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A variety of pros and cons can be addressed in response to Timothy Taylor's "76 theses on America patriotism" (July 3). Having barely escaped an assault on democracy set in motion by the kakistocracy of the Trump administration, we can be grateful for the patriotic duty of the special Jan. 6 committee transcending usual ideological barriers.

Let us be mindful of increasing emphasis on a well-educated citizenry, especially also in light of the upcoming, crucial November elections. This includes developing a healthy dose of humility as opposed to some superficial belief that our country is endowed with a form of exceptional manifest destiny.

Kai Laybourn, Bloomington

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Taylor comes across as an unctuous scold. Like others of his tribe, he's mostly correct.

I was pleased to read the July 3 article about the progress being made in Hennepin County to alleviate homelessness ("In data on homelessness, a sense of hope"). Congratulations to the county for the progress made in this area. But I fear that a hidden kind of homelessness is not being taken into account.

I am a volunteer for a nonprofit that serves Richfield, Bloomington, Edina and parts of Minneapolis with food and other social services. It is my responsibility to record and verify the number of individuals living in any given household seeking our services.

What I have noticed in the past month is a sizable growth in the number of people in many households. Generally, this occurs when a family loses their housing and another family member takes them into their home. The result is serious overcrowding. It is not uncommon for me to find up to 12 people, including numerous children, sharing a two-bedroom apartment. Clearly, either landlords do not know about these situations (which surely are against municipal occupancy codes) or they turn a blind eye to this overcrowding out of compassion for tenants and their families.

Yes, the families evicted from their former homes are not on the street or in a shelter. They are, however, living in extremely tenuous situations that can cause physical danger and result in adverse health conditions, especially in these times of COVID. But I still wonder if Hennepin County has any idea how many residents are living under these conditions and if they've been counted among the homeless — because, in reality, they are just that: without a home of their own.

Doris Rubenstein, Richfield

It is worth contemplating the dramatic decline reported in the number of people experiencing homelessness, one of our society's most intractable problems. The recent one-day census of homelessness is the lowest in 17 years in Hennepin County. In the first five months of this year, county staff helped 860 people move into permanent housing. The number of veterans who experience homelessness is at very low levels throughout Minnesota.

This is remarkable progress, and it happened because of our government. Hennepin County commissioners and state agencies have provided leadership, and experienced public-sector employees have worked effectively on the front lines of the daily struggle to tailor solutions to individual needs, "person by person." Their work has been facilitated by the allocation of substantial funding from taxpayers, making it possible to hire dedicated staff, convert hotels to single-room occupancy housing and develop additional low-cost housing options.

This demonstrates that when there is leadership backed by resources, our government can make progress on even the most difficult problems facing our communities. There will always be homelessness, but we can, as the county's housing stability director said, "make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring."

Steven S. Foldes, St. Louis Park

The June 30 article "General Mills' profits climb" described the recent inflation in the price of food products in grocery stores. General Mills, like other food manufacturing companies, reported increased sales and profits despite selling fewer food products. How can a food manufacturing company be boasting about raising its prices while increasing profits when so many individuals in our communities, state and country face food insecurity?

One crucial question I have is: What action steps are General Mills or other food manufacturing companies taking to reduce food insecurity in their communities?

My challenge to you is to examine what action steps you can take to reduce food insecurity in your community and our great state of Minnesota.

Juliann Felter, Farmington

Curt Brown's tale about Robert Wilson ("Learning of his father's past," Minnesota History, July 3) was an interesting read. However, there is a palpable sense of glorification of essentially impulsive and reckless acts by a lawbreaking person. Somehow, criminal activities that placed police officers' and citizens' lives at risk seem to be romanticized and described as acts of a "swashbuckling suspect." Although the circumstances are unrelated, one cannot help think about all the instances where persons of color were killed or severely punished for minor infractions.

Rakesh John, Inver Grove Heights

But in the process of justifying such killing with the statement that "[m]aintaining the stability of wildlife populations while allowing a regulated take is the backbone of modern wildlife management," he underscores the anthropocentric nature of "modern" wildlife exploitation. Such wildlife management is neither biologically nor ecologically science-based, since it caters to the financial and recreational interests of those involved in hunting and trapping.

He reinforces this human-centered view by reporting northern Minnesota deer hunters and deer camp owners "have been and continue to be adversely impacted by a wolf population that 50 years ago was a fraction of its current size." Then he goes on to blame wolf and bear predation for the declining moose population. In reality, habitat encroachment, climate change, winter tick infestations, brain screwworm infections transmitted from more resistant white-tailed deer, along with chronic wasting disease, probably exacerbated by "modern" wildlife management practices aimed at increasing white-tailed deer numbers along with deer farming, are contributing factors to poor moose viability.

Anderson's attitude toward wolves needs a reality check. As my own research and that of others on wolf behavior, development and communication has revealed, they are highly intelligent and empathic animals and need protection from those who evidently lack such qualities and regard them as "critters" and a natural resource to be harvested sustainably.