Author: rakemag

Late on a Sunday night, Northwest Flight 19—MSP to Tokyo Narita—is nearly empty. Alone in row 37, I sprawl across thousands of dollars’ worth of lost airline revenue while enjoying the latest Harry Potter film, tiny pretzel bag in hand. The mood of the few other passengers seems similarly contented (that is, unless those passengers have paid for first class tickets and gotten a look at the extra space in coach). Even the three elderly Japanese women who boarded wearing surgical masks seem to have relaxed. After all, 12 hours is an awfully long time to keep one’s mouth covered, even during an epidemic.

Hours later, as we taxi in Tokyo, a flight attendant announces that “passengers continuing on to Shanghai are required to fill out a health questionnaire before boarding.” As I disembark I am given the questionnaire; among other things, it asks whether, over the last 48 hours, I have experienced “fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing.”

Narita Airport is unusually subdued, no doubt because of the surgical masks worn by a third of the passenger traffic. Most masks are either of the cloth or paper variety, and thus incapable of filtering tiny viral particles. This is irrelevant. It’s the fashion statement that counts. “Hello Kitty” masks are popular with teenage girls, Louis Vuitton masks are the rage among middle-aged Japanese women in expensive mary janes. The N95 mask, widely acknowledged to be the only effective filtering agent against SARS, is preferred by cheeky American college students who like to wear it idly around the neck, like swim goggles.

Northwest Flight 85 to Shanghai is 80 percent empty. Most of the passengers wear masks, and those who don’t are eyed warily by the flight attendants. Yet it is the rare passenger, masked or not, who is able to resist a complimentary beverage service. As the drink cart moves up the aisle, the masks are stowed below.

When we arrive at Pudong Airport, the flight attendants ask that we notify the “authorities” if we have any symptoms so that we may “be given appropriate medical care in Shanghai.” Eyes roll, wry smiles are exchanged. As we disembark, we pass a sign notifying us that the terminal has been sterilized. The ominous empty white corridors stink of chlorine.

We proceed in a somber single-file line, but just before reaching the customs desk, we are halted by two temporary checkpoints staffed by masked individuals in white lab coats. Conversation ebbs immediately and disappears entirely. The only remaining voices are those requesting that passengers submit to a thermometer in the ear. The reading takes a few seconds, and when no fever registers, I am directed to customs.

As an officer examines my passport, I look back and see a woman diverted from the thermometer line for further examination due to a mild fever. I pause: On the plane she had occupied a seat three rows ahead of me. But it’s no matter. My passport is stamped, and I am free to enter China.—Adam Minter

Thank you for Albert Eisele’s awesome perspective on the change in Minnesota politics [“The Minnesota Model—Unglued,” May]. His clear and informed article firmed up the sinking hunch I’ve had about our recent regime change: We’ve been mugged. The national political wizards chose our governor and senator for us, infused them with money and presidential backing, and gave them scripts that sound no different than those being read by minions in other states. We are no longer positioned to be a leader state. Two of the most independent politicians in American history, Governor Jesse Ventura and Senator Paul Wellstone, have been replaced with two transparently ambitious Republican yes-men. We are told that our nationally recognized anti-poverty programs should be more like Wisconsin’s. Our tax policy should be more like Colorado’s. Our abortion laws should be more like Mississippi’s. Our guns laws? Hello Texas! With the appropriate puppets in place, Washington bosses can easily pull our strings, subdue us, and implant an ill-fitting political philosophy. It’s sad, but we’ve become little more than a satellite colony under the tutelage of national power brokers who can hardly appreciate the history and contributions that Minnesota has produced. It was great to see Mr. Eisele lend his long view to the great loss we have not awakened to—yet.

Rev. Rahelio Soleil, West St. Paul

Your recent article about Minnesota’s loss of influence in national politics [“The Minnesota Model—Unglued,” May] didn’t really get at the heart of the matter. My grandpa, Fred Dennstedt of Fillmore County, was a lifelong Democrat and DFLer (born in 1883). He loved Hubert Humphrey and all who stood in his shadow, which means the rest of the people featured in your article. He took his turn as the sacrificial Democratic candidate for Senate in the 1930s. Remember, this part of the state had Republican congressmen for 103 years until Tim Penny. My grandpa’s campaign slogan was “a dirt farmer, liberal but sane.” That is the problem: Liberal but insane does not work, and does not gather influence. Your article also gave short shrift to arguably the most influential member of the Minnesota delegation over the last 25 years. That would be Bill Frenzel. Having worked for him, I am a little biased. However, Dan Rostenkowski (remember him?) would not hold a Ways and Means committee vote without Bill in the room. At the same time, Bill would always take the time to know and advise each staff member on their lives and careers. The Boss is still influential through his work with the Brookings Institution, and he still works for Minnesota.

Peter O. Torvik, Hopkins

You seem to think Iraq was “carpet-bombed” in the recent war [Good Intentions, May]. It was not. Those were precision munitions. Granted, “precision” does not mean “100 percent.” Still, “carpet-bombing” has a specific military meaning, which does not apply to this action. You find it suspicious that we have not uncovered any WMDs yet. Prior to the war, the UN was proposing up to 1,000 inspectors working for up to 12 months to do the job. At the time of your writing, the U.S. had been in Iraq three to four weeks, with no inspectors (only troops, who were rather preoccupied), and yet had discovered quite a pile of circumstantial evidence. You argue that American aggression will inspire more terrorism. That is certainly possible. Yet the opposite could also hold. Terrorist networks use tales of Super Power military blunders (Vietnam, Mogadishu, Soviets in Afghanistan) as potent recruiting tools. When we show we mean business, as against the Taliban, recruitment goes down. (This according to intelligence sources.) Granted, it never goes down to zero, and it’s unlikely this issue can ever be decided conclusively. Finally, you ask what would have happened if we hit Iraq with $80 billion in Barbies instead of bombs? We can only guess, but I suppose Saddam could have used them to decorate his rape rooms and his children’s prisons. The people of Iraq would, no doubt, have been grateful for our largesse.

Gene Dillenburg, St. Paul

Fabulous piece on Dennis Denning of St. Paul [“Building the Boys of Summer,” May]. I write with a long and positive historical perspective on Coach Denning. I am one of literally thousands of young men who was fortunate to have had Dennis as a coach, way back in 1966, as a 7th grade athlete at St. Luke’s Grade School in St. Paul. For more than 35 years, Dennis has been a mentor, a role model, and an individual whom I have looked up to as a hero. He takes a genuine interest in his players’ lives, he watches out for his players and he is simply one of the highest quality individuals that I have been lucky enough to be associated with. Mr. Cox and Mr. Dvorak, you guys do great work!

Bob Salisbury, Mendota Heights

Dennis Denning is undoubtedly a fine coach, but he might not even be the best one in St. Paul. After guiding St. Paul Academy to its then-record fourth state boys’ soccer championship in 1994, Manuel “Buzz” Lagos said “yes” to the pros by creating, from the proverbial ether, his own professional team. The Minnesota Thunder, which began as an amateur club and, early on, had to pay high-level opponents to visit Minnesota, turned pro in 1995 and rapidly grew into a national powerhouse by developing local talent to its full potential. While the Thunder can only claim second-division status beneath top-tier Major League Soccer, Minnesota consistently ranks among the A-league’s best teams, sandwiching two finals appearances around its 1999 national championship. Former players (and Minnesota natives) Leo Cullen, Manny Lagos, and Tom Presthus currently play in MLS, and the Thunder’s most famous alum, SPA grad Tony Sanneh, led the U.S. national team to its historic quarterfinal appearance at the 2002 World Cup. But Lagos, a consummate teacher and tireless soccer promoter who reaches countless young players through clinics, camps, and other public appearances, didn’t sell out by going pro. In recent years, he has donated his modest coaching salary to the team, to help it avoid bankruptcy.

Dean Campbell, Minneapolis