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I am writing to thank Gov. Tim Walz for his leadership during the pandemic crisis.  There have been times over the past weeks when I have been anxious — worrying about the well-being of family and friends. But when I listened to Governor Walz’s press conferences, I felt better. Governor Walz was clear and factual. He shared what he had learned from health experts with the citizens of Minnesota. He did not sugarcoat it, he was transparent, he never lied to us or spread misinformation and he took decisive action. I am confident the Walz administration has helped stem the tide of the virus and has saved the lives of many Minnesotans.

I am weary of the people who criticize Governor Walz from the cheap seats, including our own Representative Bennett. If Governor Walz gives orders that open things up too quickly, the epidemic could explode and many more lives could be lost. He would be held responsible.  And each day of delay hurts small businesses whose owners could lose their businesses. No one, let me repeat that, no one wants that to happen. The question is not whether to open up the economy. It’s a question of when and how to open the economy safely. When Bennett and others criticize and push for an early opening, rejecting the science, they are saying some lives are expendable. In none of her past three columns does Ms. Bennett reference a single health expert to support her demands for an immediate opening. She should know better than to succumb to the loud and pushy voices among us. I do not want a resurgence of the virus in the fall that some experts are warning of, based on the demands of those angry voices. We all believe in liberty and freedom, but I hope we all still believe in the common good.

On a positive note, I am so impressed by the local business people profiled in the Albert Lea Tribune last weekend.  They were calm, logical and said that they put the safety of their customers first. They represent what is best about our community, and I feel that they will do their best to keep me safe when I shop and eat locally. With their leadership, we can indeed get through this pandemic stronger and more united, but only if we stay calm and are instructed by science and facts, not ruled by misplaced anger and divisive politics.

Mary Hinnenkamp

Albert Lea