Letters to the Editor

Conservation Officer Sean Williams,

I am writing to you today as a victim of the devastating fire that swept through Northern Minnesota, and I hope you can understand the profound impact it has had on my family and our community. This was not merely the de­struction of structures; it was the obliteration of a lifetime of memories, dreams, and the very essence of our home.

Brimson isn’t just a location on a map; it’s where my story began. My earliest memories are etched in the soil of our property, playing in the two creeks that cradled our land, and lat­er as I got older, planting trees alongside my parents. Every holiday, every significant family moment, was spent there. This fire didn’t just consume “hunter’s shacks” or “seasonal cab­ins”—it devoured homes, filled with decades of cherished memories.

My parents, after graduating from Cornell University and dedicating two years to the Peace Corps in Turkey, fell in love with the untamed beauty of the Northern Minnesota wilderness. In 1969, they bought our land, investing years in planting/nurturing white and red pines and guiding canoe trips through the Boundary Wa­ters. Ten years ago, I lost my father suddenly. Now, every tangible remnant of his life—his possessions, his legacy—has been reduced to ash by this fire.

The Brimson community is far more than just hunters and fishing enthusiasts. It’s a tapestry woven with the lives of people who have ded­icated themselves to service: individuals who, like yourself, spent their careers with the DNR, retired Forest Service members who bravely fought fires across the nation, a nurse who cared for countless patients at the University of Min­nesota Duluth, and a retired postal worker whose life is a testament to dedication. This fire has im­pacted hundreds of people, some now left with nothing but the clothes on their backs and no place to call home.

This tragedy has not only consumed my fam­ily home but has scarred the very heart of the Brimson land and community. It will never be the same.

Officer Williams, those responsible for this inferno knew the danger. They were aware of the red flag warnings, yet they proceeded with reckless indifference, pulling trash into a mas­sive pile and then abandoning the fire despite other witnesses telling them they should put out the fire. Their negligence has shattered lives.

I have attached photographs, raw and heart­breaking, that show what remains of our home and property. They are a testament to the dev­astation and the profound grief my mother and I are enduring.

I implore you, do not let their actions be met with a negligible fine that offers no true account­ability. People will look to the outcome of this investigation. If charges are pressed, if justice is served, it sends a clear and undeniable message: another camper, another individual, will think twice before igniting a reckless fire during a red flag warning and leaving it unattended.

Please, hold these individuals accountable. Do the right thing. Charge them for the cata­strophic destruction they are responsible for.

I will also be writing to our Governor, Con­gressperson, and other officials as needed.

Thank you for your time,
Alexandra and Pamela Thompson

As I write this, authorities have just apprehended Vance Boelter, the man who murdered MN House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her hus­band Mark, and gravely wound­ed Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. I commend the work of city, state and federal law enforcement for their work in swiftly capturing this crimi­nal and bringing him to justice for his brutal actions.

As many of you, I wear multi­ple hats. I am a Two Harbors City Councilor, and I’m the Chair of the Lake County DFL. I write today, however, in nei­ther capacity; rather I write as resident of an ailing country which seems to be on the prec­ipice.

Heinous acts like those of Mr. Boelter are the clearest symptom of the disease which plagues our nation. They must, of course, be strongly con­demned by all Americans; po­litical violence can never be tolerated in a free, democratic society. But beyond that, we must all commit to ridding our nation—and our own hearts— of the hatred and intolerance that are at their root.

I first met Melissa Hortman 16 years ago. She was a remark­able woman and an incredible public servant. She pursued her work with one intention, to im­prove the lives of those she was elected to serve. Her absence will leave a gaping void in the capitol for many years to come. My heart goes out to the family and friends who are mourning the loss of Melissa and Mark. My thoughts are also with the Hoffmans, as they struggle to recover from their injuries, and deal with the aftermath of their brutal victimization.

E Pluribus Unum, “from many one,” has been the motto of the United States since the late 18th Century. The phrase ap­pears on the Great Seal of the United States and on all U.S. currency. We are a nation of immigrants. The inherent di­versity that this fact entails is, and always has been, a dou­ble-edged sword. Diversity can bring great strength, dyna­mism and creativity. This di­versity was the engine that has powered American progress for centuries. Diversity also, however, can lead to infighting and disunity. Every immigrant group arriving on our shores can speak to the barriers and prejudices they faced.

A pluralistic society like ours depends on tolerance, a toler­ance of differing ideas, differ­ing appearance, differing re­ligious and cultural practices. Throughout our history, there have been times when some have sought to exploit these differences to divide us. This is one of those times. And this time, our time, is perhaps the most dangerous in our nation’s history. The proliferation of polarized media, the internet, and AI have allowed those who seek to divide us—for their own personal gain—powerful tools to do so. They use these tools to sow division, to break the ties which bind us togeth­er as a nation. They are mer­chants of bitterness, hatred, and division.

I have made the personal deci­sion to not buy what they are selling, and I hope that those reading this will make that de­cision too. Despite what these demagogues tell you, we all have much more in common than what may divide us. I will not hate my neighbor because we differ in our thinking. I will not refuse to lend a hand to one in need because they don’t worship as I do, or because they vote in a different way than I do. This is not capitu­lation, I will always vigorously defend my point of view, and act accordingly. But I refuse to demonize others with differing views. This is the kind of toler­ance that has preserved our na­tion for generations, and what has made it prosper.

I hope that those reading this will join me in resisting those who would divide us. A nation that sows hatred and division will reap only destruction.

Todd Redmann
Resident of Two Harbors

I really appreciated the article “The Amer­ican Flag – An American Symbol” by Julie Luchsinger on behalf of the Two Harbors Breakwall Indivisible group, in the May 30 edition of the North Shore Journal. I willing­ly join in the Pledge of Allegiance because “liberty and justice for all” are worthwhile goals, represented by our flag. I looked up some of the history of the pledge. It was first promoted in 1892 as a patriotic exercise for schoolchildren and officially endorsed by Congress in 1942. I am not quite old enough to remember the change when the words “under God” were added in 1954. I liked how this part of the pledge was described in the article: “Whether we interpret under God through faith, conscience, or shared values, it calls us to humility and accountability—to something larger than individual ego or party lines.” I will be pleased to join in celebrating Flag Day this coming Saturday, June 14.

Becky Norlien