I am proud to call Minnesota home. We have robust communities, diverse cultures and wonderful resources. We have a can-do spirit that will not be squashed, and people who are not afraid to stand up for what we believe in.
The Trump administration and those who follow him are threatening the lives, livelihood, health, wellness and freedoms of citizens that they should be bound to protect. The most recent "memo" to define gender as binary and immutable is harmful to those members of our community whose gender identity does not correlate with the body that they were given ("White House eyes narrow gender test," Oct. 22). It dishonors men and women with ambiguous genitalia or for whom their life experience is at odds with their physical makeup.
Minnesota just embraced the third pronoun signifier "X" for driver's licenses, joining "M" and "F," and it was such a progressive step forward in helping recognize, validate and heal those members of our community who experience dysphoria and identify as gender nonbinary.
Gov. Mark Dayton must help make sure these people are not erased from our community and our culture. He must protect those who are targeted, ostracized, ridiculed and all too often attacked in their daily lives — help them remain humans, help them keep their identity and their human rights under the law. As an ally, the governor must speak against this.
Megan Peterson, Brooklyn Park
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I recently saw "I Come from Arizona" at the Children's Theatre Company, then participated in a "talkback" discussion. I was surprised by how many stayed for the postproduction discussion. Immigration is a hot topic these days. However, if I have one piece of constructive criticism to offer, it is that the script is too Minnesota Nice.
The cast does a wonderful job of showing the fear, risk and uncertainty of any immigrant coming to a foreign country, much less if they are in that country without legal documentation. Many people in the audience (such as me) described themselves as recent immigrants and identified heavily with and strongly supported the cast's portrayal of the script. What I did not hear was one person describing how their family came from Mexico legally and that every illegal alien here today should be sent back and wait their turn like everyone else. I also did not hear anyone question why the family was living in Chicago, stealing jobs and living off welfare.
I challenge the scriptwriters to put that character and those sentiments in this production. I also challenge those believing and espousing these sentiments to attend "I Come from Arizona" and stay for the talkback session. Civil discourse on such a hot topic is critical these days. And how does one have a discussion on immigration with children without teaching fear and hatred? "I Come from Arizona" at the Children's Theatre Company's Cargill Stage offers just the opportunity to have that valuable discussion. Go!
Jose Gonzalez, St. Paul
The writer is the director of LatinoLEAD.
MINNEAPOLIS SCHOOL BOARD
Josh Pauly has the perspective to build a better district
As an engaged Minneapolis Public Schools parent who has served on multiple committees and advisories over the years at both the school and district levels, I urge voters to support Josh Pauly on Nov. 6.
Josh has not shied away from naming one of the biggest issues plaguing our city and our schools — systemic racism and the opportunity gap. His focus on equity, informed by his years as a teacher in MPS, should be a top priority for our board. I believe Josh has a unique perspective as someone who does not have ties to a specific school and who is working to build a better district for the future. He will be able to make hard decisions.
I reject the notion that we will only make progress by re-electing a board member based simply on her time spent in a seat ("Our picks to lead Minneapolis schools," Star Tribune Editorial Board endorsement, Oct. 23). Our schools deserve to have board members who can trust each other, and work together. As a parent of kids in a Title I school that has faced massive cuts over the past few years, I want to see a united board that faces challenges head-on, because it is the right thing for our community as a whole, not succumbing to pressure that only benefits a few.
Erin Clotfelter, Minneapolis
HEADLINES
Interpreting the emphasis
"Poll: 1 in 4 believed Kavanaugh" — so reads the headline for a recent AP news report.
Included in that report are these factual disclosures: 39 percent of respondents believe Kavanaugh was mostly honest; a separate 25 percent believe he was totally honest. Those total 64 percent.
Here's another title/headline that could have been used: "Poll: Almost 2 out of 3 believe Kavanaugh was substantially truthful."
Same facts, from the same poll, result in two different headlines. One implies that only a small percentage give Kavanaugh any credibility. The other acknowledges that a significant percentage believes Kavanaugh was very credible.
Those are two very different interpretations. The power of the pen and the magic of "spin" is demonstrably immense. Are either, or both of those headlines actually lying? Which do you believe conveys the more complete information?
Consider the following: A large percentage of the U.S. voting public is progressive; opinions on this issue closely approximate party affiliation; and, Democrats and the media made a massive attempt at character assassination on Kavanaugh.
Considering those facts, I think it's a wonder that a significant majority of people still believe Kavanaugh is totally or mostly honest.
Whence cometh "fake news."
Steve Bakke, Edina
Editor's note: The writer makes a valuable point about the presentation of news. It must be noted, however, that the article to which he refers did not appear in the print version of the Star Tribune. It appears on StarTribune.com under a different headline, "AP-NORC Poll: Just 1 in 4 thinks Kavanaugh told entire truth."
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Where is it written that newspaper headlines must give credence to the nonsense spouted by politicians? The summary text accompanying an Oct. 23 article about the Minnesota secretary of state race between incumbent Steve Simon and challenger John Howe ("Simon wants more access; Howe would fight fraud") supports the demonstrably false claim that there is any election fraud whatsoever in Minnesota to fight. Minnesota has recently lived through two intensely contested statewide recounts, with representatives of both parties scrutinizing virtually every ballot cast in the state. To the best of my memory, the entire extent of election fraud discovered in the process can be exemplified by the case of a woman who tried to vote for her out-of-town daughter. A more accurate summary would have read: "Simon wants access; Howe would fight for voter suppression."
Craig Laughlin, Plymouth
Editor's note: We always welcome feedback on headlines; condensing a story to a few, meaningful words is an art and our editors strive for both balance and clarity in the process.
THE SUNDAY COMICS
Change it back!
The new layout for the Sunday comics is a poor one. The comics are small and hard to see, and the words are tiny. Unless each paper comes with a magnifying glass, the comics are almost unreadable.
Based on my limited survey of friends and family, younger people don't get the paper in hard copy. If they read the paper/comics at all, it is online. Those of us older folks who already need glasses to read purchase the paper. Do me a favor and go back to the previous way of formatting the comics. Larger type is better.
