Oppose LB89 Anti-Trans Bill - anti-trans bills have no place in Nebraska or a free country

Nebraska Unicameral Legislation in Question:

This entry is in opposition to the disrespectfully named bill:

LB89 - Adopt the Stand With Women Act <---- this is bullshit

Which puts the very small number of transgender and nonbinary athletes at risk of being in the wrong locker room b/c narrow minded people think gender is a binary. 

https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58025&docnum=LB89&leg=109 

I've written to my own state senator and ALL state senators multiple times on this issue. 

Recently, I wrote an email with questions, and one lovely senator in opposition replied: 

Thank you for the email and for taking time to share your opposition with LB89. I don't always have time to respond to folks who live outside of my district (LDXX in XX), but I have to say your opening line made me laugh - I sometimes wish I could share such remarks  on the mic during debate. Like you, I'm opposed to LB89, and I will try my best to stop this bill from advancing. I'll never stop fighting for safe and inclusive communities. 

Here was my email sent 4/20/25 (Easter morning) to ALL Nebraska Unicameral Senators:

Greetings, Senators,

I hope this day finds you well. Unless you are supporting LB89. Then I hope it finds you having doubts. If you support LB89, please look in the mirror and ask yourself:

1. Why am I so concerned about other people’s genitals? 

2. What is lacking in my life that I need to harass the youth of this state and their family and friends and allies? 

3. Why do I think that policing anyone’s genitals makes girls and women safer, when it just puts them at risk? 

4. Why am I unable to grasp the reality that trans and nonbinary people have existed since the dawn of time? 

5. Why do I want to treat them as less than human and put them in harm’s way when they just want to safely use the restroom and live their lives?

6. What would I do if someone told me I was in the wrong restroom and started yelling at me?

7. Why am I willing to waste the time, money, and resources of this state to harass perhaps less than 10 transgender and nonbinary youth in Nebraska sports when the NSAA already has policies in place, when schools already support their students?

8. Why can’t I see that I am hurting large populations of this state who are transgender, nonbinary, queer, or allies when I support hateful, discriminatory, unnecessary, legislation?

9. Why do I say I support freedom when I am working to take away basic human rights and dignities?

10. Why do I say I want a small government, when it ends up just being small-minded?

11. Why do I attack transgender and nonbinary people, just like the Nazis did?

12. Why can’t I make space for others and defend their rights and freedoms when I’ve taken an oath to do so?
    

I write to you from District XX, in opposition to LB89. I am an ally and have transgender and nonbinary people in my family and friend group, right in the state of Nebraska and beyond. What you do affects all of us.

Please oppose LB89 and further your education on LGBTQ+ existence. Please do some soul-searching to unalign yourselves with hateful, harmful rhetoric and the sowers of ill will. We deserve better than LB89 and bills like it that strip away rights and dignities.




Another senator, we'll call him Senator Z, next to my district, was not so amused. Here was his response on 4/23/25:

Thank you for your email.   Allow me to respond to your questions, many of which I find inaccurate.  

1). I am concerned about other people’s genitals when they insist on being in the same locker room with little girls. 

2). What is lacking in my life?  Certainly, morals are not lacking. I find it highly immoral when trans people want to push their agenda on young people.  

3). Risk?  I find it a risk to continue to push the liberal agenda upon everyone.  Please understand!  If you are a transperson - that is fine.  Do not expect everyone to buy into your ideals.  If you have a child who is trans - I am sorry.  But other people do not have to change their beliefs to buy into yours.   My education with LGBT issues begins with my faith. While I have compassion for all young people who may suffer from mental illness or from gender dysphoria, I do not have compassion for adults who continue to push their agendas on people who believe differently.

If you know me, I couldn't let that glibness go unanswered. I spent more than 2 hours last night (4/23/25) crafting my reply. 

Greetings, Senator Z,

Wow what an interesting response. I see you did not answer a number of my questions, but let me respond to those you did answer. 

I'm including my own Senator Q on here, b/c I see he voted to push LB89 forward, which is so very disappointing to me. 

I know this is a long email, but please bear with me. I'm trying to get a sense of what you actually believe, because your answers lacked depth to give me a sense of your true values. You're about 11 years younger than my father, but seem to share some interests with him.

Your answers were off-putting, and seemed to come from misinformation, fear, and a lack of exposure to others, but I'd like to extend the benefit of the doubt to you. Perhaps you are the type of person that, when you have made a mistake, you can admit you were wrong and apologize. Or that perhaps if you've been operating under misconceptions, you might be open to learning, accepting new information, and changing course. I don't know if those are attributes you take pride in, but I'll proceed, hoping that could be the case. 

Question 1 for Senators who support LB89 from Scribble Scribe: 
Why am I so concerned about other people’s genitals? 

Answer 1 from Senator Z: 
I am concerned about other people’s genitals when they insist on being in the same locker room with little girls. 

Response 1 from Scribble Scribe:
You seem to be viewing trans and nonbinary people's need to use a restroom as predatory instead people who just need to relieve themselves, and in the case of LB89, have a place to change to get ready to compete in their sport of choice. You might want to ask yourself why you view them, in this case, transgender and nonbinary youth, as predators. It's such an odd generalization to have of a small group of people you don't actually know. Seems like you are operating from lack of familiarity and "othering" people. 

This sounds like you have created some odd scenarios in your mind. As a youth, I faced harassment from other girls in the locker rooms. None of them were transgender or nonbinary to my knowledge at the time, but were cisgender girls with a cruel streak. I don't view all cisgendered women as bullies. 

Where is your fear coming from? I'm viewing your landing page for the NE Legislature because I wanted to learn who I was writing to. I see you were a wrestling coach. Did you often find people trying to get into locker rooms for the purpose of assault? If you're concerned about "little girls," that might mean to me that you are worried about boys or grown men trying to get into locker rooms. Did this often happen? Could it be that you are actually more worried about cisgender men as predators? If so, this bill does not address that.

I'm not an athletic person, but my understanding of youth competing in sports is that they have to work really hard and show up to practices and competitions to put in the time and work. They have to sacrifice time with friends, put homework aside, put their body through endurance training and be a part of a team. I don't think someone is going to do all of that if they simply have the aim of assaulting someone. 

When you were a wrestling coach, I'm going to guess for perhaps boys only, did you have boys acting inappropriately with each other? So in theory, they all have the same genitalia. Might it not be about genitalia, then? 

Also, in case you don't understand what it means to be a transgender or nonbinary youth, let me give you a little bit of knowledge. Let's say there is a child at school who transitioned socially (meaning, hair, clothing, perhaps hormone blockers), with the support of their parents. (A note on hormone blockers, or what I have learned while following these anti-trans bills for the past few years.... hormone blockers are also used with cisgender children too, as when an 8 year old starts early puberty, and her guardians and doctor want to hold off that stage for a few years so she can match her peers.)

So, this child that transitioned socially from a young age, let's say they are now 16, perhaps born a girl but started socially transitioning early, and have only been known as a male at their school. With LB89, you are going to require this person who is known to their peers as a boy to be in the same locker room with a bunch of teen girls. OR, a teen who was born as a boy, but has presented as a girl. You want this person, who is known as a girl at their school, to enter the boy's locker room. 

Do you see the issue here? You are asking transgender and nonbinary students, who may not be "out" at their schools to put themselves in harm's way. You're asking them to use a restroom that is not appropriate for them. To what end? To appease your unfounded, and illogical fear that every trans or nonbinary person is somehow a predator? If that fear is motivating you, that is an issue for YOU to delve into in therapy, and not to transpose on transgender and nonbinary students who just want to represent their school in a sport. 

Question 2 for Senators who support LB89 from Scribble Scribe:
What is lacking in my life that I need to harass the youth of this state and their family and friends and allies? 

Answer 2 from Senator Z: 
Certainly, morals are not lacking. I find it highly immoral when trans people want to push their agenda on young people.

Response 2 from Scribble Scribe:

Part 1 to your statement:
You identify very strongly as a person with morals. Okay. Good. Having a moral compass is helpful. A set of morals provides a necessary guide for people as they navigate the world around them. I have very strong morals myself and am proud of that, too. For example, I do not support discrimination, fearmongering, or intentional misinformation, or scapegoating of minorities. I support education, equity, self-acceptance, interconnectedness, to name a few. 

However, it seems you are insinuating that anyone who is LGBTQ+ is immoral. Or do you just take umbrage specifically with transgender and nonbinary people's existence? Do you think they lack morals, just for the fact that they are transgender or nonbinary? Are you generalizing a whole group of people and stating that they don't have morals or are de facto immoral by their existence?

I find that very harsh and a false equivalency. And quite frightening from a State Senator, elected to represent a district that almost definitely has transgender and nonbinary constituents. Have you ever met any of them? Did you talk at length with any of them? What did they say or do that led you to believe they were "immoral"? How long generally do you need to speak with someone to judge whether they have morals, no morals, or just a different world view and life experience from your own?

Do you think if someone lives differently, they should be judged by you or anyone else? To what aim? Do you think they should have less rights than other people? Do you think their needs for safety and respect and food and shelter and the like are diminished because you have made a judgement about their morals after whatever length of time you have deemed appropriate? Or do you hear a label like "transgender" or "nonbinary" and decide you have all the information you need to make a judgement on their morals? Or are morals perhaps more complex than saying "moral/immoral" if it doesn't match your own? 

What are cases in which you've accepted other groups of people that live differently than yourself, yet you've still decided they have morals? Do people of other faiths have morals? Do people that don't profess faith have morals? How does a person prove they have morals? What morals don't hold value to you? If they are morals that others hold dear, but not morals you hold, does that other person seem "moral" or "immoral" to you? Why do you get to decide that? 

Part 2 to Answer 2: 
So you think that transgender and nonbinary youth are created or formed by someone else's agenda? You think that transgender people are pushing an agenda on the youth, perhaps to create more transgender or nonbinary people? Or do you believe in more sinister aims? I won't try to imagine those. 

How many transgender and nonbinary people do you know personally? Anyone in your family? In your friend group? In your church? Amongst your children's friends? Grandchildren's friends? 

From the people in my life, I can tell you, the trans agenda is TO SURVIVE. To THRIVE. To live a happy life, safe in a world that is fearful of them, a world that often brutally attacks and leaves trans people dead. I encourage you to look up some statistics on attacks against trans and nonbinary/gender non-conforming people. Queer people. It's heartbreaking.

The queer agenda is to be themselves, to have the same opportunities as cisgendered people to create a home for themselves, to get an education, to have a family, to be loved and accepted by the people who want them in their lives. To be called by the name they love to hear. To be loved and protected and celebrated. To be allowed to have moments of weakness and failure, because we are all imperfect people. To navigate life that is hard for anyone. To get financial security. To be able to eat, take care of their body. To be able to celebrate their body and love what they see in the mirror. To fall in love with someone who sees them on a soul-level. To have the joy they deserve. To travel safely. To be able to use a restroom without fear. To make it to old age.

Maybe you see it as an agenda being pushed on young people because you don't recall this type of visibility when you were growing up. You didn't see the pride and self-love and self-acceptance that we have today, which to me is a beautiful and special thing. The reason you didn't see that, the reason it seemed no one was "out", was because it wasn't safe. It's because the cisgender, heteronormative agenda was what was pushed on the youth. Maybe you're bristling at the words "cisgender, heteronormative", but it's the proper label for when your dad, grandpa, or uncles, or maybe the adult women too, chided you or other boys and said "don't be a sissy/pansy/wuss." or "Only little girls cry. Are you a little girl?" or maybe they said nasty things about girls or women. About how they should dress or behave. Or what they "needed". Gross things. 

Even if you were only ever straight and cisgendered, I know hearing those things had an effect on you. They shaped you. And maybe you were able to brush it off. But you KNOW, you have to know, that there were people around that WERE different. And you have to think, how did that affect them, to hear adults insinuate there was something wrong with them? Hearing that they were different and that it was shameful. How would that affect you? How could you go about your day to day being made to feel less worthy of love? That you needed to be different from what you were to be accepted? THAT is a dangerous agenda. 

I bet you know young men and women that killed themselves. Did you know in your heart it was because they were queer and couldn't fit in? The suicide rates of queer people are unfortunate. But it's higher among those who grow up with the agenda of hatred forced upon them. When you push anti-trans laws, you are contributing to making a hostile environment for these youth and adults.

It's an extraordinary act to be authentically oneself when society tells you to hate yourself, and to subject yourself to their rules. 

THE QUEER AGENDA IS TO SURVIVE.

It may look subversive to you, may look like "kids are just doing it because it's a fad, or XYZ" reason you've heard. It may look manufactured or dangerous. But it's more dangerous to not let people explore themselves and express themselves and have safety. QUEER PEOPLE DESERVE TO LIVE. THEY DESERVE TO BE WHO THEY ARE. THEY DESERVE TO BE PROTECTED. Queer Youth deserve to grow into adults, even if they stay queer or not. 




Question 3 for Senators who support LB89 from Scribble Scribe:

Why do I think that policing anyone’s genitals makes girls and women safer, when it just puts them at risk? 

Answer 3 from Senator Z:
3). Risk?  I find it a risk to continue to push the liberal agenda upon everyone.  Please understand!  If you are a transperson - that is fine.  Do not expect everyone to buy into your ideals.  If you have a child who is trans - I am sorry.  But other people do not have to change their beliefs to buy into yours.   My education with LGBT issues begins with my faith. While I have compassion for all young people who may suffer from mental illness or from gender dysphoria, I do not have compassion for adults who continue to push their agendas on people who believe differently.

Response 3 from Scribble Scribe:
See notes about "agenda" in above response. 

You don't want everyone to "buy into [trans] ideals". It shouldn't be considered an optional "ideal" for transgender and nonbinary people to have equal rights. It's the law. LB89 is discriminatory. 

 If you have a child who is trans - I am sorry. Can you just sit with your statement for a moment? Do you have any idea of how insulting that comment is? Parents/families who love their transgender/nonbinary children aren't sorry their children are transgender or nonbinary. They're sorry that their children can't safely be who they are without people like you, trying to denigrate and demonize their existence. How terribly awful for you to say, as a parent, and I assume grandparent. If you have any trans/nonbinary/queer people in your family, I feel sorry for THEM. Knowing that you carry such limited, and insulting views of people like them. I REALLY hope you educate yourself so you can emerge from this a better, more loving, more accepting, safer person for the people in your life. 

My education with LGBT issues begins with my faith. - Perhaps your education with LGBTQ+ "issues" should begin with the PEOPLE themselves. You seem to lack a lot of information. And hiding behind your faith is not a good advertisement for your faith. I know PLENTY of people of faith, some in leadership roles, who support and celebrate LGBTQ+ peoples and are champions for their equal rights in face of discrimination such as this. 

While I have compassion for all young people who may suffer from mental illness or from gender dysphoria,.... Being Transgender and nonbinary IS NOT A MENTAL ILLNESS. I'll refer you to the American Psychological Association. I'm not sure my email will come through if I put a link, but it's an article from 2008 titled: "Understanding transgender people, gender identity and gender expression" updated July 8, 2024. You need to educate yourself on an issue you clearly struggle with understanding. And you should NOT be creating laws about things you don't understand. Now that you KNOW it's not a mental illness, I expect you will not say it again. And I expect that when it comes up in conversation, you will inform others that it's not a mental illness. Because now you know better. And you want to be a truthful person, right? Is that part of your faith or set of morals? It is for me. 

I do not have compassion for adults who continue to push their agendas on people who believe differently. Agreed. I hate when elected officials push their religions into law, instead of respecting the wide variety of beliefs of their constituents. I especially have no patience when the agenda that others push is incorrect, outdated, and discriminatory. Namely the agenda that supporters of LB89 seem to have - the ill-begotten idea that human gender is a binary. It is not. I do not have patience when religion or faith is used as a weapon, or a means to justify discrimination. 

If you've actually read to the end of this, you'll notice I'm less wordy. I'm tired. I've spent almost 2 hours by this point, trying to instruct a person who is supposed to vote with the safety and well-being of their constituents in mind, but they are lacking knowledge. They are pushing their own agendas without seeing the irony or hypocrisy. They are targeting a handful of young athletes and ignoring the outcry of the damage they are doing. 

Does your faith tell you to hurt and discriminate? Does your faith tell you to ignore the hurt you are causing when you are being specifically told YOU ARE HURTING US?

Other tidbits I'd like to share:
I've seen news reports about women who look butch or "manly" that they've been harassed while in the women's restroom. So, guess what? Policing restrooms based on perceived gender DOESN'T MAKE WOMEN SAFE. 

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE RESTROOMS. Just like it wasn't about water fountains for segregation. 
Learn from the mistakes of the past. Do better. 


Sadly, your overall message by the questions you chose to answer made you appear to be anti-trans. You didn't really have much to say about the merits of the bill. Or any statistics to prove it was sensible.  

If you are anti-trans, and are using faith as a means to discriminate, I really don't find you to be a safe legislator. I really hope you can do some praying, if that's what you're into, to open your heart. But you really need to educate yourself. 


Now for questions you didn't answer.....
again, I ask, if you only answer another one, #7, #8 Maybe #4

1. Why am I so concerned about other people’s genitals? 

2. What is lacking in my life that I need to harass the youth of this state and their family and friends and allies? 

3. Why do I think that policing anyone’s genitals makes girls and women safer, when it just puts them at risk? 

4. Why am I unable to grasp the reality that trans and nonbinary people have existed since the dawn of time? 

5. Why do I want to treat them as less than human and put them in harm’s way when they just want to safely use the restroom and live their lives?

6. What would I do if someone told me I was in the wrong restroom and started yelling at me?

7. Why am I willing to waste the time, money, and resources of this state to harass perhaps less than 10 transgender and nonbinary youth in Nebraska sports when the NSAA already has policies in place, when schools already support their students?

8. Why can’t I see that I am hurting large populations of this state who are transgender, nonbinary, queer, or allies when I support hateful, discriminatory, unnecessary, legislation?

9. Why do I say I support freedom when I am working to take away basic human rights and dignities?

10. Why do I say I want a small government, when it ends up just being small-minded?

11. Why do I attack transgender and nonbinary people, just like the Nazis did?

12. Why can’t I make space for others and defend their rights and freedoms when I’ve taken an oath to do so?

So, now that I've spent 2+ hours trying to give you a different perspective, inspire you to self-educate, to think about your misconceptions, your improper labels about mental illness, has anything shifted for you? 

It would be easy for you to write me off as a 'crazy liberal' or something, but I want you to understand. I have very strong morals. I have loyalty to my friends and family. I will fight for them and their rights, even if it feels like I'm wasting my breath and my time. Because QUEER PEOPLE MATTER TO ME. And doing the right thing matters. Fighting against discrimination and injustice, and ignorance, THOSE ARE MY MORALS. At the end of the day, the end of this literal day, I want to be able to say I tried. That I fought for what is good and right. That I can look my friends and family in the eyes and say, I did what I could to use logic, compassion, and a belief in what's right to stick up for you. 

I really hope that this lengthy email has caused you to pause. To think about how your flippant answers reveal your lack, the spaces where you can still grow and educate yourself, be a person, a senator who listens and can admit they were wrong and change course.

I implore you, PLEASE OPPOSE LB 89. Talk to your fellow supporters of LB89 and let them know you are all wrong. Listen to the people of Nebraska, cisgendered and not. SAY NO TO LB89 AND OTHER DISCRIMINATORY BILLS.

Thank you.




We'll see if that gets any response. ;)

Oppose LB 574, 575, 371. Support Rights of Trans, nonbinary, LBTQ+ Nebraskans

Greetings, Senator X, 

As a constituent, I'm writing to ask you to oppose LB 574 and LB 575.

LB 574 Bans Gender Affirming Care and LB 575 Bans Trans Youth from Participating in Sports Consistent with their Gender Identity.

I’m also asking you to oppose LB 371 Prohibit Youth under 21 from Attending Drag Shows and any other anti-trans or anti-gay bill. I’m sending this via ACLU site and via email to ensure you get this important message.

I’ll try to keep this brief and provide information from sources other than my own life and strong emotions. 

Simply put, all 3 of these bills, (and any other anti-trans anti-gay etc. bills or resolutions) are discrimination (which is illegal), as well as shameful and ignorant. Not only do I have a transgender niece, but I've met and cared for a number of other nonbinary and LGBTQ+ people in my life. Even if I didn’t know anyone nonbinary or LGBTQ+, I would never approve of the hatred, discrimination, and stripping of civil and human rights for people who are simply living their lives. 

In reference to LB 574 to Ban Gender Affirming Care. This bill, if passed, would have extreme negative effects that could increase suicides among youth, among many other drawbacks. According to the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry: “It is well documented that TGNB [transgender, and nonbinary minors] adolescents and young adults experience anxiety and depression, as well as suicidal ideation, at a much higher rate than their cisgender peers. According to The Trevor Project’s 2020 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, 54 percent of young people who identified as transgender or nonbinary reported having seriously considered suicide in the last year, and 29 percent have made an attempt to end their lives. In contrast, numerous research studies have found that gender-affirming care leads to improved mental health among TGNB youth.” https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/news/gender-affirming-care-saves-lives 

I notice your name on LB 575 to ban transgender youth from participating in sports with their gender. I do not know your reasoning, but I implore you to remove your name and support from this bill. People do NOT undergo changes in gender assignment to get a leg up on competition. Look at what discrimination they already face - lawmakers trying to ban them from sports, for one. People don't willingly try to make their life harder, but creating laws like this DOES make their lives harder. 

Also, the bill is faulty as far as science goes. People try to claim that a person is either biologically female or male, but that’s simply not true. Nature doesn’t work in binaries, even if people like labels. You’ve likely heard by now that a number of people are born intersex. According to Planned Parenthood, “Intersex is a general term used for a variety of situations in which a person is born with reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t fit the boxes of “female” or “male.” … Being intersex is a naturally occurring variation in humans, and it isn’t a medical problem … Being intersex is also more common than most people realize. It’s hard to know exactly how many people are intersex, but estimates suggest that about 1-2 in 100 people born in the U.S. are intersex.” https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/gender-identity/sex-gender-identity

In addition, think of the civil right infringements and personal violations you’d be putting upon students to prove their biological sex in order to play a sport. In fact, many years ago, they stopped testing Olympic athletes. An article from 2000 from the Yale School of Medicine reported: “"In reality, gender verification tests are difficult, expensive, and potentially inaccurate," said Myron Genel, M.D., a pediatric endocrinologist at the Yale School of Medicine and co-author of a commentary on gender testing published in the September 27 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association. "Furthermore, these tests fail to exclude all potential impostors, are discriminatory against women with disorders of sexual development, and may have shattering consequences for athletes who 'fail' a test."”  https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/decision-to-abolish-gender-testing-at-sydney-olympics-supported-by-yale-physician/ 

Who are you really protecting when you are forcing high school athletes to undergo gender testing to play a sport? You’re catering to the fear and ignorance of a certain group of people who do not look to science and reality for guidance. They spend so much time fearful of a boogeyman that they don’t even realize that their own children will negatively suffer. And all in the name of ‘sports.’ Why should schools have that level of genetic information on their students? They shouldn’t. The possible repercussions of this bill have not been investigated in the slightest and this would be foolish and discriminatory to implement. Again, please remove your name and support from this bill.

In reference to LB 371 Prohibit Youth under 21 from Attending Drag Shows, I don’t really have an article to refer to and I can’t even begin to explain how absolutely ridiculous this bill is. If a person doesn’t want to go to a drag show, or doesn’t want their child to see someone in a costume, they don’t have to attend. But this bill is so poorly thought out that theater could be illegal. Not able to wear makeup? All the men I know in theater have worn makeup. Male newscasters wear makeup on TV and in films. Why are people so obsessed about the gender of clothing and makeup and general appearance? It wasn’t that long ago that it was illegal for women to wear pants. In a country that’s supposed to be free, certain people are zealously over-involved in the idea of what other people do with their freedom.  

I have a feeling that the people that created and support this bill have never been to a drag show. They are living in fear of the things they don’t know and have created strange ideas that are far from reality. I myself have attended drag events while under age 21 and you know what it did to me? It taught me how to love and support people, to have a good time, let people enjoy themselves. It taught me how creative people can get when they come up with their costumes and how important it is to express oneself, have an outlet.  

Creating laws that ban people from attending events like this gives the false impression that there’s something wrong with it. Even without such laws, there’ve been too many attacks on gay clubs that leave people dead and lives shattered. Drag shows don’t do that. Hatred, misinformation, ignorance, and terrorists do that. LB 371 feeds into that and it should be struck down. People should be able to congregate safely in places that want them to feel unashamed of who they are. Everyone deserves that.

As far as Drag Story Hour goes, one of the events certain people are so fearful about, I think it sounds like so much fun. If I had kids, I would take them to enjoy someone wearing a fun outfit who wants to read them. I’d love for my child to learn to not judge someone on something as frivolous as what they wear, or who they love. I’d love for my child to learn to think beyond limits and labels and restrictions from narrow minds. Youth should be encouraged to explore, to dream, to imagine. Drag Story Hour is one of many options that can do that for children and it should be any guardian’s right to let their child attend something like that. Otherwise, where is our freedom? Why are our lives and freedoms becoming restrictive and narrow because of someone else’s fear and misconceptions?

The people who live their lives in fear have threatened violence upon events like these, events that have children present. Those people should be ashamed (and prosecuted). They claim they care about kids' safety, but they clearly don’t. They are the dangerous people, not someone in a costume reading to a group of kids. 

The fact is, many people in this world, in this state are LGBTQ+ and they have finally achieved some level of legal protection. We shouldn’t be regressing to a time of less rights. Banning youth from being around people in drag is dumb dumb dumb. It’s hatred. It’s government overreach. It’s discrimination. It’s teaching self-hatred as well. Too many children grow up in homes that use religion as a weapon, and it’s the children that suffer. I know that happens in X County, in Nebraska and all over the country and the world, and it makes me sick. I’m worried for kids that get the message that there’s something wrong with them or people like them, when the REAL problem is the number of ignorant people who feel comfortable spewing hatred, lies, and creating dangerous legislation that violates our rights. You have a chance to do something positive, even if some of your other constituents want you to act from fear and ignorance. You can oppose all of these hateful, discriminatory, poorly-constructed bills. 

If you haven’t been in contact with people in the LGBTQ+ community in Nebraska, I highly encourage you to reach out and meet them. A group called “Out Nebraska” recently hosted a Drag Story Hour, after a previous event had to be postponed due to hateful threats. https://linktr.ee/outnebraska Another group in the Panhandle works to serve LGBTQ youth in more rural areas, something that I wish existed in our own county. https://www.panhandleequality.org/about-us 

Although I didn’t manage to keep this message short, I hope it has helped you see that LB 574, LB 575, and LB 371 are dangerous, poorly planned, and should be opposed. Likewise any other anti-trans, anti-gay bills that are out there or come up in the future. I encourage you to read some of those links above, learn from LGBTQ+ Nebraskans, join with the Senators defending trans rights, and perhaps even talk to your fellow Senators about these concerns to get them to oppose these bills as well. 

I am asking you to stand up and protect the rights of trans kids so that every single trans kid in Nebraska feels like, and knows, that they belong here. Stop government overreach and protect trans youth.

Sincerely,

X

Email to School Superintendent in August - Nebraska - re Covid, sex ed, critical race theory

This email was sent to the local rural county school superintendent Thurs Aug 5th and received no response. As of 9/2 the school website says 6 staff and 6 students have covid and that masking is a personal choice. (small rural area). 

Greetings, X, 

    I don't currently have any family in the X County School system, but received a newsletter in my mailbox. As a member of the community, I wanted to mention some concerns/thoughts related to your letter. I'll try to be brief, or at least concise, as I know you are busy getting ready for the new school year! :) 

"Post-Covid" phrase/Masks & Vaccinations

    In your letter, you used the phrase "post-Covid" but, at the very least, that is inappropriate wording. I'm sure you know cases are rising in the state, the country, and the world. We're not out of it yet and it's unwise to indicate it's over.

    I'm very disappointed that masks are not required in the schools. I know masks can be a hassle, but it's a simple method of prevention. Especially when any child under age 12 is at a larger risk without a vaccine. 

    I'm very concerned that you didn't encourage people to get vaccines. I realize unfortunately covid and vaccines have morphed into a political issue, instead of basic science. I presume that science is still taught in schools and would hope that you and your staff encourage its use. :) As was mentioned elsewhere in the newsletter, the state requires certain vaccines for children, so this shouldn't be something unusual to encourage, especially in light of the statistics that show unvaccinated people bear the brunt of covid cases now.

    As I'm sure you're aware, the CDC is highly recommending every eligible person to get vaccinated AND for everyone to wear masks indoors, vaccinated or not. It should follow suit that schools, institutions of learning, would follow these recommendations from experts. 

     You mention safety as the school's top priority. Masks and vaccinations against this global virus is prevention that will keep the children, staff, families, and communities safe. I highly encourage you to reconsider the school's stance and focus on prevention, instead of being reactionary. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Department of Education Health and Safety Standards

    I also noticed mention of the Department of Education's revisions on Health and Physical Education Standards as an issue that came up in the past few months. I appreciate your simple update that the standards haven't been finalized, so nothing has been changed yet for X. 

    

    You mention that you will reach out to the community for input. Here is mine: After reading the proposed lessons, I reached out to the Department of Education and highly encouraged them to keep what they had, so I was very disappointed that the Governor encouraged fear-mongering in the general public and, as a result, crucial information about gender identity was removed. 

    I want to tell you how important it is that all people, children and adults, feel safe and respected, and I believe this is touted as a value in your schools. I have family and friends that are transgender, non-binary, LGBTQ+ and a fair number of them live in Nebraska or grew up in Nebraska, including small towns where they didn't feel safe or welcome. That can't continue.

    As an institution funded by taxpayer money, the schools cannot discriminate on the facts that are taught. I don't want to feel that fear-based religious teachings and misinformation seep into public schools and prevent students from learning about the real world. I'm sure there will be pressure from some families, but it's a matter of reality and more complete education. Pretending LGBTQ+ people don't exist is NOT a viable option. There are plenty of resources to help enlighten staff, students, and families, and I hope to hear about how they are being implemented.

    I sincerely hope that current teaching and future teaching provides students and families with fair, respectful, balanced information that includes and provides a safe/welcoming space for LGBTQ+ people. Whether or not you know it, there are people that are LGBTQ+ in your student body, on staff, and in families. If our school or county isn't welcoming for them, that is something that needs to be addressed. 

Critical Race Theory/History Classes

    Lastly, you mentioned Critical Race Theory and simply stated it hasn't been added to the curriculum and the district has not been asked to teach it. That's a pretty simple way to address it without delving into it, which seems like the best way to handle it! 

    

    My understanding is that Critical Race Theory 1) is a graduate collegiate level concept, 2) people have gotten upset about it without knowing what it is or trying to investigate/learn, and 3) some people that are upset are masking certain feelings or misconceptions that could be problematic. 

    I don't know what the current curriculum is, but I should hope that the history being taught is honest about the inequalities in the founding of this nation (and that still exist today). It can be VERY touchy territory, as I'm sure you know, but admitting a problem is the first step to fixing problems. And it often is uncomfortable, but that's growing pains, right? :) If and when it's deemed appropriate, I know there are resources and organizations that can help facilitate for these kinds of conversations. 

    Our county and state may lack diversity (98.7% White in X County, 88% in Nebraska), but that shouldn't prevent us from preparing children (and adults!) for meeting people from different backgrounds and having empathy and understanding. As you see every day, schools allow children to learn about the world outside of their home, and their own community. This encompasses both "LGBTQ+" and "race" and much more!

    As I said, I don't have family in the school system in this county at this time, but I do find the newsletters interesting for a variety of reasons. (For one, they helped give information that helped with my vote on construction! I'm excited to know there will be growth in the arts and resources for students!) 

    I hope that my concerns and comments are well-received and provide some insight and encouragement for moving people in this community out of fear of the unknown and into inclusiveness, growth, understanding, and fostering welcoming environments that encourage lifelong learning.

Wishing you and your staff well, 

Nebraska Governor Fearful of Teaching Children About Their Bodies

Context: Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts (Republican) put out a press release against updates to Nebraska Health Education updates that aim to teach children about their bodies, gender identities, and how to identify unwanted touch etc. He included the instruction for parents to read the update proposals and contact about this issue, most likely with the assumption that fearful parents would be appalled by the idea of educating children. 

https://www.1011now.com/2021/03/12/gov-ricketts-wants-proposed-sex-education-standards-scrapped-calls-some-updates-age-inappropriate/ 

The new sex education and health standards can be viewed by clicking here. The public can submit formal comments by emailing nde.standardsinput@nebraska.gov.

I wrote a thank you to those who would update the standards:

To Whom It May Concern, 

I am not a parent, but I am a taxpayer and an aunt to 10 children, at least one of whom has told us of her transgender status. After being directed to your pdf of updates and given your email by our fear-mongering governor, I wanted to advise you I applaud the updates to Nebraska's Health Education Standards.

As you know, it is crucial to teach children at an early age about how to be aware of different genders and identifications as well as to have control over their bodies and understand what to do about inappropriate and unwanted touch or attention. It's never too early because abusers aren't waiting for a certain age, and our governor proves not all children are living with safe or well-informed adults. This kind of information can prevent children from abuse and even suicide and is well worth pursuing despite fearful attacks you may be receiving. 

It is disheartening that an elected public servant is trying to motivate people based upon fear, miseducation and hatred of others. This only proves the need for this instruction. I thank you for trying to advance Nebraska Health Education to be truthful, inclusive, proactive, and progressive. Children need to have actual facts and information as our own governor makes it evident there are people (parents/guardians) who are unwilling or unfit to have truthful conversations with youth that need answers. 

Again, thank you for your updates to the Health Education system for Nebraska. I wanted to reach out and be a positive voice to tell you that you are doing the right thing by being truthful, inclusive, and proactive. This is what is needed to protect and empower future generations.

Best of luck

Sincerely,

X

 I also wrote an email to PRicketts telling him that he is unfit, something I get to do way too often.

Greetings, Gov. P. Ricketts,

In regards to your press release on updating Nebraska Health Education Standards, I am disappointed that you want to deny essential education to young children. You rely on fear-mongering and your own miseducation and you put Nebraska children and families at risk from your ignorance. 

You claim this information is "age-inappropriate". If you are not aware, children of any age can be bullied or abused and it is essential that they are given the knowledge and tools to identify this and seek help. Abusers don't wait until children reach a certain age. Not giving children proper information can lead to abuse or even suicide. 

There is nothing "political" about children learning the proper terms for their genitalia, or learning about differing genders, or learning about adoption, or same sex parents, as shown in the lessons for the younger classes. You don't seem to grasp what science is since you claim this is non-scientific instruction. 

If you are unaware, as a public servant to Nebraskans, you answer to hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ+ people and the people who love and support them, including me and my family. If you are unwilling to serve ALL Nebraskans, I ask that you step down from your position. Your ignorance and misinformation is disruptive and dangerous to everyone in this state. 

Disappointed in you as always, 

X

Governor P. Ricketts - Xenophobia, the Covid Vaccine and You

Governor, P. Ricketts, 

I write to exclaim my disgust at your depraved and abhorrent proclamation that undocumented workers will NOT receive the coronavirus vaccine. In case you don't understand, a person's humanity or worth is not linked to their immigration status. 

Covid-19 doesn't discriminate and you shouldn't either. Your insistence that you are pro-life is a ghastly, hypocritical statement when you can't even protect people in your state because of your misguided xenophobia. 

The undocumented workers make up a large part of the workforce, especially in meat-packing plants. Your assistance to them has been awful during the pandemic and you have proven you do not value their lives or safety. I'd like to remind you, you are not better or more worthy of medical assistance than a person working in a meatpacking plant. 

You lack leadership, ethics, humanity, and foresight in protecting residents of Nebraska and you should be ashamed of yourself. I know I am ashamed you "govern" my state. 

I insist you freely distribute the covid vaccine to EVERY PERSON IN NEBRASKA, regardless of any factor such as immigration status, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, gender, gender presentation, marital status, disability status etc. 

Sincerely Disgusted as Usual, 

Disgusted at Racist and Anti-Woman Nebraska Governor

Greetings, Governor P. Ricketts, 

I am a citizen of Nebraska and want to express my great disgust and displeasure with the laws you approve or deny. 

Lately you have approved LB 814 which unconstitutionally outlaws a form of abortion that is needed in some cases for late-term abortions (re: children wanted by the mother that cannot safely be born). This leads me to conclude you are anti-woman, anti-science, anti-doctor, and unfairly aligned with your religious base that wants to tell women what they can and cannot do with their bodies. You have endangered many women with this senseless, needless, baseless, unconstitutional law.

Secondly you vetoed LB 1060 which would protect against natural hair discrimination. I read your reasoning and if you believe that hairstyles can easily be changed, you have never sat in a black hair salon. Since you are a bald white man, let me inform you, it takes an entire day and hundreds of dollars to change hairstyles. You mention the creation of a new 'race', which is an absurd idea. You also mention safety protocols around machinery as an excuse for vetoing this bill. There is a difference between safety protocols and being able to fire someone because their hair is too "black" or "unprofessional" (ie racism). If you don't care to protect your citizens from discrimination, you are showing your ignorance and how you keep the door open for racism in the state of Nebraska. 

You also fail to understand basic science and that masks are a simple way Nebraskans could protect each other from a pandemic. You even want to take away financial protections for businesses that want to promote this safety measure. You are indeed anti-science and need to stop believing and protecting the ego-maniac Trump that is running this country into the ground while allowing for the deaths of hundreds of thousand due to his insane methods. For your own lack of action, I hold you responsible for every Nebraskan illness and death due to COVID-19.

Since you don't seem to care about human beings other than white, wealthy, male elites, I look forward to seeing your replaced when your term is up. If you would be so kind as to resign before then, I, and countless Nebraskans you belittle and endanger, would be so pleased. 

Letter to Government Officials 1-3-2020 on 15 TOPICS

January 3, 2020

Greetings, Senator Sasse, Senator Fischer, Representative Smith, and Governor Ricketts, and local Nebraska Unicameral Senator (addition on Jan 8, 2020)

I haven’t written to a lawmaker since we were required to do so in grade school, many moons ago. I figured to best use my time, I’d contact all of the elected officials at once who make the important decisions that affect life in Nebraska. As you can tell, it’s a long letter, but there are many issues to touch on. I’d rather do it once. :) Bear with me; I have a lot to say and feel my views are not being represented in many decisions being made. 

I doubt that you’ll actually read what I have to say, but I hope you will, as it took me several days to construct this letter, trying to put my thoughts, feelings, frustrations into written form. I expect you’ll at least get the cliff notes version from a staffer and know that one of your constituents has wishes for legislation that may be different from what your supporters like to hear. Hopefully this can guide you to make more equitable decisions that honor all of the people in Nebraska and beyond. 

I write with several things in mind: 

1. The necessary removal of Trump from office
2. The need for abortion to remain legal and women’s choice to be respected
3. The need for heightened separation of Church and State
4. Protection of LGBT people from discrimination
5. The needed boost to minimum wage of at least $15/hr minimum
6. The need for universal health care
7. A move to lower the voting age to 16, automatic registration, disband the electoral college
8. Moving military entrance age to 21 to match alcohol and cigarettes.
9. Free college education and dismissal of student debt
10. Free lunch for public school students 
11. Shutdown the ICE detention centers and reunite families; disband “the wall” idea, fix immigration 
12. Sensible gun law reform
13. Shut down the Keystone Pipeline and focus on sustainable energy sources, green solutions
14. Shut down for profit prisons and end capital punishment
15. Investigation of Epstein’s death

The necessary removal of Trump from office

I believe Representative Smith voted to not impeach. The Senators are now faced with the choice of whether to remove Trump from office. I’m afraid that due to your political affiliation, you’ll vote to keep him in office. And that’s why I’m concerned. When Senator Mitch McConnell says he’s going to side with the White House, that shows how unjust the system is. There is no justice if Republicans just want to protect Trump. The role of our lawmakers is to represent the people of their state, not just their political party or career aspirations. We all lose when people continue to separate themselves into two sides. 

I wish that each of you could look at Trump truthfully and decide what kind of person he is. I cannot trust him. I would not want to be anywhere near that man, accused pedophile who never went to court (named in the same lawsuit as Jeffrey Epstein), man who refuses to pay his bills, created a fake university and scammed many people, has gone bankrupt several times, and cannot control himself when it comes to tweeting. The man who mocks people with disabilities, people who have been prisoners of war, servicemen who have died, who has talked disgustingly of women, separates families at the border and creates lasting trauma for those affected. 

There is nothing normal about that man in the highest office. It’s very clear from all of this and the transcripts of “The July Call” that this man is not conducting the affairs of the U.S. in a legal, respectable, safe, logical way. I hope that for the sake of this nation, Nebraskans, and your own standards of what kind of men your children should admire, that you vote to remove Trump from office and restore some sense of dignity to our nation. 

EDIT: I was ready to send this letter but now get to make an addition due to Trump’s terrorist attack on an international airport killing 7 people, two of which were high-ranking military officials - an act unthinkable if it were Iran’s attack on a U.S. international airport killing our high-ranking military officials. Trump acted without Congressional approval and the U.S. WILL see retaliation and deaths. There have been reports of people in the streets shouting “Death to America”. I see that Sasse’s tweets have already been quoted in the news in support of Trump. That’s unfortunate. I imagine, since support has been reported to be a party line split, that if it were a Democrat acting without Congressional approval, that would be abhorrent to you. Or do you support war in all its formats? Do you benefit from war somehow? I ask all of you to seriously consider what’s going on.

I lost sleep last night at how little thought must have gone into this. Trump acts on ego, did not consult Congress, and has potentially brought about the death of thousands of people/Americans/military in that region, as well as the possibility of strikes on U.S. soil. If we do go to war, I feel it will be without allies, as most nations find Trump to be … not normal. Any blood that rises, I attribute to Trump and his supporters. 

I do find it interesting, these past tweets that surfaced that Trump himself wrote, proclaiming that Obama would attack Iran to start a war (29 Nov 11)  “to save face” (15 Sept 13), “to show how tough he is” (28 Sep 13)  and because his “poll numbers are in tailspin” and “he is desperate” (09 Oct 12). These seem to all be reasons Trump has potentially launched us into war. Not because he really cares about servicepeople, but because he wants to distract us from the impeachment, the trial to remove him from office, and the fact that there are people more qualified to serve than he. 

In fact, it often strikes me how ill-aligned Trump is with supposed Republican values. If he is truly the best representation of your values, perhaps your values are not what you say they are. In that case, I will continue to vote against Republicans. I want a better world than you seem ready to work for. That’s a shame. I know there is common ground, but I don’t want blood on my hands from warmongers that represent my state and my country.

The need for abortion to remain legal 

NOTE: This section also received edits after the January 2, 2020 news amicus brief in which ALL Nebraska Senators and Representatives turned their backs on the reproductive rights of women with the plea to the SCOTUS to overturn Roe V Wade.

  

When I was age 17, half my lifetime ago, I remember realizing that I had an aunt on either side of the family that didn’t have children, that they were happy, and that I wasn’t required to become a mother. Ever since then, I’ve studied up on remaining without children and what pressures I would face, as well as the pressures that women face in considering having children. I also found a spouse who doesn’t want/need children either. Having a child is the single most important decision that I feel a woman faces in her life. All women I know are aware of this and don’t take this lightly. I know women who have had abortions, miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, been sterilized, had children, had no children, or a mix of those. 

In order to have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, women need to be able to be in control of their bodies, their lives, their families. It’s a human right for a woman to decide if, when, how to have children. The government needs to remain impartial and allow women to get the medical access they need. There should be no restrictions imposed by the government as it is between a woman and her medical provider. I understand that certain religions view abortion as murder, but abortion is a personal decision, not a group judgement; besides, religion is not supposed to control the government, so your religious beliefs don’t supercede mine. Outlawing abortion is just one of the ways you insult women with your laws. Women do not need unnecessary impediments such as unwanted transvaginal ultrasounds, or impossible reimplantation of ectopic pregnancies. People protesting women’s clinics are not helping women, nor are the non-medically necessary required restrictions created to make operation of clinics more difficult, such as “admitting access to a hospital within 30 miles” that are not the same for other medical fields. Threatening women and their doctors with crimes and death sentences are absurd and draconian. 

Some women WANT their pregnancies and painfully choose a late-term abortion to prevent the child from suffering in extreme circumstances. One never knows what a woman is going through. Outlawing abortion is dangerous and infringes upon our reproductive freedom. I’m disgusted that men, who will NEVER understand the experience, men who are NOT medical professionals, try to outlaw abortion. I’m disappointed in the women that prevent others from making the choice on their own. You should well know, not all people want the same thing, even if they seem to have the same situation. Just think about dinnertime … everyone is hungry, but likely wants something different. When it comes to pregnancy or reproductive desires, it is NOT one size fits all.

I’m embarrassed but not surprised that all the Nebraska Senators and Representatives asked the Supreme Court to overturn Roe V. Wade in the recent amicus brief. If you want smaller government as a Republican, you all need to step back from trying to control women’s reproductive freedoms. You would no sooner force a woman to have an abortion, so why are you insistent upon making the choice for all women to birth children? What kind of society tries to control women’s bodies? Not one I can support, that’s for sure. Handmaid’s Tale is eerily close when Republican lawmakers ignorantly continue to introduce/enact legislation that takes away women’s rights. I feel that anti-choice Republicans must hate women to continue this fight against us. A fetus is not more important that the woman who may potentially carry it. You cannot force a woman to have a pregnancy unless she consents. Should be simple. 

If people are really concerned about children, more money needs to be invested in free universal child care, universal health care to prevent high costs of doctor appointments and delivery, raising the minimum wage so that women aren’t forced to work multiple jobs and choose between feeding their children or paying rent, paid maternity leave so that women can take time off from work to welcome their children into the world and not lose their source of income, not chipping away at welfare benefits, not separating families and locking children in cages when they cross the border. These are just a few of the ideas I can come up with. 

Our society need to stop shaming women for having the children that anti-abortion people guilted/forced them into having. Unless you’re going to give each woman a quarter of a million dollars for each child she has (the average cost of raising a child to age 17), I really think Republicans need to back down from taking away the right to abortion as one of the many options a woman should have. I’m so frustrated that after all women have had to fight for, we still have men and women in the government who try to take away our bodily autonomy. 

If I sound impassioned, it’s because I am. 3000%. NOT having children is something that defines me, allows me to live the life I choose. I’m an aunt to 9, hopefully more someday. I hope that EVERY woman has the resources and support needed to make HER choice. I wish that anti-choice people would just make the choice for themselves instead of trying to impose their beliefs on this nation of diverse people. If you don’t want an abortion, don’t have one. Stop trying to control women and say you’re really just concerned about the fetus/future child. There’s no child without the woman’s consent. If it’s not your body, it’s not your decision. 

If you are looking for reading to expand your knowledge about the challenges women face and the history of reproductive politics, I recommend “Reproductive Politics: What Everyone Needs to Know” by Rickie Solinger. This book has a great format, is a quick read, and simply lays out the facts. 

The need for heightened separation of Church and State

I was raised in a Catholic family with five kids total. In my 12 years of Catholic schooling, I remember having doubts and questions, and was forced to undergo Confirmation in order to graduate from 8th grade, despite voicing my concerns to the deacon about not being ready to undergo that ‘sacrament’. I am now a person who views organized religion as a means of control, community, and comfort. I see the similar threads in many religions, the searching for answers, and rules. But I also see how Christianity has taken ahold of the government in so many ways, while at the same time bemoaning some perceived persecution. If we are to have a Freedom of/from Religion, that means we need to remain as impartial and respectful of other beliefs as we can. There doesn’t need to be mention of God, call to prayer, spiritual leaders, etc in places of government. There can be a calling to mind of shared values. Lack of religious belief does not mean lack of morals or convictions. I feel more persecuted by religious people because they freely get to shout their beliefs from the rooftop, whereas I have to hide my thoughts and feelings to myself. There is definitely an imbalance in our government and communities. Every time abortion rights are stripped from women, it’s evident that religion has an inappropriate presence in our government that overshadows my rights to religious beliefs and bodily autonomy. This oversight needs to end. 

Protection of LGBT+ people from discrimination

All people are deserving of respect and equality, protection from discrimination in their daily lives, in their job, in their housing. Discrimination should not be allowed in adoption agencies, or in any avenue. Any conversion therapies must be shut down as they are harmful to the well-being of those forced to attend. It is not a psychologically sound practice. 

There are many Nebraskans who do not fit the “average”, but they need to know there is a place for them here, that they are accepted and integral parts of our community. Please remember this as you create and examine legislation. Please take the time to learn and to meet others. I’ve heard it said “Be careful who you hate, because it may be someone you love.”  

The needed boost to minimum wage of at least $15/hr minimum

Did you know that the federal minimum wage ($7.25) is only $3020 different from poverty level ($12,060)? Knowing that health insurance deductibles can be $5000, car payments and repairs, bills that come out of nowhere, you can see that a $3020 pre-tax cushion isn’t really a cushion at all. That $2700 I just coughed over for a furnace would have been that “cushion” keeping me from poverty, if I was on the brink.

So many people have to work more than one job to make ends meet. I’m currently earning a few dollars more than both federal and Nebraska minimum wage at a 40 hour/week job that has NO BENEFITS, but I cannot afford a rent/house payment. I’m so very lucky that my husband paid off his small house shortly after I moved in. But with my regular bills (not in debt, luckily), I’m not able to put aside money. With a $200 car payment each month, I’m lucky to break even. I’m eyeing taking on a second job, just to get more money. That’s not how anyone should be living. Free time is necessary for sanity. Even 40 hours of work sometimes gets to be a drag. 

From what I understand, from a ballotpedia site from 2011, Nebraska Senators make more than $2 million a year, and rank 38th in pay. It’s likely you make 158 times the federal minimum wage every hour. So it’s understandable that you don’t feel the crisis. It’s not to say your job is a regular 40 hour job and doesn’t come with its own challenges and stresses. But I ask that you put yourself in the shoes of the majority of Nebraskans, people in this country. We can’t afford much of anything because the hourly wage has not risen with the cost of gas, milk, insurance, cars, etc. The wages of CEO’s are astronomical compared to what the common worker earns. They will not pay livable wages unless they are required to do so. There are some small businesses that may need subsidies in order to make this happen, but people deserve a fair, livable wage at only 40 hours work. We deserve more than we get. I’m in my mid-30’s, have a Bachelor’s Degree and have never broken $30,000 at a full time job. Good thing I don’t want kids because I simply couldn’t afford it. 

I please ask that you sit down and figure out what kind of expenses a person in their 20s faces when trying to get a one bedroom apartment in Omaha or Lincoln. I’ve tried to live that life before and it was pretty much impossible. I had to move back in with my parents and also had to live in a studio apartment, as I couldn’t ever afford a 1 bedroom apartment. Now factor in children. It gets worse. Help us, please. Raise the minimum wage, both federal and state to at least $15/hour. Yes, all wages should rise, except for CEO’s. They can take a pay cut ;) If someone is currently at $15 or $17 an hour, yes, their wages should rise as they are likely doing difficult or dangerous work. We need to value the time and energy that people provide the companies in this country. We ARE this country.

The need for universal health care

At the beginning of 2019, I went to have a minor pain checked out in my leg. I should have known better. The real pain was that although I was told my insurance “approved” the procedure, my health insurance only covered 2% and I was left with a $1200 bill. That’s a month’s wages for someone on minimum wage.  It doesn’t help that I make a few dollars more. It made me wish that I never went to the doctor in the first place, and that’s not the way it should be. 

If you pay attention, you’ll hear stories of people dying trying to ration insulin, or of people not going to receive medical care because of the cost. That just shouldn’t be. If we live in “the greatest nation on earth” why are people dying and going bankrupt due to medical costs? Why do you allow drugmakers to set prices that are outrageous? When you compare our system to that of other developed nations, we are far behind. Insurance is a broken system - I shouldn’t have to rely on an employer and risk losing insurance if I want to change jobs. As I mentioned, I have a full time job that doesn’t have any benefits and it’s actually pretty hard to find a full time job with benefits in the rural area in which I live. We can and should do better. 

A move to lower the voting age to 16, automatic registration, disband the electoral college

Since the legal working age is 16, it makes sense that anyone working should have a say in the way their taxes are used and who represents them for those purposes. It’s important to get the youth engaged in the political system because they are the ones who will shape the world. I’ve seen some very impassioned youth and they need to be heard. I know the value of voting; as a woman, that right wasn’t always extended to me. People were imprisoned and died so I could exercise my voice. 

We should also have automatic voter registration and Election Day should be a national holiday so people can leave work and have one less roadblock. There are too many restrictions that are meant to prevent people from voting. Gerrymandering voting districts. Need for I.D. Preventing the incarcerated or previously incarcerated from voting. Voter Purge (which should be illegal). It’s all part of the shadows, meant to keep people from having a say. We also need to disband the electoral college. One Vote should be One Vote. If you want people to feel empowered, take away that which makes it shady and difficult for us to get our one and only say: who represents us.

Moving military entrance age to 21 to match alcohol and cigarettes.

Recently the legal age for cigarettes has been moved to age 21 to match that of alcohol. I approve of that because at age 18, a person’s body and decision making skills are still developing. Therefore I think that we should do away with required registration and not allow anyone under age 21 to enroll in the military. If a teenager can’t be expected to make a good decision with alcohol consumption, they shouldn’t have a gun put in their hand either. I highly recommend the book “On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society” by Dave Grossman. Written by a military member, it details how the training for war has changed since our nation began. Now, killing is impersonal, with the ability to drop bombs from thousands of miles away. It’s abhorrent that we train youth to go kill, when often it’s about protecting financial interests, like oil. TRILLIONS of dollars are spent on the military and the war machine. We need to divert some of that money towards teaching conflict resolution, de-escalation skills, and general communication. Luring youth into the military with “free college” is disheartening and deceitful; If college were free across the board, youth would be able to make more informed choices. 

In general, we need to spend money on PEACE; after all, you get what you pay for! Maybe peace doesn’t seem to turn a profit the same way war does, but I’m sure the benefits are there. ;) I understand that even if we want peace and even if we are working towards it, there are humans that will do awful things and we need people ready to step in and protect us. I believe that people around age 18 are still vulnerable, still figuring out the world. My oldest nephew will be turning 21 in the summer and he’s still learning about the world. I was still learning about the world and my beliefs when I was nearing the end of my time at college. I know some people like structure, being told what to do, feeling a part of something, feeling proactive in protection, but there are more ways to integrate into society than by sending our youth into extreme situations where they end up in body bags for the price of oil. Or just as tragic, with PTSD and lack of resources when they come home. Raising the military entrance age to 21 ensures that people are pursuing it for the right reasons. 

Free college education and dismissal of student debt

The amount of student loan debt that the people of this country have prevents them from living life to the fullest. Can you imagine how much better our country could be if the brilliant minds were not restricted by the amount of money they could cough up? You’ve heard the phrase “A mind is a terrible thing to waste”. The U.S. is squandering that most valuable resource: the untapped minds of the youth. If we remove the barrier of finances for both universities and trade schools, so many more people will be able to get into fields and advance the U.S. in so many unknown ways. We can advance our country further if we emulate other countries that focus on intelligence and innovation.

Free lunch for public school students through high school

I’m unaware what the policy is currently, but I think it best if Nebraska/the country enact a law that promises to feed all children attending public schools through high school. It could and should be mandatory in private schools as well. Often times, the child’s home life is unknown and food may be scarce, especially with an unlivable minimum wage or single parent homes. Children need nourishment in order to function and grow. There is no reason that children should face shame or hunger if they are unable to pay for a meal during the school day. In order to alleviate costs, there could be a program in which food is grown on school property and students learn and are involved with the process. I’ve heard of it done in some places and know I would have relished the skill. It makes sense in a state with a strong agricultural ties that students learn about how food is grown. Other ways that schools have worked to combat poverty have included clothes washing and drying machines and food pantries for students. We need to take care of our youth. 

Shutdown the ICE detention centers and reunite families; disband “the wall” idea, fix immigration 

One of the most cruel things the U.S. has done in my lifetime is the current genocide and trauma happening in detention centers. No one can claim they are pro-life when children are being ripped from their parents’ arms and stuck in cages. They are living in terrible conditions and some are being sexually abused. The fact that some children no longer recognize their parents IF/when they are reunited… it’s horrifying. Children being “adopted” by people who don’t know them, rather than returned to their families. Children that are unaware of the situation being forced to testify in court without representation. I know you are a parent. Imagine if that was you and your children! The agony of not being there for your child because the government of another nation took them from you. 

The very fact is that these families are escaping situations that the U.S. has a direct link to: if you look at the events in Latin America in the past 30+ years, you’ll see that the U.S. had a hand in these governments and it has led to current issues. I lived/studied in a Latin American country in which the U.S. government played a large part in a government coup and thousands of people were murdered. The actions of the U.S. government have far-reaching, lasting effects.  

These families are trying to escape violence and death. They are legally seeking asylum and being treated like dogs. This is genocide, believe it or not. The effects of this trauma are lingering. I don’t know if you can imagine what it would be like, but there’s a reason that the centers are off-limits to visitors - it’s horrendous. If you truly value human life and family values, you must speak up and end this atrocious human rights violation that is happening in plain sight.

You will also recognize the hateful rhetoric that creates an “us versus them” mentality that is the foundation to propaganda and genocide: the creation of an enemy. People from other countries are not out to “get us”. Most people want the same thing: safety and opportunity, shelter, clothing, the chance to contribute to the world, to learn and grow.

It’s laughable, the idea of building a wall as a plan of defense or method of control for immigration. It’s laughable because it’s illogical and ill-conceived and impossible and unnecessary. We can use our money for better things. Or Mexico’s money, because aren’t they supposed to pay for it? :P 

There are serious issues with the current immigration/naturalization system as it is. I have a friend who has properly filled out all the paperwork for her spouse’s citizenship and the government agencies keep sending things back long after all the requirements were met, claiming it wasn’t done properly, or some other excuse. Whether you make people jump through hoops or sit in cages, there’s something about America that is appealing. Work on living up to the hype instead of trying to compete with the horrors they are trying to escape. 

Sensible gun law reform

I don’t know how many deaths it will take before lawmakers see how serious this issue is. I know people point to the Second Amendment, but the Founding Fathers had NO idea of the kind of guns that would be developed. You should be aware of the stats now, although they grow every day. According to a New York Post Article on Dec 28, 2019: “More than 210 people died this year in 41 mass slayings, making 2019 the deadliest year in massacres since at least the 1970s.” A recent article from the Latin American Herald Tribune writes “More than 38,000 people have died in the United States from the use of firearms during 2019, according to the Gun Violence Archive.”

I’m not safer because people around me have guns. It’s been proven that a gun in the home increases the chance of violence or injury, death by gunshot wound. There is violence in gun-free countries, sure, but not to the extent of what the U.S. has. It’s awful and needs to be addressed. How many schoolchildren need to die? School layouts, and backpacks and doors… all of these things have seen advancements to deal with active shooters, but lawmakers are avoiding the base of the problem: guns and who has access to them. Please fix it. We’ve all lost track of the mass shootings and that’s pathetic. 

Shut down the Keystone Pipeline and focus on sustainable energy sources, green solutions

Despite being told it’s safe, we keep seeing pipelines burst and endanger water sources, land, and wildlife. There are more sensible ways than digging into the earth and stripping it of finite resources. Solar and wind power have great advantages and are infinite. More time and energy and resources should be focused on these things, as well as ways to protect our natural resources and the balance between the world around us and our human aspirations. With free access to higher education, more people can be trained and make discoveries in how to protect our planet and combat climate change. 

Shut down for profit prisons and end capital punishment

Prisons do best when money is not the driving factor but rehabilitation of inmates is enhanced. Treating people as human beings is generally a better solution than keeping them in environments that are insulated from society and encourage them to come back since they are unprepared for life on the outside. Killing people with injections of illegal poisons, as Governor Ricketts is fond of, is not a good look for Nebraskans. If a person considers themselves pro-life for a fetus, then why does that not extend to human life that has developed beyond birth? I understand there are atrocious things that some people may have done, but killing someone doesn’t undo their crimes. And if it’s later discovered that the person did not commit the crime, it’s too late if you’ve already killed them. It’s cheaper to keep someone in prison for life than it is to bring in illegal drugs to kill them. There are some people who will rise to the occasion, given the chance to change. Some that even face life without parole have potential to do better things as well. It’s always wonderful to learn about inmates that train dogs or horses, or can otherwise contribute to society as some version of penance for their crimes. Treat people as you want them to be, and sometimes they can surprise you. 

Investigation of Epstein’s death

I’ve seen on Facebook that Senator Sasses is calling for an investigation into Epstein’s death. I do agree with you there. Knowing that Trump and Epstein were both listed on the pedophile/sex party lawsuit, it’s highly likely that Epstein had dirt on Trump and many others. Epstein was silenced. 

We shouldn’t allow for the darkness to rule and change the fates, keep justice from happening. I feel there is a dark web underneath the government’s workings. Knowing that so many lawmakers receive at least half a million dollars a year in salary, up to $4 million, not to mention the money from lobbyists and special interest groups… I can see the potential is rife for corruption. 

I hope your Nebraska and family values are enough to keep you away from that and working towards truth, transparency, fairness, and justice. As you’ve heard, what’s done in the dark comes to light.

Thank you for taking the time to read some of my concerns. I hope that even though you weren’t voted in on my side of many of these issues, that you will recognize you do represent ALL Nebraskans, varied as we are, and that my viewpoints can give you reason to reconsider your thoughts on some/all of these issues. 

Sincere Regards, 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This NINE page letter was sent to 4 lawmakers in the mail. On neon orange paper. ;) 

Yesterday, (January 8, 2020) I tried to send the letter digitally through the contact listed on their websites. I also decided to send it to my State Unicameral Senator, since they opened session trying to take away Reproductive Rights.

Here was the result of my attempts to send digitally, which leads me to believe federal representation doesn't ACTUALLY want you to reach them. Go figure. I understand that maybe only really crazy people send really long letters, but what about people who are trying to save themselves time? Unlike my Federal Senators, I don't make $2 million/year.

- Ricketts: I was able to attach the pdf of letter - supposedly went through
- Adrian Smith: Needed to have +4 on zip code in order to even GET to the contact portal. don’t think it went through - got error screen.
- Fischer: access denied error screen - bet it was length
- Sasse - length too long - go figure
- Emailed NE Unicameral District Senator - he actually just provided his email address! AND he actually wrote back the same evening.... I will be responding soon. He said as a State Senator at the Unicameral, he only makes $12,000/year. Big difference from what the federal senators make....

CONTACT YOUR LAWMAKERS!!!! Letters and calls are documented. 

https://5calls.org/ is a great site to help you make those calls important to you.