News & Articles

Got the shot not the diseases

Well the anti-vacs are at it again. First they’re now saying that there’s no need for the polio vaccine because it’s been eradicated. Not true. On the show from the ‘70s Emergency, in one episode a child developed polio because his mother never had him vaccinated for it, saying that since it had been eradicated. None of these diseases have been eradicated, as you can see with the measles. Vaccines prevent them.  
Now they’re refusing to OK the new MMR vaccine and flu vaccine. It wouldn’t surprise me if we saw a resurgence of polio and other disease’s when people don’t get vaccinated against them because they believe lies about them and think that it won’t happen again. History has proven that it can and will happen again. I’ve been told by people that I don’t need to get the covid shot every time I get it or the flu shot. I’d rather get the shot instead of the diseases.
Cecilia Hill
Duluth Minnesota

The wheels are coming off Trump’s clown car

The culture wars are important. Class war (us vs the billionaires) should form the core of our political struggles, as should the fight against global warming, but politics is downstream from culture. Our culture shapes what is thought desirable and/or possible in the political realm.
For example, the popular culture in Minnesota has inspired us to reject a paramilitary occupation of our state by ICE. Imagine that. We won’t stand for it, and we will outlast it.
Despite the seriousness of Trump’s threats to our democracy, humor and mockery can be powerful tools in the struggle against fascism. Fascists, especially narcissists and other snowflakes, cannot handle mockery, and we should dish it out by the truckload to deflate their strongman narrative.
Bullies are actually cowards, and we should treat them as such. In his Super Bowl halftime show, Bad Bunny brilliantly humanized an entire scapegoated population by portraying the rich cultural heritage of Puerto Ricans. Meanwhile, Kid Rock, representing the “master race,” couldn’t even lip sync without fucking up.

We must use every tool available to break through the propaganda trance which too many Americans have fallen into. Both MAGA and Pedo Donny are coming unglued. The wheels are coming off their sadistic clown car, and the good people of Minnesota are proving to be “ anti-fragile.” That is, stress is making us stronger. We will prevail.
David A Sorensen
Duluth, Minnesota

The most awful people

I was recently challenged by a friend to come up with one positive thing about the awful person known as Donald Trump.
All I could come up with is that he managed to come up with the most despicable crew of bootlickers to man his administration and help him to destroy America. Where did he find these people who are just as dense and awful as he is?
The character, experience, and judgment of those entrusted with public office matter enormously — not just for partisan outcomes, but for the health of our democracy and the well-being of everyday Americans.
Many of these appointees have records marked by ethical controversies, hostility toward the very missions of the departments they were chosen to lead or a troubling lack of relevant qualifications. Public service should demand integrity, respect for the rule of law and a demonstrated commitment to the constitutional principles that bind us together.

Instead, we have seen people appointed that appear driven more by loyalty and ideological extremism than by competence or dedication to the public good.
Cabinet positions and senior advisory roles are not rewards to be handed out for personal allegiance. They are solemn responsibilities that require steady leadership, respect for democratic norms and a willingness to serve all Americans — not just a political base. When those standards are cast aside, the consequences are real: weakened institutions, eroded public trust and policies that harm the most vulnerable among us.

Regardless of party affiliation, Americans should demand better. Our government functions best when qualified, ethical individuals are placed in positions of power and held accountable for their actions. We deserve leadership that reflects the seriousness of the offices they hold and the people they serve.

2028 – or the 25th Amendment – cannot come soon enough.
M. Arnold Bowen
Duluth, Minnesota