Stop with the antisemitism
Antisemitism keeps on coming back and rearing its ugly head. Worldwide, the Jewish population is actually a very small fraction of the total global population.
There’s approximately 15.3 million people who consider themselves Jewish. Globally, the total population is about 8.23 billion. That comes well less than 0.2%. It’s not even close to 1%. That’s just a very small tick of 1%.
Antisemitism has been around for thousands of years. Antisemitic friends have told me that the Jews control the governments and banking systems around the world. They told me that Jewish people are devious and sneaky. They control Hollywood. They control the media. They control the economies all over the world. Really? A slight tick of 1% of the worldwide population has enough wealth and political power to alter our world? Please. Enough of that ridiculous sentiment.
I ask my friends about how they know this. They reply, well so and so told them that was what they heard from somebody else or they read it on social media, or it was passed or handed down from their families and neighbors. No proof was offered. It’s all of a part of a self-directed self-energized unofficial propaganda campaign against a group of people who are innocent and being society’s scapegoat. It’s probably magnified since WWII.
What purposes and benefits does this antisemitism attitude provide to societies worldwide? For every thousand people you meet, statistically only one or two are Jewish. It’s likely you don’t know who they are, but they can be good friends and they share the same values, dreams and ideas that you do. They look like you and they act like you. They are average people like you.
Their “sin” if you will, is that some of them practice Judaism, or some have Jewish blood and family relations. There are over 10,000 distinct religions in the world. Much of Christianity is based on Judaism concepts. Why do people feel threatened when someone practices a different religion than you? Jesus was a Jew and he practiced Judaism. Are Christians really offended by this fact? When Jesus’ name is raised, are you going to practice antisemitism around his name?
I wish that antisemitism would go away and let the world be at peace with itself. When people practice antisemitism, they give or endow some kind of power to Jewish people who really never had it or wanted it in the first place. Why are people who practices antisemitism so afraid and fearful of people that they really don’t know? Antisemitism seems to be a religion in itself. It seems to be a belief or religious system of hatred.
If you are a part of the antisemitism chain of unfounded claims and no facts, please stop. Think about what you say and do. Just stop. And tell others to stop as well.
Barry Siebert, St. Paul
It’s more than just criticism
The May 22 letter (“So much safer to just criticize”) notes the multiple daily articles in the Pioneer Press regarding budget cuts directed by President Trump and the DOGE team that are causing hardships to the American people. The writer states that Democrats put forward nothing but criticisms of these cuts and offer no solutions to the looming budget deficit crisis.
Within these numerous articles the cuts are repeatedly described as random and reckless and that they do very little to resolve the deficit. In the meantime, Trump’s “big beautiful bill” would add trillions of dollars to the deficit.
I agree that a solution requires bipartisan cooperation. For now, flagging destructive, ill-conceived rogue actions is more than criticism. It’s telling the truth.
Steve Masson, St. Paul
Consent decree politics: much ado
As observed by a person within our Minnesota state government, “the removal of a federal consent decree agreement ‘doesn’t have any meaningful impact on reform efforts’… because the Minnesota state consent decree also forces the City of Minneapolis to make major policing reforms.”
Minneapolis politicians, and some DFLers, have seized the moment to portray themselves as Department of Justice victims and, accordingly, as Minnesota’s progressive ideology leaders.
Call it all “much ado about nothing.”
Gene Delaune, New Brighton
Up to all of us
America celebrated Memorial Day with parades and events to honor the military who served and died to preserve the freedoms we experience today. It is ironic that, at the same time, these same freedoms are rapidly being dismantled by Donald Trump and his supporters.
Congress has the power to reverse this trend. People must unite and become active — protest, lobby, contact congressmen by email or phone. All or any congressman, U.S. Congress positions affect all residents.
Googling can get lists of congressional members’ phone numbers and email addresses.
These senators and representatives must hear from many and be reminded that their positions may be severely devalued if democracy, as we know it, continues to diminish.
Former President Obama says, “It is up to all of us to fix this.”
Mary DePrey, Roseville
They saved the Bur Oaks
Kudos to White Bear Lake City Council members Heidi Hughes, Andrea West, and Kevin Edberg for rejecting the City of White Bear Lake’s Mobility and Parking plan because it required the cutting down of a 150-year-old Bur Oak tree.
They brought an amendment the excluded the tree from being cut, and supported the White Bear Lake community that rose up to defend all the Bur Oaks that were originally slated to be cut for 15 parking spaces.
Honorable mention goes to the White Bear Lake Environmental Advisory Commission that opposed the cutting of the four Bur Oak from the beginning, and persisted when they were ignored; and to the many WBL residents who wrote letters to the White Bear Press, and the 28 people who spoke up to defend the trees at the City Council Hearing.
“Paved paradise” but saved the Bur Oaks.
Ann Frisch, White Bear Lake
What does a city owe its current residents?
What does a city owe its residents? Residents of Lowertown have learned it’s illegal to park on Fourth Street East. If you park too long, you’ll likely get a ticket. Come down here on a typical day and the street is clear for traffic.
This is not the case during events. Come down here on a Farmers Market morning and you’ll see a dozen vehicles lined up between Wacouta and Broadway. Illegally parked, in the lane of traffic, congesting an already busy area.
If the city and its leaders are working tirelessly to drive more businesses, events and people to the city, what does the city owe its residents who currently live here? Do the residents deserve the proper infrastructure to handle this increased traffic?
If the city was building an event from scratch, I think they would not allow vehicles to be illegally parked and be left unattended directly across the street from where hundreds of people are gathered. Yet, this routinely happens at the Farmers Market.
I’m not just picking on the Farmers Market. This parking issue happens in varying degrees during Saints games, art fairs or any event that drives visitors to the area. There are plenty of places to park legally in Lowertown. Illegal parking increases congestion and decreases safety.
When I asked the city to help, I was told concurrently that the infrastructure is perfectly fine and if I wanted increased signage to deter illegal parking I would have to pay for it myself.
So what does the city owe its residents? Are we a serious city or are we just pretending? I feel we deserve better.
Ryan Radunzel, St. Paul
We’re all responsible for Donald Trump
I find it amusing the number of people who want to blame the Democrats for Donald Trump. We are all responsible for Trump as none were able or willing to stop him.
Those who could have, congressional Republicans, the Supreme Court, and American voters, failed to do so.
So the question becomes what are we going to do about Trump and what future do you envision with Trump?
As Shakespeare wrote, “The fault lies in our ourselves and not in the stars”
Donald Rohrer, Woodbury
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