Here's how you can submit letters to the Public Pulse opinion section.
From empty to pleasing?
The new juvenile justice center is a great design idea but sits completely empty. Its classrooms, health center, fitness facility and rooftop recreation area all sit unused because the daily population at the existing Douglas County Youth Center fluctuates between 70 to 90 juveniles and the new facility only has 64 beds.
What a waste of energy, money and ideas.
At the same time, "without sufficient mental health services available in the community, correctional settings have become de facto psychiatric facilities. That issue is present across the nation and statewide, but is especially prevalent at the Douglas County Correctional Center," according to Douglas County Public Defender Tom Riley ("After 5 decades, Douglas County public defender suggests criminal justice changes," Nov. 26)
Why not put together a diverse group of out of the box thinkers, maybe chaired by Riley, to come up with some ideas. Just the fact that we have too many juveniles and not enough beds in the new facility -- so it sits vacant -- is not an idea. At the same time, we have, according to The World-Herald article, a jail filled with individuals who have severe mental problems, who definitely should not be in the county jail. I'm sure a group of people could come up with some better ideas for a solution to a terrific, but vacant building which was designed to open opportunities -- a solution more pleasing to both taxpayers and humanitarians.
Vicki Krecek, Omaha
Hunting mountain lions
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission recently announced expanded mountain lion hunting, with many celebrating the decision. But should we be? After their eradication by European settlers, lions have only regained a foothold slowly in Nebraska in the 1990's, and their hunting began again in 2022. Proponents of their killing argue that lions need management to protect game animal populations and livestock. However, ecosystems and nature balance themselves without the need for human management, which is a thinly veiled excuse for bloodlust and killing for thrills. As well non-lethal methods of coexistence, including use of guard dogs, range riders, and enclosures, are available to farmers and ranchers to mitigate the threat to livestock and should be mandatory prior to killing mountain lions.
Mountain lions are a keystone species and an apex predator. They cull weak and sickly ungulates (think Chronic Wasting Disease) and prevent overpopulation of deer. Lions' activity provides carrion for other species, protects native vegetation, and promotes biodiversity. Some studies show that killing apex predators does not benefit ungulate populations, which are more likely impacted by weather patterns, food abundance, drought, etc.
Unfortunately, there are too many Nebraskans intent on destroying these majestic animals. Online commenters have even suggested broadening the legal means to kill, including the atrocities of using hounds and traps. As well, the relentless expansion of human sprawl with resulting habitat loss poses a significant threat to mountain lions. The world is experiencing a horrific loss of biodiversity known as the Sixth Mass Extinction, and we should be doing more to preserve the wild world around us. Nature is not an enemy to be conquered. Mountain lions are not the problem; we are.
Debbie Goebel, M.D., Omaha
Santa says we've been naughty
We've been bad, so Santa's giving us a bag of coal; the dirtier bituminous kind. One lump is a Fox host whose chest tattoo, an emblem endorsed by an extremist sect, got him temporarily removed from a National Guard unit, not to mention his admitted alcohol problem. His only experience running an organization folded amidst scandal. He was supposed to be secretary of defense with access to nuclear codes.
Another lump of coal is a woman who calls journalists "monsters" and, because she lost an election, says America is corrupt. She'd be head of the Voice of America.
Another has compiled an enemies list who he'd target as head of an FBI transformed into a tool of suppression. Naughty, says Santa.
An unqualified non-scientist, a friend of coal and oil, would head the Environmental Protection Agency.
Another gets her news from RT, described by the American intelligence community as the Kremlin's principal international propaganda outlet. She would be placed in charge of America's secrets as director of national intelligence.
A billionaire who has court cases in progress would create a new agency to trim, as a butcher does to meat, any government agency he targets, while promoting DOGE cryptocoins named for his new bureaucracy.
Another spreads baseless conspiracy theories and would bring about a return of polio, measles, smallpox and other diseases conquered by vaccination, which he opposes. He'd be put in charge of health because first, he fed his leader's big ego and second, "American Adults Flunk Basic Science," according to a survey by Harris and the California Academy of Sciences.
Santa will be watching to see if we're naughty, supporting a kakistocracy, or nice, opposing these nominations, and defending democracy. If we're nice for two years he'll bring us good midterm elections.
Jim Bechtel, Omaha
What's best for Nebraskans
David Begley's defense of the winner-take-all system in Midlands Voices on Dec. 8 falls short of addressing what's best for Nebraskans. As a state, we pride ourselves on independent thinking and doing what's right, rather than being swayed by external influences. In 1991, Nebraska adopted a system designed to give our voters a greater voice in presidential elections. At the time, the reasoning was clear: it would "encourage presidential candidates to pay attention to Nebraska." In fact, the very governor Mr. Begley praises for understanding Nebraskans, Ben Nelson, signed that bill into law.
And it works! This year alone, presidential campaigns spent over $50 million in Nebraska, showing that our approach fosters engagement and attention. Democracy isn't a partisan issue in Nebraska, and it's time Mr. Begley stopped trying to make it one.
Cheri Duryea McPherson, Omaha
Cella Quinn, Omaha
Tracy Zaiss, Omaha
Returning to winner-take-all
I write in response to David Begley's Midlands Voices column about unity ("Nebraska should return to winner-take-all to show state's unity" Dec. 8).
I think Mr. Begley makes no sound public policy rationale to return Nebraska to a winner-take-all Electoral College state. He doesn't point out any positive benefits of this potential change.
I don't see how this proposal would make the 40% of Nebraskans who voted against Donald Trump feel united with the almost 60% who did.
This appears to me an attempt to reduce voting participation by political minorities. However, if this proposal does go through, the political energy would be channeled elsewhere. Maybe a better candidate and better messaging could lead to a Democrat victory in the 2nd Congressional District. Is this the path Gov. Jim Pillen wants to tread?
Neil Edgington, Bellevue
Election impact
It's amazing how smart our forefathers were. It's as if they could see into the future. If we did a winner-take-all count of the electoral vote, I think Nebraska would truly become a flyover state. In the 2020 election, 11 million Californians voted for the Democrat. If every man, woman and child had been able to vote in Alaska, North and South Dakota, Wyoming, Iowa, Kansas, Montana and Nebraska there would have only be 10 million Republican votes. I think candidates would only visit high population states, and the Midwest would have little impact on the popular vote. This would be an injustice to democracy.
Bill Knickman, Nebraska City
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