Southeast Nebraska speaks up: Letters to the editor for the week of May. 1, 2026
Our weekly round-up of letters published in the Lincoln Journal Star.
- Updated
Although I disagree with some of Gov. Pillen's decisions, I do agree with him on vouchers for private schools. If all of the parents of private school kids stopped paying all taxes to the state of Nebraska, income, property, sales, tobacco, gas, etc. I wonder how fast the public school parents would start complaining about shouldering the extra money they would have to pay to support Nebraska. There are two sides to every coin.
Roger W. Hothan, Lincoln
- Updated
Kristen Anderson is the best candidate for the Lancaster County Clerk of Court. I've known Kristen for eight years through the nonpartisan Lincoln Lancaster League of Women Voters. Kristen is bright, personable and hardworking as demonstrated by her work as the deputy director of the Lancaster Treasurer's Office. In that capacity she supported staff and the public. This was evidenced by improvements at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Kristen goes out of her way to help people. To her the work is not just a job, it's a calling. We need to elect candidates like Kristen who will support people over politics.
Susan Scott, Lincoln
- Updated
Republicans are red
Democrats are blue
- Updated
The May 12 primary and the Nov. 3 general elections may be the most important elections of our lifetimes if we are to stop the ongoing assault on our democracy and our economy. Donald Trump repeatedly runs roughshod over our Constitution and shows little concern for our economic struggles. All the while Republicans including Congressman Mike Flood are complicit in their silence.
The only answer we have, while we still have elections, is to throw Trump’s enablers out. In the May 12 primary, we need to elect a person who has the capacity to take on Mike Flood in November and win. I believe that person is Chris Backemeyer.
- Updated
As we approach our 250 years of freedom and American pride, I am embarrassed with who we (America) have become. Most recently where one person or a small contingent has made decisions and claimed “This is what Americans and Nebraskans want.” In Nebraska we have a governor and attorney general who insist on speaking on our behalf. The latest example, “Nebraska has agreed to a proposed consent decree with the U.S. government to stop providing in-state tuition to youth brought into the country illegally as children.” Why would we exclude youth from qualifying for in-state tuition when their families have lived in and contributed to our communities, they have attended our K-12 schools and their families have paid taxes (yes, illegal or not, they pay taxes) — these are the same requirements that my family benefited from while my children attended UNL. When our university systems struggle with budgets — is in-state tuition better than none? Why does our governor and attorney general feel the necessity to continue to make life difficult for those that deserve our compassion? While our governor states that “This is the latest example of the tremendous partnership between the State of Nebraska and the Trump administration” — this does not sound like a partnership that I want to support, so don’t say you are speaking for this Nebraskan! We will find out in November how many feel they are being represented with moral decisions that we all can be proud of and celebrate.
Paul Van De Water, Lincoln
- Updated
We believe Dean Helmick is the right choice for Legislature District 2, and we’re excited to cast our vote for him on May 12. He’s the only Republican in this race, and his record of service speaks for itself. We know that he’s a fiscal conservative veteran who believes deeply in our Constitution.
Dean dedicated more than four decades to serving our country with the Air Force. Throughout that time, he built a reputation for strong leadership, unwavering integrity and an exceptional work ethic. He’s committed to understanding the issues that matter most and to listening directly to the people he hopes to represent.
- Updated
“Can't Buy Me Love” by the Beatles is so true, but UNL officials don't seem to agree. “Money, Money, Money” (ABBA) is all that is in their wheelhouse. Give us more money for NIL so we can attract the greatest athletes.
My husband and I are not wealthy donors, but we have been blessed to have seats in Memorial Stadium since my father bought four tickets in 1961, when my brother started college. The eight people from north-central Nebraska who sit in front of us in the South Stadium have had tickets since the ’60s.
- Updated
It’s hard to know what more to say to the Nebraska delegation in Washington. Save Congressman Bacon, they continue radio silence on topics of importance to constituents: rationale for the war in Iran, gas prices and economic impact, vulgar words attacking the Pope, immigrants, even whole nations, ongoing attempts to undermine the 2020 election, pardons of Jan. 6 rioters who attacked Capitol police and more. The characterization that the president is just using negotiating strategies and purposefully acting unstable is laughable but the delegation seems to approve.
So here’s the deal. Since you have no interest in risking presidential wrath by actually speaking out on these matters, maybe you can help with our rural satellite problem. Gray Media is holding subscribers hostage refusing to sign a contract with Dish to restore local channels. Limiting local service to just ABC, PBS and Fox deprives us of different perspectives and programming. Maybe fixing that is more up your alley!
- Updated
Regarding the article “Trump claims war almost over — again (Journal Star, April 16): No surprises there.
We used to expect leaders to explain themselves. Now the job seems to be declaring victory first and letting reality scramble to catch up. Yesterday’s statement? That was version 1.0. Today’s contradiction? Version 1.1. “This is going to be bigger and better than anything you ever imagined” — over and over and over again.
- Updated
In 1890 a German chemist, Erich von Wolf, mismarked the decimal point for the iron content of spinach. This error led to the belief that spinach had 10 times more iron than it actually had and more iron than expensive red meat. This condemned generations of students like me to years of being served cooked spinach in school lunches. The vile smell, ghastly appearance and corresponding taste caused tons of the green gunk to be dumped in to cafeteria garbage cans. It also caused a lifetime affliction of PTSD (post traumatic spinach disorder) that I still suffer from.
The error also led to the creation of one of my favorite television cartoon heroes, Popeye. I used to watch him every morning in the mid-1950s just before heading out the door to go to Pershing Elementary School in Lincoln. Popeye was an old U.S. Navy sailor who would get stronger by eating a can of spinach. Spinach was needed to overpower the bully, Bluto. Bluto was always trying to steal Olive Oyl away from Popeye. The fourth character was Wimpy who spent his entire day doing nothing except begging for a hamburger for which he promised to pay for on Tuesday but he never did.
- Updated
The government of the State of Nebraska is racist. That seems like a bold statement, one that needs proof. I did my driver’s license renewal online this month. The usual questions: height, weight, eye color. I was startled when it asked me for my "race."
Folks, there is only one race, human. We have different ethnicity and different skin pigmentation; we are not separate races. This is systemic racism. We have a system in place where law enforcement officers when looking up an individual are told this person is a different race. That reinforces a racist belief. Chinese people don’t have gills. Black people don’t have wings. We are all human, we all have same internal organs, process oxygen the same way, have same color of blood.
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Although I disagree with some of Gov. Pillen's decisions, I do agree with him on vouchers for private schools. If all of the parents of private school kids stopped paying all taxes to the state of Nebraska, income, property, sales, tobacco, gas, etc. I wonder how fast the public school parents would start complaining about shouldering the extra money they would have to pay to support Nebraska. There are two sides to every coin.
Roger W. Hothan, Lincoln
Kristen Anderson is the best candidate for the Lancaster County Clerk of Court. I've known Kristen for eight years through the nonpartisan Lincoln Lancaster League of Women Voters. Kristen is bright, personable and hardworking as demonstrated by her work as the deputy director of the Lancaster Treasurer's Office. In that capacity she supported staff and the public. This was evidenced by improvements at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Kristen goes out of her way to help people. To her the work is not just a job, it's a calling. We need to elect candidates like Kristen who will support people over politics.
Susan Scott, Lincoln
The May 12 primary and the Nov. 3 general elections may be the most important elections of our lifetimes if we are to stop the ongoing assault on our democracy and our economy. Donald Trump repeatedly runs roughshod over our Constitution and shows little concern for our economic struggles. All the while Republicans including Congressman Mike Flood are complicit in their silence.
The only answer we have, while we still have elections, is to throw Trump’s enablers out. In the May 12 primary, we need to elect a person who has the capacity to take on Mike Flood in November and win. I believe that person is Chris Backemeyer.
As we approach our 250 years of freedom and American pride, I am embarrassed with who we (America) have become. Most recently where one person or a small contingent has made decisions and claimed “This is what Americans and Nebraskans want.” In Nebraska we have a governor and attorney general who insist on speaking on our behalf. The latest example, “Nebraska has agreed to a proposed consent decree with the U.S. government to stop providing in-state tuition to youth brought into the country illegally as children.” Why would we exclude youth from qualifying for in-state tuition when their families have lived in and contributed to our communities, they have attended our K-12 schools and their families have paid taxes (yes, illegal or not, they pay taxes) — these are the same requirements that my family benefited from while my children attended UNL. When our university systems struggle with budgets — is in-state tuition better than none? Why does our governor and attorney general feel the necessity to continue to make life difficult for those that deserve our compassion? While our governor states that “This is the latest example of the tremendous partnership between the State of Nebraska and the Trump administration” — this does not sound like a partnership that I want to support, so don’t say you are speaking for this Nebraskan! We will find out in November how many feel they are being represented with moral decisions that we all can be proud of and celebrate.
Paul Van De Water, Lincoln
We believe Dean Helmick is the right choice for Legislature District 2, and we’re excited to cast our vote for him on May 12. He’s the only Republican in this race, and his record of service speaks for itself. We know that he’s a fiscal conservative veteran who believes deeply in our Constitution.
Dean dedicated more than four decades to serving our country with the Air Force. Throughout that time, he built a reputation for strong leadership, unwavering integrity and an exceptional work ethic. He’s committed to understanding the issues that matter most and to listening directly to the people he hopes to represent.
“Can't Buy Me Love” by the Beatles is so true, but UNL officials don't seem to agree. “Money, Money, Money” (ABBA) is all that is in their wheelhouse. Give us more money for NIL so we can attract the greatest athletes.
My husband and I are not wealthy donors, but we have been blessed to have seats in Memorial Stadium since my father bought four tickets in 1961, when my brother started college. The eight people from north-central Nebraska who sit in front of us in the South Stadium have had tickets since the ’60s.
It’s hard to know what more to say to the Nebraska delegation in Washington. Save Congressman Bacon, they continue radio silence on topics of importance to constituents: rationale for the war in Iran, gas prices and economic impact, vulgar words attacking the Pope, immigrants, even whole nations, ongoing attempts to undermine the 2020 election, pardons of Jan. 6 rioters who attacked Capitol police and more. The characterization that the president is just using negotiating strategies and purposefully acting unstable is laughable but the delegation seems to approve.
So here’s the deal. Since you have no interest in risking presidential wrath by actually speaking out on these matters, maybe you can help with our rural satellite problem. Gray Media is holding subscribers hostage refusing to sign a contract with Dish to restore local channels. Limiting local service to just ABC, PBS and Fox deprives us of different perspectives and programming. Maybe fixing that is more up your alley!
Regarding the article “Trump claims war almost over — again (Journal Star, April 16): No surprises there.
We used to expect leaders to explain themselves. Now the job seems to be declaring victory first and letting reality scramble to catch up. Yesterday’s statement? That was version 1.0. Today’s contradiction? Version 1.1. “This is going to be bigger and better than anything you ever imagined” — over and over and over again.
In 1890 a German chemist, Erich von Wolf, mismarked the decimal point for the iron content of spinach. This error led to the belief that spinach had 10 times more iron than it actually had and more iron than expensive red meat. This condemned generations of students like me to years of being served cooked spinach in school lunches. The vile smell, ghastly appearance and corresponding taste caused tons of the green gunk to be dumped in to cafeteria garbage cans. It also caused a lifetime affliction of PTSD (post traumatic spinach disorder) that I still suffer from.
The error also led to the creation of one of my favorite television cartoon heroes, Popeye. I used to watch him every morning in the mid-1950s just before heading out the door to go to Pershing Elementary School in Lincoln. Popeye was an old U.S. Navy sailor who would get stronger by eating a can of spinach. Spinach was needed to overpower the bully, Bluto. Bluto was always trying to steal Olive Oyl away from Popeye. The fourth character was Wimpy who spent his entire day doing nothing except begging for a hamburger for which he promised to pay for on Tuesday but he never did.
The government of the State of Nebraska is racist. That seems like a bold statement, one that needs proof. I did my driver’s license renewal online this month. The usual questions: height, weight, eye color. I was startled when it asked me for my "race."
Folks, there is only one race, human. We have different ethnicity and different skin pigmentation; we are not separate races. This is systemic racism. We have a system in place where law enforcement officers when looking up an individual are told this person is a different race. That reinforces a racist belief. Chinese people don’t have gills. Black people don’t have wings. We are all human, we all have same internal organs, process oxygen the same way, have same color of blood.
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