gmnmnniiKmnnnniiiiiimiinniiniiiitiiHnniiiiiiiiBininnmiiiiB m iniiiiiiiiiiiHnmiKw
I OHOULtS BOO FOR C5VuplOT
v5eJATe v): sor l-l. -rwsr
OPIN
ION
Jo Stohlman, editor
Mike Kirkman,
Page 2
By GALE POKORNY
The world of advertising
as we noted last time, is
one with many diverse areas
and different methods. The
choice of Media available to
the wordy industry for get
ting their messages across
is unlimited and at times
it appears a considerable
amount of ingenuity is mus
tered up in getting the right
word to the right people at
the right time.
Consider for instance, the
bleary-eyed student who has
been "cramming for a week
for his Shakespeare exam.
In desperation he staggers
into the local bookstore and
buys himself a copy of the
appropriate edition of Cliff's
notes only to find some
"cheery words of encourage
ment from the local draft
board printed on the inside
cover, "Avoid all this, save
time and trouble, join now",
(written in red and white
"on a blue background).
' A handy application blank
is printed on the back cov
er and the whole thing is
accompanied by a BIC pen
guaranteed to write under
any circumstances (tears
included).
Or how about that partic
ular type who finds it im
possible to get off the
ground in the morning un
til he drinks that first cup
illiltlf lIIIlltllllillEIIIIilJlIillilllflllilllllllflllllfllfflllJf JlJlfflllllllltffltlllllllilllllllllllllf iillllilllf IlllUIiltllJlllIll llf f illlllf lllllllllf lllllllllf lillEEillllfltllfllllllJt
The Blood Knot ...
fl 'Great Human Drama'' I
By I ETE CLARK
Department of English
If Broadway's David
.Merrick or Alex Cohen
should ever retire, Ne
braska's imaginative and
insightful Stephen Cole
might make an outstanding
;. replacement." As a result of
Cole's superb production of
Athol Fugard's The Blood
Knot, the Howell Theatre
should be catering to S.R.O.
audiences for the remaind
er of its spring repertory
season.
At the outset of Friday
nirrh 'c Anonincf on linnciinl
and incongruous musical
score permeated the house.
A primitive African drum
ritual was constantly being
interrupted and drowned
out by the "Land of Hope"
and Glory's of a British
marching band. The effect
was stifling, repressive, and
distrubing. And there you
have the underlying motif
of disparity and repression
which haunts the magnifi
cent work of Fugard.
Blood Knot is a racial
drama, but not in the sense
that Blues for Mr. Charlie
is a racial drama. For Fu
gard the racial problem is
-only the touchstone to a
larger problem, and social
disparity is only a symbol
"of a more profound spiritual
disharmony.
.1 ii rwiu 1 II 11 IlilU K M II II
111 .1- li J 1- 1 4- L.
prejudice against the back
ground of South Africa's
apartheid policy, it is more
a human drama contending
with personal struggle for
relationship within a social
framework. And its f'nal af-
. firmation is one of life, sex
uality, peace and communi-
ty outside the order of pres
ent ideas and institutions.
Blood Knot is an account
of two half-brothers, one
white-skinned and one dark,
who attempt to establish a
fraternal community after
years of separation. Morris
and Zachariah Petersen are
the sons of a South African
Regress. Their fathers were
never known nor needed,
for t h e i r mother supplied
all the love and affection
they required But with her
death, Morris abandoned
his dark brother and left
for the "white" society. He
could not psychologically ,
"pass", however, for he
was haunted by the burning
eyes of Zach. Now, guilt
ridden, he has returned to.
resurrect their childhood
relationship in relative iso
lation apart from society.
With Mr. Thomas Craw
ley and Mr. Michael Dry
ver as M o r r i s and Zach,
Mr. Cole has selected an
ideal cast. So outstanding
are these actors, so wonder
fully vocal and exhilarating-
ez.jressive, that an eve
FACTS
of coffee. In fact it's the
only thing he has to look
forward to in the morning
when the alarm goes off at
dawn. It supplies the moti
vation to face the world
each day, (and sometimes
that requires a lot).
Licking his lips in antici
pation, he makes his way
into the student union and
plunks down good money for
what they pass off as cof
fee there, (they've never
even heard of Mrs. Olson)
Brother, is that stuff poi
son. Choking and coughing,
however, our friend finishes
it somehow allowing that
distinctive aroma and taste
that only union coffee has,
utterly ruin his entire day
(along with his taste buds).
And there, written inside
on the bottom of the cup,
"You know, things really do
get better with Coke."
Perhaps you are political
ly orientated and would be
interested in how the ad
men contact the campus po
litical groups. Well rumor
has it that the SDS men
met last week to try on
their newly arrived ship
ment of spring suit coats
(custom tailored by the lit
tle old ladies at Goodwill).
, They all found little cards
in the inside pockets of
each of their new (n e w)
ning of conversation be
tween them would seem like
an evening's entertainment
in itseif.
Mr. Crawley's excellent
portrayal of Morris repre
sents a supreme effort. For
Morris is the pivotal char
acter in the play and one
possessed with a tremen
dous complexity of traits.
The ability of Mr. Crawley
to sensitively convey both
the intense affection and
tiie scorn inherent in Mor
ris is a theatrical standout.
What makes Mr. Dryver's
performance so remarkable
is that Blood Knot is his
first stage appearance. He
carries himself with such
npturalness that he imme
diately gains the sympathy
of the audience.
Seeking to assure expia
tion for his rejection of
Zach and, simultaneously,
of his Negro mother, Mor
ris assumes a dutiful and
maternal character. Mr.
Crawley's effective crouch
ing, shuffling, and assump
tion of the "Whistler's
Mother" position, success
fully show this duality He
is both mother and slave to
Zach. This reversal of tra
ditional roles is felt to be
artifically and consciously
achieved by Morris. One
senses immediately that
Morris "doth please too
much."
Belonging to two worlds
the white and the black
Morris is beset by con
flicting wants and goals.
(Later symbolized by Mo r
rie's donning the white
jacket over his everyday
brown clothes). All of his
affectations are continually
being undercut and shat
tered by echoes of his
"whiteness." Having been
baptized into "white" so
ciety, Morris cannot re
move .its indelible mark.
Consequently, tie brings
regimentation and routine
into the primitive, natural
istic environment of Zach.
The makeshift wooden hut
rings out with the sound of
Morris's alarm clock and
the life-schedule begins.
In voicing the "white"
natural law that every
thing moves from darkness
to light Morris associates
himself with moths and
butterflies which fly toward
brightness. But Morris can
never approach "white
ness" without burning h i s
wings; his conscience is
seared by his attempts at
total alienation.
These recurring echoes
reach full voice when "so
ciety" enters into the closed
world of the Petersons, in
the persons of Minnie,
business manager
Thursday, March 24, 1966
coats, "Help the American
Economy and Small Busi
nesses, see your friendly
neighborhood barber at
least once every three
months."
Sometimes the advertising
companies enlist the help of
other private groups to car
ry their particular words to
the desired audience. Such
are the circumstances thot
the University faculty mem
bers find themselves in at
the end of the month when
bill collectors pound the
door along with those guys
in the gray suits from the
bank there to talk to them
about the way all those ov
erdrawn checks are bounc
ing around their books.
The ad company gets the
bill collector and the boys
from the bank to stamp the
same thing on the back of
bad checks and equally bad
bills, destined to wind up in
the shaking hands of under
salaried University instruc
tors: "Outstate schools pay
more".
One could go on for quite
a while paointing out the
clever ways in which our
problems are pointed out to
us by the clever people be
hind the billboards. Unfor
tunately, we do not need so
many people to point out the
problems as we do need
some to point out some so
lutions. Zach's fun-seeking and life
loving friend, and Ethel
Lang, Zach's pen-pal. It is
the latter's "whiteness"
which precipitates the com
plete eruption of Morris's
latent feelings.
Only now is the- fact , of
color imposed on the indi
viduals outright. In a high
ly emotional scene (fright
eningly portrayed by Mr.
Crawley) Morris makes
Zach aware of his blackness
and accentuates his differ
entness. Outlines of person
al hostility begin to take
shape. In a moving mono
logue to his mother, Mr
Dryver expresses his new
found identity by mocking
, Morris's artificial and re
pressive nature.
Through the idiosyncra
sies of Morris, Fugard im
plicitly reveals the negative
quality of the great, white
society: they are uncomfor
table with their bodies and
with those things that are
immediate but simple. They
deny their natures. They
are frightened by what is
sexy or dirty, of what is
surprising, unexpected or
unscheduled. They fear the
creator spirit. These "so
cialites" are holding on
tightly, fearing to relax or
change their lives.
In rendering the "game"
as he does, Fugard shows
the inevitability of such
violence in modern society.
The constant frustration of
natural power, energy and
creativity and the identifi
cation with that which
seems to offer it gives us
our need for the "game" of
racial hostility. It is a ca
trastrophc that liberates us
from our daily lives, from
the awful routine that we
need to fear. Morris sees
the self-destructive nature
of his previous attempts at
moral and social rehabilita
tion. He realizes that when one
gets involved in trying to
' effect social change, no
matter how small, one is
also involved in a spiritual
movement, since social
change and spiritual change
are interdependent. He had
returned to Zach out of a
sense of guilt, out of a
sense of duty. Now he
reaches out to Zach with a
hand of love, only now is
the fraternal community
achieved. Fugard, in this
world of dreams and shad
ows, is perhaps voicing the
words of John Keats who
said: "I am certain of noth
ing but the holiness of t h e
heart's affections "
As far as this member of
the audience was con
cerned, Stephen Cole's pro
duction of Blood Knot was
magnificent drama.
1 Si"o
Alp to FOfiElSfO
POuE.GL5 1 I KG.
I
Sorry
- af I M ft
Being a compendium of farce, absurdity
ana comment, selected arDiiraniy by the
Editor ...
Historical Note of the Day: 1578,
Hyuk, Flanders King Thurshing the In
sipid revokes all birth certificates.
So you're caught in student health? A
friend writes that he has some suggestions
on how to cope with the sick-bed situa
tion: 1. Laugh hysterically when you notice
that hospital food is better than dorm food
and you're too sick to eat.
2. Practice holding your breath. It will
increase your lung power and you'll be
in great shape when you get out.
3. See how much reading you can get
done by your Vd-watt night light.
4. Smile at the nurse when she comes
in to take a quart of blood out of your
arm.
5. Watch the people outside and think
how lucky you are to be inside.
Confidentials, I've discovered, are so
FUN. In reply to my confidentia'l to Hook
er ("who are you?") I received three
phone calls . . . ("Hi, I'm Hooker.")
Will the real Hooker please stand up?
Some of the atmosphere surrounding
Student Senate meetings is missed in a
straight news coverage story. In view of
this fact. I've compiled a list of some in
teresting tidbits that occurred at yester
day's meeting . . .
1. It seems that eight senators have
their names on the Student Senate black
book, because of unexcused absences. But
they probably don't need to worry just
have to see Larry Frolik to "clear these
up."
!. An associate member removed the
key to the ASUN office and hasn't re
turned it for two days. I wonder if he (or
she) is up there studying ... or something.
?iiiii!iiiiHi!iiiii;miiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:Hii;iiii!iniiiH
Another Vieivpoint
More Student Watching
By Larry Beaupre
Daily Illini
(In Wednesday's Daily Ne
braskan, we ran some of Mr.
Beaupre's observations of
how professors categorize
students. He compiled his
own list, which is now com
pleted.) The Reformer With his
pocket Marx in hand, he
really believes any Univer
sity where the teacher-student
ratio isn't 1 to 1 is a
"multiversity" with all stu
dents alienated, though they
may not admit it. Desper
ately wished the U was
Berkeley so he could "get
some work done." He wants
to be a hero, but finds trou
ble convincing anyone but
his fellow 11 Reformers
that he is. Will probably
marry The Bleeding Heart.
Also
Most JriPocrrAOT f!f !
U?MO iArO iCT NE
iO VX FopUU
UOK3tEj2. IF?
TU15 OAV?
About
The Bleeding Heart She
wished she was a Negro so
she could personally suffer
the gross injustices the
white man inflicts upon the
Negro. Likes to use words
like "honestly . . . truly . . .
really." She is "involved"
She will probably marry
The Reformer.
The Social Climber Defi
nitely drinks so he can be
noticed. Many times assoc
iated with an activity, but
not in the fulfilled sense that
The Activity Jock (below)
is. The Social Climber is
usually inept. He climbes
and climbs, but never gets
anywhere. He desperately
wants to be important. A
variety of The Social
Climber is the Administra
tors' Patsy who loves being
recognized by U n i v e r -sity
higher-ups in return
I've. &o-r
Lose;,
That!
3. According to the Masters report, a
woman is needed for this year's Masters
program. Any takers?
4. A blackboard with the words "good
luck to all senators taking the Econ 12 hour
exam today" greeted the senate. A few
apparently decided to help their good luck
along by very casually glancing over their
notes during the meeting.
5. Andy Taube lighted Karen Wester
berg's cigarette with a flourish.
6. New business was suspended when
a senator left and no quorum remanded.
Someone has finally heard my mourn
ful cries and sent me an answer to a
question I posed long ago. (Think it was
my first column.) I wrote then:
"Ever have any questions that bother
you late at night, or early in the morning?
I've compiled a few questions that invari
ably bother me at 2 a.m.
"What does the 'S.' in Robert S. Mc
Namara, Harry S. Truman and Nikita S.
Khrushchev REALLY mean?"
Well, an unknown benefactor sent me
the following reply:
"O.K. Sleep, my pretty one, sleep.
"McNamara's stands for 'Strange.'
Nikita's for 'Sergeevitch' or 'Sergeyevich'.
Truman's, by his own statement some
years ago, stands for nothing at all just
an independent 'S', formerly, in fact, writ
ten without a period. His account was that
he had two grandfathers each of whose
names began with an 'S' so his parents
compromised. (Anyway, that's his story.)"
Have also been getting story sugges
tions for use in the Pink Rag. (Yes, Vir
ginia, there will be a Pink Rag this year.)
One suggestion was does Carl Davidson
frequent the campus barbershop, or does
he go downtown? (I'll have to ponder the
political implications of that one.)
For no editorial today, we doubt you'll
be Sorry About That!
for an occasional cookie.
The Activity Jock - Life
is worthwhile so long as the
yearbook retains its "Who's
Who' section. Very similar
to The Social Climber, only
he isn't quite so inept.
The Professional Politici
an Knows every political
hack and ward boss in the
state, and doesn't mind tell
ing you so. The Politician
(a) The Liberal Forget
one of the basic concepts
of liberals is the free com
petition of ideas. The Poli
tician (b) The Conservative
Still crying over Brother
Barry's demise.
The Has Been Reminds
himself that it's better than
being a Never-Was. Basks
in his glories of days gone
by. Pity everything's gone
to hell since he ran it.
SDS Denies Basic Goals
Dear Editor,
Steve Hungerford should be fired because he does not
agree with what Carl Davidson thinks! Hunderford bothered
to question the validity of a group that shows nothing
more than a concern for the controversial, that only func.
tions in protest and has set out to undermine those very
freedoms which they maintain they hold.
In his letter Davidson presented in part the ambiqmty
surrounding "his" entire organization. While maintaining
and asserting his right to differ and challenge the views
of others, he denies the same privilege to those that do
not agree with him. A very convenient oversight on his
part.
Also, the campus can be delighted that the goals for
this group have been so succinctly outlined. The goals set
up by the group can only leave the observer in doubt. Ad
mittedly, we can hardly, it seems, deny that they neglect
the more basic goals of a presentable person, such as
bathing, having a haircut, etc., but we've got to remem
iber that all 60 of them represent the 15,000 plus students
that collectively compose what's called the University.
Another point: I would like you to re-examine a news
policy in which you give this obvious and definite minority
the overwhelming majority of your news coverage. May
I cite for example the Monday edition of the Nebraska
(or more appropriately the SDS Newsletter?).
On page one we have the top two news spots to the
intellectual (?) wonders. Then, we move to page two
where we again find the majority of ink to this group.
To continue, on page three there is more mention of them.
I could be naive, possibly, but aren't there more than 60
people in this University?
(To clarify the figure of 60, it is the number that you
reported to have participated in the demonstration Satur
day.) Further, it would seem only obvious that this very de.
finite minority did not represent SDS but the Universiiy
and me. Being a part of the University I find that 60
uninformed people did and never will represent views that
I hold, so I find the entire matter disgusting. In a column,
the Nebraskan lauded the end and rejected the means.
The premise has somehow evolved that anything that goes
on around here is all right as long as whatever happens
promotes the person to think.
: What you are in a sense advocating is that to hae
a car accident (you know, dented fenders, blood, broken
bones, death) is a good thing because it prompts the per
son to think in this case about the unpleasantness sur
rounding a car accident. Have all the car accidents that
you want, but I don't need that to think.
I propose that the University students stage a counter
demonstration against this image that definitely does not
represent the image that over 15,000 people have shown
they want no part u".
The students seem to have missed the point. We have
been unconcerned as to let an organization of an entirely
vague background bull its way on campus and represent
them in the most unrepresentative manner. Everytime I
think of SDS and all other related student "protest" and
"interest" groups, I can't help but think of the gallon
jars primed to solicit money to be sent off (supposedly)
to fill "their" goals, or some high ranking national offic
er's pocket.
I can only hope that the "imported" Davidson does not
yell fire ' everytime someone slaps him on the fingers. I
hope I don't upset his paymaster, but he's got a long way
to go before he'll ever convince me and what this campus
has shown to be the dominate and marked majority.
Jim Swartz
Resisting Is Only Choice
Dear Editor,
"We have no right to impose our way of life on other
nations." This has been the refrain of the SDS. This has
been the answer to every criticism.
When it is pointed out that the Communist party mur
dered millions of Ukranean peasants in the 20's and 30's:
that two million Lithuanians were liquidated by the Soviet
Union in the early 40's; that two million Germans died
in a brutal transportation after World War II; when the
Red Army's use in subjugating East Europe and in putting
down the East German and Hungarian revolts is me
tioned; when China's murder of several hundred thou
sand (these figures are not exaggerated) Tibetan's in
the 1960's; when China's current policy of genocide against
the Moslem races of Western China is brought up; when
it is pointed out that the U.S. is merely trying to pre
vent the expansion of this evil force and has no intention
of forcing internal changes upon it, when all these things
are mentioned the SDS has blandly replied, "We have no
right to force our way of life upon others."
But now we find that SDS thinks we should force
our way of life on South Africa. They advocate cutting
off loans and other financial sanctions that would cause
great hardships for the South African people and encour
age them to revolt.
Obviously, the South African apartheid policy is unjust
even evil, but it is mild compared to the much greater
evil that Communism is already guilty of.
Furthermore, South Africa is content to live at peace
with its neighbors; it does not claim that it plans to
destroy and dominate all who oppose it as the Communists
do; it has not announced its next target as Peking did
last year; it has not invaded a country which was working
closely with it as China invaded India; it has not invaded
a weaker country merely to show its strength and be
lligerence as China did in Burma; it has not attempted a
coup in a country that worked with it and encouraged it
as the Communist party of Indonesia did; it has not in
vaded a completely unarmed country as North Korea sup
ported by Russia and China did; it has not sent terroritsis
into countries to murder local leaders who oppose it as
the Communists did in Thailand, Viet Nam, Maylaya and
the Phillipines.
Admittedly, the South African situation is difficult. Of
course it would be good if it were remedied. But I am
honestly mystified at how the same group can oppose
our intervention to stop the spread of Communism and
at the same time advocate our intervention to stamp out
an evil which is not attempting to expand.
"We have no right to impose our way of life on other
nations." This is true, but when a nation announces its
plans to rule the world, announces that it will do so by
taking over one country at a time, announces which coun
try is next on the list and then proceeds to try to take
it over, we have no choice for our own self-preservation,
but to resist.
gs9
(Just Slightly Korrect)
It seems the post office has
problems delivering mail on
campus. What would happen
if SDS or F of SNCC were to
receive ASUN mail. (Do the
srxty really represent the 15,.
.
Is it true that the Polish
National Assembly banned the
Harpoon?
Ray Wilson
Daily Nebraskan
Entered second mu matter t
tbe post .(floe In Lincoln, Nebraska,
The Dally Nebraskan ll published
under the art of Annul 4, 1912.
Subscription rala are $4 per semes
ter or (6 for the academic- rear.
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday dunnt the school year, except
durlna vacation! and litin period!,
by tudrnt of the University of Ne
braska under the Jurisdiction of the
Faculty Subcommittee on Student Pub
lication. Publications ahall be free from
censor. hi d by tbe Subcommittee or any
person outside the University. Mem
oere of tbe Nebraakan are responsible
for what tbey cause to be printed.
Member Associated Collegiate
Press, National Advertising
Service, Incorporated. Published
at Room 51, Nebraska Union,
Lincoln, Nebraska.
TELEPHONE: 477-8711, Ex
tensions 2588, 2589 and 2590.
