Letters, 6/16: Front page bias
I recently read a comment that I am going to pass along because it seems so appropriate to the Journal Star front page of June 14:
If President Bush could walk on water, the Journal Star would report “Bush can’t swim.”
Terry Vonderschmidt, Beatrice
Significant fact missing
I was delighted to see the story in the June 9 Lincoln Journal Star about the joint appearance by 3rd District congressional candidates Scott Kleeb and Adrian Smith. As a Boys Stater, I was privileged to attend the forum and found it quite interesting.
However, the story was missing a significant fact on the candidates’ policy positions. In doubting the human role in global warming, candidate Smith is choosing to dismiss the scientific consensus on this issue.
I believe this information should have been shared with the Journal Star’s readers.
Todd Mooring, Lincoln
No discount for veterans
My name is Michael Rider. I am active duty U.S. Navy currently serving in Washington, D.C. I have been on active duty for five years. I have served in Chicago, South Korea, San Diego and now Washington, D.C. I am originally from Lincoln.
My letter is regarding discounted movie tickets that are given to college students at almost every theater in the United States and my experiences with the theaters in Lincoln. This same discount that is given to college students is not given to active-duty service members — the service members that make countless sacrifices to keep this country safe and free.
Whenever I make it back to Lincoln, I usually take in a movie, and every time I ask for a military discount, I am turned down.
I also attend college; however, I do not show my student ID because I feel that my service in the military warrants a discount. I do not feel that college students deserve this discount just for attending school when there are thousands of service members who voluntarily go into harm’s way for this country.
Michael Rider, Haymarket, Va.
Conduct unbecoming
My son plays on an 8-year-old select baseball team. Baseball is extremely popular in Lincoln, and with all the T-ball and little teams competing for practice time, baseball fields can be tough to come by.
Recently, after finding the originally scheduled field already in use when we arrived, we looked for an alternative place for the kids to play. We ended up finding a field near Lincoln Southeast High School. There are two fields there, and one of the fields was being used by an older select team and the other was not in use, so the kids took the field and started practice.
Near the end of the scheduled practice time, a gentleman who identified himself as the head baseball coach for Lincoln Southeast came screaming onto the field for everyone to get off the field.
The instant he told the team, the boys walked off the field and began packing up their bats, gloves, helmets, catcher’s equipment, etc., but the gentleman continued to stand in the middle of the diamond and yell at them to get off the field.
The kids did nothing wrong; they were not being destructive; they were simply a baseball team looking for a place to practice. I fully understand if Lincoln Southeast owns the field and has a policy that approval must be granted for use of their facility.
But that message could have been relayed in a polite manner and had the same result. It did not require someone acting like a jerk and berating a group of 8-year-old boys while they left the field. Especially from someone who is in a career in which he mentors young adults.
I can assure you, that if my son is still interested in baseball when he is ready for high school, he will not be attending Southeast.
Todd Rolfes, Lincoln
Lincoln has many parks
I just wanted to say how wonderful it was to attend an event at the newly renovated Holmes Lake. The Waterfest was a family learning adventure that was attended by hundreds of people who were able to walk, bike or drive there and spend a wonderful evening with the family.
I am still waiting for the mayor to acknowledge that we do have other wonderful parts of Lincoln other than the Haymarket area. I would still enjoy the fireworks brought back to Holmes Lake.
I hope when we elect a new mayor that it will be someone who will see all of Lincoln and not just the Haymarket.
Donna Brophy, Lincoln
If President Bush could walk on water, the Journal Star would report “Bush can’t swim.”
Terry Vonderschmidt, Beatrice
Significant fact missing
I was delighted to see the story in the June 9 Lincoln Journal Star about the joint appearance by 3rd District congressional candidates Scott Kleeb and Adrian Smith. As a Boys Stater, I was privileged to attend the forum and found it quite interesting.
However, the story was missing a significant fact on the candidates’ policy positions. In doubting the human role in global warming, candidate Smith is choosing to dismiss the scientific consensus on this issue.
I believe this information should have been shared with the Journal Star’s readers.
Todd Mooring, Lincoln
No discount for veterans
My name is Michael Rider. I am active duty U.S. Navy currently serving in Washington, D.C. I have been on active duty for five years. I have served in Chicago, South Korea, San Diego and now Washington, D.C. I am originally from Lincoln.
My letter is regarding discounted movie tickets that are given to college students at almost every theater in the United States and my experiences with the theaters in Lincoln. This same discount that is given to college students is not given to active-duty service members — the service members that make countless sacrifices to keep this country safe and free.
Whenever I make it back to Lincoln, I usually take in a movie, and every time I ask for a military discount, I am turned down.
I also attend college; however, I do not show my student ID because I feel that my service in the military warrants a discount. I do not feel that college students deserve this discount just for attending school when there are thousands of service members who voluntarily go into harm’s way for this country.
Michael Rider, Haymarket, Va.
Conduct unbecoming
My son plays on an 8-year-old select baseball team. Baseball is extremely popular in Lincoln, and with all the T-ball and little teams competing for practice time, baseball fields can be tough to come by.
Recently, after finding the originally scheduled field already in use when we arrived, we looked for an alternative place for the kids to play. We ended up finding a field near Lincoln Southeast High School. There are two fields there, and one of the fields was being used by an older select team and the other was not in use, so the kids took the field and started practice.
Near the end of the scheduled practice time, a gentleman who identified himself as the head baseball coach for Lincoln Southeast came screaming onto the field for everyone to get off the field.
The instant he told the team, the boys walked off the field and began packing up their bats, gloves, helmets, catcher’s equipment, etc., but the gentleman continued to stand in the middle of the diamond and yell at them to get off the field.
The kids did nothing wrong; they were not being destructive; they were simply a baseball team looking for a place to practice. I fully understand if Lincoln Southeast owns the field and has a policy that approval must be granted for use of their facility.
But that message could have been relayed in a polite manner and had the same result. It did not require someone acting like a jerk and berating a group of 8-year-old boys while they left the field. Especially from someone who is in a career in which he mentors young adults.
I can assure you, that if my son is still interested in baseball when he is ready for high school, he will not be attending Southeast.
Todd Rolfes, Lincoln
Lincoln has many parks
I just wanted to say how wonderful it was to attend an event at the newly renovated Holmes Lake. The Waterfest was a family learning adventure that was attended by hundreds of people who were able to walk, bike or drive there and spend a wonderful evening with the family.
I am still waiting for the mayor to acknowledge that we do have other wonderful parts of Lincoln other than the Haymarket area. I would still enjoy the fireworks brought back to Holmes Lake.
I hope when we elect a new mayor that it will be someone who will see all of Lincoln and not just the Haymarket.
Donna Brophy, Lincoln
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