
Gov. Pete Ricketts pointed Thursday to the need for more mental health services to help identify and assist troubled Americans as a means of addressing gun violence like this week’s most recent attack that killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Texas.
“The gun is just a tool,” the governor said in answering a question from Jeff Zeleny, chief national affairs correspondent for CNN, during a speaking appearance at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics.

Gov. Pete Ricketts speaks during a news conference in August 2021.
The answer to gun violence is not to deprive Americans of their 2nd Amendment gun ownership rights, Ricketts said.
It’s important to “look for signs” of mental illness that may lead to violence and address those needs, he added.
Ricketts said he is “open to ideas to be preventative” in addressing gun violence within the context of protecting the 2nd Amendment.
On another topic, Ricketts said he is prepared to call the Nebraska Legislature into special session with the goal of determining “what can we do more to protect pre-born babies” once the U.S. Supreme Court has delivered its pending decision on whether to end a mother’s right to choose an abortion.
People are also reading…
A preliminary text of the court’s pending ruling leaked to the news media would overturn the decision in Roe v. Wade that legalized a woman’s right to choose.
“They’re babies, too,” Ricketts said in repeating an earlier description of his views.
The court is expected to issue its abortion decision in late June or early July.
On other issues raised during the governor’s appearance at his university alma mater, Ricketts said the sharp political division that’s apparent in the country today is nothing new.
Nebraska GOP blasted for attacking Democratic candidate over gun bill vote after Texas shooting
Nebraska politicians call for semi-automatic gun ban, mental health care after shooting
“Politics (in America) has always been divisive,” Ricketts said. “We’ll get through this … but it’s not going to happen fast.”
Ricketts graduated from the University of Chicago and Zeleny is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Answering questions from students, the governor said he believes Nebraska’s unique unicameral legislature is “not more efficient” than the two-house system, but “you can get to know” senators since there are only 49 of them.
“There are pros and cons,” he said.
Asked about the challenges posed by the declining population in western Nebraska, Ricketts said the state needs to commit more than a billion dollars to expanded rural broadband service and provide more access to health care in rural Nebraska.
David Axelrod, the former senior advisor to President Barack Obama who also served as his chief political strategist, is director of the university’s Institute of Politics and introduced Ricketts to the student audience.
Axelrod said he and Ricketts “disagree on much, but agree on the Cubs.”
The extended Ricketts family owns the Cubs and the governor’s brother, Tom, is chairman of the baseball club.
Top Journal Star photos for June
Top Journal Star photos for June

Hunter Boydston successfully reaches the 8-second mark in the Bull Riding competition on Saturday, June 19, 2021, at Adams County Fairgrounds. EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Behlen Coffman (8722, age 9) and Max Jurgens (8826, age 7) high five Nebraska football players as they begin the 1 mile run on Sunday, June 20, 2021, outside Memorial Stadium. EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Dalton Kunkee (105) and his partner Sid Miller race to rope their steer in the Team Roping competition on Saturday, June 19, 2021, at Adams County Fairgrounds. EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Chrissy Brooks holds a rainbow flag as the parade passes by on Saturday, June 19, 2021, at Nebraska State Capitol. EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Saltdogs’ Curt Smith (10) gets a hug from teammate David Vidal after he hit his 90th homer for the team in the 8th inning against the Houston Apollos on Thursday, June 17, 2021, at Haymarket Park. FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Sculptor Benjamin Victor works on the clay model of Susan La Flesche Picotte, Thursday, June 17, 2021, at Jayne Snyder Trails Center. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Wendy Huynh, CEO of MW Climbing, climbs a route on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Wayne Garrelts (with cap) and Kevin Madsen (with glasses) laugh at a comment from Nebraska football coach Scott Frost on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, during the the annual Big Red Blitz at the Younes Conference Center South. FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

A trio of horses feast on an abundance of high grass on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at a farm along W. Van Dorn St. near Pioneers Park. Temperatures are forecasted to reach over 100 degrees later this week. FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Lyla Hardrick sprays her sister Santana with water while playing on the beach on Monday, June 14, 2021, at Holmes Lake. EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Bella, a 10-year-old cheetah, chases a lure in the cheetah run on Monday, June 14, 2021, at Lincoln Children’s Zoo. GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Jane Wiederspan holds Bunnie, age 10, on Sunday, June 13, 2021, at the First-Plymouth Congregational Church. Bunnie is a rescue dog who has no eyelids which required her to wear sunglasses. EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Saltdogs’ pitcher Greg Minier (44) throws a pitch on Saturday, June 12, 2021, at Haymarket Park. EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

The drummer plays with Jamey Johnson on June 11 at Pinewood Bowl.
Top Journal Star photos for June

Fans hold their gloves in the air hoping to get a foul ball at a Saltdogs game on Thursday, June 10, 2021, at Haymarket Park. EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Saltdogs’ Justin Byrd (21) falls into the bullpen after catching a ball hit by Kane County’s Brandon Chinea in the third inning on Friday, June 11, 2021, at Haymarket Park. FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

The crowd reacts to Whiskey Myers at Pinewood Bowl June 11
Top Journal Star photos for June

An Amtrak On Board Services team member looks out the window as the train pulls out of the station on Friday, June 11, 2021, at Lincoln Station. EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

People sleep in the Amtrak station waiting for the California Zephyr train, which arrived 1:55 late on Friday, June 11, 2021, at Lincoln Station. EAKIN HOWARD, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Middle school age campers work together to get their blindfolded fellow campers across an obstacle during a cooperative activity at Carol Joy Holling Camp on Thursday, June 10, 2021. GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Fourteen new Lincoln Police Department officers were sworn in during a ceremony in front of their family and friends on Wednesday, June 9, 2021, in the Lincoln North Star High School auditorium. The recruits will hit the streets with their first field training assignments on Thursday. FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

L – R) Charlie Troxel, Amy Struthers and Ramona Meester follow Aging Partners community health educator Tracie Foreman in Quigong exercises as part of a free drop-in 1-hour circuit training class in the FitLot, part of a partnership between Aging Partners and Lincoln Parks and Recreation, on Friday, June 4, 2021, in Woods Park. GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

A koi fish searches for snacks among the water lilies in the Sunken Gardens on Thursday, June 3, 2021. GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

North’s Trevor Marshal (14) catches a pass before running it into the end zone as a penalty is called on the play in the Shrine Bowl on Saturday, June 5, 2021, at the Ron & Carol Cope Stadium in Kearney. EAKIN HOWARD, Lincoln Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Nebraska’s Head Coach Scott Frost talks to the athletes who attended the Friday Night Lights camp on Friday, June 4, 2021, at the Memorial Stadium. EAKIN HOWARD, Lincoln Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Tony White, a civilian navigation instruction and a retired Air Force Lt. Col. who has worked with the Open Skies program since 2006, sits at the cockpit at the final OC-135B Open Skies aircraft, Friday, June 4, 2021, at Lincoln Airport. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Lincoln Fire and Rescue recruit Brian Sydik helps Alliance wrestling team member Jackson Bailey put on the SCBA tank on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, at LFR’s training facility. GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Ed Love, director of Nebraska Jazz Orchestra, conducts the band on the first show of Jazz in June on Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at Sheldon Sculpture Garden. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

The crowd cheers for Nebraska Jazz Orchestra on the first show of Jazz in June on Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at Sheldon Sculpture Garden. JUSTIN WAN, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

Josh Whitfield (L) scoops up dog poop with help from Kathy Rohwedder as the pair’s dogs take advantage of the neighbor’s adjoining backyard on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Top Journal Star photos for June

An attendee throws a pass during the Friday Night Lights camp on Friday, June 4, 2021, at the Memorial Stadium. EAKIN HOWARD, Lincoln Journal Star
Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or [email protected].
On Twitter @LJSdon