Readers Write: Jamal Mitchell, Trump’s conviction, moral leadership, Justice Alito, sustainability

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

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There may be much disagreement in our great city about a variety of important issues. But when Jamal Mitchell heroically gave his life to protect our city, I was emboldened and encouraged to see all our city’s elected officials standing behind Gov. Tim Walz Thursday night in support of Mitchell, who selflessly and honorably gave his life to keep our community safe. May his memory be a blessing.

Joe Campbell, Minneapolis

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More shootings. More police officer deaths (”Officer, civilian shot dead in south Minneapolis,” front page, May 31). Everyone agrees: too many guns. Time to repeal the Second Amendment to the Constitution. The framers never intended this. Gun ownership should be a privilege, not a right. It should be regulated in the same way as every dangerous consumer product.

Addison Fischer, Maple Grove

Jeff Adrian, Minnetonka

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The Star Tribune’s May 31 editorial (”Trump’s actions are the real disgrace”) asks if the Donald Trump conviction will convince some supporters that character matters. More importantly, will it convince the GOP, including our Minnesota representatives like Tom Emmer who “proudly” support a 34-count convicted felon? Is he truly the best they have to offer?

Donna Foth, Edina

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Ray Schoch, Minneapolis

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Hmm, let’s see what jobs I have to have passed a background check to hold: I cannot work at the White House in any capacity, I cannot be a Secret Service Agent, I cannot work at the IRS. With 34 felonies I would certainly be discharged from any branch of the military. Yet I can be the president of the United States, I can be the commander in chief of the armed forces and I can make some unilateral decisions that affect every American. Makes you think — or at least it does me.

Marta Bradshaw, Forest Lake, Minn.

To those attacking James Brandt’s commentary (”Even a poor candidate can make a good president,” Opinion Exchange, May 29), and espousing moral leadership as a cornerstone of the presidency: How many of you voted for Bill Clinton?

Many times over the years I have had to keep my political opinions to myself because they would have caused harm in the jobs I held or they would have been negative for my husband’s job. I also stopped myself from flying flags or putting up yard signs if they would have had the same result. I didn’t always want to do that, but I am “a reasonable person” and I understood the consequences.

Obviously Samuel Alito’s wife, Martha-Ann, doesn’t understand that. When people say there are things wrong with our country, her behavior as the spouse of a Supreme Court justice embodies that. So does Ginni Thomas’ behavior. Sometimes you have to give up some things when your partner holds one of the highest positions in our country. Oh, and by the way, I don’t spit at any person or their car. Again, not “a reasonable thing to do.”

Nancy Anderson, Plymouth

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After proverbially throwing his wife under the bus regarding the flying of the pair of controversial MAGA-supportive flags, Justice Alito explained: “She makes her own decisions and I honor her right to do so.” (“Alito refuses to bow out of Trump, Jan. 6 cases,” front page, May 30.)

Marshall H. Tanick, Minneapolis

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In response to a May 25 letter writer’s opinion about Justice Alito’s flag flying, his statement “much ado about nothing” is spot on.

One may not agree with Alito and his wife’s personal choice of flying the flag, but we live in a country that gives us the constitutional right to voice our opinions without calls for us to be removed from our jobs due to our political beliefs. No law was broken.

As for the remarks on Nikki Haley on the same “Readers Write” page, about her endorsing Trump, I ask them: Do you realize what political party Haley represents? The Republican Party. Do you really think a Republican is going to endorse a candidate of the opposing party that has far different views from herself? No, I don’t think so.

I’d be more concerned if she stated she was backing Biden!

Deb Schaefgen, Maple Grove

I was shocked to hear about the R.D. Offutt Farms’ excessive water use (“Potato grower asks court to stop tribe from regulating water,” front page, May 28) and its pushback against tribal sovereignty for the use of water from on or near the White Earth Reservation.

Water is our most precious resource, upon which all our lives depend, and the changing global climate brings scarcity and uncertainty to our access. To prioritize human health and welfare in its management is not something that our capitalist economic system is set up to do, and we rely on a certain degree of regulation to provide balance. The state has clearly failed us in regulating the excessive use of this resource, which the article indicates has more than doubled since the 1980s, including over 800 farmers who broke their permits to exceed water usage in 2021 — during a drought.

Let us look to the wisdom of our neighbors in the sovereign White Earth Nation for their eye to sustainability, and not resort to federal authority to resolve a local issue where the right path is so clear. This land and the water on it belong to White Earth to regulate as it sees fit.

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It is the height of gardening season, and we are awash in single-use plastic containers (4″ square, 3″ round, four-pack and six-pack flimsy things, etc.). There must be a better way. Isn’t there a paper composition that would stand up to watering yet eventually degrade? It would behoove our wonderful garden supply stores to look into biodegradable “packaging” for their product.