Preventative steps needed through increased trade
To the Editor:
I’m not sure if hypersonic missiles or Iran’s drones have a chance of first strike capability.
If so, or if some countries will think so, and/or don’t fear a second strike, then we need to take preventative steps. The same applies to nuclear weapons (with or without these), and perhaps likewise even poison gas.
If there is a chance of conquest by China, Iran, or North Korea — or a chanceof destruction by any of those countries or by Russia, we need a freeze on new missiles and/or weapons of those sorts; there should be immediateinspection of any suspicious sites in order to verify this. (If they don’tfear a second strike, or would furnish to terrorists, we need to have themdismantle what they already have — again with immediate inspection.)
Perhaps the way to do this is by offering and/or establishing increased trade while threatening increased sanctions, with the spread wide enough so that they won’t want to chance our missing any of the sites.
(For Russia, we might also try diplomacy like a NATO invitation.Alternatively, increased economic ties might forestall destruction. ForNorth Korea, perhaps we might also give them a choice between de-nuclearizing the Korean peninsula or putting enough arms in South Korea and nearby todestroy them.)
Perhaps we can bring about human rights, such as freedom of religion; andperhaps we can get China to stop supporting North Korea if nothing else works with the latter.
Alvin Blake
Luverne
Steinrueck: Support the flood resilience bill
To the Editor:
Our Minnesota business faces hardships due to severe weather and flooding. We distribute medical devices nation-wide and need predictability in shipping,ports, trucking and rail. Unfortunately, that doesn’t
always happen.
From wildfires out west, to floods in the Midwest, to hurricanes on the East Coast, every year our supply chains are disrupted – costing us and hurting people who need our products.
That’s why we’ve joined the call for resilient infrastructure. Congressis currently considering a much-needed bipartisan infrastructure package,investing in roads, bridges, tunnels, rail and ports. However, withincreasingly severe weather these investments must be built to strongerstandards.
Thankfully a bipartisan bill is gaining momentum in Congress. The Flood Resilience and Taxpayer Savings Act of 2021 would require federal to consider the future effects of severe weather and flooding before spending money on infrastructure. It’s fiscally smart, because it’s actuallycheaper to build right the first time instead of constantly repairingdamages. It also keeps our businesses, schools and homes protected.
Recently, Reps. Phillips (D-MN-3) and Stauber (R-MN-8) cosponsored thislegislation. Other members of the Minnesota delegation should follow their lead. It would help all of us if Congress embraced this legislation and builtresilience into infrastructure.
Matt Steinrueck,
Minneapolis
Johnson shares Facebook post: 'Pray for our Nation'
To the Editor:
I copied this from Facebook because it’s truly what I believe. Here goes.
We are believing lies that we are told on the news. Masks are a form of psychological manipulation. And scientists have said they are worthless and harmful.
Lockdowns are meant to condition people to obey without questions. A nation of people who just do what they are told by “experts” is a nation that is ripe for a descent into total tyranny. Pray for our nation.
Adell Johnson
Luverne
Bremer: Improve rural travel
To the Editor:
MNDot proposes a roundabout in Luverne. Now that is a necessity!
Shrink a perfectly good four-lane Highway 75 (that needed work) down to a two-lane Highway 75 (that still needs work). Now that was a necessity!
If you must spend your department’s allotted funds, then do something that improves rural travel. Perhaps a “good” Highway 75 versus a “fair” Highway 75, makes sense?
Dwight Bremer
Hardwick
Radisewitz: Not sure about getting vaccinated — know the facts
Recently I talked with a retired physician. He shared how sad he was that
several residents in Rock County haven’t received theirCOVID-19 vaccination shots. He worked his whole life to save others and now some of those same people might get ill and possibly diebecause they won’t take shots that are readily available to save them.
Not getting vaccinated is a right, and we need to respect an individual’s decision, but it’s important the individual knows all the facts to make the right decision.
•The COVID-19 vaccines are not a brand new discovery we need tofear. The mRNA science behind the vaccine has been around over 20 years.The shot does not enter our DNA or use a live virus that could give you COVID-19. It’s been used in treating other diseases such asAIDS, flu, Zika, rabies and CMV.
•This is not the first time our country has had to be inoculated. We’ve taken vaccines all our lives for smallpox, whooping cough,rubella, HPV, measles, mumps, polio and meningitis. COVID-19 is justthe next in line.
•The new Delta variant COVID-19 is twice as transmissible as theoriginal virus and causes more severe illness. Even healthy, vaccinated peoplecarry the Delta virus in their nostrils and spread it to others, which is why we’re seeing more mask mandates.
•Nationally, at this time, 97 percent of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are unvaccinated.
•Children 12 and older are now eligible to get vaccinated.
•Even if you’ve had COVID-19, you should get vaccinated. You are twice as likely to get reinfected as someone who had their shots.
•A final fact for the unvaccinated — the chance of dying if you get the new Delta variant is 25 times that of a vaccinated person. This fall, when we start moving inside, the Delta variant is going to hit us hard. By not getting vaccinated, you are clearly placing your life and the lives of your loved ones at risk.
A friend was struggling about getting vaccinated based on religious ideals. All I could think about was the parable of the man sitting on top of his house as the neighborhood flooded. Someone came by ina canoe, a boat and finally a helicopter. Each time, the man refused the help because he was waiting for the Lord to save him. After drowning, the man met the Lord and asked why he wasn’t saved. The Lord said, “I sent you a canoe, boat and even a helicopter.”
Today I want to tell my friend the Lord just sent a vaccine to save them. If you have friends or family members who are dragging their feet about getting vaccinated, tell them the facts. Get them to Lewis Drug on Highway 75. They can walk in anytime and get their shot right away. Plus, the pharmacist will show them where to go online to get $100 from the state of Minnesota.
Cary Radisewitz,
Luverne
Stearns: Boulevards useful for recycling
To the Editor:
As a proud resident of Luverne, Rock County, and the Greater World, I would contest a thumbs down in the Star Herald last week.
During a recent move, my boulevard functionally recycled a hefty quantity of furniture, electronics and other various household items.
As I moved away from a home I had inhabited for nine years, I sorted andappropriately recycled the metals, electronics, building materials, and general waste at the Rock County Transfer Station.
But before doing so, I used my boulevard to recycle otherwise usefulstuff. Nearly 90 percent of the items I placed there were taken by people ofthis community, and I presume that the items taken were taken by thosewho would reuse and repurpose them is some manner. These items would otherwise have ended up at the transfer station.
This facility transfers most of the waste in Rock County to its end destination, a place in Lyon County that is filling up. The heavy trucks that haul our slop of food and furniture every day of the week crumble roads that must be continually paved over and over again.
Landfills in places close and far, from Lyon County to Minneapolis andacross the world, are filling up and our waste disposal warrants our consideration.
I was proud enough to sort "junk," and much of it was given new meaning to people including a bed frame, head board, and a microwave.
Electronics waste is a huge problem to deal with and is rarely sorted from the garbage of most residents. How many of us truly know where the stuff we throw in our garbage cans goes?
We feel good recycling plastic waste, most of which is not recyclablein the first place. It ends up in the landfill anyway. Only the heaviest quality plastics have any value to recyclers.
As an educator I would encourage everyone in my community to research. Read or watch a documentary about clothing waste, electronics waste, food waste, etc. Know what you throw away and where it ultimately goes.
Maybe my second-hand clothes and my compost pile wouldn't be too low class anymore.
Joseph Stearns,
Luverne
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