Readers Write: Transgender service members, local libraries, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra

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

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Every time I think the Trump administration has hit rock bottom, it always finds new ways to lower the bar. Case in point: The U.S. Air Force is now forcing transgender service members with 15 to 18 years of service out of the military, and with no benefits (“US Air Force to deny retirement pay to transgender service members being separated from the service,” StarTribune.com, Aug. 7). Please note that these are service members who have served honorably for years. Many have served with distinction. They are completely qualified and have done this nation proud. However, due to the transphobic bigotry of Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon, these transgender service members are now deemed “medically unfit” to serve — not because of anything they have done, mind you, but because of who they are.

I am transgender. I am also an honorably discharged former member of the U.S. Air Force. And I am angered and disgusted by the actions of the Air Force, the White House and the Pentagon toward our transgender service members. It is un-American and unacceptable. The prejudicial actions of the bigots-in-charge are weakening our military and thus endangering our nation. Qualified, honorable transgender service members are being discharged unjustly, and without their earned retirement benefits. This is sickening.

I will never understand how anyone can continue to support the Trump administration after the chaos, havoc and blatant corruption that has been unleashed upon this nation in only seven months. I have always loved my country and have been proud of my military service. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to love a country that does not seem to love me, and others like me, in return.

Vanessa Sheridan, Apple Valley

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A quick internet search showed that there are 2.1 million military members; 4,240 are transgender.

Wouldn’t the time, energy and expense used to violate the civil rights of a minuscule number of our citizens be better spent addressing real issues, such as providing adequate medical care and addressing homelessness among our veterans? Shame on this country. I’m certainly a little less proud of calling myself an Air Force veteran.

Peggy Gortze, Champlin

I have just completed a weeklong book tour of the libraries in north central Minnesota speaking about my new novel, “Lone Dog Road.” It was an honor and a joy.

Libraries are one of civilization’s greatest inventions. They are the physical embodiment of our collective memory, and they anchor communities in a way that nothing else does.

It does not even have to be so much about reading; it is the way that a library exudes a sense of calm and possibility. There is always a tiny moment of thrill when you enter into one, as if you are entering a world apart from your daily stress and bustle. A magazine, a book picked randomly from the shelf, maybe just the relaxation of sitting in a chair surrounded by the comforting silence that libraries offer — everything about it says, this is a place you can stop, be still, allow your imagination to take wing.

And then there are the children, shepherded by a parent or grandparent, who sit at the children’s table, excitedly turning the pages of a picture book, sharing words or images that catch their fancy.

And the elders, filling their days; the students doing term papers; the homeless and disenfranchised with nowhere else to go.

And the immigrant families, who see the libraries as a place of growth and understanding that helps them make their way in this new country.

All of them are part of this civic treasure that so many of us take for granted.

But even with all these changes, our libraries remain a place of hope and possibility outside the relentless commercialism that overwhelms all other aspects of our daily lives.

I keep coming back to the word “sanctuary.” Libraries are places that protect something special, quiet and hopeful in our lives. There is nowhere else quite like them.

It was a thrill to be on the road visiting our Minnesota libraries. There is no place I would rather be than driving through the farms and lakes and forest and fields of my home state, visiting these places that give so much, so quietly, to the people they serve.

They are so much more than just a collection of books. They are the souls of their communities.

Kent Nerburn, St. Paul

Twenty years ago this spring, our world-class, Grammy Award-winning orchestra announced that it was significantly reducing ticket prices for its Neighborhood Series concerts across the Twin Cities. The rationale for our decision was a desire to serve more people in our community. As we had hoped, we saw an immediate and dramatic increase in audience attendance. We later extended the initiative to our concerts at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, and the results were similar.

Today, over 50% of our tickets are available for $16. Anyone in our community can purchase a Concert Membership for $10 per month and attend as many concerts as they like at no additional charge. In 2017 we made it free for children and students of all ages to attend our performances. Since then, over 46,000 young people have come to our concerts. We know unequivocally that our commitment to affordable prices has made it possible for more people to attend more often. We hear it from audience members at concerts, we read it in post-concert surveys, and we see it in larger, younger and more diverse audiences.

Our commitment to accessible ticket prices has also made our organization stronger financially. Affordable ticket prices have allowed us to garner consistently larger audiences while allowing us to reduce marketing expenses. As an organization that depends on philanthropy for financial viability, serving a larger and broader audience has significantly enhanced our case for support. What we have learned over the last 20 years is that doing the right thing is also doing the smart thing.

We believe that our almost 66-year-old world-class orchestra belongs to our community, and that’s reflected in our vision to be a great orchestra for everyone. The transformative power and beauty of the music we perform should not be limited to a select few. You can have an elite orchestra without being elitist.

Jon Limbacher, St. Paul