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The Public Pulse: Not safe even in church

World Herald
December 01, 2018

https://bit.ly/2QmJahL

Trevor Canaday

Not safe even in church

Regarding the article “Some churches address abuse allegations” (Dec. 3 Omaha World-Herald), it is crazy to think how even in a church, you cannot feel safe. It is literally the house of God, a place where you should feel welcome and, most importantly, feel at home.

Where has the world gone to? What sickens me is the fact that there are allegations made toward 34 priests and four deacons, and only a few of the accused have faced criminal charges or civil lawsuits. There are roughly 230,000 Catholics in Omaha. It has been more than three decades that the Catholic Church has been rocked by the sex abuse situation.

In Pennsylvania, within six Catholic dioceses more than 300 “predator priests” had been accused of sexually abusing more than 1,000 child victims. Is this situation not important enough to have more people charged with a crime, let alone the damage that has been done?

Graciela Fuertes, Omaha

Unnecessary tragedies

The death of 14-year-old Trevor Canaday (“Crash victim dreamed of playing for the Huskers, being a veterinarian,” Dec. 4 World-Herald) should never have happened, as his mother said.

The driver of the other vehicle had three convictions for DUI and should have been in jail along with the judge or judges who allowed this person to be behind the wheel again.

It’s time we stop these unnecessary tragedies.

Frank Kokotajlo, Papillion

Hot climates will get hotter

David Purdy had a letter in the Dec. 4 Public Pulse saying that a little global warming would benefit Omaha as well as northern areas like Canada and Siberia. I assume he means that they will be warmer and allow for better growing seasons. Ignoring the fact that climate change also brings weather changes such as precipitation increases/decreases (which California and Florida are paying for), he hasn’t considered what would happen to those along the equator.

If changes are noticeable enough to affect the growing seasons up north, then they will also affect the growing seasons down south, where drought or heat could cause a sharp decrease in crop yields that billions of people rely on to survive. If those areas become less inhabitable, those around the equator are bound to travel north.

If North Dakota ever becomes a temperate paradise, I hope Purdy doesn’t expect us to be able to keep it for ourselves when our neighbors to the south are starving. The effects of climate change are real, ongoing and overwhelmingly negative. Yet some want to shrug and say they don’t believe the vast majority of climate scientists. It’s time for our elected officials to listen and do something about it.

Travis Hedlund, Omaha

Cuts to entitlement programs

After the Republican tax cut took place, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stated that due to the federal deficit, so-called “entitlement” programs would have to be cut.

He tries to conclude that the deficit he and his Republican Congress added to can be reined in only by cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, cuts even more drastic than the $500 billion they cut from Medicare and the over $1 trillion they cut from Medicaid.

I urge all Nebraskans to ask our congressional delegation if they support this evil plan. They all claimed to “support” retirees and programs for future retirees in their re-election campaigns, but it appears they may not have been entirely truthful.

Al Mumm, Omaha

president, Nebraska Alliance for Retired Americans Educational Fund

Where are moderate Democrats?

I’m not a fan of President Donald Trump’s personality, but I agree with many of his policies. Just as I could like President Barack Obama’s personality but completely disagreed with policy.

I have serious concerns about where the Democratic Party is headed with the hard left. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a self-described democratic socialist, is nothing but the product of our current education system that has taught our children everybody is equal, so nobody should be rewarded more than another, everybody gets a participation trophy and the hard-working valedictorian gets the same recognition as the class slacker.

The radical left has worked hard to divide this country, the likes of which I’ve never seen before with labeling anybody who thinks differently than they do whether it’s class warfare, race, sexuality, religion, gun owners, immigration, whatever. They seem to have an open ticket to do what they want.

I don’t believe the average Democrat believes in this. With the House now in control by the Democrats, you should be particularly aware of taxes coming. Just like France, which is in its third week of violent protest over a larger fuel tax.

The Democrats have a carbon tax for us in the works, which they will sell as saving the planet but in reality it will cost more for everything you buy and will especially hit the farmer and rural states. I think it is time for moderate Democrats to stand up and be heard.

Larry Spangler, Greenwood, Neb.

Nebraska farmers are suffering

Nebraska farmers are suffering because of President Donald Trump’s trade wars. Their elected Republican representatives are not doing anything to help the farmers since they always support Trump no matter what.

The majority of farmers have voted for Trump and they have brought this on themselves. Why couldn’t they see that this candidate cared only about himself and his rich followers and base?

Perhaps Nebraskans will grow up now and be careful about who they vote for. Nebraska farmers may have lost their market share for good.

Charles Marcinek, Omaha

Remembering ‘Greatest Generation’

As we pay our respects to the life and accomplishments of President George H.W. Bush, I would like for us to remember all those of the “Greatest Generation” who sacrificed themselves through their service and for many their lives so that we, the citizens of the United States, can enjoy the freedoms they ensured for us now and for future generations.

Brett V. Kettelhut, Omaha

 




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