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 editorial "The disgraceful lies of Fox 'News'" (March 6) myopically suggests that revelations in the $1.6 billion Dominion Voting Machines defamation lawsuit against Fox News, showing the network knowingly presented "Big Lie" electoral news leading up the Jan. 6 insurrection, undermines the network's credibility.

That view of the impact of the Fox's diminished veracity overlooks that the overwhelming majority of the Fox audience does not care a whit about the "credibility" of what they view on that network. They are content to accept whatever is broadcast because it conforms to their pre-existing world views, a confirmatory process that psycho-experts refer to as "cognitive consonance," and it's entertaining, too.

Trying to shake them out of their belief in the veracity of what Fox broadcasts is like convincing hard-core professional-wrestling fans that the matches are fixed. Even if they accept that proposition, they don't care.

Moreover, few rational or thoughtful observers have given an iota of credibility to Fox's mendacious blathering for years. They realize that its commentary, even much of the straight news reporting, has about as much relationship to reality as the "Weekend Update" segment on "Saturday Night Live" has to C-Span.

Now, at least one Jan. 6 insurrectionist, and probably more to come, is planning to raise a "Foxitis" defense at his upcoming criminal trial, according to his lawyer. It won't work any better than the "President Donald Trump made me do it" claim that has failed in prior cases against the rioters.

While these factors may, indeed, have created environments conducive to the improprieties, personal accountability and responsibility matter more, as does the exercise of free will.

These offenders do not deserve a free pass for their wrongdoing, even if Fox continues to survive, if not thrive, following the fallout from the Dominion litigation.

Marshall H. Tanick, Minneapolis

The writer is a Twin Cities media law attorney.

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The editorial "The disgraceful lies of Fox 'News'" really made me think. Was the statement "News organizations shouldn't have a 'side' or be co-opted to engage in 'loyal opposition'" an attempt at satire?

All major media outlets do exactly that — some blatantly and some subversively.

And that's their prerogative.

What's distasteful is when news outlets piously act like they are above the fray, and only report objectively.

Fox News is a pro-right, pro-Christian media player. It serves a limited function by promoting a side of the issues that most other media outlets refuse to report on, because of their own political biases.

Fox and its right-wing political bias exist because of the left-wing political bias of most other media outlets.

It's unfortunate that people that have chosen to only digest one side or another are blinded by their choices.

Fox News could do better. So could the Star Tribune.

Leo Vander Broek, Minneapolis

The restoration of 55,000 Minnesotans' voting rights was the top story on March 4 ("Felons regain voting rights"). Here is some context for the size of that number. In the 2022 election, approximately 1.6 million Minnesotans who were already eligible to vote didn't. And 93,583 of those who did cast ballots voted for neither of the top two candidates for governor.

The expansion of the electorate by 1% will have no observable effect. It will be swamped out by all the other variation that occurs from election to election. The significance of this change lies not in the 1% but in the fact that each of these individuals is recovering 100% of their right to vote.

Max Hailperin, Minneapolis

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Whoopee! Another gift to the criminals in Minnesota. Felons can vote whether they're on probation or owe restitution.

Since probation is often in lieu of incarceration, you get to vote now while serving your sentence.

Gov. Tim Walz and Democratic legislators want to reward you for doing the crime. Banishing cash bail will be next.

How will that make us safer? We are awash in crime. We are not safe in our homes, in the streets, at church, in our schools, in town or in the country.

The major responsibility of government is to keep us safe. What are you doing to address our fundamental civil right to be safe?

Elsa Carpenter, Plymouth

U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer has a duty to represent all of his constituents. If his remarks are to be believed, he certainly does not represent my views ("The era of woke government is over," Opinion Exchange, March 3). His commentary sounds like he's parroting a GOP right-wing handout for how to fail in elected office by refusing to work collaboratively. Enough.

Mary Jane Miller, Chanhassen

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Regarding a recent letter writer's concern with three House Republicans ("'Common sense' is generous," Readers Write, March 4): As a libertarian, I am equally concerned about Democrat Sens. Dianne Feinstein and John Fetterman and Reps. Hank Johnson, Maxine Waters and Sheila Jackson Lee.

Way too many from both parties lack common sense.

Donald Craig Bergs, Burnsville

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With all due respect to my "representative" for Minnesota's Sixth District, I ask that Emmer actually do that which he claims are his priorities as majority whip — whip up some actual results for his constituents. I fully support his laudable goals of "commonsense" solutions for "double-digit inflation, record-breaking grocery and gas prices, soaring violent crime, a humanitarian crisis at our southern border ... ." Unfortunately, all we are getting from the current House majority and their state legislative colleagues are useless investigations, book bans (instead of those for guns!), oppression of women's rights to make their own decisions, oppression of gay rights (including trans affirmation) and voter suppression efforts — not to mention proposed cuts to Social Security, Medicare and SNAP at the very time these programs are most needed!

Help me understand, Rep. Emmer, how persecuting gays and women fights inflation, fights rising grocery prices, solves the immigration issue or has any impact whatsoever on crime? LGBTQ+ people represent barely 7% of the total population (2023 Gallup poll) with trans people barely half of 1%. How does this population garner so much Republican rancor? Help me understand how they damage our economy, cause inflation or raise our crime rates? A search of the internet returned no results for the mass killing of children at a drag show. Help me understand how the current Republican agenda reduces the size of government, which you also claim to be of the highest priority.

Use your common sense and actually do something constructive. Whip up some support for commonsense solutions.

Robert Bean, Victoria