I am a senior citizen who has spent many happy hours at the State Fair. My parents went to the State Fair before they had a car, traveling by train.

I can’t imagine the State Fair being held anywhere else, but maybe it’s time to hold it out west somewhere, so the rest of the state has closer access to it for the next 140 years!

But more importantly, we need to give that space to the university. After all, what is more important — a 10-day fair or a year-round educational area for the people of our state?

Let the university have the fairgrounds!

Ruth Anne Schoen, Wahoo

Send $94M elsewhere

The heading caught my eye, “Build new jail with eye to the future” (editorial, LJS, Sept. 5). I could not help but think, what if we as a community really did think for the future.

The new jail is estimated at $94 million. What if we spent $94 million on building a better future by supporting new and existing programs in the community that empower “at-risk” kids when they are young, such as mentoring programs, after school programs, health programs, life skills programs, community gardens, etc.

Think of the child in your child’s/grandchild’s class that is labeled the “troublemaker.” Instead of labeling him/her and expecting him/her to end up in jail, why not expect the best? Every “at-risk” person has a skill that can contribute to the community.

As a community in Lincoln we could live this famous proverb, give a man a fish and he can eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he can eat for a lifetime!

There are already organizations out there doing this; more funding would allow them to reach more people. If the $94 million was spent on prevention, the future of Lincoln would mean more thoughtful citizens, not more people going to bigger jails.

The editorial began, “there’s no escaping the fact that Lancaster County has to do it,” and ends, “With planning, the new jail can meet the needs of our growing community for a much longer period.”

What if “it” meant creating more opportunities for children to learn and feel hope from the community and ended with us honestly meeting the needs of all people in the community? Every citizen has the power to create the future of our community, What will we choose? 

Summer Brackhan, Lincoln

Ashamed of news media

As I followed Gen. David Petraeus’ report to Congress recently and the absurdly insulting and despicable questioning he received from Democratic leaders, I am ashamed.

I am ashamed that the Los Angeles Times opined that the report “would actually be written by the White House, with inputs from officials throughout the government,” when Petraeus himself stated, under oath, “I wrote this testimony myself” and that it “has not been cleared by, nor shared with, anyone in the Pentagon, the White House or Congress.”

I am ashamed that the mainstream media has continually been advocating against America in this war. The New York Times accepted a full-page ad from the ultra-left-wing MoveOn.Org group asking if he was “General Petraeus or General Betray Us?” and accusing him of intentionally falsifying his report. I am not surprised that the New York Times ran that ad at a 61 percent discount, further destroying any hint of impartiality from that paper.

I am ashamed that, immediately after Petraeus gave his report, on CNN, they immediately challenged each point of his report, live, with a reporter in Iraq.

I am ashamed that on MSNBC, Chris Matthews repeatedly referred to Petraeus’ report as a “dog and pony show.”

This makes four major news organizations openly and unabashedly siding with the Democratic left and advocating for America to lose this war.

I am not “pro-war.” No one wants war or likes war. I support our current military action in Iraq and elsewhere around the globe, and I want them to overwhelmingly succeed.

I cannot fathom why any American would want us to lose this war, and yet nearly every major news organization in the country and more than half of our Congress members are advocating for that very thing.

I am ashamed.

Andy Ringsmuth, Lincoln

U.S. not always to blame

Change the title and the signature on a Sept. 17 letter and see if it seems quite logical. Change the title from “Why Iraqis hate the U.S.” to “Why radical Islamic terrorists hate the U.S.” Then change the signature from “Mohammed H. Siddiq” to “Osama bin Laden.”

Only the twisted minds of radicals could logically blame the U.S. for the things we are said to have caused in this letter. For instance, we are blamed for killing 1.5 million Iraqis because Saddam’s noncompliance with United Nations agreements led to the UN putting his country on economic sanctions.

Have our actions in Iraq been entirely just and honorable? I don’t believe they have. However, none of our actions here could be used by right-thinking people to justify the 9/11 terrorism.

Mike Stoakes, Lincoln

Chambers suit ridiculous

When I opened the paper and saw that Ernie Chambers was suing God, I had to take a double take.

Remember, this is the man who skips morning prayers during session and criticizes Christians. I am very thankful to live in a nation that allows us freedom of religion and of free speech. Therefore, I think I will use my freedom of speech to spew my venom towards Mr. Chambers.

He said that he is doing this to prove a point, that point being you can sue anyone, any time, over anything, referring to the Tory Bowen case who is suing the judge for not letting certain words be used in her rape trial.

Chambers stated that God has made terroristic threats against himself and his constituents, among other allegations.

I find this blasphemes and feel that Ernie Chambers must be sniffing a few too many gas fumes when fixing his vehicles.

The more I think about this, the more I think maybe I should file a lawsuit against Chambers. Let’s see, maybe for having to read such garbage, for mental anguish, but most of all, for defamation of character, not mine, but God’s. Remember, you can sue anyone, any time, over anything.

Nancy J. Wissink, Lincoln

South Lincoln uninviting

It is funny to watch the velvet glove of real estate and its twisted sense of values enter our City Council meetings. Unless you are disabled, then it isn’t so funny.

Several years ago St. Monica’s wanted to build a treatment center for alcoholic women in the sacred land of South Lincoln. Didn’t see the light of day.

Then a lawsuit from Developmental Services of Nebraska forced the City Council to give consideration for zoning to group homes and such for people with special needs. The lawsuit cost taxpayers a lot of money.

Now, AgeMark wants to build a treatment center for Alzheimer’s patients in the sacred land of South Lincoln. Fight tooth and nail, they get it approved over howls of disapproval from the neighbors whose traffic and noise concerns seem moot given the nearby Old Cheney Road.

The whole message of welcoming people with special needs in the “community" seems to define “community” as property that is too devalued to matter. South Lincoln is sending a clear message. If alcoholic women and Alzheimer’s patients are threatening to the sacred soil of South Lincoln, then how much more the fight will be over anyone else. I wouldn’t give stray kittens much hope.

We would be wise to consider that perhaps nice neighborhoods are the best environment for people with special needs. And changing our twisted obsession with property values wouldn’t hurt either.

Daniel Widders, Lincoln