Readers Write: Federal funding cuts, trans rights, Keith Ellison

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

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Among the people laid off, dismissed or fired in the last few weeks are about 1,000 National Park Service employees. Ken Burns calls the NPS “America’s Best Idea.” Those NPS employees clear trails, plan programming for guests. They clean restrooms and empty trash barrels. They rescue lost hikers and keep visitors from walking into geysers. They teach us about plants and trees and animals, as well as about their individual parks. Some of the recent firings reflect the changed values of the new administration, but these NPS employees work for American values that, I dare say, most Americans can agree with: We need parks and that parks add materially to the well-being of the nation. They’re part of what makes the U.S. special. Please call on your congressional representatives to reverse these firings and to protect this “best idea.”

Annette Atkins, Minneapolis

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Our family is hosting a Palestinian exchange student through the Youth Exchange and Study program. This program, run by the U.S. Department of State, was established by Congress after 9/11 to bring students from majority Muslim countries to the U.S. to make deep connections with host families and communities to promote mutual respect and understanding. The program is highly selective, with only about 2% of applicants being accepted. Our student is kind, thoughtful and curious about our government, culture and customs. He’s embraced this unique opportunity to learn what he can about the U.S. and share his culture with us.

A select number of YES students are honored with a weeklong trip to Washington, D.C. The agenda is packed with meetings with legislators, tours of the Capitol building and monuments, visits to museums and classes on democracy. This trip was to be a highlight of his year and something he had been looking forward to for months. Given the goals of the program to promote democracy and friendship across cultures, we were shocked when, four days before he was scheduled to leave, the program was canceled due to a “pause in federal funding needed to conduct the workshop.” The excitement over this once-in-a-lifetime experience quickly turned into tears, disappointment, frustration and anger, the opposite of the program’s goals.

These shortsighted funding freezes have real-life consequences. Canceling this program will not save taxpayers money, but will do real harm to cross-cultural understanding and the promotion of democracy around the globe. Shame on this government.

Maia and Brett Hendel-Paterson, Mendota Heights

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Recent events have brought to mind a time just past the midpoint of the last century when I was a young lad, naively overconfident and under-experienced, with a new pocket watch. It was a nice watch, not fancy but functional. Being curious, as many youngsters have been, as to how it worked, I took it apart to see what made it work. I was secure in my ignorance that what I took apart I could put back together. To my youthful eyes it was marvelously complex. Some parts unexpectedly came out, but I managed to put them back where I thought they belonged.

My curiosity satisfied, I put it back together ... almost. Like many who have performed the same experiment, I found a few parts were left over. It was a nice watch.

Jon Lamoreux, Plymouth

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A Feb. 17 letter about a lack of legal pushback to President Donald Trump’s actions was factually incorrect. There have been several court rulings against several of the executive orders issued in the last month including those regarding birthright citizenship, spending freezes and even some firings. Even if you agree with what this president wants to do, he still has to do things legally. A president cannot eliminate departments created by Congress and cannot reallocate or freeze spending specifically approved by Congress.

Terrance Brennan, Hugo

Thank you for the very timely commentary from the providers of gender medicine in the opinion section last weekend. I was in contact with a friend from out of state who’s had care for their child abruptly stopped. I’m glad that my health care system, among others, is proud to offer age-appropriate and evidence-based care for young people here in St. Paul, but people in other states are abandoned and scared.

I happened to be paging through the Feb. 15 paper while texting my friend and sent them a picture of the commentary “Those of us who work in gender medicine are not going anywhere.” It was exactly the right encouragement, support and fighting spirit my friend needed during this scary and upsetting time. People’s lives are being upended right now in cruel ways, and we need to spread kindness and care any way we can. Thanks to the providers for the work they do and for being advocates and leaders. The positive impact you’re having matters!

Carolyn Sparks, St. Paul

The writer is a family medicine physician.

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After enduring the disheartening headlines this week, how uplifting it was to hear from Minnesota gender medicine professionals, “We’d like to tell you what we’re telling everyone: We’re not going anywhere. What’s more, we’re expanding.”

Thank you for speaking with confidence and self-assurance. Bullies are only as powerful as we allow them to be!

Laurie Pitsenbarger, Minneapolis

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As a bookseller, when I read the newspaper now I can’t help but think of the works of literature that will be coming out in the next generation about the transgender people who were hidden in the attics of people who resisted, or the brave clergy who protected immigrants in their churches, mosques and synagogues, or the partners who risked arrest to get their wives the health care they needed. I just wish I wasn’t living through it.

Sue Zumberge, St. Paul

The writer is owner of Subtext Books in St. Paul.

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If only they were as committed to protecting us from sexual assault and domestic violence as they are committed to protecting us from high school kids who want to play sports.

Angela High-Pippert, Inver Grove Heights

I had never seen Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison in person until a Feb. 18 town hall meeting. An unpretentious man, he fielded questions, ensuring that each one was answered and that participants treated each other respectfully. Arriving home, I looked up Ellison’s recent work to protect Minnesotans and uphold the U.S. Constitution. In the past few weeks, he has:

These days, I worry about the destruction of our Constitution and the loss of its protections, so I am profoundly thankful our attorney general is guarding it steadfastly.

JoAnn Pasternack, Mendota Heights