Copyright 2000 Star Tribune
Star Tribune
(Minneapolis, MN)
May 28, 2000, Sunday, Metro Edition
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 22A
LENGTH: 1273 words
HEADLINE:
Letters from readers
BODY:
Wigley making waves
As repulsive as Mike Wigley's threat to
pull his financial support from the Republican Party (Star Tribune, May 19) may
be, his Ventura-esque blunt honesty is refreshing in a way. At least he said it
like it is.
The only difference between
his action and those of the National Rifle Association, labor unions, major
corporations or a political-action group is the latter are less obvious. In our
present political structure, money talks. It's past time to make our elected
representatives stand up and state positively they will not indulge in such
payoffs and agree to make them illegal if they seek reelection. John McCain,
where are you when we need you?
.
_ Ronald Harris, Minnetonka.
.
Michael Wigley speaks for a great majority
of Minnesotans who want our taxes reduced permanently and an end to the selfish
bickering of our state government. His position is not about personal gain, as
so many of the fools in the Legislature want us to think.
.
_ Len Giannetti, Apple Valley.
.
The New New Left
Bob von Sternberg's recent attempt to
describe the New Left was not worth the cost of the newsprint (Star Tribune, May
21). He decided to highlight the fringes of this movement,
people who rationalize destruction of property or oppose all hierarchy and
structure. I could similarly interview Charlton Heston and Jerry Falwell and
declare them representatives of the Republican Party, but no editor worth her
salt would mistake that kind of distortion for journalism.
The organizing
that motivated the Seattle and Washington protests are part of growing American
sentiment against the inequality produced by our economic prosperity. People
finally step outside their shell to retake their seat at the table of democracy,
and the best the press can offer is "anarchists." I am sincerely disappointed.
.
_ John Farrell, Northfield,
Minn.
.
I want to compliment you
on the article of May 21 by Bob von Sternberg on the "New New Left." The term
anarchy has been tossed around so much since Seattle; your article allowed it to
be the complex, interesting, thought-provoking thing that it is, and the sidebar
with additional background was really helpful. Also, the alliance between labor
and the left was explained and given credibility.
.
_ Chrissie Mahaffy, Minneapolis.
.
The Pipestone pork system
We believe you missed the true story in
your March 26 article on the "Pipestone system." As shareholders and clients of
the Pipestone Veterinary Clinic, we have firsthand experience.
Dr. Gerald Kennedy, Dr. Gordon
Spronk, their partners and supporting staff are very professional in providing
leadership for our family farm and farms like ours across Minnesota, Iowa, and
South Dakota. Superior genetics, extensive record keeping, packer marketing
agreements, nutritional guidance and veterinary consulting are some of the
services that are offered for us to choose from. Spronk's part in all of this
earned him the honor of All-American Swine Practitioner of the Year for 2000. He
is respected both nationally and internationally in the swine industry.
The Pipestone system motto, "Keeping the
Family on the Farm," is doing just that for our family. Because of this, we
continue to enjoy animal agriculture on our farm. That is the true story.
.
_ Jim and Jo Ann Veldkamp,
Jasper, Minn.
.
Empty fire about NRA
store
Jocelyn Hale's May 25 Commentary
article about National Rifle Association plans to open a theme-store is cute,
even comical, but that's about all it is. I hope readers don't put any
credibility in her remarks as the proposed store probably won't be much
different than the big Cabela's outdoor gear store just south of the Twin
Cities. Bigger maybe, NRA logos instead of Cabela's for sure, but still just an
outdoor gear store. That hardly warrants this level of outrage and editorial
nonsense.
.
_ Curt Olson, New
Brighton.
.
Park Service burns
Your May 22 editorial states that the
National Park Service "burns about 2.5 million carefully selected acres each
year." An acre is roughly the size of a football field. The Park Service does
not have the ability to burn that amount of land.
You also state that, "For every hundred
times the National Park Service uses prescribed burning as a land-management
tool, one fire crosses its intended boundary." I worked for the Park Service for
12 seasons. During that time, two fires were canceled because of prep time and
snow, two fires escaped and crews had to be called in, one other was a reburn. I
have yet to see a Park Service burn that wasn't a catastrophe.
They must be counting campfires as
prescribed burns.
.
_ Steve
Hopkins, Cumberland, Wis.
.
A welcome step
On May 26 we read what we call an
end-of-the-world editorial in your paper.
First, you chastised Democrats!
Second, you approved of permanent trade
status for China. To our surprise, you chose farmers over labor unions.
Our hope is that the Star Tribune will
become a fair and balanced newspaper. This is a gigantic first step. A good
second step would be to discontinue seconding all of Sen. Paul Wellstone's
ideas.
.
_ Ronald and Donna
Musech, Minnetonka.
.
A job well done
It is seldom that legislators get to see
their work realized as well and as quickly as the Canterbury Card Club. The Card
Club is already helping revitalize the horse racing and breeding industry in
Minnesota along with the agriculture that supports it. In short, the legislation
is working as intended. Whether an individual legislator supported the bill or
not, we appreciate the energy and effort that produced this measure. We know it
takes both viewpoints to refine a bill into a law that works.
.
_ Tom Metzen, West St. Paul.
.
Taking politics to the courts
Your
May 14 editorial on the political lawsuits misusing the courts: What else did
you expect? Which is why this retired WASP's main regret is that I cannot vote
for Jesse Ventura.
.
_ George
Young, Vancouver, Wash.
.
Gilbert's memorial
Your May 24 article about the war memorial
in the VFW bar in Gilbert left out two important facts: One, that VFW Post also
has a social hall, which is a better place to keep the memorial. Two, that
memorial was paid for with pulltab money. It should belong to the community, not
to just the VFW.
.
_ David Torrel,
Eveleth, Minn.
.
State's China trade connection
During the
last five years, China has gone from a net exporter of soybeans to the biggest
export buyer of U.S. soybeans. China has become a billion-dollar market for U.S.
soybeans and soy products.
If Congress had
failed to approve permanent normal trade status for China, the
benefits of increased demand for soybeans and soybean meal in China would have
gone to our competitors in South America and India. Of the $13
billion worth of all U.S. product exports to China in 1999, nearly
$900 million (more than 6 percent of total U.S. exports) was
soybeans, soybean meal and soybean oil. According to industry estimates, demand
for soybeans in China could double in the next five to 10 years, and now
Minnesota and U.S. soybean farmers will have the opportunity to meet that
demand.
Thank you, Congressmen David
Minge, Gil Gutknecht and Jim Ramstad, for your votes. We also thank the Star
Tribune for its excellent supportive editorial.
.
_ Roger Dale, Hanley Falls, Minn.;
president, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association.
LOAD-DATE: May 30, 2000
