News & Articles

 More MAGA nonsense from Stauber

    Republicans love false equivalencies. They compare apples to oranges, and minor tax crimes to the theft of nuclear secrets. So it goes with MN Rep Pete Stauber as he whines about Hunter Biden being treated differently than Donald Trump. Hunter Biden may be a sleaze-ball, but his crimes in no way compare to Trump’s theft of nuclear and other defense secrets, as described in the easy-to-read indictment. Stauber is just parroting his Big Orange Daddy,  who he still supports, despite Trump’s efforts to overthrow our democracy. Stauber  pretends to support law-and-order and a level playing field in the courts, but he voted against even investigating Jan 6th. Now Trump and his allies continue to spew lies like a squid in distress spews ink, but in a rational world, or a court of law, they have no defense. Please READ THE INDICTMENT. Also, when President Biden and Mike Pence mishandled government documents it in no way resembled what Trump was up to. It’s apples and oranges.  Sadly and predictably, Rep Pete Stauber continues to ride the fascist MAGA crazy-train that makes a mockery of law-and-order and our constitution. We can look forward to his crocodile tears when the sociopathic Orange Menace finally faces justice.   

David A Sorensen  Duluth, Minnesota

Beware of those evil Democrats?

The June 21 Inbox opinion by Gregg Schweiger was filled with falsehoods and very unchristian-like from a gentleman who claims to be both a Christian and a non-Democrat. Seems as though he’s not learned Bible verses Matthew 7 Verses 1 & 2: “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged.” Christians come in all political parties. Unlike Mr. Schweiger, Jesus was nonjudgmental, cared that your soul was right with him and we each have a soul that we’re responsible for. I make no claims to be a Christian however live a life caring for my wife, family, fellow man, neighbor and pass no judgment upon another’s way of thinking. My greatest fault is merely disagreeing with how one thinks differently from how I perceive in political thinking. What I mean by that in procreation I don’t feel as a male who has no restriction on my body, I should have a say in a woman’s choice to terminate pregnancy as she, not he, goes through morning sickness, carries for 9 months, often left with stretch marks, and raises children for 18 years whether the man is there or not. And why then is it the party that wants every pregnancy carried to term the same party that doesn’t want social programs to assist this mother? Many Democrats do not like abortions, however don’t believe men should have a say in what should be a woman’s choice as most abortions are single young women who have no full-time men involved n raising children. For Gregg Schweiger may I remind him of 1st Corinthians, Verse 5: “It is so that there is not a wise man among you, not one that shall be able to judge!”

Tim Kaspari   Wrenshall, Minnesota

Confusion over Left/Right political spectrum  

I've lived earlier in my life in the Chicago area, New Orleans, Oakland & here in Duluth for the last 2 years & would like to commend the Reader as an outstanding free weekly paper regarding your coverage of politics, the environment, & local culture.   I do want to share my dismay at some of Mr. Drabik's columns, however. My intelligence was badly insulted reading his June 22 piece regarding "border wars" by an erroneous "fact" he has shared in the past. He characterizes the 3 main baddies (in his eyes) in WW II as all being "Socialist," those being the USSR, the German Reich, & Italian Fascists under Mussolini. While I understand characterizing the old Soviet Union as being "socialist" since the original revolution was Left-inspired, and the authoritarian Leninists & Stalinists betrayed it. While it is true that the NASDAP (Nazi Party) included "Socialist" in its original name, it was never anything of the sort, it was hard right and racist-nationalist. The only "socialism" it evinced was whipping up hatred for "rich Jews" though it of course murdered millions of Socialists, poorer Jews, gay people, pacifists, and others on the Left. It protected and rewarded rich Gentiles by stealing wealthy (& poor) Jews' assets & redistributing them to Nazi supporters. It's equally absurd to call Mussolini a "socialist", he started out as an Anarchist bandido, but his government was also hard right, supported the anti-Red Catholic church, etc.   There is a moronic book from 2007 which shares Drabik's lack of understanding of the Left-Right spectrum of politics, called "Liberal Fascism." Basically it says that evil Dem. redistributors (FDR, etc.) are totalitarian butchers or bullies to Republicans. The "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, which had torch-carrying Nazis & Confederates did not feature calls for economic redistribution to the poor or kindness & respect to the poor or underdogs. I cannot say whether Mr. Drabik is shockingly ignorant, or deliberately misrepresenting facts, but he is not a member of what some of us call "the reality based community."   Otherwise, you have an excellent free paper, & I enjoy picking it up every week.  

Mark Schneider.  Duluth, Minnesota

Don't eat animals on Independence Day

It seems specially cruel to use animals for food on Independence Day.  We've a system where 95-98% of food animals never have even one day to experience the life they were created to live.  Instead they have total confinement plus no pain relief for the procedures and boredom they  must endure. I hope this will be a year that Americans begin to eat fewer so called animal products.  

Karen Moore   Duluth, Minnesota

Shout out to GenZers involved in climate change action

This letter is a SHOUT-OUT to all members of Generation Z in northern Wisconsin who are engaged in the issue of climate change. As a member of the Chequamegon Chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby, I have recently had the good fortune to attend two local Earth Day and climate change awareness events—one at Northland College, and the second at Ashland’s Central Railyard Park. Both events were planned and/or co-hosted by students who are members of Generation Z.   According to a Pew Research poll, Gen Zs are by far the most concerned about climate change: three-quarters of them said that addressing climate change is one of the biggest concerns they have, while over one-third said it was actually their “top concern to them personally.” When it comes to outlook on the future, data suggest Gen Zs are generally more positive than older generations. And they are more likely to believe that individuals have the power to effect positive change.   In Montana, fifteen young people have joined a lawsuit to force officials to do something about climate change. The state court case centers on a government’s obligations to protect people against worsening climate change. It is heartening for me to know that Gen Z is active in the fight against climate change right here in northern Wisconsin, too. Congratulations, Gen Z!   Sincerely,

Liz Fentress Founding member, Students for Saving Lake Superior Ashland High School Class of 1970