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Letters, 9/12: Remember unity

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Tuesday, Sep 12, 2006 - 12:10:09 am CDT

On Sept. 11 we remembered the horror of five years ago as terrorism struck America.  We also paid tribute to the bravery displayed by our fellow Americans in the face of great danger that day.

The days following the attack on Sept. 11 also need to be remembered, for they showed the love and compassion shared by Americans.  Within minutes of the attack, and for many days following, Lincolnites lined up at the Lincoln Community Blood Bank to donate blood to help the victims of the attack. Radio and TV stations, along with the Lincoln Journal Star, arranged collection locations to accept donations to help the victims.

I helped at some of these locations as people stopped by to donate money to help the Red Cross, Salvation Army and other organizations helping at Ground Zero and the Pentagon. Many had tears in their eyes and could not speak as they were so overcome with grief at the loss of life in the attacks.

A few days later I joined Gov. Mike Johanns and other state and community leaders in a night ceremony on the north steps of the State Capitol to show our support for our country and our unity in the face of terrorism. As we stepped out to begin the ceremony, I was overcome with emotion as I looked out to see thousands of Nebraskans gathered to show their support for America and their fellow Americans.

Sept. 11, 2001, will be remembered as one of the worst days in the history of our great country, but it also brought out the best in Americans as we responded with unity and purpose. That sense of unity and purpose may have diminished over time, but I know underneath our public differences we share a common bond as Americans that cannot be broken. It is that common bond we need to remember as well as the horrific acts on that day.

Don Wesely

Mayor, City of Lincoln, 1999-2003

Gardens disappointing

Sorry, but I was disappointed in the Sunken Gardens this year. The new layout is great, but the plantings were not. There was entirely too much dark purple foliage. I missed the riot of color from years gone by. The place is now more appropriate for a funeral than a wedding.

Someone had to say it.

Grace Safarik, Lincoln

Illegal actions the issue

Regarding “Mexicans are humans” (letter by Jessie Cobian, Sept. 5), I, and I am sure many others, don’t have a problem with Mexicans, or any other people coming to the United States.

My relatives came here from England and Germany. But they came legally, through Ellis Island. They waited their turn and came here legally.

It’s the people who break our laws by illegally coming here, then expect to use our systems to educate their children, or pay for their medical bills, that we have a problem with.

I have worked for years with Thais, Vietnamese, as well as Latinos and others from many countries. I always have treated them as humans, as they with me.

I just think it’s wrong for anyone to break our laws and come here illegally and then expect to be welcomed. I’ll bet the people still waiting in line, legally, would object, too.

Tom Harrison, Crete


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PJ wrote on September 12, 2006 8:17 am:
" I agree. Why should law abiding citizens have to pay for illegal immigrants. If they want to come to America, they need to do so legally. They don't deserve citizenship if the begin their life in America by breaking the law! "
Gary B wrote on September 12, 2006 8:38 am:
" Great letter, Don Wesely. In this age of war, stem cells, gay marriage, and hurricanes...too often we forget that the people for whom we have so much dislike are still our neighbors and countrymen/women. "
Kurt wrote on September 12, 2006 9:43 am:
" Mr. Wesley's letter breaks it down to basics. We should heed the message contained in the words. Peace to each other. Tolerance. Good will. We are all Americans first. "
Jackson wrote on September 12, 2006 9:47 am:
" Doesn't anybody realize that there IS NO PATH for LEGAl immigration from Mexico. Only a handful of folks are given citizenship from Mexico each year and they just happen to be extremely wealthy and influential. The only path that the rest of the folks have to get away from a corrupt goverment and utter poverty is to jump the fence. I won't even make the easy joke about Mexicans coming into another country with a corrupt government and more poverty as some mouthfoaming Rush fan will tell me to go live in Iran if I think that the US is corrupt. "
Lindsay wrote on September 12, 2006 10:38 am:
" If Mexico's economy wasn't in such bad shape, people wouldn't be leaving there illegally in droves to make poor wages in the US (which compared to what they would make in Mexico, is much much more). The problem isn't a bunch of people who have disrespect for the law - it's a bunch of people who are desperate and are willing to do that to help their families live a better life. It's so easy to blame the messengers, but if we really would want to solve the immigration problem, we would have to find a way to help Mexico's economy flourish. "
A Great Fix wrote on September 12, 2006 11:06 am:
" Why don't we just annex Mexico, then we don't have to worry about illigal border crossings anymore. "
Ryan wrote on September 12, 2006 11:06 am:
" Would YOU do any different if you were in a desperate situation, trying to take care of your family? The problem is not with the people, who are doing whatever it takes to find pay and food, but with the EMPLOYERS who hire the workers knowing they are illegal. If we put more strict penalties on the employers, the people would soon learn that there are no illegal jobs for them here and they would stop trying to cross illegally. The problem with this is that the government is so far into big business' pocket they will never impose penalties on the companies themselves. So we pay. "
Bah wrote on September 12, 2006 11:37 am:
" Only a comparable handful of folks from other countries are also given citizenship each year! And they can't stream across the border by the millions. What's going on on our southern border is shameful. Tolerating illegal activities (illegal immigration) by trying to make excuses for the lawbreakers is inexcuseable. "
Jim wrote on September 12, 2006 12:54 pm:
" Tom Harrison's letter hits the nail on the head. Thanks for writing it. "
John near Lincoln wrote on September 12, 2006 1:10 pm:
" Ryan, you are basically saying anyone who steals or breaks the law because of a desperate situation, trying to take care of your family should receive amnesty. If you are a citizen and you falsify documents, steal SS# or identities, to get a better job to support your family in a desperate situation, you are a criminal - you go to jail. Illegals do it and somehow they are excused? A thief is a thief. "
Tod wrote on September 12, 2006 1:25 pm:
" If anyone cares, according to US immigration statistics, nearly 5 million Mexico-born people have legally immigrated to the USA since 1980. 10-20% of all immigrants are from Mexico. Including Central American countries makes it higher, of course. It sure looks like a legal avenue is available. "
AB wrote on September 12, 2006 3:04 pm:
" In response to Lindsay's comments below--so now we have to fix Mexico's economy and take their citizen's too? sounds like Mexico has it figured out! How about the Sudanese and Bosnians who immigrated here to seek refuge from wars, religious persecution and genocide? Where they not also in a "desperate situation"? Yet, they came here legally and through proper documented channels. Most immigrants are more than willing to learn English, get a good job, pay taxes and participate in the good life. If people aren't willing to take the first step of coming into this country legally, we can never expect them to be productive law-abiding citizens. "
Hank wrote on September 12, 2006 3:34 pm:
" Don Wesley's letter sounds great, but let's not forget who has destroyed the sense of unity in our country. President Bush took advantage of the public support following 9/11 to push his radical social agenda on us, to start a war on completely false pretenses, to continually undermine our Constitutional rights, and now is trying to justify the continuation of war by deceivingly linking it to 9/11. If by "unity" you are implying we should support cruel and dishonest politicians and their destructive and murderous policies, no thanks. Until people stop supporting a president and Political Party that supports the the killing people in unjustified wars, alienating our allies overseas, pushing hateful social agendas on Americans, and violating our Constitution, there can be no unity. We need some serious dissention and political change! "
Lindsay wrote on September 12, 2006 4:09 pm:
" John - Having assumingly lived your entire life in the United States, you take it for granted how good you have it. Spend a week in Mexico helping the poor and your point of view might alter. "
Carl S wrote on September 12, 2006 5:12 pm:
" Lindsay, why should John have to spend a week in Mexico helping the poor? Do you really think the U.S. just all of a sudden popped up and is the great nation it is today? The answer is NO, before the 20th century we were what would be comparible to what mexico is today, there were dirt poor people everywhere. We as a nation pulled ourselves out of that situation and are now a first world country by hard work and determination to make our country what it is today, why do we have to help all the other countries do that? Nobody helped the U.S., besides that we have legal americans living in poverty without health benefits that we should look after first! "
1998 level wrote on September 13, 2006 12:04 am:
" today immigration enforcement at the workplace is 1% of what it was in 1998. In 1998 nearly 1000 businesses were fined for exploiting immigrants. In 2005 there were only 4. why create new laws when the existing ones are not enforced? "
head honcho wrote on September 13, 2006 5:06 pm:
" Fines for immigrant exploitation is down to 4 businesses? Who wouldn't hire illegals with those odds. "

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