PRAIRIE ROSES: To the people of Buffalo, N.D., a small town west of Fargo, who have made a real effort to keep their one grocery store open for business. The owner said he wanted to close the store because it was not profitable. Buffalo residents put together a plan to sell shares in the store to come up with the money to keep the store's doors open. It appears to be heading toward success. The new shareholder organization will keep the two employees on to manage the store. The folks in Buffalo are showing what can be done when people work together, no matter the size of the community.
LEAFY SPURGE: To the backers of a North Dakota constitutional amendment that is purported to strengthen religious freedom. It seems like a solution looking for a problem. There is no convincing evidence that religious freedom is, or has ever been, at risk in the state. Indeed, North Dakotans are among the most active and committed religious people in the nation. The amendment calls for least restrictive regulation of religious practices. Think about opening that can of ecclesiastical worms. After all, "religion" can encompass everything from traditional mainstream churches to voodoo, witchcraft, the use of hallucinogens in American Indian ceremonies, and marrying off 11-year-old girls to adult "ministers." If the state is compelled to regulate "religious freedom" in the least restrictive manner - well - it looks like a recipe for anything goes. The amendment also has all the features of a blank check for lawyers.
PRAIRIE ROSES: To Anna Skarphol, an 11-year-old fifth-grader at Moorhead's Park Christian School, for being named Minnesota winner in a national handwriting contest. She was one of 220,000 entered in the 20th annual Zaner-Bloser Handwriting Contest. (See a sample of her penmanship in the April 18 Forum.) Not only is her handwriting impressive, her skill also demonstrates that good handwriting still is important in this age of no-writing technology. Writing with pencil or pen is, in effect, an exercise in precise thinking. It's good to know young people still are writing and that national organizations recognize the importance of good handwriting.
Forum editorials represent the opinion of Forum management and the newspaper's Editorial Board.
