Mistaken menace

There are many places I'd like to visit: Kodiak, Alaska, for instance. Or the Ganges and the Pyramids. Then I saw a "Discover Nebraska" advertisement on television and got to thinking of the places I'd avoid for the rest of my life. North Korea, for instance, and Burma with its military junta are at the very bottom of my very long list. I'd also be perfectly content staying the hell away from Baghdad -- even if it meant touring downtown Omaha.\nPrompted by a recent surge of violent crime in north Omaha, local shock-jock Tom Becka played a spoof of the popular "Discover Nebraska," inviting tourists to "Discover miles of mayhem. Discover drive-bys. Discover gang violence ... Discover North Omaha. After all, it's safer than Baghdad." If that ringing endorsement isn't enough, the parody even uses a fake police officer's testimonial: "Omaha was nice enough to give me plenty of extra overtime. Arson, abductions, assaults -- everything that makes a community exciting." \nAccording to various local network news affiliates in Omaha, the 36-second satire forced a condemnation of Becka by City Councilman Frank Brown. The Council is debating a resolution calling on the radio station, KFAB, to issue a public apology and "to repair the community damage it has inflicted." As if anyone wanted to visit Nebraska to begin with.\nI guess your idea of a prime vacation spot depends on where you grew up because when I think vacation, I see beaches, warm weather and coconuts filled with booze. On the other hand, Google informs me that Omaha, Neb., is about the most boring place imaginable. There's literally nothing to make fun of, nothing to say about Nebraska. So I'll just get to the point.\nCalling the parody distasteful does nothing to stem the violence. If the Council were really interested in the welfare of its city, it would be debating ways to encourage order and civility. The real damage inflicted on the community is being done by criminals on the streets of North Omaha, while the Council scrambles to sway public opinion. It must be an election year.\nAnyway, the DJ will be protected from any wrongdoing by the First Amendment. He didn't swear or break any FCC guideline, and the Council should know that. A real leader would sponsor a resolution for better law enforcement, not waste everyone's time scolding a radio personality. Besides, every ounce of common sense says confronting Becka will just bring in more listeners. Crime rates are rising, and the Council is debating how to cover it up. The too-edgy-for-Nebraska comments made by some nothing DJ are the least of the city's problems. \nWhen we talk about political responsibility, we're usually discussing the federal government. Recent debates -- involving, for example, Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and former FEMA chief Dan Brown -- are a perfect expression of my point. The problem is in no way limited to the upper echelon of corruption known as Capitol Hill. Indeed, even the City Council of Omaha, Neb., is entirely incapable of even the slightest bit of responsibility.