute power. For me, the essential issue is this: Which candidates (national, state and local) will bring people together to work for the common good, thus mitigating the disastrous effects of hubris?

Lost in the critique of Clinton's Wall Street connections is the irony that millions of Americans have "close ties to Wall Street." Representatives of virtually every 401(k) and retirement fund (teachers, nurses, police, firefighters, local/state government employees — the list goes on) make thousands upon thousands of daily transactions rebalancing the complex of each of the many individual funds we've designated, such transactions hopefully to our advantage. So consequential is the sum of this activity that in total it cannot but substantially affect each day's summary market. The question we're left with: Can we know for certain that Clinton's connections are more one-on-one than ours?

If someone disabled a defibrillator or a sprinkler system, that person would be vilified. That is exactly how readers should feel about protesters shutting off pipeline safety valves as described in the temporary shutdown of Enbridge pipelines in northern Minnesota ("2 charged over Enbridge pipeline protest," Oct. 13). Safety valves are a critical component of a crude-oil system; they are installed to protect communities and the environment. Public outrage should accompany the felony charges against perpetrators of what, in any other context, would be defined as terrorist acts. The "ends never justify the means," because when the "means" become accepted practice, they have no limits, including deliberately tampering with public-safety devices.

The Oct. 8 article about mice getting in the house was informative ("Mouse in the house? You're not alone"). It should be stressed, however, that the poison solution should be the last option. When mice are poisoned, they either die in the wall, where they stink for a long time, or worse, they die outdoors where they can be eaten by a cat or an owl that in turn is poisoned. Owls are especially vulnerable because the poison causes internal bleeding and the mouse dies slowly, giving an owl the opportunity to catch the slow-moving meal. Traps take a little more work, but are the best method. Thanks.