Letters, 3/12: Nudity story disgusting

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I am very disappointed that the March 9 Lincoln Journal Star newspaper would have such disgusting pictures of nudity. Why is it important news that we see these pictures and know about the calendar that is being sold with these awful pictures?

There are plenty of more interesting and uplifting stories that could occupy such an important place in the news of this city than that. I am offended to have to see that as front-page news.

Linda Elder, Lincoln

Misleading headline

Front-page headline, Lincoln Journal Star, March 1: “Nebraska ranks last in preventing unintended pregnancies.”

Something (or someone) called the Guttmacher Institute states that Nebraska is “failing the women who live there” based on “the allocation of public funds for family planning and laws and policies that promote access to contraception information and services.”

Sounds bad until you read the hard data: “Nebraska has the 10th-lowest teenage pregnancy rate of any state.”

Could it be that Nebraska is not “failing” by instilling values rather than throwing money at social programs? The data would indicate so.

Your headline was grossly misleading (hopefully not intentionally so). If the target was truth, it should have read “Nebraska ranks last in contraception spending and mandates — 10th best in teen pregnancy rate.”

Dan Malleck, York

Christianity can help

The letter to the editors by Edward E. Bridwell in the March 7 Journal Star really hit the nail on the head. Truer words were never spoken. Those who were not around during World War II don’t have a clue what patriotism and freedom are all about.

In a time of war against our country, everyone needs to pull together in unity, like any team, to preserve what we have. Our society today has become so self-centered that there is no willingness to forgo some of our freedoms to prevent the enemy from overtaking this country. Today, such an enemy is the terrorism occurring all over the world, and which we have had the misfortune to experience three or four times since the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center the first time.

The radical Muslims have only one goal in mind, and that is to kill all non-Muslims. There are also other terrorists in the world who have the same desire, especially against Christianity. Our society in this country also is plagued by the desire by many to destroy Christianity. This country was founded on Christianity and must remain so to maintain the freedom and principles upon which it was founded.

All we have to do is look around and see all the degradation that is occurring in our society. Abortion, gay marriage, incest, pornography, murder, cohabitation, spouse abuse, obesity, paganism, lack of respect for authority, drugs, (lack of) respect for each other, corruption of one kind or another, and on and on.

If everyone would repent and ask Jesus to come into their life, these problems would all go away, but that will not happen because there are too many hard-hearted people in this world with closed and self-centered minds. God help us!

Ronald D. Hoback, Crete

Schools reason for limits

Those political observers who decry that term limits were adopted in order to remove Sen. Ernie Chambers from the Legislature are giving him too much credit.

Having served as a lobbyist from the first term Ernie came in until I retired in 1992, I firmly believe that one Sen. Chambers is an asset to the Legislature. More than one Ernie, maybe not, but he as one certainly has been a valuable member. Yes, sometimes he stalled legislative issues, but sometimes they need to be looked at a bit more closely.

This bill to force consolidation of Class I districts is one example why a great many residents in all of Nebraska voted for term limits. They see a legislative body that is not in tune with all of the residents of Nebraska, just the eastern third of the state.

School consolidation is a very emotional issue and has been for 50 or more years. Gradually, the very small districts come to the conclusion that they cannot function and seek some other arrangement without much fanfare and disagreement. Leave them alone!

To get to the real reason for consolidation, “follow the money.” When I say to follow the money, I am referring to the tax base that is taken in by the larger district. I submit that is the main reason for the consolidation movement.

For the Legislature to aid and help the enforcement of the consolidation bill before a vote of the people is made is an example of the reason for term limits. It is a slap in the face of a group of Nebraska residents that deserve better than that.

David L. Chambers, Lincoln

Who will pay?

Who’s to pay? Two columns in the March 4 Lincoln Journal Star opinion page fail to address the issue “Who’s to pay?” (“There’s disconnect between port workers, federal bosses” and “Nebraska inmates’ health care shows lack of concern”).

As taxpayers, we continually complain about high taxes. We also complain about lack of government services or the poor quality of those services.

In Nebraska, there are only about 1.7 million people to support all levels of government. Just to support our roads takes more per capita taxes than in smaller, more populated states.

Who is to be taxed to pay for high-quality personalized health care for inmates of any jail? Who is to pay to have medically qualified staff on duty at all times in each facility? Who is to pay for training staff to be certified in all aspects of institutional requirements? How much are we willing to pay for qualified security staff? Will we accept that for every one 24-hour position, we must hire five people?

We praise the concept of frugality, then wonder why quality of service suffers. We insist on a high level of specialized service for each and every citizen, but then complain at government waste when a facility is closed for economical reasons.

It is a good thing to insist on the best service, but it is also a good thing to be willing to pay for it. Do we really want the best, or do we want the cheapest? The highly qualified generalist (generic worker) went away with the Henry Ford production line.

Richard H. Klodnicki, Lincoln

Thank you for tour

Last weekend, I had the great pleasure to travel to Lincoln to watch the Crofton Lady Warriors win the C-1 State Championship.

On our agenda for the weekend was to take my grandchildren to see the state Capitol. We were greeted at the door by security telling us the building was closed and to come back tomorrow. I said we lived 175 miles away and only get to Lincoln maybe once a year.

At the door, there also happened to be a tour guide who, seeing our plight, invited us in for a minitour. We didn’t get her name but wanted her to know how much we appreciated her kindness and humor of the situation.

My grandkids will not forget their first trip to our beautiful state Capitol and will go again for the full tour. Thank you, Ms. Tour Guide, from the group from Crofton, Neb.

Pat Wakeley, Crofton