My heart goes out to the little girl who was hit by the car at 19th and Harwood and her parents. Unless you live by an elementary school you cannot imagine the danger children are subject to every day when they arrive at or leave school.

My son attends Rousseau, and my husband walks him to the end of the block where he has to cross Calvert. I cannot explain to you how dangerous it is for children crossing Calvert, it is something you have to see for yourself.

People stop in no-parking areas and open their doors to the street.  People make U-turns and people speed on Calvert past a line of illegally parked cars of parents dropping children off.

It reminds me of the old video game "Frogger" where the frog has to move and stop quickly to avoid being hit by a car.  Only this isn't a game.  And this all happens two times a day, before and after school.  The police know about this, but there isn't much they can do; it is up to those of us who drive to be more careful.

To all of you parents out there:  This type of accident can happen again. I am worried that it will happen by Rousseau.  Please use caution in the school zones. Would you rather spend a couple of extra minutes to drop your child safely at school, or spend a day at the emergency room after your child has been hit by a car?

And to drivers who are just trying to get to work, would you rather take a couple of extra minutes to slow down and drive with caution, or would you rather spend your life knowing that you hurt a child?

Rebecca Ferguson, LincolnCompare and contrast

A few years ago a southern state demanded the return of its Confederate battle flag, taken by Minnesota soldiers at Gettysburg. Then Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura gave a famous response which I invite you to research. (Ventura:  “Why? I mean, we won.”) Needless to say, the flag remains on display in Minnesota.

Compare that to the toady behavior of Jeff Fortenberry, Lee Terry and Adrian Smith, who removed a Confederate battle flag won by Union soldiers in the Civil War and worth approximately $150,000, according to your article of May 23, and spirited it off to Washington, D.C., to be handed over gratis to its former Alabama owners.

What a contrast!

Sarah K. Hass, Lincoln

Why is this administration still in power?

“Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.  But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.” — Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence.

As investigations continue in Washington along with debate, political posturing, and the actual duties of governance, one question remains:  Why is this administration still in power?

The recent discovery of abuses through the testimony of former Deputy Attorney General James Comey reveals a specific tactic of blatant coercion and deceit by this administration.  These allegations are merely the most recent.

This administration knowingly lied about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, they have continually tortured prisoners, and they have wiretapped U.S. civilians’ phones and e-mails despite such practice being unconstitutional. 

And so to safeguard our future we must look towards impeachment.  We must also look to the international community and apologize.  To make this mea culpa, we will have to turn this administration over to the international court for war crimes.  This is the only way we can regain our integrity as a nation on the world and domestic stage.

Eric Witte, LincolnA thorn in LPS's sides

Oh no, stop that man, he is teaching our children!  Lincoln Public Schools forced Michael Baker, a former teacher at East High School, into an early retirement after he showed a graphic documentary on the war in Iraq.

I remember when I was in high school you watched movies with gory scenes and you did not complain because someone actually lived that life. In history class you watch movies and documentaries on the holocaust, the Vietnam War, and much more.  All of this was done to teach students about other people’s history and other people’s struggles. 

LPS is ridiculous, the reason that they forced Baker into an early retirement is because he would not conform and he was a thorn in their sides, but he sounds like he was a great teacher.

If LPS wants excellent students then they should overlook an eccentric teacher and worry about teaching their students. Our society is so wrapped up in legalities that we cannot even teach our children.

LPS is seriously underestimating teens in our society. If teens do not learn the facts from school, then where are they going to.  Parents can only teach a teen so much, so in my opinion if a teacher wants to show a graphic documentary about war, then do it. 

All I ask is that teachers never voice their own views in class or force their views on students.  A teacher is there to give students both sides of the story. After that, it is up to that student to make his/her own decision.   

Karra Higgins, Lincoln

In need of Spanish skills

Regarding “Lincoln police hope to add diversity to staff” (LJS, May 17):

A special information session was offered at El Centro de Las Americas for the purpose of recruitment of diversity staff for the Lincoln Police Department. The interpreter currently employed at the police department said only a small number of Lincoln city police officers have some Spanish skills and could process minor violations and traffic accidents.

Will the future generation of Lincoln police officers be required to submit additional paperwork when different ethnic groups are detained? How will complaints regarding profiling and discrimination of a different ethnic group than the targeted diversity staff currently being recruited be prosecuted? When an American citizen is uncomfortable or physically abused by a newly recruited Spanish-speaking Lincoln police officer, would they be allowed to request an interpreter and seek retribution?

Are these jobs Americans don’t want?

Kathryn L. Westwood, LincolnNo to amnesty

Our president and a lot of our senators want to give amnesty and citizenship to the 12 million illegal aliens that are already here.

The majority of the people do not want any of these people to have amnesty or citizenship which will give them the right to get our Social Security and have voting rights to take over our country in time. The majority of the people are both Republicans and Democrats that do not want any illegal aliens to work or live here in the United States.

Senators work for us, and they better vote what the people want and not what they want.

Arnold Kehm, Lincoln