Tom Becka

1 week ago | omahadailyrecord.com | Tom Becka

I’m writing this column on Father’s Day. On this day, I’m thinking about all my dad taught me about America. He was a WWII veteran who was proud of his service and proud of his country. As I grew up in the 60s, he taught me we weren’t perfect, but America was still the best country out there. I wonder what he’d think of America today. I wonder what he would think about the optics of the military parade.

1 week ago | omahadailyrecord.com | Tom Becka

The military has been called out, families’ lives have been ruined, and people are living in fear, all because immigrants who want to live and work in this country in peace don’t have the proper paperwork. Are there violent gang members and drug dealers in the country illegally? Yes, most certainly. Should those people be deported or locked up for a long time? No doubt. But do you really think violent drug dealers are moonlighting as dishwashers, roofers, maids, gardeners, and other hard menial jobs?

2 weeks ago | omahadailyrecord.com | Tom Becka

Thanks For All Your Service, Mayor. Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert concedes the election to democratic challenger John Ewing during an election night watch party, Tuesday, May 13, 2025 in Omaha, Neb. (Nikos Frazier / Omaha World-Herald via AP)Omaha is about to embark on a new era. Well, sort of a new era. I wonder how much will really change since the new Omaha mayor has kept almost every department head of the old Omaha mayor.

2 weeks ago | omahadailyrecord.com | Tom Becka

The Masks Are Off. In old Western movies, the bad guys always had a bandana covering their face before they held up a stagecoach. In more modern movies, the bad guys have nylon stockings over their faces before they rob a bank or kidnap an heiress. In today’s real world, ICE agents cover their faces before they storm into a restaurant, a packing plant, or a home to take an immigrant away from their work and family. Are ICE agents bad guys?

2 weeks ago | omahadailyrecord.com | Tom Becka

Las Vegas magicians Penn and Teller have a television show called Fool Us. The premise of the show is that other magicians perform in front of the two masters of magic, and they try to do just what it says in the show’s title. They try to fool Penn and Teller. After they perform, Penn and Teller have a little discussion about how the trick was done and then speak in code to the performers. In some form of magic speak, they let them know if they were fooled or not.