Opinion editor's note: Published in Star Tribune Opinion letter We hear from readers online and in print every day.Click to contribute here.
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Will President Joe Biden debate former President Donald Trump? Should he? A reprint editorial in the Wall Street Journal (“'Debating is fun'? What will happen,” May 1) says that if Biden debates Trump, he will stumble over his words and hobble onto the stage. Or, if possible, it suggests that he might trip and fall. . Given the tone of this editorial, he may need the Secret Service to help him get on stage.
No one at WSJ remembers the last debate, but if there was one this year, President Trump would probably start yelling at Biden, calling him a “crime family, pest, and radical left-wing immigrant.” A gag order (or shock collar) should be put in place just in case. Disaster Hoax Hunter Crazy Stolen Election. ”
Trump's attitude has not improved at all since the last debate. I think it might be an age thing. What's the point of a debate if all Biden says is, “Will you shut up?”
Mary Alice Devine, White Bear Lake
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The Commission on Presidential Debates has scheduled several debates in September and October. The Trump campaign expressed dissatisfaction with the debate.”[do] It won't start until millions of Americans have already cast their votes. “This is unacceptable, and by refusing to move the debate forward, we are doing a disservice to the American people, who should hear from both candidates before voting begins.” The hypocrisy is obvious. He refused to turn over classified documents from his home in Florida in response to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election, and the American public won't be entitled to learn about RICO charges in Georgia until after the November election. I wonder if there isn't.Fee in front Will you vote in the November election?
Tom Burgett, Eden Prairie
protests on campus
condemns Israel's overreaction
The author of Saturday's letter (“All the suffering doesn't seem to matter”) wonders why there aren't more protests on campus against regimes and groups outside the Middle East that have terrorized civilians. , suggests that the focus on Israeli violence against Gaza may be easier to explain. The people are anti-Semitic. But he doesn't mention another important consideration.
The author cites other examples of atrocities, including the persecution of religious and ethnic minorities by China and Myanmar, violence against civilians in Sudan and North Korea, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In both cases, the US government has strongly condemned the actions. But in Israel it's a different story.
Make no mistake, the October 7 massacre of 1,200 Israeli citizens and the kidnapping of hundreds more was horrific. Hamas has proven to the world that it can never be part of a peace deal, and the Palestinians cannot expect to make progress toward sovereignty unless Hamas is abolished and moderate leadership is provided. Israel has every right to defend itself, and the United States was right to show strong solidarity with Israel in the wake of that outbreak of violence.
But Israel's overreaction has reached an alarming scale, with 34,000 people killed in the Gaza Strip, or about 1.7 for every 100 citizens. Approximately 2 million people, or 85% of the population, have been evacuated. However, the United States continues to transport tanks, artillery, rockets, and guns. These are my tax dollars that fund the bombs that blow up innocent Palestinians for weeks and months with no end in sight. The United States has finally expressed some level of concern about the safety of civilians, but those words mean little when weapons of war continue to flow through the pipeline.
More fighters are currently being planned.
Campus protesters rightly blame Israel, not Jews, for the massacre of Palestinians. They are speaking out against this particular injustice because our politicians are just whispering. We are grateful to our students for taking this principled stand. They speak of my own anger.
Jeff Naylor, Minneapolis
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A while back, all of us “Nice Minnesotans” spoke out about bullying and harassment, and the need to address this existential problem through rules, regulations, codes of conduct, counseling, and creating safe spaces. Do you remember when we were putting together opinions? I remember them telling us that their “real concerns” were excluding people from the Jewish community. not. Looks like I missed it.
Michael Bates, Ham Lake
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Protests at Columbia University entered a new, more serious phase earlier this week. After the occupation of Hamilton Hall on campus, they were no longer protesters, but rioters, anarchists, and trespassers. Unfortunately, this takeover was a reminder of the Jan. 6 mob and the storming of the Capitol, with glass broken, forced entry, and barricades erected. These people, like the January 6th rioters, should be prosecuted with proper charges and due process. The president of Columbia University has threatened to expel students who participate in this, but will he follow through? Too often, “protesters” who block roads, damage property, or otherwise disrupt public life are released without charge, as in the case with the Golden Gate Bridge blockade. In fact, the so-called protesters at Hamilton Hall are already demanding absolution.
Finally, I would like to express my sympathy to the many students who have been cheated out of normal campus life and are studying for their final exams. Not to mention those who have had their graduation ceremonies canceled, such as students at the University of Southern California. Many of these students experienced similar loss of graduation certificates during their four years of high school due to the pandemic.
Steve Hayden, Eden Prairie
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Why did Hamas start a war knowing that it could only win by exposing the inhumanity of the Israeli government? Any reasonable person would agree that Jews have been treated very badly for centuries. And I think most rational people can agree that the current system of apartheid against Palestinians under Israeli control is wrong.
I am not siding with either side of the protesters on this issue. Because I think they have the wrong idea. I think the real problem is the two governing groups: Hamas and the Israeli government. They don't care about humans and their lives as much as they care about their own ideological biases. Those in control on both sides of this issue are willing to make human sacrifices to try to get right. This is a common problem around the world and is evident here.
The real conflict in this issue is between humanity and those who govern it. Until we have a government that puts people first, we will never have peace between nations and groups. Those who govern us in all our countries have an interest in creating divisions between groups in order to maintain power. Rulers often value power over humanity.
Protesters on our college campuses should unite against our real enemy: our inhumane government.
Bill Schletzer, Plymouth
read
More diverse books, more reading
Gov. Tim Walz and state leaders have made us all proud to take action against book bans (“States are wisely considering book bans” editorial) ,May 1st). New research shows that not only is this the right thing to do, but that access to a diverse range of books can actually improve student achievement. In a six-month pilot study conducted by First Book Research & Insights, the research arm of the national nonprofit First Book, educators found that after adding a variety of books to their classroom libraries, they They reported an increase in reading time of 4 hours per week. Students' reading scores were 3 points higher than the national annual expected average. Students with the lowest scores benefited the most. Classrooms that added bilingual and LGBTQ+ titles saw the biggest improvements.
To succeed in a diverse world, all Children need to grow up with a variety of books that allow them to explore themselves and learn about others. It fosters empathy and understanding, and most importantly, motivates children to read.
Joyce Johansson, Minneapolis
