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Sorry, but I think allowing the expanded audio broadcast of the call to prayer is a bad idea ("Minneapolis City Council poised to vote on allowing a full daily set of Muslim prayer calls," StarTribune.com, April 8).

I've lived in Longfellow for 34 years. There are two churches within a half block of my house, and if you expand that radius a bit, there are probably 10. Although they are technically probably permitted to ring bells or whatever, they don't make any noise. They all seem to be able to practice religion quietly. I'm an atheist but bear my religious neighbors no ill will. I say pray as often as you like, but I'd rather not hear about it.

I'm not anti-Muslim, but I am anti-noise. Although the police are probably too understaffed to do it, I'd like to see the noise ordinances we already have enforced more often. Loud sound systems and, in particular, the unmuffled motorcycles and cars that roar up and down Lake Street should get citations early and often.

As a constructive suggestion, maybe one of the local radio stations like KFAI or KMOJ would be willing to broadcast the call to prayer so that anyone with an inexpensive radio can stay tuned for it without annoying their neighbors. One can always turn the radio down or off. Or perhaps the Muslim community could start a low-power FM station just for the call to prayer?

William Gilbert, Minneapolis

Hennepin County elected Mary Moriarty to be its chief law enforcement official. The state of Minnesota elected Tim Walz and Keith Ellison as chief executive and attorney general. Moriarty has significant but not unbounded discretion in determining how to prosecute crime within her county. Walz, Ellison and many others concluded that Moriarty abused her discretion ("Hennepin prosecutor defiant after AG takes case," April 8).

Far from being anti-democratic, it is our checks and balances; Moriarty is out of balance.

Moriarty has a defense attorney's inclinations. She did not seek certification of a 15-year-old accused of firing shots that killed Zaria McKeever because the literature says a 15-year-old brain is undeveloped. If true, no matter how ghastly the crime, 15-year-olds will never be certified in Hennepin County. The moral hazard is lost on Moriarty.

Our criminal justice system is not proactive; it is reactive. It responds to crimes and perpetrators. Its primary function is to protect public safety. Moriarty's job is not to change the law but to enforce it. Her role is not to fix society but to protect it.

We need a robust debate on how and where to spend dollars on preventing homicides committed by juveniles. That forum is not Moriarty's office. The criminal justice system requires a prosecutor and defense attorney. After being ousted as Hennepin's chief public defender, Moriarty fashions herself as the Hennepin County public defender doing business as the county attorney. The people in Hennepin County affected by crime and juvenile delinquency can be justified in feeling Moriarty abandoned their interests. Walz and Ellison are correcting the imbalance.

Charles Gerlach, Dellwood

The writer is a lawyer.

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I want to express my gratitude to Bruce Peterson for his April 7 commentary ("'The judge' — points to heart — 'is in here now,'" Opinion Exchange). There seems to be a complete disconnect between our understanding of brain development, our handling of juvenile defendants and the role of our penal system.

We know the heartache a murder must create. We want it to never happen. But making that a reality is complicated, and I do not believe treating 15- and 17-year-olds as adults is the answer.

We know the prefrontal cortex does not fully develop until our mid-20s. For people who experience trauma in childhood, it is probably later. Frequently, defendants have been victims of immense trauma. Trying them as adults and imposing long prison sentences will not keep tragedies from happening.

As Hennepin County residents, we elected Moriarty to bring about a change.

As Peterson stated, "We can build a justice system based on the human capacity for healing and growth — one that maintains public trust by keeping its promises, not perpetuating myths."

Walz's and Ellison's actions in the murder case of McKeever do not support this. As a Walz and Ellison supporter, I am disappointed.

Diane Harrington, Minneapolis

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I voted for Moriarty as Hennepin County attorney last November because I wanted abortion rights protected. I felt I didn't have a choice.

I did not vote for her view of "criminal reform."

Moriarty argues people up to age 25 can't be held responsible for their actions because their brains have not developed. I strongly disagree. They may wait until the night before a test to study or not put oil in their car. However, the vast majority of them do not kill people.

I want to thank Walz and Ellison for stepping in. Let's hope they don't have to do it again.

Anne Richards, Minneapolis

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In my opinion, Moriarty's reasoning for the change in sentencing in the murder of Zaria McKeever is flawed. If a young person's mind is not fully formed until age 25, why then aren't the teenagers she gave a pass to being subjected to extended probation until they're 25? (She offered approximately two years at a juvenile facility.) These boys aren't just teenagers, they allegedly killed this woman. Good for McKeever's family, Ellison and Walz for stepping in to correct this injustice.

Janet S. Hammer, Minneapolis

Paul John Scott's commentary "Defunding abortion myths would benefit women" (March 31, Opinion Exchange) seems to contain quite a few myths itself. The first is that women never or almost never regret their abortions. That is not true — many do in fact regret their abortions. I myself have known several personally; they are now ardent supporters of the pro-life movement. The second myth is that these centers brainwash their clients by lying to them and showing them (gasp!) ultrasounds of their baby's development. I used to volunteer for one of these centers, and no coercion or false information was given out.

Third, he states that abortion is perfectly OK because after all, it has been practiced throughout history. So has slavery, war, violence and discrimination (especially of women). That doesn't make it right. Many people who call themselves "pro-choice" are absolutely anti-choice about any option other than abortion. Studies have shown that the primary reason women give for having one is that they felt they had no other choice. So why not offer the choice of loving, supportive care and badly needed resources? What is Scott so afraid of?

Kay Kemper, Crystal

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After the April 7 Texas court ruling about abortion medication, perhaps the U.S. Supreme Court will now come to recognize the havoc it created with the Dobbs decision ("Feds fight 'reckless' abortion ruling," April 10). The myriad state legislative restrictions, the interstate issues, the travel issues, the constitutional challenges, the interference with medical practice, the endless litigation in process and, assuredly coming, and the likelihood of changing political controls in various states should convince the Supreme Court that Dobbs leaves us in unworkable and unwise chaos. The court changed its mind when it overruled Roe. Perhaps it can now acknowledge its error, overrule Dobbs and restore us to abortion peace.

Thomas W. Wexler, Edina

The writer is a retired judge.

In "Readers Write" on April 8, a writer told how Yogi Berra dropped a foul fly ball but Don Larsen "got the batter to hit another such foul, which Yogi caught" ("Don't cut the good stuff"). He implies that Yogi caught the last out of the game but any real baseball fan knows that the last out was a strikeout (called strike three) of Dale Mitchell.

Donn Satrom, Roseville