DISGUSTING NEWS
We seem to have lost our moral bearings
Recent headlines are full of personal and business failures: Lawyer rapes boy; Tiger Woods, Tom Petters, Denny Hecker. One could ask where is the morality?
Whether one believes in Jesus, Mohammed or Buddha, they all taught personal responsibility and morality. Our founding fathers spoke about morality being essential to freedom. If Americans continue to let morality decay, so will our freedoms!
BILL HOAG, EDEN PRAIRIE
You call that democracy?
Health care is in the hands of two senators
I tend to feel positively about democracy in general, and believe that our system has great merit.
However, I am disturbed when a single person, in this case Sen. Joe Lieberman, is able to determine the future of health care for millions of Americans.
M.B. MCCall, Little Canada
•••
If a candidate for president were to receive 59 percent of the national vote, it would be regarded by all as a landslide, an unambiguous mandate. But for some reason that is not enough of a super majority to pass a much-needed reform in the U.S. Senate.
It's bad enough that we might not get meaningful health care reform. We also have to watch Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., and Ben Nelson, D-Neb., the prospective 59th and 60th votes for reform in the Senate, primp and preen while playing hard to get.
If you add together the entire populations of the states they represent, then multiply by 12, you're getting pretty close to the number of people who voted for Obama. Yet it is now clear that, on this matter, their opinion counts more than his.
Meanwhile, the Republicans act as if they mean only to tighten their grip on Alabama and Idaho. Well, why not? The fate of health care reform rests with one guy from Connecticut and another from Nebraska. Insane.
ERIC JORGENSON,
MINNEAPOLIS
stadium talk
Pawlenty has time for Wilf, not the poor
Thanks for keeping us up to date on Gov. Tim Pawlenty's hard work ("Wilf, Pawlenty talk stadium over morning coffee," Dec. 16) on behalf of Minnesotans. So "Zygi and I talk ... every few months," said the governor. Please give us a report tomorrow on how often the governor talks to the people who rely on General Assistance Medical Care.
MARY YEE, EDINA
•••
I would like to thank the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission (MSFC) for making every effort to create a valid stadium proposal for the Vikings. While I am not in favor of large public subsidies for professional sports teams, I encourage the Vikings to attend the presentation at today's MSFC meeting.
The Twins and Gophers were able to get their stadium legislation passed because they were able to build a working relationship with local officials and the Legislature. The Vikings have been unable to establish a lasting relationship with either Anoka County or the MSFC.
JAMES HAFNER, COON RAPIDS
TEACHER SUSPENDED
She was responsible for all of her students
I am writing this in support of Edina teacher Deb York ("Edina parents rally around 1st-grade teacher," Deb. 15). I am a teacher in the inner city. I often see troubled students who at a very young age become violent and attack other students and teachers. Our classrooms have 30 students or more. We are responsible for the education, safety and well-being of all of them, not just one. Yet, more often than not, the rights of one student win out over the rights of the rest of the class, and, try as we may, we are left helpless to defend ourselves and our class.
Our district would think nothing of dismissing a teacher for defending themselves and others. And when did it become acceptable to not warn the parents of the other children that they are being threatened? The conduct of the Edina School District is deplorable.
LORI SMITH, ROSEVILLE
Clarification
A headline on a Dec. 9 letter from Ronald F. Eustice, executive director of the Minnesota Beef Council, should not have implied that he would require food irradiation.
