Opinion Editor’s Note: Published by Star Tribune Opinion letter Daily from readers online and in print.Click to contribute here.

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On Thursday night, I expected words of encouragement from the Commander-in-Chief, but instead, for some of my convictions, I was told that the Constitution and the law were destroying American democracy. I learned that they do not respect rule, that they harbor anger and that they thrive can fuel political violence (“Biden: Trump, Allied Threat to America,” September 2 top page).

He continued, “I want to put this plain and simple. There is no place for political violence in America. Duration. None. Never before.” Former Attorney General Eric Holder (“When they go low, we kick them. That’s what this new Democrat is for”), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (“I tell you sea ​​bream, [Supreme Court Justice Brett] Kavanaugh: You will unleash the whirlwind and pay the price.Moving forward, I don’t know what hit you…”) and Rep. Maxine Waters (“And if you see someone from there [Trump] Get off the shelves of restaurants, department stores and gas stations and create crowds. And you push them back. And you tell them you’re not welcome anywhere anymore. ”)

As a conservative, I am not a riotist. i love my country I am not a thug, fascist, white supremacist, or outlaw. I’m leaning right, but I’ve never stormed the Capitol. I am not an extremist or a terrorist.

The divisions in America today (left vs. right, all colors vs. white, rich vs. poor, etc.) are tearing our country apart. Luke 11:17 says, “The kingdom divided within will perish, and the house divided within will fall.” This may be the goal of some people who hate America and have specific agendas.

As a result, we need to look to the sources to see who is behind the messages we rely on, and to bring benefits only to ourselves while causing danger and destruction to others. We must not be influenced by those who have agendas to bring.

Sherry Crecy, Minnetonka

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President Joe Biden is not radical. He appealed for unity and restoration of the soul of the United States of America. His administration worked hard to pass bipartisan legislation – and it did.

And on Thursday he said enough was enough. He accused Trump and the MAGA Republicans – the dominant force in the party – of being a threat to democracy. This is not a trivial statement. please think about it. The former Vice President and longtime senator known for his centrism, the President of the United States, addressed the nation to warn of the dangers to our system, including more violence.

This isn’t just “politics,” it’s not polls to check or experts to sort through. This is history, it’s alive, it’s testing us. Why has this speech been ignored by major television networks? Where is the threat of Trumpism and authoritarianism normalized?

So enjoy the long weekends, the state fairs and the freedom we all take for granted. And take a good look at what needs to be done to protect our democracy and our way of life. Ask Biden.

Pamela J. Snopple, Minneapolis

border security

Thanks to the editorial staff of The Star Tribune for picking up the “This can’t go on” letter on September 2nd. Throughout the work, the writer blames immigrants for a number of social ills, but most baffling is that they are presumed unimmunized. If American citizens (including Republican gubernatorial candidates) can’t get their hands on a free shot, how can they protect themselves from COVID-19?

This sad, dog-whistling “look over there” attempt to divert attention from the previous administration’s crushing failures as well as its apparent criminality does one thing very well. It points to the hypocrisy not only of the authors, but of those who share these views. When it suits, the sudden interest in the vaccination status of people who appear to have been improperly vetted seems incredibly crippling.

Colleen Burns Dada, Eden Prairie

water

Michigan Mayor Jackson said the cause of the city’s (state’s largest and capital) water problem is the Republican-controlled state’s “decades of deferred maintenance” (“too much water” and “not enough”). August 31).

“The city of 150,000 people had already received a boiling notice for a month before the deluge.” The article notes that the city is 80% black, and that “its tax base has fallen several dozen times in the past, as its population has shrunk as a result of the exodus of most whites to the suburbs that began after public school consolidation in 1970.” It has been eroded over the years,” he said.

But the Republican reluctance to use or raise state funds to help the largest cities deliver the most basic government services reveals everything you need to know about the constant push for tax cuts. is showing.

According to this article, a restaurant owner is paying $300 a day to buy ice and water to keep his business running. What is the daily cost of statewide taxes to maintain the water system?

Republicans long ago said their aim was to shrink the government to a size that could be “submerged in a bathtub.” That day may be near. Ending wasteful government spending is a laudable goal, but excessive cuts endanger economic growth and domestic stability. Voters need to be aware of the high cost of low tax rates. Mississippi is often rated worst or next to worst on many measures. Is tax aversion part of the problem?

Keith Bogut, Lake Elmo

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On September 2nd, a reprinted editorial (“America is dry up”) in the Mankato Free Press suggested the brilliant idea of ​​sharing water where it is needed. “Rather than a giant multi-billion dollar viaduct draining the Midwest to keep our desert golf courses green, we would design and build thousands of smaller systems in both the West and the Midwest to take the surplus. It is wiser to hold and preserve the rain from the increasingly severe downpours, which is the more realistic approach.”

Yes you can solve the problem. Think about it and follow through to the end.

Linda Peterson, Plymouth

education

Minnesota Overall Rating score No Indicators of educational success or teacher quality (“Even worse news about student test scores,” editorial, 2 Sept.). Scores don’t even compare the same students year after year. Classifying students as “black” includes immigrants (new arrivals), which is the color of their skin and who cannot even speak English or are still learning to read. I mean the mobility rate of students entering and leaving is 60% (meaning 60% of students who entered in September are different than students tested in March or May), mainly due to poverty. I am speaking as a former principal who was

Economics and parenting are the biggest predictors of academic success. Teachers should not be blamed for their lack of control or influence.

Politicians need to focus on real issues such as special education services, jobs and the cost of stable/affordable housing.

COVID has shown that teachers really matter, that teaching is not easy, and that many parents are not ready to teach math or literacy.

Patty Murphy, Hopkins