Readers Write: Juvenile justice, Elon Musk’s influence, Minnesota leaders, photography, inclusion

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

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The Minnesota juvenile justice system has a serious problem. According to a report published Dec. 5 in the Minnesota Star Tribune, the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center “locked children in their rooms for long stretches, canceling recreation time and outreach programming, because of staffing shortages rather than behavioral issues” (“Violations at juvenile detention center linked to staff shortages,” front page). Many other reports by both the Star Tribune and other publications also cite these acts as being due to staffing shortages at the JDC. According to the U.N. Special Rapporteur on torture, Nils Melzer, prolonged solitary confinement “may well amount to psychological torture.”

I am 16 years old. If one of my friends, classmates or I committed a crime, this is the system we would be sent to. The children and teenagers being held in juvenile correctional facilities are still children, and even if they were adults, they would not deserve to be treated this way.

The JDC needs to address these issues quickly. They have publicly promised that they are working on addressing the staffing issues in their facility, which are reportedly the cause of the mistreatment of their inmates. As a community, our responsibility is to keep our eyes on the JDC. Make sure they deliver on their promises. If they don’t, speak out about it. The kids in the juvenile justice system deserve it. Cliché as it may be, we as a community really do need to think of the children — all of them.

Spencer Schmidt, Edina

Question: How did “We the People,” governed by the Constitution for over 200 years, end up in late December 2024 with a foreign-born, unelected adviser to the president-elect, whose unofficial “Department of Government Efficiency” seems to be directing the actions of the government? (“Shutdown looms as GOP kills bill,” front page, Dec. 19.)

Please, members of the U.S. Congress, do your duty to the nation first over the wishes of the incoming president under the sway of knowledgeable, ego-driven billionaires.

Janet C. Green, Duluth

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“Republicans scrapped House Speaker Mike Johnson’s bipartisan plan to avert a government shutdown, as President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk joined a broad swath of the House GOP on Wednesday to condemn a compromise bill that included Democratic policy priorities.” And so it begins ...

Bruce Lemke, Orono

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An unelected billionaire can kill a bipartisan plan to prevent a government shutdown? This is unbelievable and a disgrace to the Republicans that hold office. What will it take for them to grow a spine, work for the people instead of the billionaire class and stop taking orders from someone that is not elected to a government position? It appears that Republicans will burn down the house before common sense and decency prevails — I have been thinking this for years and have never seen anything different.

Peter Styx, Minnetonka

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Republicans and Democrats alike should be alarmed by the growing power of Musk. The richest man in the world has helped stop Congress from passing a budget and is bragging about it. A blatant liar and owner of a media empire that distorts facts and denigrates elected officials, government scholars and experts who disagree with him, he now also seems to own Trump. Our founding fathers are rolling over and over in their graves in response to the passivity of American citizens in accepting this treason.

Dana Jackson, Stillwater

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I was surprised to wake up this morning to discover that Musk had become the president-elect. I thought that Trump was the winner. Based on Musk’s vigorous condemnation of the bipartisan spending bill, followed shortly by Trump’s rejection of the bill, it seems that Musk is really the one running the show! It will be interesting to see who is inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2025.

Gary Anderson, Hugo

At age 77, I have long been convinced that holding a grudge is one of the most childish things a person can do. So imagine my alarm and disgust when I saw, on the Thursday Star Tribune front page, the article about our governor and lieutenant governor being on the outs with each other ever since the Nov. 5 election (“Walz-Flanagan alliance on ice, sources reveal,” Dec. 19). When I read the details, I just about choked on my breakfast. Minnesota has many crucial issues to address; Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan are both well informed, capable leaders. For the good of our state, we Minnesotans should be outraged that Walz and Flanagan would sidestep questions about their “grudgery” — and continue not to talk to each other. Since Walz and Flanagan aren’t on a grade-school playground somewhere, they must immediately drop their pettiness, offer each other an apology and properly perform the cooperative leadership to which they were elected!

Donald E. Gerlach, Burnsville

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As someone who has volunteered on numerous Angie Craig campaigns, I was happy to hear the United States Representative will be the top-ranking Democrat on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee (“Craig wins top House Ag position,” Dec. 18). Craig had her best performance in an election cycle last month despite concerns of a possible boycott over the conflict in the Middle East. This appointment acknowledges her success in a swing district where third-party candidates have been known to try to throw a monkey wrench into election results. Also, Craig represents parts of rural Minnesota and the Midwest which makes more sense than having the ranking Democrat hail from California or Georgia in my opinion. So, congrats to Craig. She does deserve the post.

William Cory Labovitch, West St. Paul

While the Vikes are on a roll, the Sports section has had the most fabulous photos of the team on the cover and the inside spread (“Blowing up plays in quiet ways,” Dec. 18). Kudos to the photographers! Lately, this is the best section of the newspaper.

Gail Van der Linden, Minneapolis

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How could the Star Tribune not include the image of Trump raising his fist with a bloodied ear after the assassination attempt in Butler, Pa. in the Dec. 15 “Photos of the year” collection? This is one of the greatest images captured in my lifetime, and I’m 58 years old!

John H. Rohling, Corcoran

My compliments to the writer from St. Paul and his letter regarding 45,000 gun deaths versus 40 transgender NCAA athletes (Readers Write, Dec. 18). Even if the number of trans athletes were 100 times higher than this figure, how would that be a bigger threat to our safety and well-being than Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, school shootings, national debt, etc. Let people live their lives — if you do not like drag shows, don’t go. I do not understand the LGBTQ lifestyle but I accept it — sometimes I put two socks in the dryer but only one comes out. I do not understand it but I accept it.

Bruce Imholte, Nisswa, Minn.