Readers Write: Matt Birk and abortion politics, Kansas newspaper … – Star Tribune

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

•••

One day in 2006, I was shopping at Southdale, and loving football the way I do, recognized Matt Birk, the Vikings center (“It’s time for pro-choice people to come clean,” Opinion Exchange, Aug. 11). He was playing with a darling little boy, probably around 2 or 3. I guessed that his wife was shopping while he was with his little boy. I went over and told him I hoped he would have a good season. People might wonder why I remember the day so vividly after all this time. That day during lunch at Southdale, my daughter asked me if I would consider taking care of the new baby she was expecting in March 2007.

Seventeen years later, I can still remember a father lovingly taking care of his son, and me, the grandma, planning on caring for a new baby.

It does take a village. Not everyone has a village.

I believe the best way to support a woman when they are making the decision to go through with a pregnancy or not, is to let them make their own decision. Women are smart — they will make the best decision for their life, at that moment in their life. Then, when they do, we as the “loving and understanding village” must support them in every way we can, whether we are pro-life or pro-choice. Maybe the best label would be pro-woman.

Sandra Mahn, Plymouth

•••

It was refreshing to read Birk’s excellent commentary. Unlike his former cohort, the waffling Dr. Scott Jensen (“Abortion reconsidered — reading our collective moral compass,” Opinion Exchange, June 25), Birk has remained steadfast and unwavering in his beliefs. Whether one agrees with him or not, at least one knows where he stands — unlike Jensen, who has now lost credibility with those on both sides of the abortion issue.

Kay Kemper, Crystal

Star Tribune Opinion editor’s note: Jensen was the Republican candidate for governor in 2022, and Birk was his running mate.

•••

In all the talk about women’s rights and choices regarding abortion, there is never any talk about the choice of the baby. It is a medical fact that life begins at conception. People talk about losing their right to abort as if it is the only means of birth control, when we all know there are many ways to prevent a pregnancy. To the person telling Matt Birk that he will never get elected with his view on abortion (Readers Write, Aug. 12), you’re right, at least in Minnesota. What Birk has in his favor is he knows where he is going to spend eternity. A legal law is not always a moral law, as is the case in Minnesota. The Ten Commandments and Bible are real, although many are trying to forget that.

William Starr, Burnsville

•••

In his second-to-last paragraph, Birk finally and truly indicates his motivation. “Let’s remain prayerful,” he says. I respect his position, which appears to spring from his religion. But here in the U.S. our First Amendment says in part: Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion.

I respect Birk’s religious beliefs, but he has no right to impose them on me. And I have the right to my beliefs without any interference from Matt Birk or anyone else. That is the essence of pro-choice.

Barb Farrell, Minnetonka

FIRST AMENDMENT

The story about the raid on the Marion County Record newspaper in Kansas brought memories of my years as a weekly newspaper publisher (“Raid raises free press concerns,” front page, Aug. 14). At least twice a year someone whose name appeared in the police reports would call me and say that he was coming over to rearrange my face. I told him that the door was open but he would have to stand in line. No one ever showed up to do damage to my looks and at 84 years I still have my own teeth.

Public records have always been available to newspapers under the First Amendment of our Constitution. If we ever lose that freedom, our government will be handled by fascists and the truth will be damned. It is unfortunate that most people today do not know the difference between “objective” and “subjective” news. I find it discouraging that a goodly number of our citizens will believe anything that is told to them without checking out the facts.

We all have the right to believe anything we want to believe. That belief should also include trust and credibility in the sources who hand out the message. We can only hope that the following generations get an education based on factual details by people we can believe and trust.

Gary Spooner, Cottage Grove

The writer is former owner of Bulletin Publishing, publishers of the South Washington County Bulletin and the Woodbury Bulletin.

RIDESHARING

It is a bad idea for the Minneapolis City Council to set pay rates for rideshare drivers (“Rideshare drivers could get pay raise,” Aug. 14). Prices, including the price of labor, are best determined by markets, not politicians. When pay rates are set by markets, they balance supply and demand and can be adjusted as conditions change. If the pay rate set by the City Council for rideshare drivers is too high, it will attract more drivers to the business. It will also increase the fares paid by customers, which will reduce the number of customers. Drivers will wind up getting fewer fares and making less money.

If the government leaves the market alone, and drivers are not being fairly compensated, some drivers will leave the business, which will give the other drivers more leverage to get rate increases, and more customers for each driver which will result in the remaining drivers being paid more.

James Brandt, New Brighton

WHERE TO PUT POLICE

I was intrigued by the Aug. 9 letter that suggested dispersing police facilities and officers in neighborhoods throughout the city to promote interaction and trust between police and residents. It reminded me of a tour we took in Havana, led by two young university professors, through several diverse neighborhoods.

We were told that there are primary-care doctors embedded in every community, providing accessible, affordable and reliable health care within each “cell.” Doctors and their teams get to know residents, resulting in people being less afraid of physicians and the practice of medicine. Seriously ill patients are referred to the larger hospital system. This results in a more efficient and higher standard of health care across the entire city. This idea merits further discussion for the future of policing.

Bob Close, St. Paul

POLITICS AND AGE

I totally agree with the Aug. 11 letter “Democrats have many other candidate options. Pick one.” I suggest three or more vigorous debates between potential candidates. As a 95-year-old, I know about cognitive slippage — those familiar senior moments. At the end of the debates a neutral observer will identify the strongest candidates, possibly by ranked-choice voting. I welcome your suggestions.

Florence M. Steichen, St. Paul