Now
Light Rain
86°
High
91°
Low
73°
Full Forecast

Jobs

Cars

Homes

Rentals

Alerts

Subscribe
Home > Letters
Bookmark Us   •   Make Us Your Homepage

Letters, 5/26: More than a ‘bad choice’

Comments 29 comment(s)  
E-mail Story E-mail Story
Print Story Print Story
Share  Share
Text Size: 
Tools Sponsor

Friday, May 26, 2006 - 12:11:10 am CDT

The next time you’re a little tipsy and about to turn the key on to start your car, I want you to think about this.

Last Saturday I attended the funeral of a special young person who was killed because of someone else’s alleged “bad choice.”

She had so much promise; a husband that she loved and cared for dearly, a new baby on the way, a new home and a career that she loved. But because that someone else allegedly made a wrong choice and turned over that engine and drove that vehicle, this young lady was laid to rest Saturday.

I pray that your family never has to endure this type of senseless tragedy. It’s tough for all to endure, especially when it could’ve been avoided by that someone making the right choice.

Now put those keys away, call a cab, or even a friend. Save a life, won’t you? Perhaps this time it’ll be yours!

Bob Koperski, Omaha

‘Monster’ suffering, too

I’m so very sorry for the untimely death of Misty Smith-Luebbert. She must have been a very loving, compassionate person. I’m sure that the recent Journal Star articles written about her life and her death are a source of comfort to her family and friends. I’m also sure that the readers are wondering, “Who is this ‘monster’ that allegedly caused this accident which took her life?”

Well, this “monster” is a full-time student with a full-time job, who is also in the Army National Guard. She spent her entire 18th year in Tikrit, Iraq, with her National Guard unit. 

After returning home and trying to put her war experiences behind her, something like this happens. Something that could have happened to any of us — not expecting a car to be stopping completely on South Ninth Street.

This “monster” is also kind and compassionate and also has a family who is grieving. Her name is Haley R. Hilligas, and no one is suffering any more than she over this unfortunate incident.

Misty sounds like she believed in second chances. I hope that the Journal Star will follow her example. There are always two sides to a story.

Kathy Riley, Lincoln

Head of his own fan club

It’s too bad that Chuck Hagel became president of his own fan club.

The kid had a lot of potential. Could’ve gone a long way.

Michael C. Stuart, Lincoln

A wasteful way of life

The popularity of building houses and acreage farms in the country has become overwhelming. The original purpose of towns was to concentrate population for mutual benefits. I realize this type of construction has just begun and it is not near its end.

Isn’t it sad? Prime farm ground is getting clustered with buildings, old vehicles and trash. Concrete lies where once a field of corn was harvested. The sound of peace and tranquility is being replaced with horns and the sounds of music that scream from the vehicles passing by.  

The sound of gravel being thrown from a vehicle’s tire, as it speeds down these once quiet country roads, is heard quite often. Is this progress or is it destruction of our ecosystem?

Many years ago people tried to move to town to get closer to work, stores. Today people are moving to the country. They are having to drive many miles to town. This pollutes our air, uses extra energy and interrupts my peaceful afternoons.      

Deborah Webb, Lincoln

It’s fiction — get over it

It’s so funny to me how people waste so much time blabbering about “The Da Vinci Code.” Christians get all in a twitter about this work of fiction and raise a ruckus about how bad it is. All of you said the same thing about Harry Potter, and look where that went.

I too am a Christian, and this book “The Da Vinci Code” does not make me angry at all. It’s fiction, and that’s all. It has been proven that Dan Brown made things up and changed things around. That’s what fiction is. It’s a good thrill ride, and a great book. I’m sure the movie is great too.

Let it go, enjoy it for what it is … a great book. Waste your breath on other more important things.

Jared Daugherty, Lincoln


$1 Sunday Delivery - Subscribe Today!
Letters > Back to Top of Story

Post Your Comment

Standards and Rules
All posts to JournalStar.com are subject to our Terms and Standards.
Your posted comment will appear after it has been approved.
Frequently asked questions about story commenting.
(optional)
   
Hide Comments Hide Comments   Newest First Newest First  
non-drinker wrote on May 26, 2006 2:03 am:
" You know, Haley isn't fully to blame for this accident. If i remember right, she is only 20. Who is the person that bought her the alcohol? They need to face the consequences right along with Haley. Misty lost her life because two people we're using their heads to think. Haley isn't in this alone. She is facing the consequences right along with the person who bought her the alcohol. If Haley were smart, she'd make that name public too. "

 Gerard Harbison wrote on May 26, 2006 7:53 am:
" It's not so bad that Chuck Hagel has become President of his own fan club. It's bad that everyone else is leaving the club. I can't think why anyone would vote for Hagel any more. You really have no idea which way he will vote on any issue. Hagel voting for a provision that says we have to ask the Mexican government's permission to build a border fence really was the last straw for me. "

 Allen T. wrote on May 26, 2006 8:32 am:
" Kathy Riley: It is easier to see cars stopped in front of you when you aren't drunk at 6:15 on Mother’s Day morning. Something like this couldn't happen to "any of us" because most of us wouldn't be driving a car a 6:15 am on a Sunday morning while drunk...in fact so drunk that after hitting the car she continued to drive down the street until stopped by a pole. There are many people suffering more than Haley right now...for instance, the husband of the woman that is now DEAD! How about the suffering of the woman before she DIED? How about all of Misty's family and friends that has to go to a funeral? Or how about that baby...coming into the world too soon and with no mother. Her suffering will last a life time. Do I think that Haley should receive some compassion...sure. She should not be charged with 1st Degree murder. She made a mistake, but our system of laws accounts for that and will exact a punishment befitting of her crime while also recognizing the unintentional nature of the crime. There are two sides to every story, but unfortunately only Haley is still alive to tell her side. Thankfully, she’ll have to tell it in a court of law. "

 Mark M wrote on May 26, 2006 8:37 am:
" Nice to hear your opinion on Hagel, Michael, but exactly what is your beef with Hagel? Your statement is just a little vague. "

 Allen T. wrote on May 26, 2006 8:51 am:
" Jared: Actually, most of the Christians I know don't mind Harry Potter anymore than they do Lord of the Rings. Neither of the aforementioned stories set out to specifically lie about the roots of Christianity and Judaism, the origins of the Bible, or the deity of God. As for your comment about the book being a fiction…Of course it is! How could a lie be anything else, but the fictional nature of a lie does not remove the insult from that lie. For instance, what if I wrote a fictional story about you Jared, and I included many pseudo-factual references to “proofs” and included in that fiction a lot of true, but skewed information that in the end made you out to be a notorious pedophile or something else equally terrible? Would the fictional nature of my story reduce the insult of having publicly called you such a vile name? Would you be concerned at all that some people might not be able to tell which parts of the book were fictional, since I laced the story with bits of truth here and there? "

 Josh wrote on May 26, 2006 8:52 am:
" This is to Kathy-- do you really think we should have any sympathy for Haley R. Hilligas after what she had done? She was driving while intoxicated, that is one of the most horribly irresponsible things anybody can do, so though I'm sure she is feeling bad about what she did, she should get no sympathy- her irresponsible actions caused the death of another woman. Why should it matter that she had just recently come back from Iraq? Who cares!? That does not put her above the law, it is NO excuse for what she did. This couldn't happen to any of us, because most of us do not drive drunk. "

 DM wrote on May 26, 2006 9:30 am:
" Deborah, I am assuming that you are farming in the country, since you have a problem with people moving out of town who have no purpose doing so other than to enjoy some privacy, but how often do you need to drive into town and pollute the air. Do you really think that we need as much farm land for soybeans and corn (which is what I see mostly around here) as we have? If that was the case, the market would be better for these crops and the government wouldn't have to help so many farmers out because farms could be run like any other small business, based on supply and demand. I like my peaceful afternoons too, and I hate it when I hear a tractor (which is louder than a car) driving up the rode in the middle of my nap. I hate it when people dump their old farming junk in my ditch or windbreak. I think that farmers tend to respect the environment less than a lot of other people who move out to the country. And what ecosystem are you talking about? The natural ecosystem that was desroyed when farmers drained the wetlands, ripped up the natural prairies, and started plantining foriegn plants? Are you talking about the ecosystem in which wolves uses to thrive and are now exticnt to the entire area? Where deer are over populated because we killed off their natural predators? What about all the prarie dog colonies that once covered the great plains including this area that were exterminated and replaced with cattle? Miss Webb, the ecosystem is already destroyed, and it was destroyed by people who wanted to farm the land. The people who planted the corn that was once harvested killed off the natural order here, no amount of country acerages owned by people who want to get away from town will change that. I am not saying that there is no value in farming, because I still need to eat, but their are better, more space saving ways of doing it that are being used in many places, and are yet to be adopted here. By the way, my hybrid car pollutes the air a lot less that a pickup or a tractor. "

 CG wrote on May 26, 2006 9:37 am:
" Too bad Haley wasn't paying attention when they taught the dangers of drinking and driving. Too bad she didn't obey the law and wait until she was 21 to drink. This is all about choices. Haley made the horrible decision to drink underage. She made the even worse decision of driving while drunk. There is no excuse for this. Her joining the National Guard was also a choice, and what does it have to do with this situation? I make a point of talking to my child about making good choices and the repercutions if you don't. I do hope Haley has a tough time and suffers with what has happened - she should. She cost another person their life, someone's wife, daughter, a precious baby's mother. There is no excuse you can give that will make that ok. The worst part though - there are more people like Haley that still won't listen. And this type of tradgedy, so preventable, will continue to happen. What a hard time Jadyn is going to have without her mother. I can't imagine. "

 Christian wrote on May 26, 2006 10:39 am:
" You choose what to belive. We all do. But much like the Bible itself, there is debate among these CREDIBLE SOURCES about the "proofs" in this book. Some support Dan Brown's version of events, others don't, and if you do the research, it's close to even, with a bit of a tilt towards your viewpoint, which can be explained as the necessary reaction to combatting this particular book. If you only choose to see your side of the story and call everyone else a liar, you are the equivalent of conservatives and liberals who scream the "truth" and listen only to Rush Limbaugh and Michael Moore, respectively. What I get tired of is people who claim the Bible is TRUTH and that they know it to be TRUTH. With truth comes the absence of faith. When it is truth, you don't need faith because faith is the belief in something despite the absence of truth. The Christians that I have the greatest respect for are the ones that believe the Bible is the word of God and believe it despite their acknowledgement that there is debate and disagreement all over the world about Jesus. They struggle through it and come out the other side, faith and belief in tact. It makes them stronger Christians. Fundamentalism, whether it be religion, politics, is bad in any form because it allows people not to think. And religion without thought is one of the most dangerous things in our world today. Be a thinker, not a robot. Use your faith, not your fundamentalism. See both sides of the story and then make your choice. There are many absolutes in this world but religion isn't one of them. And it shouldn't be one of them. It wasn't designed to be that way. God gave us free will for a reason. "

 Adam wrote on May 26, 2006 10:56 am:
" Christian: That is one of the most cogent arguments I have ever heard. Though I may not share your beliefs, I can appreciate that you have them and can so well articulate the difference between faith and fact. "

 Laura wrote on May 26, 2006 11:04 am:
" Kathy - I am sure that Haley is suffering from this whole tragic experience, but I seriously doubt she is suffering more than Misty's family. How ironic that Misty's job was to counsel young adults/teens that have/had drug and alcohol problems, and then she was killed by a drunk driver. Another thing, an ACCIDENT as you called it is not what happened. An accident is something unintentional. Haley's actions of driving drunk were intentional, not constituting an accident. "

 Kenny wrote on May 26, 2006 11:15 am:
" I say lock up Haley for at least 25 years. Cars are deadly weapons. Forget this vehicular manslaughter nonsense, this is murder. She knowingly used a weapon under the influence and killed someone. This wasn't just an accident. This is murder. She should be locked up for a long time, as well as anyone who kills someone else using this weapon, a vehicle, drunk or sober. Driving is a priveledge, not a right. Be responsible! "

 Josh2 wrote on May 26, 2006 11:45 am:
" Allen - my Websters Dictionary defines faith (in part) as "firm belief in something for which there is no proof". Just FYI :) "

 BR wrote on May 26, 2006 11:52 am:
" My heart breaks for everyone involved in this situation. There is no magical shield against the effects of alcohol between the ages of 20 and 21. Booze is as booze does. By law, no, Hilligas shouldn't have been drinking underage. She made a horrible decision that will hang over her for the rest of her life. But no one, no matter what age, should drive under the influence. Many people don't realize the adverse effects even a small amount of alcohol can have on judgement and reaction time. Know your ability to hold your liquor. "

 Anon wrote on May 26, 2006 12:20 pm:
" Allen T.: You've stated you're a lawyer or law student on this blog before. I'm just curious though, when do you work? You have multiple postings every day. Are you honing your debate skills for the court room or are you nursing an internet blog addiction? There's an old saying that truth lies in the middle, which, in the case of all these editorials today, is likely right where it is. "

 C wrote on May 26, 2006 12:34 pm:
" Kathy, Ms. Hilligas had a high school diploma, military training, some college education and enough life experience to be gailfully employed. These are all things that you pointed out. If she's such a "great person" then why would she still be hammered at 6:15 in the morning and DRIVING!!! In guard programs and on college campuses there is plenty of information on the risks of driving under the influence and she obviously followed none of this advice. She deserves what she gets from the court system and not sympathy from anyone else. Misty Smith-Luebbert is dead. An apology will not fix that, the good things that Ms. Hilligas did before she killed her do not make up for it, someday, hopefully Misty's family will be able to forgive this but right now it's too fresh and it's a terrible time to talk about the "good points" of a murderer! "

 Pat wrote on May 26, 2006 12:34 pm:
" RE: Mr. Hagel. When he first ran for office in Nebraska, one of his comments was that Nebraska was a good place to raise children. Ironically, Mr. Hagel did not raise his children here. He used his home state to get him elected, plain and simple. "

 Choppa wrote on May 26, 2006 12:43 pm:
" Josh et al: What she did is wrong, but you have no business passing judgement on her or anyone else for that matter. It's a tragedy. One heart stopped, many hearts broke...Hillary's too. Or do you just have no room for forgiveness and compassion unless it suits your own agenda? "

 Dan wrote on May 26, 2006 1:13 pm:
" Kathy there is a thing called being responsible for your actions. Haley made the decision to drink she made the decision to drive even though impaired no one forced the alcohol down her or forced her to drive. So now she has to suffer the consequences of her decisions and live with it, just like Misty’s family. I’m glad she feels bad, she should feel bad. She not only killed someone, she devastated several lives along with it. Using the name of being veteran as an excuse and we should feel sympathy for her is disgusting too my honor. I am also a veteran of combat of 2 years in a cesspool. That’s no excuse. If she had gotten drunk in Iraq and killed someone over there because of it, she would be court marshaled. In Vietnam she would be front on patrol with the rest of the platoon far, far behind her. It's called Honor and she shows none of it. "

 K wrote on May 26, 2006 4:56 pm:
" There is no doubt that Haley acted irresponsibly and should be held accountable for her actions. I agree that the people who have suffered the most are Missy and her family. With that said, put yourselves in the shoes of Haley and her family. Maybe you would never drink and drive, but how do you know that your children never do? This could very well happen to someone that you know....I know I've done things that my parents never knew about, not that drinking and driving was one of them. What if YOUR child made a horrible mistake? Would you still think they were a "monster" and a "murderer"? What happened was a terrible tragedy and both Missy and Haley's family will suffer for a long time. And FYI Kenny: for a murder conviction you have to find intent. Sure Haley made the choice to drink and drive, but she did not have the intention of killing someone by doing so, although she should still be prosecuted. "

 Dan wrote on May 26, 2006 7:32 pm:
" She doesn't need to ask the general public for forgivness, she needs to ask Misty family for forgivness. If the family forgives her they the public should also forgive her. "

 Michele wrote on May 27, 2006 7:55 am:
" I don't feel one bit sorry for the drunk driver. She should have known better than to get into a car drunk. Hope she goes to prison for awhile for what she has done to Misty and her family. "

 SaddenedInLincoln wrote on May 27, 2006 2:52 pm:
" I feel sorry for both families. I have been there before. Meaning I lost 4 people all at once to a drunk driver. He served 2 years in jail and 6 years probation. In my heart I felt it wasn't enough at first. Then I thought about the lifetime he would have to live still knowing he took 4 peoples lifes all at once due to his neligent driving. (They were 24, 20, 5 and 3.) It's heart breaking for the families but time does help heal the pain although it will always be there. What Hailey did was truly an accident and others are to blame for allowing her to drink and then allowing her to drive. Misty unfortunitly isn't here to tell how it felt to suffer but it's too bad she wasn't asked before hand what she'd like to see happen to Hailey. What type of a punishment she should recieve. Hailey is already being punished one way by having to live with the fact she was part to blame for the loss of a life. I pray that both families find strength in God to forgive and go on as accidents and wrong choices do happen and EVERYONE DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE! "

 Lindsay wrote on May 27, 2006 6:01 pm:
" Well, Haley's friends should be responsible as well. My friends wouldn't let me drive home completely wasted. She could have crashed on the couch, called a taxi, asked a friend who was sober to drive her home. She should pay for her crime, but I think Kenny is being too harsh in judgment. I don't think when she got in her vehicle she was had the intention of going out and killing someone...more likely was thinking "I hope a cop doesn't catch me." She has to live the rest of her life knowing that she did something so stupid to kill someone and devestate many more lives...that's a pretty heavy sentence as well. "

 Tragic wrote on May 28, 2006 4:35 am:
" So much judgement on this board. Look, sometimes good people kill good people. Haley made a Terrible decision to drink and drive and as a result she ACCIDENTALLY killed someone. It doesn't make her an evil person. Is she a person who has made bad decisions? Definitely, but she is in no way, shape, or form, a murderer. In Kathy's letter, she pointed out Haley's tour in Iraq not as an excuse for drunk driving, but to emphasize that she is a normal and descent person, just like any of us, who happened to make a tragic mistake. As I said before, sometimes good people kill good people. It's not fair and not right but it happens. Haley will be punished as she should be, but she does not deserve to be labeled as a "murderer." The family and friends of the victims have every right to feel furiously angry right now, but to the rest of you I say let the anger go. "

 Allen T. wrote on May 28, 2006 1:28 pm:
" Having seen Ms. Hilligas' record of driving infractions, she's had plenty of second chances. Her constant disregard for the authority of law demonstrates that she is not likely to learn for the horror of this event. She's failed to learn before. I hope she does though. "

 CastJudgementNOWAY wrote on May 29, 2006 10:14 pm:
" I don't think anyone should cast judgement on anyone else because they themselves haven't lived their lifes to the fullest and who knows maybe someday you would be in their same situation. My question is why is Allen saying Ms. Hilligas has a record of driving infractions? I went and did some research after reading that and learned this was her first offense. Can you futher explain what you mean by that ALLEN T. "

 Allen T. wrote on May 31, 2006 3:07 pm:
" To properly investigate any record, utilize the Nebraska.gov website. Ms. Hilligas' record is not extensive, but this is not her first offense. "

 jessica wrote on May 31, 2006 9:20 pm:
" Allan did you really pay to get that driving record, or do you have special privileges? "

Ads by Yahoo!

More Stories In Letters