Readers Write (Oct. 30): Alida Messinger, Minneapolis casino, Kersten's warning

The article about Alida Messinger ("A well-funded passion for politics," Oct. 27) was more a testament to a well-funded passion for manipulation for a power-hungry, behind-the-scenes good ol' girl. She says she is concerned for lakes, schools and other causes. She could fund creative ways to better them instead of funding a political machine -- for instance, funding schools that want to emulate the successful program at Harvest Preparatory School in north Minneapolis ("At this school, usual excuses don't apply," Katherine Kersten, Sept. 25).

If she really feels a "tremendous responsibility," she could make "tremendous" donations to food shelves and shelters for the homeless -- the people who really need help.

VIRGINIA BRAUN, INVER GROVE HEIGHTS

• • •

The whining from Republican Party members is amazingly shrill as they complain about Gov. Mark Dayton's former wife contributing her money to Minnesota DFLers. Is it only Republicans who should receive millionaires' money?

JUDY YANG, MINNEAPOLIS

• • •

ROBERT ANDERSON, EAGAN

• • •

Thank you for the article on Messinger's commitment to the causes of improving our water quality and education in Minnesota. Some wealthy people and special-interest groups donate money to candidates and causes for their own gain, while Messinger donates to candidates and causes that improve the well-being of all of us. In our household, people who donate large sums of money for the common good are saints.

DICK AND Judy Ottman, White Bear Lake

• • •

One of the reasons Block E stands empty and downtown retail and commercial real estate continue to suffer is that much of downtown is simply not a very pleasant place to be. It is littered with too many strip clubs and sex shops; it provides a safe haven for panhandlers, and its main pedestrian drag, Nicollet Mall, is downright dingy. Building a 24/7 casino with skyway access would simply add to downtown's already problematic reputation as an unsavory place where anything goes.

Minneapolis is trying to make Hennepin Avenue the theater capital of the country. But will playhouse patrons really want to attend a show where they have to walk past a smoky, dimly lit gambling hall? And city leaders wish to remedy the too-high vacancy rates of downtown skyscrapers. But will corporations seek to locate their headquarters where employees and customers have to hear the clanging of slot machines to get there?

Don't take my word for it. If you want to see the effects gambling can have on a downtown, check out Omaha, Neb. It's a pretty sad place.

ANDY BREHM, WAYZATA

• • •

The columnist's clarion call for vigilance against "intimidation" by supporters of same-sex marriage in Minnesota is utterly baseless.

Kersten rests her admonition primarily on a few aberrational incidents in California during its legal struggle over the same-sex marriage issue. But there is no reported instance of any similar, or remotely comparable, episode in Minnesota. In fact, the type of persecution she laments has occurred, but not by same-sex marriage advocates. Rather, that type of aggression has been directed against gays and lesbians, especially in schools. Kersten should target her concerns at that type of antisocial misconduct.

This modern-day Cassandra need not worry about loutish behavior by same-sex marriage backers. Her concerns are about as prescient as fearing an insufficient supply of suntan lotion in Minnesota this winter.

MARSHALL H. TANICK, MINNEAPOLIS

• • •

JAMES CLINE, PLYMOUTH

• • •

Water is life-giving. We need to conserve this valuable resource and make sure we use it properly. One important use is to make sure our trees and shrubs get a good drink before the ground freezes. This is your reminder to do just that.

I was reminded by our city's environmental coordinator that with so little rain this fall, this is something that is becoming imperative. If your trees are less than four years old, it is even more important. Please water those boulevard trees, too.