Letters: I believe this paragraph from ‘Sea Stories — My Life in Special Operations’ deserves notice

‘The Next Greatest Generation’

After 80 plus years, I still enjoy reading a good real-life book. I just finished this one, “Sea Stories — My Life in Special Operations” by Admiral William H. McRaven (U.S. Navy retired), published in 2019.

I was most impressed with Chapter 16, titled: “The Next Greatest Generation.”

I believe one paragraph should be brought to the attention of your readers:

“If a nation is to survive and thrive it must pass on the ideals that made it great and imbue in its citizens an indomitable spirit, a will to continue on regardless of how difficult the path, how long the journey, or how uncertain the outcome. People must have a true belief that tomorrow will be a better day — if only they fight for it and never give up. I saw this indomitable spirit in my parents and those who lived through the Great Depression and World War II — and I saw it again in the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines whom I served with in Iran and Afghanistan. And later when I was the chancellor of the University of Texas system, I saw it in equal amounts  in the young students who sat in the school houses across Texas. From the battlefields to the classrooms, I have seen young men and women of this generation, the oft-maligned millennials. They are supposed to be pampered, entitled and soft. I found them anything but. They are as courageous, heroic, and patriotic as their parents and grandparents before them. Those who fought and died or were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan are the same young Americans who are building our bridges, finding the cures, and teaching our youth. They are the men and women who are volunteering to wear the uniform, fight the fires, and protect the people. They are not like my generation. They are better. They are more inclusive. They don’t see color, or ethnicity, or orientation. They value people for their friendship and their talents. They are more engaged. They will not stand by and watch bad things happen to good people.They are more questioning. They want to know why. Why are we going to war, why are we increasing our debt, why can’t we do something new and different? They are risk takers, entrepreneurs, givers of their time and energy. Above all, they are optimists — and as challenging as the times may seem right now, this generation believes that tomorrow will be a better day.  I am convinced that history will someday record that these young Americans were the greatest generation of the century, and I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we will all be just fine.”

I believe McRaven’s paragraph should be read aloud on the floors of the U.S. Senate and House.

Frank Owen, River Falls

Democratic leaders, please take note

Thanks to Mary Riley for her brave and thought-provoking commentary, “The left, in which I was born and raised, has gone off the rails.” I have a fundamental difference from Ms. Riley’s perspective in that I could never dream of voting for Donald Trump. There are numerous reasons for this, but in the interests of time and space I would say that his actions on January 6, 2021, alone, easily disqualify him from holding the highest office in the land. However, I wholeheartedly agree with most of her points regarding the excesses of the left (and I am a Democrat).

Much of the post-election commentary I have seen in legacy media has focused on the economy and border security as the fundamental issues which led to the Democrats’ crushing defeat. I find it interesting and illuminating that Ms. Riley did not mention either of those topics in her serious and well-written piece. Obviously, the economy and border security were key issues in the election. However, I believe the factor that really galvanized many of those who voted for Trump was a reaction against the types of excesses Ms. Riley highlights. Democratic leaders and influencers, please take note.

Peter Langworthy, St. Paul

We get what we vote for

In order to win, every politician needs to tell more lies, bribe more rich people, and threaten more violence. We know this because in our democratic election we chose polio for our children and death by whooping cough for our infants. We voted to destroy or ignore science and health care for women. We chose to defund public education or perhaps use the Southern strategy of abandoning public schools to minorities and the poverty-stricken, while the white and the rich get subsidized private attention. We agreed to denigrate research institutions and expertise. We voted against environmental safety regulations, to allow toxic water and air, and to give predatory capitalism a free hand. We voted for fossil fuels and against renewable energy, for bigger hurricanes, floods, and fires, and against the planet and its living things. We voted against the common good, against health insurance for others, against military ethics, and against workers’ rights. We voted in favor of mass murders and assault weapons, in favor of increasing gun deaths for our kids, and in favor of deporting our neighbors, our workers, and our Dreamers. We voted to accept social media disinformation, intimidation, and greed.  This is a democracy, and in a democracy we get what we vote for.

Phyllis Ballata, White Bear Lake

Stop the spending

The Pioneer Press ran a news report that talked about a potential Minnesota state budget shortfall, writing that legislators will “have to figure out how to pass a two-year budget with a divided government and limited surplus.“

Limited surplus? Last year we had a huge surplus of billions of dollars.

If Gov. Walz and the DFL hadn’t spent it, we would not have a looming shortfall.

Stop spending taxpayers’ money on the DFL agenda and focus on saving money for all citizens of Minnesota,

I think Minnesota needs their own D.O.G.E. (Department of Government Efficiency).

Jacqueline Heintz, Maplewood

Time for austerity, not tax increases

The city of St. Paul and the St. Paul Public School district have lost the public’s trust through mismanagement of public funds. Please do not ask for more when you have not wisely managed what you already have. It is time for austerity measures, not tax increases. It is time for the city and the district to tighten their belts — just as families have to do to make ends meet — and to focus on only the essentials. That may mean adjusting to a more modest view of what is essential.

Residents, let’s flood the public comment channels to let the city council and the school board know that a 13% tax increase is NOT the solution to our problems.

Anita Dualeh, St. Paul

What’s the end game here?

Normally if a need for an improvement is identified a project is defined to satisfy the need and execute the work. Once the details are worked out, financing is sought to get it done. That’s not the way things are done in St. Paul.

St. Paul had $27.55 million in uncommitted money from tax increment financing (TIF) schemes in 2024 that by state law must be spent by December 31, 2025. So, the St. Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority in a reversal of the usual and logical process of seeking money to satisfy a need, conjured up needs to spend the millions of dollars. It came up with ways to spend $21 million leaving about $6 million. Now the City Council wants that $6 million to be dedicated to property tax relief.

It would have been better to have dedicated the $27 million to St. Paul homeowners’ property tax relief who are being taxed out of their homes with increases again this year in double digits; a neighbor of mine is looking at a 21% increase! What does the city think is the end game here?

Steven Boyer, St. Paul

Pretty simple

The article “Harris campaign leaders reflect on loss” in the Nov 27 SPPP gives a number of reasons for Harris’ loss. It’s not that complicated. She just is not qualified to be president. Pretty simple.

Ken Hannemann, Hastings