They Will Always Be With Us
The distinguished former Governor of Minnesota takes time out from his busy schedule to correct the Star Tribune:
Once again, Star Tribune columnist Nick Coleman is at it ("Storm doesn't still stadium shills," Sept. 11). I am writing to set the record straight.
First of all, I have supported a special session to build a stadium for the University of Minnesota. I specifically noted that it should not be part of a professional package. Yet Coleman pushes aside the truth in order to advance a misconception.
Second, my commentary in the Star Tribune was published long before Hurricane Katrina, so I fail to understand the connection. It is my belief the University of Minnesota will be building a football stadium, and the question of when is important because the longer the wait, the higher the costs.
Third, if Coleman is suggesting that there be a cessation of public expenditures in Minnesota as a result of Katrina, then he should develop that argument rather than casting insults.
The public benefits from a healthy, thoughtful debate, but we lose when mistruths are substituted for truth.
Arne H. Carlson, Plymouth
former governor
Ouch, babe. Three corrections for a single column. Makes you wonder how bad it would be if Coleman didn't "know stuff". But where were his celebrated editors and fact checkers on this one? MIA, it appears. The weary tone of Carlson's note reveals he's familiar with the Star Tribune's typical response to critical review of their employees' work: apathy and dismissal.
I suppose Arne could contact Reader's Representative Kate Parry (cue laugh track). Maybe she could grapple with this one, as soon as she frees up her hands from patting her colleagues on the back - again! Excerpts from a recent column, representing the readers:
Today, it's worth analyzing the NWA strike to reveal just how editors and reporters have pulled off coverage so complete and balanced it seems to have credibility with both sides.
The coverage is a study in meticulous planning, hard work, long hours, second-guessing, checking facts and digging through data. It's not sexy work, but the result is great journalism, fair and accurate.
With reader's representation like this, who needs crushing migraine headaches?
It kind of makes one pine for the days of old Lou Gelfand, the former Reader's Rep. Sure, he was as much of an establishment creature as Parry and rarely addressed the substantive issues of bias and error that plague the Star Tribune. He prefered to hunt down vioations regarding misplaced picture captions and dangling participles. But at least he made a point of trying to be critical about something, as weak and quaint as that criticism was.
But despair not Twin Citizens, the weak and quaint era of Lou Gelfand is not over. Recall, the Star Tribune "reassigned" his tired keister last year - and he promptly sued them for age discrimination. According to reports, that case has been settled out of court, terms not disclosed. But ladies and gentlemen, welcome the new Business Ethics columnist at the Star Tribune, octogenerian Lou Gelfand!
The excitement surrounding this announcement is best summarized by editor Anders Gyllenhaal:
"We're very glad to have Lou coming back to the paper," Gyllenhaal said.
Yep, nothing makes a manager happier than having a disgruntled ex-employee sue his way back on to the staff. Wouldn't it be great if Gelfand devoted his first ten columns to the ethics of age discrimination in the workplace, with examples straight from the halls of the Star Tribune. What are they going to do about it - fire him? Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
We can laugh now, but if this Gelfand thing proves anything, it's that it's damn well impossible to get rid of newspaper columnists. My entire local newspaper reading life has been populated with more or less the same coterie of hacks serving up the same opinions, three times a week, decade after decade. There are no term limits for these people and as far as I can tell, they are eternal. Yes, I can see why Arne Carlson is so tired of dealing with them. And it's miles to go before he sleeps.
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