A great letter to the editor of the Star Tribune in today's paper regarding the narrow-minded bullies pushing to give public park land and a city street to a private Catholic high school so that they can build a football stadium:

School should reach out

DeLaSalle High School doesn't seem to appreciate the history or unique qualities of its small island setting, and has made no effort to listen to or compromise with its neighbors on the stadium issue (Star Tribune, July 21).

Instead it counts on its well-connected alumni and backers to bully this proposal through. The school has created an atmosphere of division and animosity that will last for years.

Mary Lofgren, Minneapolis.

"Bully" is certainly the right word to use. They've hired a lawyer to represent them at public forums where ordinary citizens speak -- in addition to their principal, president, vice-president, trustees, students and parents who also show up. DeLaSalle continues to ignore the salient facts, and instead repeat endlessly a couple of nearly irrelevant facts and devisive comments -- "we were here first" (no they weren't), "we teach minorities and low-income students" (yeah, so what? So do the public schools), and "opponents are just Island residents" (there are only 200 residents on the Island but over 1200 people signed a petition opposing the land give away).

Frankly, the Catholic Archdiocese should reign in these unethical, scheming bastards because what they are doing is neither Christian nor good for the public or kids of Minneapolis as a whole.