Readers Write: Gaza’s future, tariffs, Christianity

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

•••

The Department of Education’s statement on their investigation into the University of Minnesota’s purported incidents of antisemitism is a firm showcase of the government’s biased response to the movement (“U included in antisemitism investigation,” Feb. 5). As quoted in the story, the department frames the nationwide university protests as a response to “the Hamas massacre of Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023,” which is such a woefully deceptive explanation that it may be intentionally ignorant. It deliberately misrepresents the protests, which arose as a response to Israel’s aggressive military actions in Gaza with the goal for the University to divest interest in Israeli companies.

A U of M student journalist told Politico that the protests themselves were nonviolent, but that Jewish students found the protesters’ catchphrases violent. Jewish students who filed complaints often conflated rhetoric criticizing Zionism and Israel as antisemitic, despite there being a clear separation from those protesting — among them Jewish students. All messages of divisive hate should be investigated, but I fear overreach into student rights to free speech and their valid concerns over the U.S.’s involvement in Israel’s military offenses — which have been identified as genocidal by international humanitarian groups such as Amnesty International and historians like Amos Goldberg, chair of Holocaust studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Nathan Trenda, Hastings

•••

In light of Donald Trump’s assertion that the U.S. should take an ownership role in Gaza and that the millions of Palestinians who’ve lived there for generations should leave (“Trump suggests U.S. ‘ownership’ of Gaza,” Feb. 5), I would like to see a formal apology from every single politician, pundit, public figure and think-piece writer who admonished protesters for calling the Israeli destruction of Gaza a genocide. To think that we wasted so much ink on whether college students were too radical, or calling them evil for pointing out that the devastation that was in plain view for the world to witness was really happening, and then to have the president of the United States just give the game away like this, is maddening. Until such time as formal apologies are issued by the people who, in these very pages, devoted more ire to people protesting genocide than the Israeli government’s clear intentions to destroy Gaza for the purposes of erasing the Palestinian people and colonizing their land, I suggest we never listen to those people ever again.

Christian Hagen, Minneapolis

•••

Those criticizing President Trump for merely talking about the idea of rebuilding Gaza into a modern and welcoming community are the same people who kick the can down the road and never solve long-term problems. Also, Trump’s critics must have forgotten what bombed-out Germany looked like after World War II. They’ve probably never heard of the Marshall Plan. America helped rebuild Germany and Japan after the war and I’m sure the Germans and Japanese are glad we did.

Corby Pelto, Minneapolis

•••

Trump’s recent grandiose proposal to take over Gaza and make it the “Riviera of the Middle East” is the latest in a series of headline-grabbing moves. He will continue to float these ideas as part of a strategy to deflect attention from more sinister actions. The more people focus on these absurdities, the less attention is paid to all the ways in which we are losing our civil rights. It’s time to recognize what’s really important — the takeover of our democracy by a cabal of unqualified, incompetent and immoral puppets.

Judi Sateren, Minneapolis

•••

The “Riviera of the Middle East”? He is the quintessential development mogul. There are no words to describe a man who will, in the face of the despair and agony of those people, envision a commercial opportunity. This would be built on the bones of the thousands of Palestinian corpses. I can’t imagine even Benjamin Netanyahu going for this. As for the difficulty of making Gaza livable again, does he expect the U.S. to foot the bill for the multibillion-dollar cleanup? And what makes him think his “guests” will be safe from Hamas or other Palestinian resistance fighters? This is one of many Trump pipe dreams. But this will be a deadly one. We will never overcome the hardened ideology nor the generations of hatred which would result.

Harald Eriksen, Brooklyn Park

•••

I was gobsmacked to hear President Trump declare that the U.S. should own and control Gaza.

Any good realtor knows: You can’t buy property that ain’t for sale. This is not a negotiating tactic. It’s an incredibly stupid suggestion, bordering on madness. And yet, the fawning is never-ending. From Marco Rubio we hear Trump will “make Gaza beautiful again.” From Netanyahu, “This is the kind of thinking that will reshape the Middle East and bring peace.”

I wonder what leaders would say if Trump announced plans to lasso the moon?

Harry Kelley, St. Louis Park

•••

Trump has mooted the idea of evicting the residents of Gaza. Of course, neither the Egyptians nor the Jordanians have expressed any desire to accept the approximately two million residents of the enclave. Where would the president place them? Here’s a suggestion: Why not resettle them in the United States? Each of the 50 states would be assigned approximately 40,000 refugees. MAGA!

James Watson, Maplewood

As a Canadian with lifelong best friends from Minneapolis, I am writing to confirm that the vast majority of Canadians blame Trump and the 30% or so of Americans who actually voted for this madness, not the majority of American citizens! It is so sad for us to watch your wonderful country and democracy slowly crumble each day. Unfortunately, Trump’s threatened tariffs and irrational comments about Canada becoming your 51st state have damaged the longstanding friendship we have had with the U.S. Canadians are selling vacation properties in Florida and Palm Springs, checking labels as to only buy Canadian-made food and products and choosing to holiday in Canada, Mexico or Europe instead of the U.S. Again, we are ending our friendship with the U.S. due to the 30% of Americans who chose to elect an indicted criminal whose actions mean your country is no longer a democracy. We look forward to seeing our lifelong Minneapolis friends this summer as they continue our 30-year tradition of joining us for two weeks at our cottage in beautiful northwestern Ontario, Canada.

Donna Lyons, Winnipeg, Manitoba

The Community of St. Martin, an ecumenical community dedicated to justice and peace through active nonviolence, supports Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde of the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. We endorse her invitation and challenge to President Trump to exercise compassion as he establishes policies regarding the LGBTQ and transgender communities, recognizing their Constitutional rights and their safety. As reflected in continued articles and editorials, the power and inspiration of Bishop Budde’s message is resonating throughout the nation and providing inspiration to so many as we seek to live lives of compassion and integrity.

In addition, we share Bishop Budde’s concern about the Trump administration’s plans for the borders of the U.S. and for undocumented immigrants living within the U.S. We agree that these plans need to be based on empathy, understanding and the love of all people, to which we are called by our shared faith in God.

We hold Bishop Budde in the highest esteem for speaking truth to power and reminding us all, especially President Trump, of God’s call to compassion, mercy, understanding and forgiveness. We thank Bishop Budde for reminding us of this call.

Kristen Stuenkel, Minneapolis

This letter was submitted on behalf of the Community of St. Martin.

•••

Then they came for the Lutherans ...

John Widen, Minneapolis