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One more time
The controversy over the use of compulsory student
fees to finance speakers and the publication of The
Daily Nebraskan is with us again, this time in the courts.
Lancaster District Court Judge Herbert Ronin
Tuesday denied a request by two University students for
a temporary restraining order against this week's
Time-Out Conference, which is supported by student
fees. However, a hearing will be scheduled in the near
future on a request by the two students for a temporary
injunction against the use of student fees for future
conferences and The Daily Nebraskan.
The students in their court petition argue that the
expenditure of mandatory student fees "for political
activities or the promulgation of political or other
noneducational viewpoints" is an illegal use of the fees.
The use of student fees has been highly controversial
since the May, 1970 student strike. Many conservatives
were critical of the role the student government and The
Daily Nebraskan played in the strike.
Student fees at the University are analogous to taxes
in that the fees help support vital services that would be
hard pressed to become self-supporting.
There are many problems that would result if student
fees could no longer be used to sponsor certain types of
speakers. It would be extremely difficult to distinguish
between an "educational" speaker and a "political"
speaker. In addition, restricting the use of student fees
for speakers would not be in the best educational
interests of students since it would limit both the
quality and number of campus speakers.
In the case of The Daily Nebraskan, it has been
argued that no student should be forced to subscribe to
a newspaper, especially one that might express views the
student might be opposed to. It is difficult to refute this
argument.
However, until a feasible plan is developed and
implemented to make The Daily Nebraskan financially
independent, the newspaper will need student fees to
continue publishing. Preliminary investigation on the
feasibility of going independent has been started. More
work on the subject will probably be done by a special
committee on student publications, which was recently
appointed by President D. B. Varner.
The question of the use of student fees has finally
reached the courts. Hopefully, the courts will settle this
drawn-out controversy that has divided the University
community.
UNL health center
Although the largest chunk of student fees goes to
the Student Health Center ($21 per semester for every
full-time student), there is no formally appointed group
of students involved in the center's planning.
However, the ASUN Senate has asked the Council on
Student Life to find a new governing structure which
would formalize student input into the Center's
program planning.
Structured student input is necessary since the center
operates with student fees. Student involvement would
also help insure that the center is responsive to student
needs and concerns.
Noting that students have shown little interest in
the governing of the Center in the past, Samuel
Fuenning, the Center's medical director, said "we'd be
delighted to have student involvement." However, any
new governing structure of the center should be a
comprehensive planning unit involving students as well
as faculty, staff, and medical personnel.
The best way to provide adequate health service is to
involve the consumer in the planning. A new governing
structure for the center is long overdue and CSL should
act quickly on the ASUN proposal.
Gary Seacrest
I.
sr
BOTBDEBSS
Telephones: editor: 472 2588. news: 472 2589, advertising:
472-2590. Second class postage rates paid at Lincoln, Nebraska.
The Daily Nebraskan is a student publication, independent of the
University of Nebraska's administration, faculty and student
government.
Address: The Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, University of
Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508.
' - ' mm
Super Hot Dog
Bruce Wlmmor
MEET THE 1
1
fw m
Super Terrible
Terry Carpenter
M FROM:
Super Sleuth
Robert Prokjp
Super Sheriff
James Moylar
mmmm
niversity of gebraska Glean Giving OgotSsts
-a
...who fight a never-ending battle against sex, perversion, and the Un-American way.
bill smitherman
Hit it again,
hit it again. . .
When Daily Nebraskan
Editor Gary Seacrest mildly
advocated the legalization of
marijuana last week the
response was not long in
coming.
From TV editorials in
Omaha to newspapers in
Scottsbluff reaction to
Seacrest's pro-drug stand has
been quick and stinging.
This underlines the need in
Nebraska for a better
understanding of the drug
culture. Material which is
becoming common knowledge
in much of the country is still
heard only infrequently here.
Most of the drug
"information" available here is
scare oriented and incorporates
very little logic.
For the most part,
presentations available here are
senseless and stupid, as well as
useless.
Marijuana, the mildest drug
of the new culture, is probably
the most often attacked. The
most common charge is that
grass users usually go on to
harder drugs.
No one will argue that
heroin addiction is a good
thing, but many will question
the theory that grass leads on
to harder stuff.
Unlike most drugs,
marijuana does not build up a
resistance in the body. Indeed,
it takes less and less grass for
the experienced user.
Most regular users say it
takes only a very small amount
for them to get stoned. This
THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
has been verified by such
anti drug authorities as Dr.
Sidney Cohen.
In an ETV interview Dr.
Cohen said that though
marijuana can be
psychologically addictive there
is no evidence that it leads to
heroin use. Though most
heroin users have probably
used grass first they have
probably also used milk,
pablum, or aspirin.
When pressed, most drug
"authorities," pro or con, will
say there is simply not enough
information about marijuana
to determine its effects.
Actually, the only thing that is
certain about grass is that a
first offense in Nebraska can
get you seven days.
Another argument is that if
marijuana itself does not lead
to harder drugs then the drug
culture itself does.
However, the psychedelic
community generally deplores
the use of hard drugs. Heroin,
cocaine and the like are
regarded as degrading by those
who consider the psychedelic
experience as the ultimate in
individuality.
The heroin addict is
shunned by the drug culture as
well as by mainstream society.
If anything, the drug culture
guides people away from hard
drugs.
But there are dangers in the
culture. LSD and methedrine,
better known as "speed," are
accepted parts of the culture.
These are dangerous drugs.
Many people don't come back
from LSD trips and speeding
can burn out a body in a short
time.
With all drugs there is a
need for care in use. This is not
always available to those who
use drugs socially.
But the drug revolution
cannot be turned back by
unbacked statements and
repressive laws. Prohibition
didn't work and neither will
drug repression.
Drug use should not be
approached irrationally on the
basis of "It's bad because it's
bad." Youth are more turned
off by this sort of argument
than any other.
The drug scene should not
be a source of hysteria among
police, parents and concerned
citizens. It should be
approached thoughtfully and
seriously.
Aldous Huxley saw society
heading toward drug use early
in the century. Now the drug
scene is here and growing. It
will not go away no matter
how much repression and
self-righteous preaching are
applied.
But rational thought and
research might produce facts to
modify and accept the culture
before it tears down the
society which bred it.
After all, free choice of safe
alternatives has always been
the ideal, if not the practical,
American way.
PAGE 4
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1971
