Tom White says he might be running against congressman Lee Terry in the 2nd district ("White 'close' to decision on race," June 21). He said Terry is a proud member of the NO party.

Well, I say God bless Terry for saying NO to the takeover of the car companies, banks, health care and our freedoms. I'm a senior and don't want this government telling my doctor I can't have a certain procedure if it can save my life; look at Canada and Europe's health care.

President Barack Obama has put our children and grandchildren in debt up to their eyeballs for the next two to three generations. We do not need to be taken care of from cradle to grave; let the people control their own destiny! Yes, there are some who need to be taken care of, but there are a lot who are leeches on the rest of us hard-working taxpayers.

We don't need more lawyers like White in the government. The lawyers know nothing about business. If all the lawyers would stay in private practice and do what they do best, litigate and help those who need the help, the world would be better off.

Yes to the NO party. NO to bigger government and owning privately held businesses. NO to this coward who is president who goes overseas and apologizes for our glorious past. We are not perfect, but we have saved the world over and over from those who wish to control our lives.

God bless Terry, Adrian Smith and Jeff Fortenberry for saying NO so often to this president and what he is doing to our great country.

Roger Yant Sr., Lincoln

Open the facilities

I was glad to see the subject of the editorial in the Journal Star ("Locked tennis courts need review," June 24). It has always irked me that Lincoln Public Schools thinks it owns the schools it is in charge of.

Given, LPS must protect the properties, but they are public properties. Facilities are used in other states and cities as stated. Being from California, I can remember visiting and using tennis courts, gyms and other outdoor facilities.

As a youth here in Lincoln, we used to visit gyms to jump on the trampoline and play basketball and volleyball, lift weights, etc. Whatever happened? Today's youth should have use of those facilities during the summer, and so should the adults who have helped pay for them. What an outrage. This is public property.

I hope the editorial goes a long way toward resolving this issue and getting these facilities open for public use.

Richard Wakeman, Lincoln

Conscience concerns

My letter concerns the request by the Nebraska Catholic Conference to have a "conscience clause" written into state rules ("Catholics seeking rules change," June 12), which would allow mental health practitioners to refuse treatment to some people and also to refuse to refer these patients to others based upon the "conscience" of the therapist or helper.

The real horror I feel regarding this request is deep. I have worked for many years with people living and dying with HIV/AIDS. Because many of them are gay men, I have a hunch they would fall into this special category. The thought of them and their families being turned away from help troubles my soul.

It is a slippery slope when "conscience" allows us to turn away from anyone reaching out for help. To not even refer a suffering patient to where he or she can get help is reprehensible and could cause tragic consequences.

Perhaps those in the helping professions who wish not to treat might be better able to work with an open heart in another profession rather than offering judgmental rejection to those who cannot pass the conscience test.

Remembering Jesus' parable about the good Samaritan gives a hint about Jesus' stand on this issue. It would take a twisted conscience not to understand the kind of mercy he is referring to.

Colene Walker, Lincoln

Accuracy is needed

I am 67 years old. I remember the 1960s when "experts" were telling us the earth's temperature was cooling. Soon the north half of the United States would be too cold to even grow crops. Well, it never happened! And now the earth is supposedly warming up.

I hope people prevent a political maneuver by President Barack Obama to satisfy his global warming supporters in a very costly way.

Regarding the Journal Star article ("Climate change already affecting U.S.," June 17) mentioning an 8-inch rise along some of the U.S. coastline: If the 8 inches is a concern, my deeper concern is what happened to cause it only in some places. My pond rises equally whenever it rains. Maybe the "experts" aren't aware of a really serious event. Or maybe they are ridiculously off the wall!

We also are concerned about Obama's drive to put such a burden on our nation to lower the so-called greenhouse gas emissions. It is outrageous. Again we think he is doing this to satisfy his global warming supporters.

We ask the Journal Star to do accurate reporting; at a time like this it is very important to our nation, because a great toll is being placed on it.

The United States needs the media to report impartially. Freedom of the press is a blessing, unless it is used as a propaganda tool.

Gil Kisling, Denton

Know the facts

In response to your June 23 editorial "Connect the dots on supplements," your readers should be aware that while editorials are based on opinions, those opinions should be based on facts. Unfortunately, your editorial got some important facts wrong.

First, Zicam, a product that your editorial called a dietary supplement, is in fact a homeopathic drug.

Second, your editorial quotes conclusions made by Travis Tygart of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that are absolutely false. The study he is referencing hand-selected 54 products that the testing lab believed were manufactured by companies not engaging in routine quality control processes. The study does not conclude anything about any percentage of "supplements made in America" containing steroids or stimulants.

Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, supplement companies must abide by good manufacturing practices covering virtually all aspects of manufacturing, labeling and quality control. In addition, there is another law that requires that supplement manufacturers report to the FDA any serious adverse event reports received.

All industries have bad actors, and our industry is no exception. However, more than 150 million Americans take dietary supplements each year, and they can continue to feel confident in these products.

Consumers would be wise to buy from companies they know and trust and stay away from products that advertise with claims that seem too good to be true.

Steve Mister, president and CEO, Council for Responsible Nutrition