Readers Write: Self-driving cars, 2026 elections, the ideal soldier, RFK Jr., jury duty

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

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Waymo has proven to work well all over the country and should be welcomed here (“We should welcome Waymo’s self-driving cars,” Strib Voices, and “Consider the harms, and the unknowns,” Readers Write, Nov. 25).

Waymo’s multisensor system (lidar, radar, cameras) and advanced artificial intelligence allow it to see through snow and distinguish slick surfaces. Its vehicles feature automated heating and cleaning elements to keep sensors clear of ice and snow, and it adjusts driving behavior based on real-time traction data.

The irony is that Uber is here because of advancements in technology. I didn’t see any protests about what it did to yellow cabdrivers.

Waymo is more efficient and offers lower cost. This benefits thousands of Minnesotans, including the old and disabled.

Jim Piga, Mendota Heights

The news that the driverless ride-share Waymo will be arriving here soon is disturbing. The notion of commuting to work downtown or navigating through rush hour traffic with no one driving is troubling.

As one who occasionally is a back-seat occupant in rival ride-share cars, I prefer to see a human being at the steering wheel. I don’t feel comfortable when I enter an airplane and see no one in the cockpit; I get squeamish if I’m in a dentist chair with no one else there; I enjoy seeing a real person wearing a chef’s hat in the kitchen on the rare occasions when I go out for fine dining; I even prefer to read newspapers written and edited by reporters and editors.

Despite AI and all the other technological advances, there’s still a role for real people performing human tasks.

Marshall H. Tanick, Minneapolis

Politicians have already started giving us clues about how they’re going to attack their opponents in the 2026 midterms.

My heartfelt gratitude goes to state and civic leaders who led us according to the best science, and got more of us out of the pandemic alive than their peers in other states did. I love the state and civic leaders who put our welfare first and their own political gain last. And at the next election, at the ballot box, I’ll remember them with gratitude.

Susan Frenzel, Minneapolis

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Many Minnesota Democrats, including me, are worried about the upcoming gubernatorial election. Gov. Tim Walz’s administration has been tainted by fraud in multiple programs. Taxpayers are frustrated that hundreds of millions of dollars allocated by the Legislature for worthy programs were instead stolen by fraudsters. The governor isn’t directly responsible for overseeing those expenditures, but it’s someone’s job and there’s been no evidence of accountability or consequences. There’s also been a failure to assure compliance with the READ Act, which was passed by the Legislature to address steadily worsening K-12 reading scores. This act mandated a research-based method of teaching reading that’s been very effective in other states. It’s a tragedy that Minnesota third- and fourth-graders now have much lower reading scores than Mississippi and Texas! It’s an embarrassment to the state and may result in our children being unprepared for future employment.

The Minnesota DFL should have an open primary for the governor’s race next spring. It’s not too late for other candidates to jump in. We don’t want to repeat the mistake made in the last presidential election, where we supported a weakened candidate out of loyalty.

Dudley Deshommes is absolutely right when he says that growing a beard should not be a barrier to serving in the U.S. military (“New shaving policy punishes men like me,” Strib Voices, Nov. 20). Neither should race, religion, sexual identity or any of the other irrelevant features attacked by Pete Hegseth from his position as “Secretary of War.”

Hegseth wants everyone in uniform to appear as he sees himself: white, male, clean-shaven, straight, nominally Christian and so on, but his “standards” harm our country in two important ways. First, he would deny people who are motivated and eager to serve the opportunity to do so. Second, he would deny our country their service: their abilities, skills, intelligence and patriotism.

Hegseth acts like it’s 1935 and he’s casting a movie by Leni Riefenstahl.

Bryant Julstrom, St. Cloud

The Nov. 22 Star Tribune reported that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ordered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to change its position regarding whether vaccines cause autism, because, in his opinion, the lack of a connection has not been proven (“RFK Jr. says he told CDC to change its language on autism, vaccines”). Following this same logic, the public needs to be aware that scientists have also not proven that elephants do not cause autism, nor red umbrellas, nor mowing your lawn in May. Everyone needs to stay informed, and take the proper precautions.

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And which university did RFK Jr. get his medical degree from?

Tom Handrich, Shakopee

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Yet again I saw a headline in the Star Tribune about a “vaccine skeptic” being appointed to a high position in the federal government. These people are not skeptics at all. They are vaccine deniers or antivaxxers, and belong in the same category as Holocaust deniers, moon-landing deniers, climate-change deniers and flat-earthers.

Steve Bjelke, New Brighton

I have spent 23 years as a military officer, 13 on active duty and the rest in the reserve component. Those of us in the military are often thanked for our service; this is much appreciated.

I was recently called to jury service and spent the past two weeks as a juror on a criminal case at the Hennepin County Courthouse. This was a difficult case that resulted in a mistrial; the jury deliberated for almost four days. The members of the jury did master’s level work in their consideration of the case and received a $20 per diem in return. (Some spent up to $38 for a day of parking.)

I was incredibly impressed by my fellow citizens on the jury. In addition, the court staff, judge, clerks, court reporter, prosecution and defense were professional and skilled far beyond my expectations.

It’s my impression that our court system is working exceptionally well. Jury service is important work and the defendant had a fair accounting. It’s tough work physically and emotionally and not well compensated outside of a fulfillment of duty.