Editorial: Thumbs

To attackers of American diplomats.

It is rather cowardly to attack diplomats in an embassy or consulate. When a country pays to place an ambassador or a consul in a nation or city, it means that country has a viable interest in the economic, political and social well-being of that place. These diplomats have the job of smoothing communications and working toward peaceful relations and trade. The embassies and consulates are not well-guarded because a strong military-like presence can hurt the diplomatic mission. They are supposed to trust the locals, right?

Sadly, they can become targets, as America saw at the consulate of Benghazi, Libya, this week with the death of Ambassador Christopher Stevens and continues to see with threats on other U.S. embassies in the Mideast. Yes, it takes quite a chicken to attack the people on missions of peace. Let’s hope American and Libyan leaders can find the Benghazi attackers and bring them to swift justice.

 

To Marion Ross.

It’s always a plus in Albert Lea to see the hometown actress who portrayed many roles on television from Mrs. Cunningham on “Happy Days” to Grandma Squarepants on “SpongeBob Squarepants.” She appeals to multiple generations, so it’s always a thrill to hear she will visit town. Ross is coming home in July to see the opening night show of Albert Lea Community Theatre’s production of “Happy Days, a New Musical.” Boy, there sure will be some nervous performers that night! The air will be electric in the, ahem, Marion Ross Performing Arts Center.

 

To the Minnesota Vikings.

The team is doing right by already submitting bids to bring a Super Bowl to Minneapolis. The taxpayers of the state and of that city are contributing a lion’s share of the construction of the $975 million project, and in return the team needs to bring the NFL’s marquee attraction to the North Star State. The Vikings have made no secret of their intent to aggressively pursue a Super Bowl, and we commend the team for that stance. Even though the stadium isn’t built yet, why wait on reeling in the big game? The Vikes applied for 2018, 2019 and 2020. The decision of where the 2018 game will be played comes in May.