June 14 was a shocking, miserable day. Vance Luther Boelter is the prime suspect in the very early morning shooting of State Senator John Hoffman (DFL SD 34 - Champlin) and his wife Yvette, as well as the assassination of former State House speaker and 11-term Representative Melissa Hortman (DFL HD 34B-Brooklyn Park) and her husband Mark.
Yesterday was to be a day of protest in Minnesota, like other "No Kings" protests against the Trump administration taking place across the United States. Instead, Minnesotans were advised to stay away and.organizers canceled formal events.
I thought I would feel better today, but I don't. Instead, my heart is heavy on this dreary Father's Day morning. The suspect is still at large and the shootings dominate local and national news media. In my sadness, I've been reflecting on changes in my beloved Minnesota since I first visited in 1982. I fell in love with the state on my first walk in the Highland neighborhood of St. Paul: beautiful streets, green trees, clean air, a city full of birds and other wildlife. Many residents didn't lock their doors, even at night. I wandered through empty streets in safety, even after dark. I had the immediate feeling that I belonged in this pastoral place.
Fast forward to 1990. I had been a US citizen for just over three years when I was hired as a "session only" staffer for the House Independent Republican Caucus. I knew little about Minnesota politics at the time, and even less about government. My session-only appointment turned into four years of insider education in the political process and understanding of the art of creating and implementing legislation. It was the beginning a 23-year career in state government. One of my favorite assignments in every job I had was a presentation to new employees entitled "How a Bill Becomes Law".
The years I spent at "the Caucus" were characterized by kindness from fellow IR staffers and representatives, and by staff and legislators I met on "the other side of the aisle". We were always crazy busy, but sometimes had long hours between meetings and floor sessions, especially at the end of the legislative session when we we spent nights at the Capitol. If we had no urgent work to do, we discussed and argued about "the issues" and bills we were responsible for supporting. Every day was a master class in politics, government, diplomacy, and public policy. The implications of budget "tails" -- the longer term financial impact of spending decisions made today, continue to influence my evaluation of legislation at all levels.. It was all very civil, and I once said that DFL and IR legislators were more united by shared values than divided by their differences.
Over my four years, the atmosphere at the Capitol became a little more contentious and less collegial. A fellow IR staffer criticized my attendance at an address given at the Capitol by former US Senator and one-time presidential hopeful Eugene McCarthy. One well-known legislative leader was frequently back-stabbed by a fellow representative. Abortion became a litmus test issue for both parties in many political campaigns. Some legislators were pressured into extreme positions when they and many of their constituents would have preferred a more centrist approach. I moved on to non-partisan state service, with more job security. In 1995 Independent Republicans became "Republicans", aligning the state party more closely with other Republicans in the country and party polarization became more intensive for the next three decades.
During my career with the State of Minnesota, I developed a fierce appreciation for the beautiful land, water, resources, and people of Minnesota. However, over the decades the Twin Cities and even rural Minnesota became more like other American cities. Minnesotans witness urban violence every day, and our downtowns no longer feel safe, at any time of day. People all over the world know Minnesota for the George Floyd tragedy, and now for the violence of yesterday. The headline of today's Pioneer Press is 'Unspeakable'.
I feel depleted and heartbroken. Minnesotans are closely related to one another, by blood, friendship or mutual interest. The Minnesota State Capitol is only a few miles from our home and those suburbs of Minneapolis are a short drive away. Moreover, although I never met either Senator Hoffman or Representative Hortman, I knew them as fellow Minnesotans and dedicated public servants.
This time of grief is an opportunity to re-examine and change the conditions that got us to this awful place. And, to state the obvious, guns do kill people.
