Letters, 9/6: Take a stand

I watched Barack Obama accept his party’s nomination for president, and earlier in the week I watched as Hillary Clinton spoke at the Democratic National Convention. I reflected upon the strides that have been made in racial and gender equality. There have been countless sacrifices made for this patriotic cause. Some paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. I felt a sense of accomplishment and pride in the efforts of those before me who made it possible for this to be a reality.

Then I sat down to read the daily paper and came across “Heineman staying neutral” (LJS, Aug. 28). I am angry and dismayed that the elected leader of our state refuses to lead on such a critical issue as human equality. Gov. Dave Heineman says, “I don’t feel as governor I have to take sides on every single issue.”

What kind of leadership do the people of Nebraska deserve? I want a leader who is very clear that he would oppose any efforts to move our nation backward in the cause of racial, gender or age equality.

It is every citizen’s responsibility to take a stand in support of equality for all. We can’t afford to be complacent and let up because of the progress that has been made. There are real threats to this progress, and this initiative is one of them. I hope Heineman reconsiders and takes a stand to oppose the effort of those who want to eliminate the safeguards that have been put in place to facilitate equal protection. Our great state deserves to hear his opinion.

Paul Ries, Lincoln

Politics above prudence

Your headline “McCain’s pick seen as a big gamble” is sadly all too true. He is not only gambling with his campaign, which is his business, but he’s gambling with our country and its future. As good a person as she might be, and as good a candidate for some office as she might be sometime in the future, she is not a good candidate for the office of vice president of the United States, which in this case is really being a candidate for the office of president of the United States.

This is an insult to Americans of every party. Senator McCain has put politics above prudence, being a maverick above being mature, wisecracking above wisdom; and has shown to me that he cannot make good and appropriate choices when the selections are critical, and instead chooses to play games with the future of our country.

I am a lifelong Republican, who was leaning to Senator Obama — not so much because of Senator McCain but because of what he has been a part of for these past eight years. Now I am convinced I will vote for Obama.  I know we will hear that Obama has no more experience than this selection of McCain. It is obvious however, that Obama has demonstrated during a hard-fought campaign that he is an able and well qualified individual and ready to take on the responsibilities for which he has been nominated.  Obama’s first presidential selection of Sen. Joe Biden speaks volumes regarding Obama’s maturity, wisdom and concern for us citizens.

It is unfortunate that our system has come to this. It is a system that allows the future of our country to be played with as though it were a poker chip in a game called politics.  It is a pivotal year, and one that begs for the wise and mature involvement of us all.

Jim Ihrig, Lincoln

Another big blow-out

One thing the surprise pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be the Republican vice presidential nominee did was to discredit the proposed ban on affirmative action here in Nebraska.

Nobody can argue that Palin was the most qualified pick for vice president. She was chosen primarily because she is a woman.

So if the Republican Party and the Democratic Party both support affirmative action why are we trying to rewrite Nebraska’s Constitution?

Because some Californians with money feel that they can tell us how to run our state?

I predict the ballot initiative to ban affirmative action in Nebraska government will be as big a blow-out as the Cornhuskers’ first three football opponents.

Ricky Lee Fulton, Omaha