Open Forum

It occurs to me that as we move into this new millennium our civilization is not advancing but digressing.

It seems as though soon we will be in our "caves" as our ancestors were, afraid to go outside because we might get eaten by a T-Rex.

What good is new technology if new advances cause less human contact? Online shopping, online banking, online entertainment, even e-mail have caused considerable reductions in person to person contact, which in turn breeds mistrust, which then breeds fear.

This circle, driven by technology, can only be broken if we turn off the switch.

Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "We have nothing to fear except fear itself." As we move into the new millennium, it is apparent fear is winning.

Jamie Thiffault

Baxter

Let others shine

I'm writing in regard to your sports pages. I am a big girls' hockey fan and all the articles I've seen aren't very big. You do a nice job showing how they've done during each game but you haven't showed how much they have improved from last year, and how extremely well they are doing this year.

During football season, it seems like all of the stories and pictures were all on football. Brainerd is really big on football, so I understand why the sport gets so much attention. I just think you should let some other sports shine when they are having a great season.

Since you have such short articles, you only write about those who score the goals and shy away from all the others who have great games. The defensemen work really hard every game and never get publicized. Megan Lorenz and Samantha Gunning are two stars on the team but never get recognized for how well they do every game.

Maybe you can just spend some time finding out how well some other sports are doing. Then you can see how proud players and coaches are of their team. After you figure all that out, it'd be nice to see some bigger articles on some less recognized sports teams.

Kelly Kragness

Brainerd

It's a sport

Lately there has been a lot of controversy of what is considered a sport.

Many people say that danceline isn't a sport. Obviously The Dispatch doesn't think so either. Whenever there is a Kixter competition the results are next to the obituaries!

I suppose I do have somewhat of a bias toward dance because I am on the Kixter team.

I honestly do believe that dance is sport, it wouldn't matter if I was in dance or not.

The dance team practices just as much as any other "sport," if not more.

After performances, I hear many comments about how hard the dance team works, how tough it must be to do what the dance team does.

Many people also are astonished at what the dance team does. I often hear, "How can you do that?" Do you hear anyone say that about football or softball?

How can dance not be a sport? You have to be mentally and physically prepared just like any other sport. If anything, dance would be the hardest to be mentally prepared for, having to remember every little detail that goes into a dance.

Some people say dance isn't a sport, but according to Minnesota State High School League, it is, and isn't the MSHSL the boss of all sports?

Danceline has to pay the $30 that every other sport pays, if dance isn't a sport then why does every team member have to pay the $30?

Have you ever heard of the All Sports Banquet? Danceline is recognized there. Isn't it a "sports" banquet?

I'm not meaning to whine but if dancing isn't a sport, why do we have to do everything every other sport does and have to follow the same rules? I believe that if danceline is treated as a sport, then it is a sport.

Kara R. Kasper

Brainerd