By Amara Nelson Senior year is an intimidating time of a young person’s life. You are just starting to figure out what you really want to do with your life. Some people choose to go into the military or straight to work after high school, and others go to college. Whichever way you choose to go, it is intimidating to say the least. Most of us high schoolers have only been … [Read more...]
Moving the needle in Southern Minnesota
Autumn is one of my favorite times of year – not just because of the beautiful colors, but because it means it’s time for our Annual Luncheon. At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), this luncheon is an opportunity for more than 200 of our partners to come together from across our 20-county region to share successes and look to the future. At this year’s luncheon … [Read more...]
Don’t be fooled by those who assert themselves as experts
By Kindra Ramaker Stewartville, MN Fillmore County Journal Readers – as both a member of the Fillmore County discussion group addressing “Conversations on Race in Fillmore County” as well as being informed by my work on the Olmsted County Human Rights Commission - I would like to address an opinion piece published in the Fillmore County Journal written by Jeff Erding, a long … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Am I a left-wing conservative or a right-wing liberal?
“I was very unhappy to see half the front page of Fillmore Journal dedicated to a Trump supporter. I believe that rally was adequately followed in Rochester newspapers and television. It’s obvious to me where this newspaper leans. So disappointed in my hometown newspaper,” said a reader from Lanesboro, Minn., in an e-mail to me on Monday, October 22, 2018. This was in … [Read more...]
Letter about – real news and fake news… To the Editor,
Thanks to Colonel Stan Gudmundson for his September 24 commentary clarifying how Trump supporters do and should view journalism. In her book, The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work and Life, Ivanka Trump writes “Perception is more important than reality. If someone perceives something to be true, it is more important than if it is in fact true. This doesn’t mean you should be … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project – Asexuality Awareness
By Leah Himlie It is estimated that 1-2% of the human population has red hair. The same percentage is estimated for the number of people who have green eyes, and lastly, the same percentage is estimated for the number of people who identify as asexual. Despite the first two statistics being perceived as valid, true statements, many people invalidate or are ignorant of … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project — The silent pandemic
By Pailey Gordon All over the news, we hear about politics, war, celebrity drama, natural disasters, and sometimes we even receive a happy story about how a child overcame some sort of challenge he was facing. Rarely do we see news on a concerning pandemic that is developing more and more every day: human trafficking. Human trafficking is the action or practice of illegally … [Read more...]
School discipline in Minnesota: Are students victimized by state government?
A recent commentary of mine evaluated the effectiveness of certain policies, among which was race based school discipline. An article by authors Katherine Kersten and Catrin Thorman in the fall issue of Thinking Minnesota documents the issue. Anyone who cares about our children and their education should be horrified by the egregious conduct of the Minnesota Department of … [Read more...]
Men are from Mars – Women are from Venus
The relationship between men and women has been a source of exploration and controversy since the advent of Adam and Eve. As a young woman I found myself destined to be part of the action. One evening I was with friends at the Ocean Grill in Vero Beach, Fla., when a young man approached our table. “There is someone who would like to meet you. Within minutes I found myself … [Read more...]
Finding your polling place… To the Editor,
This year more than ever, I encourage my fellow citizens to vote on Tuesday, November 6. Finding your place to vote is easy: go to www.pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/. Select your county, then township according to your street address. There is also a map option at the end. Remember: If you don’t vote, you have no right to complain about policies and decisions our lawmakers make. … [Read more...]