Readers Write: Olympic symbolism, opposition to Shapiro, SNAP benefits, presidential race

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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Some high-profile Christians, including the Bishops’ Conference of France and Speaker Mike Johnson of the U.S. House, have taken offense at a scene performed during the opening ceremony of the Paris Summer Olympics. The offending scene involved a table, some drag queens, a pile of fruit and a halo-like headdress. Their imaginations somehow put all this together as a jab at the Christian story of the last supper.

That’s a ridiculous stretch. Let’s remind these folks that Christian iconography is not the tableau by which all meal scenes are modeled. Not every table is meant to be Christ’s table; not every pile of fruit suggests the bread and wine; not every group of celebrants is intended to represent Jesus and his disciples.

I have to wonder about the motive behind this outrage. It seems consistent with the right’s strategy of using grievance to rile the base and justify shaping public policy after Christian dogma. Perhaps, it’s really about the drag queens?

Thomas Carlson, Minneapolis

DEMOCRATIC TICKET

St. Paul City Council President Mitra Jalali’s warning not to pick Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as running mate for presidential candidate Kamala Harris reeks of antisemitism. Jalali fails to acknowledge that Shapiro has sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him one of the worst leaders in the world, and has strongly advocated for a two-state solution. Shapiro’s crime, in her mind, is that he believes Israel has a right to exist and defend itself against enemies who want to annihilate Israel and its citizens. She also fails to note that Shapiro’s positions on Israel don’t really differ from those of the other potential vice presidential contenders, like U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Gov. Tim Walz. There is one difference, however. Shapiro is a Jew.

Ken Cutler, Edina

Jennifer Brooks’ column from July 30 was right on target (“GOP melts down after Walz calls Trump ‘weird’ ”). Presidential candidate Donald Trump and other MAGA leaders are the bullies on this playground. Ringleader Trump has used cruel and sometimes bizarre adjectives and nicknames for so many Democrats (and random others that he perceives as weak or against him) over the years, from referring to President Joe Biden as “Crooked Joe” to recently saying Vice President Kamala Harris is “evil” and a “radical left lunatic.” And remember when he mocked the disabled reporter? And when he called American soldiers who died in war “losers” and “suckers?” There’s even a Wikipedia entry dedicated to the “List of nicknames used by Donald Trump.”

And now there’s an outcry from the GOP about Gov. Tim Walz calling Trump and MAGA leaders “weird”? I guess that’s typical of bullies: they can dish it out but they can’t take it.

Diana Jasan Keohen, Minneapolis

As I read the commentary “Hope Behind Bars in Dakota County,” (Aug. 2) I was struck by the wisdom, insight, compassion and deep knowing that the author exuded. Usually, I look to see who the writer is before I read a commentary to understand the biases that are infused in their writing, but this time, I simply read the article first. When I got to the end of the article and saw that this was written by a high school senior, I was deeply touched. This is a young person who embodies what Senior District Judge Bruce Peterson describes as the ability to see “a three dimensional person who deserves to be treated fairly.” This wisdom, insight, compassion and deep knowing of high school senior Charlie Schubert is what politicians like Tom Emmer need to be transformed by.

Suzanne Mades, Ely, Minn.

SOCIAL ISSUES

Three former colleagues and I discussed our 4½ decades in the corrections field. One became a researcher and professor teaching at universities here and internationally, one an author of several books about the field and one a clinical social worker and family therapist. We recalled that 50 years ago, juveniles with histories of abuse, neglect and severe depression didn’t receive counseling or family therapy but were committed to institutions for truancy and petty infractions. They received no therapy there either.

There was and continues to be almost no psychological or family support for depressed kids. We agreed that it was and is not lack of knowledge. We knew what was needed but it wasn’t provided. Neuroscience has advanced so that brain chemistry and structure may be assessed to change behavior but it is not used.

On Aug. 2, the Star Tribune offered two commentaries, one by metro police chiefs acknowledging the need for improved candidate screening and training of police officers, and the other very impressive report by a high school student of an inmate research project which revealed that most incarcerated people desire improvement and success. The student lamented the lack of resources to support these plans and suggested evidence-based approaches by community corrections.

These opinions were preceded by an article yesterday reporting the acceleration of pre-adolescent suicide, citing the country’s ongoing mental health crisis. In these three areas of concern, the problem is not lack of science; it is lack of will.

Richard DeBeau, Northfield

Regarding the expiration of emergency SNAP benefits, it is upsetting to know that this is a concerning issue across the Twin Cities. (”A year since emergency SNAP benefits expired, thousands of Minnesotans struggle with grocery bills,” July 29.) Access to groceries for individuals and families is a hierarchical need that is crucial to discuss.

Though this article covers important aspects of the SNAP emergency benefits ending, there is a crucial aspect of discussion missing — which is the conversation around exactly how much food costs have inflated and how this impacts not just Minnesotans, but Americans as a whole, and their spending habits at grocery stores.

According to the U.S. Inflation Calculator, food prices have inflated 2.2% in 2024, and most consumers expect the inflation rate to continue to rise. Your article discusses how SNAP critics believe too much SNAP money goes to junk food or non-nutritious meals and ingredients. It is important to note the comparison between “junk food” and “nutritious food” costs - unhealthy food options cost $1 to $3 less than healthy alternatives. When SNAP benefits have decreased by nearly $80 per person, those $1 to $3 become crucial.

Jill Berray, Minneapolis

They say beware of the person who has read only one book. For me, the current book is “Strongmen” by Ruth Ben-Ghiat. No, I’ve read a number of others in that vein, and “Strongmen” fits neatly into the larger historical narrative of autocrats and dictators. In his denigration of the childless, Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance is pushing a line which is in sync with the history of autocrats detailed in this book.

The author points out that the would-be autocrat will encourage, and even demand, the “preferred” population have lots of children through various incentives and directives: to not do so would be … unpatriotic. In this, Vance is parroting many of the autocrats of the past century. Ignore his psychobabble about personal fulfillment and mental balance and pay attention to the subtext here.

Harald Eriksen, Brooklyn Park