Letters to the Editor

We are living with a public health crisis that demands our attention. “Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is 100 percent preventable. Simply don’t drink during pregnancy.”

Dear Editor,
On behalf of the Minnesota Organization of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (MOFAS), I would like to thank Senator Linda Berglin for her leadership in the Senate and for speaking on behalf of infants, children, and adults living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), a neurological and behavioral disorder caused when a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy.   Through her hard work, support and understanding about this often invisible disability, a proposed 30 percent cut in funding by the current administration was curtailed, and resulted in a reduction of only 1.8 percent.

With this funding, MOFAS was able to continue to provide necessary intervention and family support programs and extend our work providing accessible and consistent diagnostic services to more communities throughout Minnesota.
Fifty thousand Minnesotans struggle with permanent brain damage, learning disabilities, mental health disorders and organ damage because their mothers drank alcohol while they were pregnant.  This disability costs Minnesota over $107.4 million annually, yet it is 100 percent preventable.  Nine months of alcohol free pregnancies save Minnesotans millions of dollars.
With the ongoing leadership of Senator Berglin, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of families living with FASD.

Susan S. Carlson, former First Lady and founder and president, MOFAS
Joanna Bayers, MAPL, special projects coordinator, MOFAS

Dear Editor,
For many of us, Minnesota’s quality of life is the primary reason why we call our state home. From its rivers and lakes to its forests and prairies, Minnesota’s natural resources are rich.

But Minnesota’s landscape is changing. Forty percent of the waters we have tested fail to meet federal water quality standards. More than 1 million acres of natural areas and farmland will be lost over the next 25 years, as Minnesota continues growing faster than any other state in the Midwest. Our kids need clean water and access to natural areas to grow up healthy, yet funding natural resources remains near historic lows, and we are losing access for hiking, hunting, fishing and wildlife watching.

On Nov. 4, we have the opportunity to stem this tide and protect the Minnesota we love for future generations by voting “yes” on the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. By voting “yes” we can dedicate funds to preserve clean water, protect our natural areas and wildlife habitat, arts and parks and trails.  This is a once in a lifetime chance to make an investment in protecting Minnesota’s quality of life and preserving it for future generations.

For the average family, this will cost less than $5 per month. That’s a small price to protect our quality of life. It is an investment worth making for our children and grandchildren.

If you leave the amendment question blank on the ballot, the state counts it as a vote “no.”  So take a minute to think about why you love living in Minnesota.  And then vote “yes” to make an investment in our great outdoors.

Tom Abello