Breaking News

Opinion

Canceling laws some don’t like can cost lives

National Columnists

Americans who remember how an incident in Minneapolis six years ago plunged the whole country into a summer of rioting — then years of elevated criminal violence — should think carefully about where the protests over the death of Renee Good are leading. Like the killing of George Floyd, Good’s tragedy is being exploited for a political purpose, with the radical activists who then called for defunding the police now demanding an end to Immigration and Customs Enforcement — not only the agency, ICE, but the enforcement of the nation’s democratically enacted immigration ...

Martin Luther King’s message still powerful

National Columnists

In pausing to reflect on the Christ-centered teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this year, I reread his sermon “Loving Your Enemies” that he delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, which is now Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. Scholars have not pinpointed the exact date King gave this eloquent and time-transcending message, but most agree he spoke to the Dexter Avenue congregation in mid-November of 1957. King took his text from Matthew 5:43-45, in which Jesus says, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But ...

Is Obama’s red line still red line?

National Columnists

One of the most embarrassing moments of the Barack Obama presidency came in the context of the Syrian civil war. In August 2012, Obama vowed that “a red line for us,” which would thereby necessitate some sort of American intervention, “is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized.” The 44th president continued: “That would change my calculus.” Except it didn’t. A year later, former Iran- and Russia-backed Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad crossed Obama’s “red line,” launching a lethal sarin gas on his own people. Hundreds, ...

Minn. scandal is fraud warning hard to ignore

National Columnists

Growing national outrage over Minnesota’s welfare fraud is justified, but not because of where it took place or because it implicates members of any immigrant community. It’s much more than a “Minnesota” story. The outrage is justified because Americans are finally getting a concrete look at what happens when pushing public money out the door matters more than verifying the eligibility of the recipients, confirming services were delivered or, ultimately, being a good steward of taxpayers’ money. Since 2022, investigators have uncovered a staggering amount of fraud, ...

PETA sign not appropriate for public place in Minot

Letters to the Editor

Patricia Marquard, Minot There are many reasons why the PETA sign (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) should not be placed in a public area in Minot. First of all the statement, “Get Over (That Meat Addiction)! is a false statement. It categorizes meat, a source of protein and essential vitamins with nicotine alcohol, drugs and other addictive substances. Most doctors would agree that eating meat is not a disease and hence not an addiction. Secondly, PETA is an out of state private enterprise that harasses farmers, cattle ranchers, property owners, hunters, and would ...

National parks face staffing, financial challenges

Letters to the Editor

Lillian Crook, Bismarck I have been in love with National Parks for as long as I have conscious memory. Back in the 1960s & 1970s, my family camped in countless National Parks. At this point in life, I have visited every National Park except the two, and I intend to visit those two. Later in my life, I got to work for the National Park Service, at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the only National Park named after an American President. By that time, I knew every single trail and much about the flora and fauna of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and quite a bit about the history ...