The Public Pulse, February 15

Criticism of cops unrealistic

A Feb. 7 Midlands Voices article by Tristan Bonn and Sam Walker would be laughable if it weren't so scary. The racial tone and generalized bashing of an entire Police Department is uncalled for and without merit.

First, an officer faces a split-second decision to defend himself from death or serious injury, and there is no time to ponder the racial makeup or criminal history of a person driving a car at you or through you.

Second, the authors contradict themselves when they discuss "unchecked unprofessional police misconduct" in one paragraph and give kudos to Chief Alex Hayes for "properly" firing two officers in the next one.

Finally, Bonn and Walker "believe" officers beat a man to death. Really? A death in police custody is investigated by a grand jury, and after hearing all the evidence, the citizen jurors believed the officers did not cause that death.

It is time to stop the divisive rhetoric and come back to the real world.

Jay Leavitt, Omaha

Omaha police lieutenant

Pushing religious beliefs

In a Feb. 12 news story, Dr. Carolyn Manhart admits she won't prescribe birth control to her patients. Does she forewarn prospective patients that she will put her own religious beliefs ahead of that patient's medical needs?

Doctors who use the term "health care" to force their own religious beliefs on unsuspecting patients should not have a license to practice medicine.

Annika Phillis, Omaha

Lawsuit won't fix alcohol issue

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that the Oglala Sioux Tribe is bringing a lawsuit against four retail beer stores, four beer distributors and the five largest brewers.

Being in the liquor industry for 35 years, 20 years as a wholesaler and 15 years as a retailer, I am very passionate to do things by the letter of the law. To insinuate that this industry is at fault for the plight of the Indian on Pine Ridge or anywhere else for that matter is ridiculous.

I pay my taxes, abide by the rules of the Nebraska Liquor Commission and consider myself a good citizen. The state could close the four retail outlets in the town of Whiteclay, and more carnage and devastation would result because the Indians would have to drive farther to fuel their addiction.

Let's use some common sense here and address this problem from the inside out, not the outside in.

Larry Gregurich, Valley

A hunting season for cougars?

Are Nebraskans that desperate to kill things that we have to add mountain lions to the permitted-to-hunt list?

Current law limits mountain lion killing to animals threatening people or their property, which means a mountain lion's very existence is a threat. But apparently that's not enough, as the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission now wants a season during which the cats can be officially gunned down.

Such action points out the fallacy of an agency tasked with protecting the state's wildlife being the same agency that facilitates the killing of said wildlife.

To be sure, hunting is a popular activity, and fine people, many of whom are interested in preserving nature, participate in it. But let's not drape it in the adornments of nobility and altruism.

Conservation that occurs because of hunting does so primarily because of forward-looking legislation that sets aside a portion of the proceeds from hunting-related purchases. Conversely, conservation does not occur because throngs of hunters buy their bullets and permits because they want to protect wildlife.

Sadly, the commission seems to want to add mountain lions to the list of things those bullets and permits can be used to kill.

Gary Peterson, Omaha

Pink uniform flap went too far

A controversy over pink uniforms for the Omaha Burke High School girls basketball team wouldn't have reached this point if Burke coaches hadn't violated a known rule.

It wouldn't have happened if Burke coaches had informed Columbus coaches prior to the game about the uniforms. Or if the referees caught the rule violation during the warm-ups. Or if the Burke coaches shrugged off the technical foul as nothing more than a to-be-expected penalty, instead of fanning the flames.

To pin it all on Columbus officials seems unfair and unwarranted, especially with the erroneous implication that Columbus cares only about winning a game and nothing about the excellent charity being supported.

Will Sanborn, Columbus, Neb.

Behind the unemployment rate

On the surface, a national unemployment rate of 8.3 percent would seem like an improvement and a bellwether of better days ahead. But has someone been playing with those numbers? Essentially, the unemployment rate is the percentage of people who are out of work and still actively seeking employment.

What has been under-reported is the vast number of American adults whom the Obama administration no longer counts as part of the work force. Without considering those people, the unemployment announcement seems meaningless or misleading.

This administration is in full re-election mode and using statistics to paper over its failures. There is little it announces that is not framed with November as the key focus.

The unemployment figures are aimed at convincing Americans that happy days are here again. With a few more months of President Barack Obama's creative accounting, we could have 5 percent unemployment, as long as we don't count all of those without jobs.

Bruce E. Dickes, Omaha

Executive Committee

Douglas County Republican Party

Obama is in over his head

I am tired of hearing that this administration didn't know how bad the recession was and is using it as an excuse for not fulfilling promises made to get elected. It tells me that the candidate, or party, didn't have a clue as to what it was getting into or a plan to right the ship.

This country has to be looked at like a company in need of repair with new leadership — a CEO, if you will, who can see the problems and take the necessary steps to correct them.

Let's learn from our mistakes and make a wise, thorough selection this time.

Rod Kalisek, Gretna, Neb.

Preserve energy tax credit

The federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) has aided Iowa in becoming one of the nation's top producing states for wind and solar power. As the CEO of Heartland Energy Solutions, I am concerned this tax credit will not be extended for another year. If the PTC were to expire, it would deal a significant blow to the Iowa wind community and our state's economy.

The wind industry is not only an integral part of Iowa's economy, but many of these businesses are also key members in their local communities. At Heartland Energy Solutions, we've developed a program to educate K-12, university and college students, including the local public and businesses, about the renewable energy industry. Our program, at critical mass, will spend roughly $43 million with Iowa vendors.

Currently, Iowa is second in the nation for installed wind-energy capacity, which demonstrates our commitment to growing this sector of our economy. Wind energy in Iowa generates 20 percent of our electricity every year, which is equivalent to powering 1 million homes.

The Iowa wind energy industry is growing strong, employing more than 3,000 full-time workers, and our 3,000-plus turbines produce $12.5 million in lease payments to many landowners each year. These figures would all drastically drop if the PTC were not renewed.

Charles Sharp, Mount Ayr, Iowa

Children need wisdom, insight

Eckerd Care CEO David Dennis described Florida's foster care privatization success (Feb. 7 Midlands Voices) and urged Nebraska not to retreat from the challenge of modernizing child- and family-centered services. The old management system tended to put great power in the hands of individual workers without ensuring commensurate accountability.

For example, an HHS worker, during the last court appearance made by tortured youth and future mass murderer Robert Hawkins, discouraged the judge from restricting the boy's liberty. According to a transcript printed in The World-Herald, the worker advised the judge, "Robbie is tired of the system. He needs to work things out by himself."

Children at risk deserve the highest levels of insight and expertise we can summon, leveraged with wisely designed, efficiently implemented strategies.

Rachel Pinkerton, Valley

Evaluate basketball albatross

Is it time to shut down the Nebraska men's basketball program?

The Nebraska women's basketball program has established itself as a high-level sport and fun source of entertainment. The NU men's basketball program doesn't even approach the winning ways of the now-defunct UNO wrestling and football programs. Alas, it appears that men's basketball simply cannot grow to fruition in the salt water basin of Lincoln.

It is not simply a matter of Doc Sadler's team failing to produce. The Huskers are like the Chicago Cubs — without the fans, only the disappointment. Now is the time to evaluate the relevance of this UNL athletic department albatross.

Allen Thomsen, Omaha

Better safe than sorry

With two big fires in the past week, all who rent should find room in their budgets for renters insurance. It's worth the cost.

Connie Dohse-Ross, Omaha

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