By now the entire nation knows about the killing of a Minnesota State Legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband in suburban Minneapolis, and the earlier near fatal wounding of another legislator, Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife a few miles away.  The suspect has been apprehended, and here is the cover of this mornings Minnesota Star Tribune.

In today’s e-mail queue came Garrison Keillor’s near daily column to which I subscribe. IMPORTANT NOTE: to access, go to Garrison Keillor’s Substack and open his June 15 column.  It is an important writing in my opinion.  (If all else fails, following is the complete text of this writing: Garrison Keillor June 15, 2025.)   I’ve been a fan of Keillor’s for many years.  He grew up a mile from where Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed.  He writes from Manhattan where he now lives, speaking as only he can about realities of today’s political ‘conversation’ in our country.

I know the area of Champlin and Brooklyn Park very well (the locales of the shootings), but my context goes back 60 years, when the towns were evolving into the suburbs they have become.  My first twin cities home was in Anoka, in 1965-66, one block from the Mississippi River.  Literally, across the bridge was Champlin, where the Hoffman’s settled later.  I often drove through then rural Brooklyn Park, the home of the Hortman’s.

I represented the teachers in that area for nearly ten years, including those at the school where the Hortman’s and Hoffman’s children likely attended years later.

While I don’t recall ever meeting Rep. Hartmann, I do recall a legislative briefing at some point and I am quite certain that the legislator who spoke was then-Rep. Hoffman to a group of senior citizens.  It was just a meeting, of course, but at times like this we try to make presonal  connections if possible.

I’ll say no more at this point.

Those who know me best would likely verify that I am not inclined to rush to judgement.  Largely this comes from my work history of representing people in disagreement with someone else.  I’ve made mistakes on this, certainly – a consequence of living a lot of years – but I try to let the truth evolve through people who know more than I about what is going on.

This is a matter of great immediate consequence to those of us in Minnesota, to others not so much.  Though the general issue is of huge long-term  consequence to all of us wherever we live.

POSTNOTE:  Here is some information on the nationwide demonstrations on Saturday.