Readers Write

Homes hit by vandals

The tone of campaigns is a contributing factor

No person who is running for political office should be personally attacked, threatened, or put in a state of fear because they wish to seek elected office, and every member of the electorate should be outraged by the reports of Tuesday night's vandalism to Minnesota members of Congress. Those who did this should be held accountable for their actions, but those who are running for public office need to be held accountable for their actions as well.

To stand by and allow people on your behalf or those in your party to make terrorism comments or about who is or is not American is reprehensible, and leads to this type of hate and division. I am sorry this happened, but until those running for public office truly act as if we are one nation with many views and stop pitting one against another we can only expect it to continue.

David Schlosser, Minneapolis

The Franken profile

Cause for hope, and cause for concern

I have met Al and heard him speak several times over the last two years, and every time he has impressed me. He is for real and he is 100 percent for us Minnesotans. I have also had the good fortune to work with Franni and Thomasin Franken over the past year and I can truly say that what you see is what you get with this family. Franni and Thomasin are completely down to earth and caring women who truly care about the issues. The Frankens can only be an asset to our state, and I really hope that everybody can come together to get Al voted into that Senate seat.

Melissa Lindberg, Austin, Minn.

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While Al Franken may be tearfully sentimental, caring, determined and some would say a funny writer, the Oct. 19 profile made other points that a conscious voter should strongly consider.

These points focus around his venomous anti-Republican comments. Minnesotans must demand higher standards. We should expect our representatives to conduct themselves in a manner conducive to cooperation with fellow lawmakers, not be combative, disrespectful and childish.

Hennepin County Bench

Haeg is clearly most qualified to be judge

An Oct. 21 commentary by my good friend and respected adversary, Charles Lundberg, urged voters to find a "darned good reason" before voting against an incumbent appellate court judge. Assuming such a presumption should exist, even for lower court judges, there are many "darn good reasons" to vote for Thomas F. Haeg against the incumbent for Seat 58 on the Hennepin County bench.

Haeg has 32 years of trial bench experience (his opponent only has 13) as a court referee. Haeg has presided over 25,000 trials, hearings and motions in four contentious, high-volume, family-oriented courts: Special Term, Juvenile, Housing and Family Courts. His opponent only has one specialty court assignment. As presiding referee in Housing Court, Haeg had some of the highest performance evaluations by an independent court study; he reduced the caseload from 14,000 to 9,000 per year; and he earned the respect of a bipartisan coalition of suburban landlord and tenant attorneys when they petitioned to have their cases heard in Haeg's downtown division rather than the suburban courts.

Another "darn good reason": Tom's patient, prepared, calm, emotion-diffusing courtroom demeanor is admired by all lawyers and litigants appearing before him.

acorn allegations

A nonpartisan group that aids only Democrats?

The self-righteous ranting of Jane Thomson, a ACORN board member, about Republicans is out of line for an organization that is supposed to be bipartisan (Readers Write, Oct. 22).

This organization receives millions of taxpayer dollars to register voters. Taxpayers of all political affiliations pay Thomson and others to do this. But one could conclude from Thomson's letter that she is registering only those who would vote Democratic. This is the problem with ACORN. This attitude is why this organization is viewed with distrust by those who are not Democratic.

Given all the alleged ACORN voter-registration fraud taking place in other states, it is not unreasonable for the taxpayers of Minnesota to ask the governor, secretary of state, attorney general and ACORN itself to assure us, through the investigative process, that voter fraud is not occurring in this state.

House 42B race

Pitzrick: the judgment that voters need most

I have known and worked with Jerry Pitzrick for nearly five years. He is very level-headed — a moderate to liberal on social issues and very realistic on economic and tax issues. He understands that the citizens have expectations of their state government and that these cost money. That may mean more taxes. As a result of our transportation needs, he supported the gas tax last spring.

I hope the Star Tribune will endorse DFLer Jerry Pitzrick for the House 42B seat.