Fantasy, reality

Dear Editor,

It appears that the sponsors and the participants at McCook's Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival (World-Herald June 10) are whistling their way through the graveyard of disappearing communities. McCook is the county seat of Red Willow County. Of Nebraska's 93 counties, Red Willow county shares a distinction with 72 others.

All 73 reached -- and abandoned -- their historic population peaks before America's entry into the Second World War, more than 76 years ago. In the last 125 years Nebraska's total population has grown by about 800,000, a number roughly twice the size of today's Omaha. But during that same period, most of Nebraska's communities have shrunk and shrunk. Nebraska now has 100 municipalities each of which has fewer than 100 residents. Only 56 Nebraska municipalities have more than 2,000 residents each.

Each of Nebraska's 49 state legislators represents about 39,000 Nebraskans. About 55 percent of Nebraska's land area (including McCook and Red Willow County) makes up only 4 of those 49 legislative districts. On the other hand, 25 districts (a majority of the legislature) are squeezed into less than 1 percent of Nebraska's land area. More startling is the fact that enough legislators to override a veto, 33, represent residents who occupy less than 6 percent of Nebraska's land area.

When it comes to disappearing population, pretending it isn't so does not change the facts.

Rob Bligh

Omaha, Neb.