Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishesletters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, clickhere.
President Donald Trump’s executive orders that attempt to align the apolitical functions of our federal government with his political vision are disturbing, to say the least (“White House orders a review of exhibits at Smithsonian museums ahead of nation’s 250th birthday,” StarTribune.com, Aug. 12). Our precious historical records, housed in the prestigious Smithsonian Institution, have been sourced and reviewed by hundreds and hundreds of researchers working for untold hours over the past 200 years. Should these learned observations be replaced by the political ideology of one man? This man, by the way, is no expert on history, geography or even sociology, and by virtue of one election has not been given the right to irreparably damage hundreds of years of core information that the public deserves access to.
If the funding priorities of scientific research are skewed by subjective, politically biased decisionmakers, instead of using the qualified assessments of highly trained academics from each specific field of study, then we can rely on the adage, “Garbage in, garbage out.” If the freedom to innovate and create is stifled by ignorance, we will be rudderless in our attempts to objectively and effectively deduce what the real world is trying to tell us.
Connie Clabots, Brooklyn Center
Xcel’s nearest base is Mankato, 103 miles (nearly two hours) from Slayton. Nobles Electric Cooperative is much closer. The co-op already serves a large part of Murray County. If Slayton became independent, it would contract with Nobles to service the system.
Xcel Energy should contract with Nobles to provide fast response, triage and repairs within its capabilities. Slayton would get faster service, and Xcel would avoid nearly four hours of round-trip travel time for a service crew (if sent from Mankato) unless it’s really needed.