Opinion editor's note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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The cynic in me thinks that President Joe Biden extended the mask mandate on transportation for two weeks knowing that a ruling was imminent and that he would win either way ("Airplane mask rule struck down," front page, April 19). Since the mask mandate was struck down, he can blame it on the judge. If it were upheld, he could have said the extension was justified. Either way, his administration has feared having to address ending the mask mandate because of the vocal leftists now driving the party.

David Conklin, Victoria

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"Airplane mask rule struck down" really highlighted what a broken Congress we have. Forget about the right or wrong of it and look at the judge who issued the order.

Quoting from the article: "[President Donald] Trump appointed [Judge Kathryn Kimball] Mizelle to the bench in November, after he had lost re-election. A former clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas, she was 33 years old at the time, making her the youngest person Trump appointed to a life-tenured judgeship; the American Bar Association declared her not qualified because of her lack of experience, but she was confirmed on a party-line vote."

A party-line vote by the Senate for someone who had not tried a case, civil or criminal, as lead or co-counsel. She is appointed for life.

Nobody in the Senate had the guts to go against their party. Please think hard at election time and study the candidates.

Terry Houle, Bloomington

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The federal court decision that struck the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's mask mandate is of little practical consequence right now — the rule was about to be lifted, and masks are no longer required in most other venues. But it's monumentally significant for the nation's future, as it holds that the CDC has limited authority to regulate public health even if COVID were killing thousands per day. It reads like a near-satire of libertarian thought: Congress gave the CDC power to address only "sanitation"; at the time, "sanitation" meant cleaning — things like property, mind you, not people. And the general rule that courts defer to agency interpretations of a statute? That doesn't apply here because the CDC's interpretation is so palpably unreasonable. That's right: The court concludes that the agency cannot require masks on public transportation to mitigate a wildly communicable disease. Translating from legalese to English: "The CDC is part of the 'deep state,' and I, the judge, am striking a dagger into its heart for the benefit of freedom-loving Americans."

And guess who wrote this opinion: an ideologue in her 30s, appointed by Trump in his last days in office, over objections by the American Bar Association that she was unqualified for the federal bench.

We need articles that explain decisions like this and put them in a broader context that people can understand. That would be one good way to stop me from writing letters to the editor.

Stephen Bubul, Minneapolis

The evening of the last MayDay Parade and Festival in 2019, I was at the Avalon Theater on Lake Street helping unload trucks full of puppets that had been built by hundreds of hands in the community workshops leading up to MayDay ("MayDay Festival is back, reimagined for the community," April 18). When the last truck had been unloaded, the last ritual of the day began. Scores of MayDay artists and volunteers were resting and feasting, telling stories of the day and sharing their joy. Late that evening Clyde Bellecourt, a founder of the American Indian Movement and longtime south Minneapolis resident, came to tell his story and to speak of the impact of the work of In the Heart of the Beast in his community. He prayed and told of his life and work and how puppetry and performance had helped transform the lives of his grandchildren and many other children in the neighborhood. He thanked MayDay Artistic Director Sandy Spieler for her partnership and leadership over many decades, and spoke of his love for the rituals of MayDay. This is the legacy of MayDay that will always be with me.

Dan Newman, Aitkin, Minn.

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It is with a heavy heart that I must stand to respond to the interview in "MayDay is back, reimagined for the community." I have been a part of In the Heart of the Beast's MayDay celebration for most of its history, first as an audience member watching the parade, then as a ceremony participant, volunteer and HOBT's interim managing director. My favorite role was as the embodiment of the Greek goddess Demeter's daughter returning spring to a barren land.

MayDay started around the same time as the Pride Festival and was one of the few celebrations for people of all persuasions to be "out," to dance and be jubilant in a safe and nonviolent place. It is a high holiday for those of us who celebrate the Earth, the sky, the river, the prairie, the woods, the Tree of Life, and the welcoming of the sun to this winter land. It is built from the visions and efforts of hundreds of community members who create the annual "red" and "green" (political and ancient earth tradition) story. All are invited to participate in the inclusive community workshops to make the puppets. The work builds a sense of community upon the love of the street, the park and the land. The months of rehearsing, the children and performers, encouraging groups to join in the "people's" section, and the performance of the annual ceremony to highlight an important issue or theme (mined from the zeitgeist) makes this people's MayDay a Minneapolis treasure. It is watched by tens of thousands of kids and seniors and families who line Bloomington Avenue to view the procession to the park. At the end of the ceremony, the Tree of Life and the assembled masses call in the sun, and a red boat flotilla braves the waves and wind of Powderhorn Lake to mark the renewal of spring. The explosion of joy and color and music that accompany the dancers around the Tree of Life May Pole lift our spirits and welcome the new season. It is a ritual that many of us depend upon.

We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the hundreds of artists of In the Heart of the Beast for their gift of this procession, ceremony and celebration, and we mourn its loss. And we welcome the new energy and creation of a new event built by more young people and Indigenous and African American people. Life and art are always evolving, the circle turns, and new ideas are launched from the soil of the past. However, there is no need to dismiss or trash the heritage and efforts of our elders and forebears, no matter how imperfect, to elevate a new vision.

Catherine V. Jordan (Persephone), Minneapolis

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I read with interest the article about the MayDay festival reimagined for the community. Part of me will miss the old MayDay Parade and Festival, which culminated in Powderhorn Park to welcome spring. The themes of the parade always had to do with social justice, environmental issues, antiwar and anti-capitalist politics. The huge puppets were wonderful to see. When it began in the 1970s it was small but grew every year. Thousands of people came to Powderhorn Park to enjoy the celebration.

I considered the parade to be multicultural. My daughter volunteered several years, making masks and walking in the parade. It began at 26th Street and Bloomington, so we could watch it anywhere along the route. I was surprised to hear the word "white supremacy" used several times in the interview with Susana De Leon, leader of the new festival, in regard to the old MayDay parade. I always thought the Heart of the Beast and the MayDay Parade were rather countercultural, fighting back against the political "establishment" of the U.S. The plays produced at the theater reflected many cultures and traditions, not just Nordic traditions. In a time when "white supremacy" in the U.S. is real, and threatening, I don't think the term should be used lightly. It seems harsh to use it in regard to the MayDay Parade.

Times change. I wish the new MayDay festival much success.

Molly Wells, Minneapolis