Readers Write: Diversity, Martin’s promotion, Elon Musk

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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Thank you, Chip Scoggins, for sharing the story of Noah, Armando and Badou — the three Macalester basketball players (“Of different cultures, but brothers as Scots,” Feb. 2). Despite their “different countries, different race, different religion,” the three of them have formed a very tight friendship thanks to working together as teammates. Even though their conversations can become loud and animated, they respect each other, listen and learn from each other. The power of diversity. These three — and thousands of young people just like them — will build on their foundational relationships to do great things and become the future leaders of our country. This is heartwarming.

Matt Hansen, Eden Prairie

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Thank you, Ka Vang, for the wonderful article on Hmong cuisine (“Hmong cuisine is having a moment — make that a movement,” Strib Voices, Feb. 2). These award winning chefs (Diane Moua, Yia Vang and Marc Heu) are also recent immigrants and remind us how lucky we are to have received so many immigrants from Vietnam, Cambodia, etc., after the Vietnam War. There were some in Minnesota even back then who were not welcoming. But they have made Minnesota better, not just by bringing awards and yummy new food to Minnesota, but by raising families, building successful businesses and giving to the community. What would University Avenue look like without them? We are all better with these hardworking immigrants in our communities.

Elizabeth Gawrys, Vadnais Heights

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Where Ron Way sees racism, misogyny and anti-immigrant animus (“The golden rule, so widely taught, has woeful traction,” Strib Voices, Jan. 26), a Feb. 2 letter writer sees a difference of policy (“Don’t smear conservatism as hatred”). The letter writer does not see the GOP’s actions as expressing hatred and wants more explanation. We must live in different worlds. I see a felon, found liable for sexual abuse and accused of similar abuses by multiple women as the moral leader of the GOP and the so-called “Christian” nationalist movement. Donald Trump has demeaned reporters with disabilities. He has referred to Immigrants from Mexico as rapists and criminals, called African countries s***holes and said out loud he wants more immigrants from Norway. He makes accusations with no evidence that somehow DEI is responsible for forest fires and airplane crashes and insists that antisemitic, racist groups consist of fine people. He demonizes the legal Haitian immigrants in Colorado, tries to ban Muslims from entering our country and makes trans women prisoners serve in male prisons. His followers in state Legislatures ban the teaching of Black history, or the development of women’s rights, or in one state insist that students should be taught that slavery was beneficial to the enslaved people. I do not know the letter writer, and certainly would not call him a racist or hater for believing that we should curb illegal immigration or that trans women should not compete in women’s sports. Those are issues reasonable people could disagree about. I would say that if he supports Trump, however, he is perpetuating and assisting racist, misogynist, un-Christian values.

Peter Thompson, Hopkins

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After reading the letter “Don’t smear conservatism as hatred” in the Strib Voices section of the Sunday, Feb. 2 paper, I was confused. It seems the writer’s Bible confuses human rights with policy. Hatred is a harsh word, and anyone should be careful not to use it too easily; however, not allowing humans to be who they are, or mixing hardworking, dedicated families with gang members, is at the very least not nice. I would strongly suggest not to understand the recent actions of Trump to be about policy. They are not actions, policy or otherwise, that Christ would accept in my Bible.

Lynn Bollman, Minneapolis

Congratulations to our own DFL Chair Ken Martin for being elected as the next Democratic National Committee chair (“Dems choose DFL’s Martin to lead party,” front page, Feb. 2). I hope he means it when he says “We’re taking the gloves off.” There’s no more time to play nice. The Republicans don’t. They’re down and dirty and proud of it. This is a pivotal point in our country’s history. The notion that we’re a free nation of laws is being threatened at an alarming pace. Trump was right when he said there’s “enemy within.” But now it’s without and residing in the White House and taking over the halls of Congress.

Doug Williams, Robbinsdale

In the Sunday, Feb. 2 paper a small item within the A section mentioned that Elon Musk had obtained access to the Treasury Department pay system. An unelected and unvetted head of a faux governmental “department,” which has been established without following the standard advisory commission process, now has the password to the government’s pay system. Does anyone else think that should have been a front-page headline with a detailed analysis of why this is an outrageous circumstance? [Opinion editor’s note: On Feb. 5, the Minnesota Star Tribune ran a Washington Post analysis of Musk’s actions on the front page, “Is Musk’s blitz illegal?”]

Trump tried to freeze a huge proportion of government spending with a memo from the Office of Management and Budget. He illegally removed the inspectors general of many departments. He is in the process of removing many Justice Department attorneys and FBI agents without sufficient cause. The Office of Personnel Management sent, counter to standard process, a letter to all federal employees suggesting that they retire or risk having their job eliminated or significantly changed. And an unelected co-president has the keys to the pay system of the government.

The Trump/Musk White House is illegally and/or inappropriately consolidating power. They want to make Trump (or Musk?) king. That is the point of all of this. We the people must resist in every way we can, and insist that our political leaders at all levels of government do the same. Learn as much as you can about this. Speak out on social media. Get on the phones to your representatives!

Gary Fifield, St. Paul

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I am appalled that this was not front-page news, but instead buried on page A4 in a tiny blurb! I am a senior that relies on Social Security and frankly I am frightened. The Star Tribune needs to do better for the American people. Do not give in to the threats of this administration that threaten the fabric of our democracy!

Andrea Child, Edina

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Thank you for running the story about Musk’s aides gaining access to the U.S. Treasury pay system. I disagree with the placement of this story. I believe it should have been on the front page and this is why.

The Treasury pay system, which is maintained by nonpolitical staff, contains the personal information of our citizens’ Social Security and Medicare benefits, tax credits for individuals and businesses and grants and payments to government contractors. This information could be used for a variety of nefarious activities giving political, business or foreign entities unfair competitive information. The public should know who the Musk aides are and what their legal mandate is — if any? What is the extent of their access to the payment system? Have they been vetted by the FBI for security clearance? Adversaries foreign or domestic could cause grave harm to our government with access to these systems.

Peter L. Marcy, Maple Grove

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You have got to be kidding: A private citizen gained unauthorized access to our Treasury pay system, including Social Security numbers for hundreds of millions of Americans, and you placed this on page A4? That is a fire-alarm, front-page, above-the-fold headline. Every single one of your readers may be affected, without their permission. Please do better. Prioritize the alarming, illegal actions of Musk.

Brian Newhouse, St. Paul