Readers Write: Immigration, future of the Star Tribune

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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Our hearts sank when we read the letter from our fellow Frontenac resident about immigration in last Sunday’s paper. While there is ample room to debate the wisdom of making Minnesota a sanctuary state for undocumented migrants, we wince at the sweeping claims about non-English-speaking newcomers. Such accusations are not supported by reliable data or by the experiences of many of us who live in Frontenac.

Most discouraging, we worry that such a divisive view sabotages fledgling efforts by local businesses, schools, libraries, houses of worship and recreational areas to welcome immigrants, and strike fear into a lot of good, hardworking folks.

Immigration is a complex global issue that many nations are struggling to regulate. That discussion is urgently necessary. But to exclude people — “illegal or not” — because we see them as not “blending into our way of life” is shortsighted and wrong. There are many ways to lead a good life, and immigrants have a lot to teach us. It’s worth remembering that all of us who are not Native American are here because of immigrants.

For our own parts, we’d like to assure our immigrant neighbors, both new and of long standing, that many of us in this rural area welcome and respect them.

Pamela Miller, Steve Dietz and Janet Malotky, Kerri Houck and Justin Staker, Jeneann and Nathan Oppedahl, Dan and Lynne Staker, and Susan and Wayne Wandmacher, Frontenac, Minn.

Pamela Miller is a retired Star Tribune metro editor.

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This is just a comment on the letter from last Sunday about this whole issue of assimilation of “outsiders.” I fully understand the writer’s misgivings. It’s challenging to come up against people you can’t communicate with, whose food smells funny, who live as extended families in these enclaves and who seem standoffish. But I have a different perspective on that. My parents and I came from Norway in 1947 as sponsored (read: legal) immigrants. This was during the influx of displaced persons who were not well received. We settled on “Snus Boulevard” at Cedar-Riverside among the “enclave” of second- and third-generation Scandinavian immigrants. Had we not lived there, life would have been hard for my mother, who spoke no English to start. It was those other immigrants who would interpret the “American way” for us. I recall a number of times my mother was humiliated by the “natives” who belittled her for her poor English and verbal and cultural gaffes. That is why they/we settled in enclaves.

Not many “original” inhabitants helped ease our integration. My little family ultimately did very well thanks in part to that core of people like us who helped us through.

Harald Eriksen, Brooklyn Park

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A letter writer last Sunday was a good example of consternation over race and ethnicity. She must not realize that most new immigrants congregate in areas where they are among those who speak their language and maybe share the same religion. That is why we have Little Italys and Chinatowns.

The Hmong community in the Twin Cities is a perfect example of how immigrants can assimilate. That process took time, but today my state representatives are Hmong, and many Hmong youth are successful professionals and valuable members of society. Give new immigrants some time, and they will do the same. There seemed to be an underlying innuendo in the belief that some new immigrants will never be real Americans. I would have liked her to describe what a real American is.

Chuck Justice, Woodbury

I am a very long-term and loyal subscriber to the Star Tribune (print and digital) and would like to comment on CEO and Publisher Steve Grove’s opinion piece from last weekend (”Star Tribune is growing for Minnesota,” Opinion Exchange, March 17). I found it enriching to see the Star Tribune’s movement toward strengthening local news coverage and its focus to expand outstate coverage. I firmly believe that in these days of turmoil, we need expanded local coverage and the philosophy of being inclusive to all who need accurate information! The strength of the Star Tribune is very important to my family as readers of print and digital.

On the subject of digital, I hope your immediate and long-term plans include an upgrade to the digital experience. I find the digital to be frustrating at times and not as easy to use as our major news outlets’ digital platforms. I am encouraged by Grove’s comments that he is directing a good portion of resources toward the digital experience but also encourage him to continue to strengthen the commitment to the physical daily paper.

I hear many complaints about the St. Paul paper on its delivery process but have only very positive reviews of our daily paper delivery. Your staff is doing a fantastic job in trying times (weather, gas prices, etc.), but my delivery drivers are exceptionally diligent at my delivery early in a convenient place in my yard.

Thank you for your time. I feel positive comments are lacking at times and wanted to voice my opinion to you.

Kym Smith, Woodbury

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I read your paper seven days a week and have for decades. Please consider this suggestion: School your reporters to provide the “where, what, why and when” facts of the story and forget what the weather was, the angle of the sun and the look on people’s faces. Even in retirement I don’t like to waste time trying to understand what is newsworthy in the story.

R.H. Cole, Crystal

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Since moving to an apartment on the Lake Superior shoreline in Duluth from a rural township adjacent to the city, my husband and I have been subscribing to the Star Tribune. In the 60 previous years, we had traveled all over the state experiencing its fascinating variety of landforms, plants and animals. Now that the “Star Tribune is growing for Minnesota,” my suggestion is that meaningful cartography be abundantly used to help readers relate to Minnesota’s landscapes comprised of 87 counties, 854 cities, 11,842 lakes and countless examples of natural biodiversity.

Janet Curtis Green, Duluth

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It’s very exciting to see the improvements planned for the Star Tribune announced by publisher Steve Grove. There’s so much happening in the Twin Cities and across the state that affects the lives of all Minnesotans. The more information and commentary on important local events and issues the better you serve your readers.

Now, if you only had a staff editorial cartoonist on hand to offer visual commentary for readers to enjoy and debate. That would truly carry on the Star Tribune’s proud 157-year tradition of journalistic excellence. You did say you intend to “expand our vibrant editorial and commentary section.”

Steve Sack, Bloomington

The writer was a Star Tribune editorial cartoonist from 1983-2023.