Editorial: Thumbs

To a state government shutdown.

We are watching ideology trump practicality. We are watching campaign promises trump compromises. We are watching real people get hurt in the process. Everyone hopes for a budget deal soon, though the talk is that it could last six to eight weeks. Will there be a state fair? Will school be normal?

To soldiers of Albert Lea’s Delta Company.

Firstly, Albert Lea area residents were glad to hear a report Wednesday of how our soldiers are doing up at Fort McCoy. Thanks for letting the Tribune know you appreciate us sending a reporter up there. Secondly, we can say with confidence our unit’s soldiers work hard, train hard and take their mission seriously. Don’t call them simply weekend warriors. They are the real deal. Thirdly, all of Albert Lea will miss Delta Company while it is away in Kuwait. A lot has been asked of them and their families in the past decade, and each time they have answered the call. We salute the soldiers and their families.

To rain.

Come on. Rain somewhere else already. There are parts of the country that could use water more than southern Minnesota. Go rain on Texas and the Deep South. Give us some time to dry out. Not too much, though. Let’s see. How about three weeks? After that, how about rain only one day a week? And let’s not have a nasty September deluge like last year. By the way, thanks for not giving us a drought. We prefer too wet to too dry.

To the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a 7-2 ruling, the Supreme Court defended the First Amendment right of free speech in a case regarding violent video games. While the games no doubt are detestable, parents must take greater personal responsibility in protecting their children from these video games, rather than asking the government to do the protecting for them. Violent video games are no different than violent movies, books, music and other creative mass media not using the public airwaves. We might not like much of the violent content, but people have a right to create that content in a free democracy.