No serious proposal to deport the Dreamers

The subtitle in the Dec. 10 article on Trump and Dreamers states “But in 2017 he tried to deport them.” In reading the article I found nothing to confirm this statement. As the article states, he did try to repeal Obama’s executive action creating DACA, but as the article states he did this because he argued that Obama’s action was unlawful.

The next paragraph agrees with my memory that Trump was pushing Congress to address the issue, not to deport the Dreamers. Again, my memory of the last 20-plus years is that action by Congress or the presidents on the Dreamers has been that their issue has always been tied to broader immigration reform, which has never happened despite various attempts in multiple administrations to pass compromise legislation. In the same period I don’t recall any serious proposal to deport the Dreamers. I welcome being corrected if someone can demonstrate that the above is incorrect.

Ed Erickson, Woodbury

Early financial literacy pays off

A financial literacy course was featured recently on CBS News. A young entrepreneur was a graduate of that class.

In many states personal finance is taught as an elective course. In my small town Minnesota high school it was called general business, a ninth-grade requirement replacing social studies. Dr. Dave Kimball was our teacher who emphasized planning for the future and retirement pensions.

He was so good that at our 55th class reunion it was very obvious that many excelled at making money and/or marrying into it.

Ferial Abraham, St. Paul

Academic needs first

Your recent article regarding college campus building projects highlighted the challenges faced by our higher education institutions. The article also contained telling comments from the University of St. Thomas University President Rob Vischer regarding “right-sizing” the UST budget last spring in the face of a “brutally competitive marketplace.” He added that “tough budget decisions” lie ahead.

I suggest that UST reconsider their move to D-1 athletics. UST has always had a storied and successful athletics program. Why change? By following the budget priorities of other higher education leaders, UST could meet the academic, financial, and social needs of their students.

I encourage UST to prioritize the academic needs of their students over D-1 athletics, including the $175 million sports and entertainment complex currently under construction, a project the neighbors have not been asking for.

John Kingrey, St. Paul

Shooter’s a coward

I cannot believe the way some people are reacting to the cowardly murder of a health insurance company CEO.

We have this coward who killed an unarmed man because he was the CEO of some health insurance company. There are a lot of insane people out there who thrive on this sort of garbage, but there are also some people in political offices who view this killer in a positive light. Two Democratic senators, Sen. Warren for one, present this argument: “You can only push people so far.” So if we don’t agree with an insurance company, a health-care company or any company for that matter, we go and kill one of their CEOs or other company officials to even the score? This kind of twisted thinking is dangerous, evil and should be addressed immediately. What is also strange is that the very people who call for gun control and taking guns away from honest, reliable people are more than happy to see an insane madman get a gun to kill an innocent person.

The little weasel who murdered an innocent man on the streets of New York is not a hero. He shot an unarmed man in the back and then smiled about it. He is a dirty little coward who should be given the death sentence without hesitation. And these politicians and others who glorified this heinous act should apologize to the American people for their stupidity and dangerous rhetoric.

Tom R. Kovach, Nevis

Because we pledge liberty and justice for all

DEI – diversity, equity, inclusion — is the latest version of efforts by our governments, businesses and educational institutions to address centuries-old discrimination based on “race, creed, color, or national origin” in employment and education in the United States. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy was the first to address this issue through his executive order #10925. In those days, it was called “affirmative action.” Sixty-three years later, we continue to address the historical issue of discrimination through what we now call DEI. Progress has been made since 1961, but our nation has still not given all its citizens equal opportunity under the law.

Why? There continues to be resistance. There are those who feel being required to give all comers equal opportunity places an unnecessary burden on their lives and the operations of their institutions or businesses. Of course, leaders of these institutions and businesses did not complain when the former employment and educational policy of the United States, which existed for 350 years, was to provide opportunity to whites only, excluding people of color, Native Americans, openly gay citizens, women and those with physical and mental challenges. Addressing this history of injustice is not easy, but because our country pledges “liberty and justice for all,” the injustice must be addressed. There remains a need for DEI or a better alternative.

Can the implementation of DEI be improved? Yes. Instead of imposing rigid requirements, businesses, educational institutions and governmental agencies could be required to set their own goals. Then, every year, very public rewards and celebrations would honor those institutions that make substantial progress toward diversity, equity, and inclusion. This would be better than giving free rein to opponents of DEI, who are attempting to completely halt our 60-year-old movement toward greater equality.

Why are these opponents gaining strength? Millions of people have suffered under a system of white privilege, inequity and exclusion for 350 years. Repairing that history is not easy. Though, if we believe in justice, it is required. Surely, after 350 years of legally supported advantage, white, straight, able-bodied males and their institutions ought to be able to endure a few decades of uncomfortable change as our country works to level the playing field. DEI is an effort to live into our pledge to provide liberty and justice for all, so all Americans have equal opportunity to pursue a good life. I believe that goal can be reached before my grandchildren have their own children, if we follow the lead of our better angels. If not DEI, then what do you propose? Failure is not an option.

Grant Abbott, St. Paul

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