Don’t blame the Capitol Police for what happened on January 6 – Twin Cities

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Don’t blame the Capitol Police

The January 5 front page article titled “US Capitol Police Take Stock After January 6 Riot” says a lot about the record this country needs to take.

While the newspaper’s front page should highlight the silence of many Republicans a year after what was an insurgency and attempted coup (not just a riot), the former president’s refusal to activate the National Guard then that he was watching his supporters on television vandalize, attack and injure, and Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller’s directive for the guard to withdraw and not to use force against the mob. Rather, we see the blame on the Capitol Police.

By not bringing the hard facts of this shameful incident to the fore, we cannot be honest with ourselves and we are putting our democracy at risk.

Jim DeLuca, Saint-Paul

Voting is a matter of citizens’ rights, not a partisan issue

In his Jan. 9 commentary, David Brooks twists the current debate over voting rights and integrity into a Democrats versus Republicans issue. In fact, no state or national lawmaker from either party should vote to expand or reduce voting rights by hoping to gain proportionately more votes or by anticipating that opponents will get fewer.

For example, in the 12 gubernatorial elections since Minnesota’s most recent major voting rights increase – the adoption of same-day voter registration in 1974 – the DFL have won six times, the GOP five and an independent once. University studies, state after state, show the same results except for restrictions based on race.

Indeed, voting is a matter of citizens’ rights, not partisan. Individuals in every state should be able to exercise their most fundamental right without being hampered by unnecessary bureaucratic barriers. Giving as many Americans a voice as possible in our governance, regardless of partisan results, connects us as a people and sets us apart from dictatorships.

Ken Peterson, Saint-Paul

A distraction at best

It is about changing the filibuster. Since the Supreme Court is filled with justices who like to think about what the framers of the Constitution would do, I would go to court and ask if the filibuster is even legal and ask that it be thrown out.

With the end of slavery, the compromise that set up the Electoral College is archaic and should be thrown into the garbage of history, and we should elect the presidents by universal suffrage. Senator McConnell’s “Fix the Electoral College” is a distraction at best and just another effort to use up time.

Michael J Kramer, Forest Lake

What divides the country

Unfortunately, many people like the author of “This Seeks Unity?” (Letter to the editor, January 9) are a little confused about the events of January 6, 2021. The nation’s Capitol riot was not caused by electoral fraud, it was caused by lies about the integrity of the vote. Every court case and investigation has shown that the 2020 elections are the safest elections in history. Thus, passing voter identification laws will not restore confidence in elections.

President Biden does not divide the country, the perpetuation of the lie that the 2020 election was stolen divides the country. Contrary to what the letter’s author claims, polls show the majority of people agree with President Biden and hold the former president responsible for the riot. Until senior Republican officials finally get backbones and repudiate the Big Lie, and those who propagate it, this country will remain divided. I didn’t hold my breath to make this happen.

Ken Thielman, Woodbury

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