Page 2
The Deity Nebraskan
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1958
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." by Dick Gregory
-Mexico City is increasingly becoming the sym
bol of the emerging new spirit which is gaining
momentum throughout the world. Student revolts
have- far surpassed anything seen on a campus
tOI country and indicate the courageous and
determined spirit of Latin American youth.
Recently, victorious American black athletes
slicked a sizeable segment of public opinion in
the United States by raising their hands in the
clenched fist salute while accepting their gold
medals at the Olympic Games, As a result they
v en expelled from the Games.
iVrsonally, I never have been able to unders
tand why the clenched fist salute produces white
outrage. Black folks learned the clenched fist salute
from white folks. We have been using baking soda
just as much as white folks and we saw the clench
ed fist on the box.
u
AMERICAN'S WERE proud to win the gold
medals but outraged to see the clenched fist. Yet
the Olympic Games themselves are supposed to
aid the development of a spirit of cooperation and
unity in the world population.
It is entirely consistent with that spirit for black
American athletes to offer a salute which will
be immediately recognized by black people in all
other participating countries. To criticize or
penalize black American athletes for recognizing
a common bond of unity is inconsisteni with
America's supposed desire for world cooperation.
The black athletes were expelled because the
rules of the Olympic Games state that they are
not supposed to be political. The clenched fist salute
was interpreted as injecting a note of political
propagandizing into the cooperative spirit of the
Games.
TO BE CONSISTENT with that sentiment, both
America and Russia should be expelled from com
petition. Both countries make political hay of
Olympic Game competition by keeping close score
and publicizing their comparative accomplishments
in the national mass media.
But America has always been consistent in
displaying inconsistencies. Many Americans cur
rently support the candidacy of George Wallace
i'uiuiiuuHiniHUiwniiimiimiMwmiuiiiimimiiHiimiiiiimmimw
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1 Commeinfairyl
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Eight years: a reminiscence
Eight years. Eight long years? No, the
years have swiftly passed.
I was a sophomore in high school then,
but I was busy during that year's cam
paign. My parents worked hard for a Ken
nedy and their toil influenced my beliefs.
At that time politics looked like something
that might be enjoyable. It might be
something I would like. So I too, worked.
EIGHT YEARS swiftly pass.
My father now "likes the things
Wallace is saying." My mother died of
cancer. John Kennedy is dead. Robert
" Kennedy is dead. Martin Luther King is
dead.
And in a week I get to vote for someone
to be president of the United States, and
none of the three candidates appeals to
me at all.
SO NOW is a time for recollection. A
time to face up to one's ideals: a time
to ask oneself 'why am I the way I am?"
Some think I am a lost cause. I still
have McCarthy stickers on my car, in ad
dition to a stick-on bouquet of red-white-and-blue
daisies. I have way out views on
such things as peace in Vietnam, the end
of racism, and the end of poverty.
The demands I make of organized
religion are not for heavenly security or
for relieving of guilt I don't mind paying
high taxes if things are being accomplished.
1 see no reason why I need a lot of money
to spend foolishly at a $17 million Las
Vegas casino or to foot a $200 dinner bill
at some posh night club.
BUT I LIKE this country. I like the
right to write this column. I like its beauty.
I like many of its people. This is October
of 1968 the year is ending. Thank God.
I like to think back to that election
eight years ago and I wish Richard Nixon
were elected president of the United States.
His terms would be coming to a close;
things couldn't be much worse than they
are now.
John F. Kennedy, presumably, would
not have been killed in Dallas; Robert F.
Kennedy, presumably, would not have been
shot in Los Angeles.
BUT THE New Frontier has evolved
into the Second Frontier. Things have
changed. People have changed. I have
changed.
However, the other day a rather en
couraging thing happened. Quite accidently
some catsup spilled on my cottage cheese.
I didn't plan it that way, but I still ate
my cottage cheese. And it didn't really
taste that bad.
So I thought to myself that this was
a good omen. Even if things happen in
a manner that I haven't planned I still
might like the consequences.
EVEN IF NIXON is elected because
of events that have changed the mood of
this country, at least some of the conse
quences might be favorable.
The "outs" will be "in" and the subject
of criticism. When things don't get better
(like the war, poverty, etc.) then it will
prove that politics won't solve them. Can
didates like Kennedy, McGovern and
McCarthy won't have Jo topple the ad
ministration to seek a better country.
And as unlikeable as Richard Nixon
is to me, he can't really be a blunderbuss.
Can he?
Four years swiftly pass. There probably
will be another election. Things will have
changed again. Maybe, by then, we will
have made some progress one way or
another.
Larry Eckbolt
'Greeks are everywliere
and in the groove
"The Greeks are everywhere. Yon can't
kill the system it's too good. We're in
the groove. We're having the good times
. . . Independents like you are so far off
the track you don't realize it."
And Zeus has spoken.
The mighty wrath of the Greek opi
nion has descended upon the narrow
shoulders of the Friday and in this case
Wednesday) Afternoon Column.
FORTUNATELY those comments and
the ones that follow are not representative
of all Greeks. There are those with
somewhat more native intelligence.
But to let those Old Guard voices speak
for themselves; herein is a letter received
In reply to two commentaries on the Greek
system printed last week.
"DEAR MR. Icenogle:
. .They are very worthwhile articles
if one takes caution not to stand downwind
when reading them. Both articles brought
out the true closeness of your affiliation
to the Greek system and your infallible
knowledge of it . . .
""There are two types of Greek haters
those who are insanely jealous of us
because they realize tbey can never com
pete with us and those who wanted to
become Greeks but never made the grade.
.-"PLEDGE TRAINING is oriented to
insliU within the individual basic qualities
as brotherhood, fortitude and
responsibility. Programs are established to
bring out the finer qualities ... On the
average most Greeks cave little or no un
friendly feelings toward independents and
vice versa. Some of my closest friends
,,' . are and always will be independents
- WE KNEW what we were getting
JMo when we pledged. The pledges in
- the fraternities that haze knew, and they
know that any time they can gel up and
leave ... Who told you pledge training
was a bed of roses? In fact, it's damn
hard. There's no way on God's earth you
can mix work and responsibility and have
It come out to be eay. We don't expect
it to.
"
ARE YOU afraid of pushups? By God
Vru sit. We don't haze in our house but
even if we did the last thing that would
force me out would be pushups. Any pledge
who gets ruptured from pushups is either
an ut-of-shape-squirrel or needs a new set
of intestines!
"... We don't go around trying to
convince yon to commit yourself to the
imbecile farm so don't go around trying
to convince us to depledge. If pledge
training is such a horrible beast why do
we keep getting new pledges from the
dorms? . . . Look past that befuddled
typewriter of yours once.
"TEE GREEKS are everywhere. You
cant kin the system it's too good. We're
in the groove. We're having the good times.
So why don't you try writing about
something you know for a change, instead
of broadcasting your Ignorance.
Independents like you are so far off the
track you don't realize it So why don't
you light a candle instead of cursing the
darkness you might stop stumbling over
myths.
"'By the way, did you ever consider
signing up for open rush second semester?
It would do you some good."
Sincerely yours,
Stuart Miller
Pledge President of Pi Kappa Alpha
WELL, FD be glad to go through open
rush. But my 115 Fiji brothers might object
And if there are truly any Greek-iiaters,
it's because attitudes like these fen
compassing snobbery conceit and blind
stubbornness) make them such.
And if pushups can make a pledge a
man, then perhaps we had better set a
definition for the word "man." To me, it
is more important to treat each man as
an individual who considers the feelings
of others rather than as a Marine recruit
with pusbed-up biceps.
ATTITUDES like those expressed above
are reason enough for every Greek to
review the system. And if the system can
not change then it is time for every Greek
to wrestle with his conscience. Each must
decide whether or not he will perpetuate
an establishment which prescribes pushups
and honors mental humiliation under the
pretense of pledge training.
Ed Icenogle
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Dear Editor:
As per usual, your editorial
of Monday, October 21 shows
lack of thought and an asinine
viewpoint as far as Olympic
activities are concerned. The
Olympic games are not a
forum for political viewpoint.
They never have been and I
hope to God they never will
be.
I know the Daily Nebraska!
has made an effort to be the
campus crying towel for
Negro problems, but too
much is too much. I'm sure
you would give that same
right of political expression in
the Olympic games to a
hypothetical Southern white
athlete who upon ascending
the platform to receive his
gold medal immediately
espoused the qualities of
George Wallace for "puttin'
them nigger's in their place!"
Or perhaps you wruld enjoy
listening to a Soviet gold
medal winner become
oratorical about the
transgressions of Israel in a
lengthy tirade?
BUT WHY stop only with
the Olympic games, Mr.
Todd? Why not have one of
the Negro athletes on the
Nebraska football team stop
by the public address system
microphones in Memorial
Stadium after a big play and
give us some of his viewpoints
while the game was still being
played? I bet 65,000 fans
would just love that
I don't deny that the blacks
have a right to a viewpoint
that is not in the majority, but
I do believe tbey don't have
the right to predicate it under
the guise of sports. I would
like to have you explair. the
rationale of your argument
True, after struggling and
working many hard years
these people deserve the right
to compete in the games. But
how you can equate this with
a right to display their feel
ings and make their frustra
tions known to the world
through a purely sporting
event is beyond any logic that
I am able to follow.
AS the athletes that are in
Mexico City are there simply
because they are top-notch
athletes, not because they
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Editorial Staff
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have an axe to grind with no
place to grind it
AXY NEWSMAN in this
country, worth his liberal
salt would be more than
happy to let Smith and Carlos
get it off their chests and onto
videotape. In fact, if they are
militant enough, they just
might be able to paste it
together with enough com
nercials to make a half-hour
special of it
In parting, I would like to
modify one of your proposals
somewhat If the change that
the blacks are seeking doesn't
come about by 1972, you sug
gested it would be more to the
point if they burned the
stadium down than to merely
raise clenched fists.
I suggest that maybe they
can make a sidetrip when the
burning begins and include
the office of the Daily (except
Tuesday, Saturday, and Sun
day Nebraskaa with it I
would glady sacrifice my $4
per semester conscription to
this paper were that to occur.
Came ab wait
Dear Editor:
Why is the Student Union
closed down and locked up at
eleven o'clock on week
nights? Is it a place a student
shouldn't want to be after
eleven o'clock?
Sure, close down the con
cession stand and the crib
when there are no customers,
but miiy the lobby and tie
T.V.? If the students need a
custodian (which they don't),
then hire one with the ex
borbitant profits from the
cafeteria; but it's our union.
Let us use it!
Marcus J. Crawley
for President because he has promised to givo
them "law & order," Such Wallace supporters o
not seem to realize (or are unwilling to adnint
that they are championing the cause of the samo
man who stood in the school house door to block
law & order.
Many Americans severely criticize the welfare
system in this country. "Relief" has become a
dirty word in America. An atmosphere has been
created where people are ashamed to be on relief.
If relief embarrasses or shames America; let it
be called foreign aid.
AMERICA IS never embarrassed to send money
all over Europe for health projects and the like,
and it is nothing but relief. Those who criticize
welfare do not seem to mind farm subsidies.
America's inconsistency sanctions paying farmers
not to plant but resents providing financial
assistance after she plants.
America's most pronounced inconsistency is il
lustrated by her inability to solve basic problems
at home while presuming to be able to solve
everyone else's problems abroad.
The inconsistency is magnified by the ludicrous
spectacle of American troops in Vietnam attempting
to force democracy upon people at gunpoint. If
America's performance of democracy at home were
consistent with what we say about the democratic
way of life; it would never be necesnry to take
up arms to enforce it. People all over the world
would be demanding democracy for themselves.
AMERICA'S MOST crucial battle has yet to
be waged at home. I would rather see domestic
strife between Americans than to see Americans
engaging in foreign turmoil. During the Democratic
Convention in Chicago thousands of troops were
brought into the city to keep the peace. It is
unfortunate that there were not 100 more Chicagos
occuring simultaneously throughout the country.
Perhaps then it would have been necessary to
bring the American troops back from Vietnam to
keep the domestic peace.
If there had been a really morally committed
people's army of German youth in the 1930's,
creating domestic disorder as American and Latin
American students are doing today, millions of Jews
and other people the world over would have been
spared senseless slaughter. And until America gets
her own house in order, she cannot justify the pre
sumption of dictating soultions to foreign problems.
We will begin to bring order to every American
household when the capitalistic system is brought
into proper perspective in this country. do not
advocate destroying the capitalistic system, but
I do insist that it be put in its proper place behind
the United States Constitution. Todav the Const- -tion
has become the servant of capitalism rather
than the capitalistic system serving the best in
terests of all Americans within the framework of
the Constitution.
THE RECENT inability to produce meaning u!
gun control legislation was a fine example. The
vast majority of the American people favored a
strong gun control. But the firearms industry, a
powerful voice in the capitalistic system said "No"'
to firm gun control measures. The bill was defeated,
disregarding the will of the people.
When life in America is truly defined and con
ducted by the Constitution of the United States
a major step will have been taken to control the
use of all guns, at home and abroad.
S. Rand Long . . .
Of all the noplaces
Another rustling autumnal morn, semi-som-nambulic
body housing a vagrant mind, a
bewhiskered bewildered scholar debating with
himself up front
Glimmerings of Greek abstractions by dusty
pages out of monumental historical minds, posing:
what is Soul?
ELOCUTIONARY query recalls upon my ark i
elven princess a year hence. Evploring ancient
amphistylar halls on an exegetic mission, she
chanced upon a bit of forgotten lore, led us into
the country.
The two of us: she in her swinging saffron
cloak, me in feral burgundy, the loamy land too
pastoral for singing. A balmy afternoon, rambling?
and reapings.
The search fulfilled, nature's bounty collected,
a kilo or two of potential salvation, cornucopia '
proscribed for all but the energetic. Bring it wih
you when you come, little philosophical paregoric.
DAYS IN abeyance, incalescent expectation.
Then the scene. A clandestine rented room,
fluttering candle for atmosphere, minds tunea
toward chance for definitive transport
She produces the brown-papered package frora
beneath her cloak, lays it on the warped table top.
A sussurant approving murmur, she pushes it
across with an anticipatory shudder.
LITTLE SLEIGHTif-hand, a length of boned
steel flickers into being, a pass of the hands, prac
ticed economy of motion, the blade disappears.
Strings limp and lifeless, severed.
A ritual air dilates the room, the wrappings
are reverently pushed back, the candle's flame
wavers. Shadowed beads lean forward.
BUT NOTHING.
No Soul thus exposed, only amorphous residue,
a noisesome scum.
Some sort of chemical deterioration, essence
dissipated by the covetous cosmos, boiled away
in anomalous atoms.
a
SOtl DEFYING definition, no panaceaa
revelations, no epiphanal surcease.
Brungdown.
Nothing to absorb in cloistered privacy, no
chance to capture the mystic unknown, no hope
of illuminating the vast void. Only the fading
fleeting recollection of a faroff harvesting, another
bootless quest
THEN A presense in the darkening room. As
if something had settled there upon soundless musty
wings, a feeling untraceable to any physical
evidence.
But we know.
An inaudible derisive laughter, a rising aphony
of scorn. A voiceless mockery defying ratiocination.
WE FLEE, headlong dtnrn the stairs, out into
the night
Space cast its protective cloak over us that
eight, time cow shields us. However imperfectly.
The prof maunders on in idle returning eddies,
conspiring leaves sweep past the window.
Yeah man, tell me all about it
i
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