Readers Write: Women leaders, $6.2M banana, Ukraine, the Bible in schools

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

•••

I have to agree, sadly, with Lois Thielen’s opinion piece, “ ‘I support a woman for president, but not that woman.’ Is that really it?” (StribVoices, Nov. 22). It was depressing to observe how the presidential race played out this fall, with letters to the editor that disparaged Kamala Harris’ competence and even her intelligence. There were continual protestations that people didn’t know enough about her policy positions, no matter how many speeches she gave, or that her policy positions lacked specifics, no matter how detailed her plans were. Meanwhile, Donald Trump could get away with claiming that China would pay for tariffs.

There is one point that the writer made that I want to address. She mentioned that about 80 countries around the world have elected a woman as president or prime minister, and then wondered whether Americans are “just more sexist.” I think that it is important to remember that most if not all of those countries have a parliamentary system where the voters vote for a political party. In that situation, I think it’s easier for a voter to overlook the gender of the candidate at the head of their preferred political party.

Cynthia Schou, Bloomington

•••

Thielen has questions. So do I. If events this year had turned out differently and the election was a matchup between, say, Nikki Haley and President Joe Biden, would Thielen have voted for Haley because she’s a woman, even if she preferred President Biden’s policies? Or is it the case that she supports a woman for president, “but not that woman”?

Joel Boon, Shakopee

Next time some billionaire is motivated to spend millions of dollars on a banana duct taped to a piece of Sheetrock, may they also be motivated to donate millions to Sharing and Caring Hands or some other worthy cause (”Banana-as-art sells for $6.2M in Sotheby’s auction,” Nov. 23). It’s tax deductible.

Tom Baumann, Isanti, Minn.

•••

Reading the paper Sunday morning, I was shocked and saddened by two articles along with the photos. One article depicted a banana taped to a wall that was sold for over $6 million — supposedly a valuable piece of art. The other showed a mother with her young daughters in Gaza describing how every night her children go to bed starving (”Where a bag of bread costs $13 and famine looms”). How tragic — this is unacceptable. Society needs to put children’s lives about all else.

The money spent on that ridiculous art could have fed thousands of children. I know that many will say that the supplies are being blocked, but I’m sure that if we have the ability to fly rockets into space we can find ways to deliver aid to the innocent.

Connie Heitz, Glencoe, Minn.

•••

Please spare me the wailing and gnashing of teeth over millionaires losing bundles of cash and expensive jewelry when their mansions are burglarized (”Minnesotans targeted in pro sports burglary ring,” Nov. 23). I’m much more concerned about violence on the light rail and students getting robbed of their phones in Dinkytown.

Mark Gortze, Champlin

To the Nov. 22 letter writers who are critical of Biden and believe Russia will soon launch nuclear weapons in response to Biden authorizing Ukraine to use American missiles in Russia: Vladimir Putin is bluffing. Relax. He’s not going to fire nuclear missiles and there will be no World War III. Biden may be old but he knows the game. He is a lame-duck president and Trump will be president on Jan. 20, 2025. It would be senseless for Putin to start a nuclear war now and risk annihilation when he only has to wait less than two months for our next president, who has made it clear that on Day One he will hand Putin as much of Ukraine as he occupies. Biden’s authorization helps Ukraine keep as much of its nation as possible before Trump hands the rest to Putin.

Paul Rozycki, Minneapolis

•••

I, too, am a longtime loyal subscriber to the Minnesota Star Tribune who is seriously considering not renewing my subscription, but for reasons completely opposite the ones in the letter on Nov. 22 (in which the writer lamented the Star Tribune reprinting “hit pieces” on Donald Trump). As a perfect example, the top letter in the same day’s Readers Write section stated “[Biden] has been largely responsible for all the death and suffering in Ukraine and elsewhere in the world.” What? What in the world is this writer describing? I realize this is the Opinion section of the paper, but it is careless for a serious paper to highlight and run complete untruths about someone. Disgusting. The only reason I am considering keeping my subscription is the wonderful food and Going Out sections.

Liz Knutson, Minneapolis

So the Texas State Board of Education voted Nov. 22 to allow optional Bible-infused teachings in Texas elementary school classrooms (”Texas OKs optional Bible-based curriculum for public schools,” Nov. 23). I think it will likely work like this in first grade math classrooms: Two Bibles plus two Bibles equals four Bibles, and two Trump “God Bless the USA” Bibles plus two Trump “God Bless the USA” Bibles equals five Bibles.

Pete Boelter, North Branch, Minn.

•••

So the state of Texas wants elementary schools to “allow Bible-infused teachings” in the curriculum. Sounds reasonable, depending upon what material from the Bible is included. Let’s see:

So that means there will be a lesson about not being Pharisee-like in your hypocrisy (Matthew 23:1-33). Oops, not in there!

OK, how about a lesson about the consequences of not being kind to “one of the least of these” (Matthew 25:41-45). Oops, must have forgotten about that one!

Let’s try again. That verse about filling the hungry with good things and sending the rich away empty (Luke 1:53). Might be in there but I can’t find it!

Well then, there must be a lesson on the justice message of the Old Testament prophets (Micah 6:8, Amos 5:24 and hundreds more). Darn, can’t find that, either!

Maybe this verse is in there: “Learn to do good; seek justice; rescue the oppressed; defend the orphan; plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:17). Must have been an inadvertent omission!

Too long to quote here, but there is a wonderful “Bible-infused” message in Isaiah 58:6-7. But no, can’t seem to find that one, either!

Looks like the Bluebonnet Learning instructional materials could use a little more comprehensive infusion from the Bible.

David Hauschild, Blaine

•••

When the Puritan founders arrived in the New World they were religious refugees. They in turn excluded the Catholics and Baptists, so Maryland and Rhode Island became sanctuaries for the non-Calvinists. Our founding fathers defined the separations of church and state because they saw how some leaders in the Anglican Church served the crown over and against the interests and concerns of the colonial quest for freedom.

The Texas Board of Education is violating one of our core founding principles. We must protect the mission and witness of Christianity from becoming a political tool that again fosters intolerance and oppression of minority views in our society. Again and again, the Bible has been used to justify injustices. Misinterpretations of the Bible were used against Native Americans, women, African slaves, Jewish people, Muslims and our LGBTQ communities.

Both Hitler and Stalin tried to co-opt the church because of the unique moral authority it holds. Sinclair Lewis’ warning about fascism coming to America in “It Can’t Happen Here” applies to this situation in Texas. We need this fine line between church and state to protect the integrity of the Gospel from the authority of men trying to usurp a place that belongs to God alone.

Howard Dotson, Minneapolis