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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 26, 1999)
Former u.S. senator Hruska dies in Omaha OMAHA (AP) - Former U.S. Sen. Roman Hruska, whose lengthy career as a conservative Republican lawmaker was largely overshadowed by a remark about mediocrity, died Sunday. He was 94. Hruska died at 5:50 p.m. CDT at Clarkson Hospital from complications stemming from a fall that broke his hip on April 10, said his son, Roman Hruska Jr. “He had some complications from the fall,” the younger Hruska said. “We thought he was rallying. Last night, he took a turn for the worse and it was steadily downhill from there.” Gov. Mike Johanns said he was sad dened by news of Hruska’s death and offered his condolences to survivors on behalf of all Nebraskans. “The senator served our state with honesty and integrity - qualities every elected official should seek to emulate,” Johanns said. “In his death we are deeply appreciative of all he gave to us.” Hruska, bom in David City on Aug. 16, 1904, was the ranking minority member of the Senate Judiciary Committee when he retired in 1976. He was credited with wielding substantial influence in helping develop much of the nation’s criminal justice policy. But it was the nomination of G. Harold Carswell to serve as an associate justice on the U.S. Supreme Court that brought national notoriety to Hruska. In a speech before the Senate in March of 1970, Hruska responded to critics who said Carswell had at best been a mediocre federal judge. “Even ifhe were mediocre, there are a lot of mediocre judges and people and lawyers. They are entitled to a little rep resentation, aren’t they, and a little chance?” Hruska said. The quote was quickly shortened, in the vernacular and street talk of the time, to “What’s wrong with a little mediocrity?” Hruska was proud of his Czech her itage, traditional values and conserva tive political philosophy. He was what could legitimately be called an old-style politician. He liked to campaign, shake hands, and have a cold beer with a con stituent on the appropriate occasion. His rhetorical style also hearkened to a bygone day. SELF-STORAGE 20% discount for summer rentals with student ID Let’s get It on Scott McClurg/DN SAM MANZITTO, right, a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity lands a punch against Jeremy Ferguson, a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity, Saturday evening at during Sigma Chi fraternity’s annual Fight Night. Fight Night is an annual event which raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network. ^ ??'r ' \ Scottish town '• ‘i ■ In Dunblane, residents stih gneve over a school massacre that took place ^ DtpslBLA% Scotland (AP>- In Dunt^ane, there is sympathy, anger of certainty that Littleton, Colo|will for years be tarnished with fee memory of school murder^ Residents in this close-knit town (itir own school massacre also offer empathy for a town thousands of miles away devastated by a murder suicide rampage of two teen-age gun men. “At this early stage, words would be meaningless. One has to love them and hug them. It won’t be the same again,” said Basil O’Sullivan, a cler gyman who comforted parents after the events that made Dunblane a syn onym for grief. On March 13,1996, a local man armed with four handguns walked into Dunblane Primary School gym nasium where Gwenne Mayor’s kindergarten class was gathered. Thomas Hamilton, 43, shot and killed Mayor and 16 children. Ten pupils and two other teachers were also wounded before Hamilton killed himself. £ smanated from Scotland spread out through m^h pf wereso young- mostly 5-yearH^&> Funerals went on for days. Queen Elizabeth II, Prihqe^f^arlef^tfod Princess Anne came to^ayTlowers among the thousands of bouquets at the school. The nation observed a minute of silence. ^ V % It was the worst mass mufcder in modern British history, scarring Dunblane and forever branding it asa site of terror. “JWPmatttr what happens in the world, if some connection can be made with Dunblane, we are news again,” said Ann Dickson, a member of the region’s Stirling Council and a 30-year resident of Dunblane. “This is one of the most awful things that our bereaved families have to face. Normally, if you lose a mem ber of your family, you are not reminded of it in such a brutal, violent way.” The ages of the children are differ ent in Littleton, where teen-age gun men killed their fellow students, a teacher and themselves. But for a par ent that would make little difference, said Mick North, whose only daugh ter, Sophie, was killed. He had some advice for the bereaved families of Littleton: Don’t let anyone tell you how to grieve. vith Littleton “Le$rh what is going to be sup portiyeJTake care of yourself and your _ famify first,” said North, 51, a retired \utiiv$&rtii lecturer. “Don’t worry about peoples’ preconceived ideas I about; wfcaPyou should be doing.” Likei®te Littleton killers Eric JUiteslKand Dylan Klebold, 17 - Dunftane ’s gunman was considered afi^d^^der. Like Littleton’s killers, HamBton? was obsessed with weapons. ~ North said he finally had to learn thdf»ckground of his child’s killer and*seehis photograph, recalling the confrontation with a deep sigh signal ing he was uncomfortable with the very thought. Littleton’s parents will have to make similar confrontations, he said. “For a long time I didn’t want to know very much about him. It was a week and a half before I knew his name. I let him remain unknown for as long as I could,” North said. For Britain, the longest-lasting effect of the Dunblane shooting was the tightening of Britain’s gun laws. Handguns are now all but illegal, and the power of the U.S. National Rifle Association is greeted with increduli ty by North. “One reason we campaigned so strongly was to stop the drift into any kind of gun culture on this side of the Atlantic,” North said. “I despair of what is going on in the states.”