The Public Pulse, July 14

Ultimate sacrifice for freedom

I read a tremendous July 11 news story, “It’s OK, Eddie. Dad’s here,” about a young Omaha soldier who lost his life in Afghanistan. The headline had me weeping for at least five minutes before I could even begin to read the story.

While it is innately sad, I found it very gratifying and proper for the U.S. military to go the extra mile for the families of fallen soldiers. What a wonderful thing for them to do to bring the families to Dover Air Force Base to witness the arrival of their beloved soldiers and to provide other grief-related services while the families are there.

I am sure Tom Wood will always treasure the memory of his son coming back to American soil and the dignity and respect he was shown by everyone at Dover AFB. It does not cancel out his grief in any way — it just makes it shared by all of us.

The story also makes me think of what this young man and so many other men and women have given their lives for in this long war. This young man, just one month shy of his 19th birthday, joined the military to protect our freedoms and preserve our way of life.

Jeanne Dale, Bellevue

Getting to know Muslims in U.S.

In regard to a July 11 editorial, “Muslims in America,” I spent considerable time with Muslims while traveling to Africa and Asia. At some holy sites, I had nice visits with Mullahs, who explained their religion in good detail. As a result of these travels, I communicate on a fairly frequent basis with my Muslim friends.

Because of our open borders, I don’t know who is in our country, what his or her origin is or whether he or she belongs to groups that hate us and consider us the “Great Satan.”

Amnesty is just a word. We need a well- managed immigration system so we know who is in our country. Much could be accomplished by a well-managed system of sponsors. People who legally reside here could sponsor workers in various industries and be responsible for them while they are here.

Our problem is that we have nearly open borders, make little attempt to manage immigration and don’t know who is in our country. There are more than 500,000 immigrants from Muslim countries, and we don’t know their background.

Bob Reel, Omaha

Learn to live together in peace

In response to a July 11 editorial, “Muslims in America,” ever since 9/11 we have seen an alarming rise in “Islamophobia.” As Christians, we need to be proactive in confronting the bigotry that still exists.

The overwhelming majority of Muslims in America seek the same peace and prosperity that our fellow children of Abraham cherish.

Things I hear are in direct contradiction to our calling as peacemakers. May the community we build with our Jewish and Muslim neighbors bring us closer to the New Jerusalem we can all share and celebrate.

The Rev. Howard Dotson, Omaha

Improving CAT scores for OPS

In response to a July 5 news story on the standardized California Achievement Test scores in the Omaha Public Schools, a majority of OPS students have always seemed to score lower than students in other school districts in the metropolitan Omaha area.

I understand that OPS serves a student population that overall has fewer advantages than most suburban students. But doesn’t that make it even more important to find an educational process model that will successfully educate and graduate these students? Otherwise, these students won’t ever master the basic foundation skills that are necessary to lead a self-sufficient life.

How long will OPS parents and taxpayers continue to sit quietly while such a high percentage of OPS students are dropping out or otherwise failing to earn a workable high school education?

By any reasonable measure, the current rate of student failure is unacceptable. This ongoing failure suggests that the existing educational model is not working very well. Perhaps it is time to look at alternate methods, such as year-round school or trying the Harlem Children’s Zone model.

Does anyone with an interest in a successful OPS care? Why aren’t more people demanding meaningful change from the Omaha school board?

Jeff Bird, Omaha

Don’t improve execution, stop it

I was saddened to read a July 8 news story about Nebraska’s new method of carrying out the death penalty. What is the fascination with state executions? How many of us will feel safer and happier knowing we now have a legal means of execution?

In the last session, the Legislature was unwilling to investigate the costliness of the death penalty, despite the efforts of State Sen. Brenda Council of Omaha. Thankfully, the death penalty has been carried out only three times in recent history in Nebraska and is not scheduled in the near future. But that is still three times too many.

The bland descriptions of the process by Nebraska Corrections Director Bob Houston and warden Dennis Bakewell apparently are meant to assure the public that competent and skilled personnel have been appointed to execute for the state. However, this is contradicted by the inhumane nature of the act.

The executioner will stand behind one-way glass, and the three types of poison will be sent through tubes in the wall. The room has been enlarged and made more “user friendly.” It was almost grisly to see the video of the “death bed.”

We should not be fixated on the death penalty. We should abolish it.

John Krejci, Lincoln

Death penalty won’t stop crime

Apparently, Joanne Smith (July 12 Pulse) is unaware that execution can cost more than lifelong incarceration. So, her argument about wasting Nebraska tax dollars fails.

Like so many, she picks and chooses from the Bible. What about “Thou shall not kill”? I don’t see any qualifiers there.

No one who commits a violent crime resulting in death is considering the death penalty, or even incarceration.

Joyce Dunn, Omaha

U.S. flag: ‘Don’t tread on me’

In response to a July 8 news story about a protester who trampled the American flag, once again we have backed down from what we fought and died for all of these years.

Why don’t these protesters leave this country and try to disrespect the flag of wherever country they go to and see how far they get? God bless America. Long may our flag wave.

Bill Fead, Omaha

Past Veteran of Foreign Wars commander

Can’t steal what we purchased

In his July 7 letter, Charles A. Novich claims that the United States took California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming and parts of Colorado as a result of the Mexican-American War (1846-48).

The fact is that after Gens. Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott led U.S. forces to victory over Mexico, the war ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, by which the U.S. government bought, for $15 million, the states that Novich claims were taken from Mexico.

In 1867, the United States bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. If Russians start pouring into Alaska, are they taking back land that the United States took from Russia? I think not.

So, the illegal Mexican immigrants who Novich thinks are so entitled to U.S. soil are trying to steal land that Mexico already sold to the United States.

Daren Schrat, Bellevue

Is U.S. on the right energy path?

Let me be the first to applaud Colleen O’Doherty (July 8 Pulse) in her rampage and war against an oil pipeline and her continued crusade for clean energy.

First, I would like to ask if she drives a car, heats her home, cools her home or uses plastics? Secondly, what is “green energy”? No one seems to know — not our president, nor his advisers or scientists.

We aren’t supposed to drill for oil, even though the entire world is. We shouldn’t use coal, even though the rest of the world is. We shouldn’t build nuclear plants, even though the rest of the world is. What is going on?

Scott Bray, La Vista

Helping others is always right

The older I get, the harder it is for me to understand how things have changed.

In 2008, the U.S. Treasury collected $25 billion in estate taxes. On average, estate taxes affect 5,500 people a year but are responsible for billions of dollars in federal revenue.

Texas billionaire Dan L. Duncan died about three months ago. His estate is valued at $9 billion. Under the old tax code, his estate might have paid the U.S. Treasury as much as $4.9 billion in taxes. That $4.9 billion amounts to 55 percent of the $9 billion in spending cuts some senators are demanding before they will vote to extend unemployment benefits to the 200,000 Americans who have exhausted their benefits.

If those benefits are extended, these folks might receive $1,200 per month, which is just below the federal poverty guideline of $1,214 per month for a family of two.

I grew up in the 1950s, when helping people who are down on their luck was a good thing and greed and self-indulgence were bad things. So, please forgive me if I fail to understand how not taxing America’s wealthiest is good for America and helping families with little or no income to live at nearly the poverty level is bad for America.

Phil Karno, Omaha

Fireworks equals big money

I couldn’t agree more with Dr. David J. Hibler Sr.’s July 9 Midlands Voices essay about fireworks.

I have experienced all of the negative aspects of fireworks that he wrote about in his essay, and from the letters I’ve read, we are not alone.

It would be nice if only the professionals could put on public displays for the holidays. But unfortunately, as long as there is money to be made, it will never end.

Lynn M. Richardson, Bellevue

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