by Lynnell Mickelen

Last week, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune published a poll
showing most people, are still dead-set against proposals to subsidize pro-sports stadiums with their tax dollars. Now the Strib and the rest of the local McMedia have spent years whoring for these stadiums, dramatically announcing that unless taxpayers pick up the tab, our oppressed billionaire-owners will be forced to take their teams elsewhere. But all the spin hasn't made much of a dent in public opinion.

And if the letters to the editor today are any indication, the citizens are getting snarkier by the day.

Here are my favorites, which show, yet again that as the newspapers get more corporate and bland, some of the best writing is showing up in the letters to the editor.

"I've completed my set of Twins minibaseballs. However, I find the stadium is grossly inadequate. It's made of cardboard, all of the seats are in the outfield, there are no bathrooms, and it's tough to see the little baseballs during the day. It seems like it was made for the Vikings' medallions.

I want to build a better one, but my wife wants to spend our money on things like food, clothing and medicine. So I asked my neighbors to chip in 3 cents on every $20 they spend. It's been weeks, and they still haven't decided.

If I don't hear soon, I'm leaving the state and taking my collection to Las Vegas.

DOUGLAS BURNIKEL, BROOKLYN PARK

And another:

"Let's have the Legislature pass a bill funding new, remodeled Dairy Queens for all existing DQ owners. After all, building new, improved DQs will create more jobs during construction, more jobs after the work is completed, and more entertainment (what's more entertaining after all than a good DQ cone on a hot summer day?).

"And, building new, improved DQs will create a sense of community; after all, who doesn't feel connected with community standing in line at a DQ? Plus, the Legislature will be spreading money around the state.

"Ridiculous, you say? Is it any more ridiculous than funding new stadiums for the Twins and Vikings with taxpayer dollars?

BRUCE BOEDER, MINNETONKA

And finally:

"One of the worst decisions that the Star Tribune has made in years was running the results of a Minnesota Poll on public attitudes toward new sports stadiums with just days left in the legislative session'..

"Why conduct that poll now -- after a week of positive news and feelings toward funding and building new stadiums for the Gophers, Twins and Vikings and after a lot of hard work for months by many to get legislators to finally wake up and realize that these stadiums are necessary to be competitive in college and professional sports?
Everyone -- citizens, legislators -- was in a positive mood for new stadiums, and along came your poll.

It should have been conducted two months ago.

JERRY HENNEN, FARGO, N.D.

Oooouch, Jerry. Note all these were written by guys from the
suburbs.

If I was a legislator, these letters would worry me. Because it shows that a whole lot of citizens aren't merely mad at the Lege and the media, they're mocking 'em. And that could spell trouble in November and beyond.

There's a change in the zeitgeist. It has a whiff of the same sort of thing that made Stephen Colbert an Internet hero. The McMedia still doesn't really get it, but you can feel it in the air and in the letters to the editor.