thursday, September 18, 1975
page 4
i
dally nebraskan
edibriQpI(riiiii
Dear editor,
I see from the Monday's Cynic's Corner that Bruce
Nelson's personal vendetta against both organized and
disorganized religion has not ceased. However, in this
instance he has been bold enough to admit his motivations.
It seems that his ill will results from a curse laid on him in
childhood and from two years of religious education..
Although I'm aware only indirectly of the mind
numbing qualities of Bible colleges and other such insitu
tions, I can say from my own experience that being a
minister's son is somewhat less than a "curse.''
It's disagreeable most of the time, but it does give you
valuable insights into the character of church-oriented
belief and how diligently people will work to deceive both
themselves and others about their spiritual condition.
I took particular notice of this column not only
because of this biographical information, but also because of
the article's exceptional extravagance and its concessions to
showmanship. ,,.,(
Without much, regard for coherence, Nelson grabs
assumptions and then puts them aside for others. His rule
seems to be to use whatever is convenient at the time, and
this for the sake of shocking some wide eyed true believer
or scoring tags on some phantom opponent.
Implying that God is unimaginative and terming Christ's
death a "brutal murder" demonstrate nothing except
Nelson's greed to be provocative, which he can't seem to do
by any method other than talking in extremes, even in a
column protesting the necessity for extremes of choice.
Nelson does show some sign of character in his analogy
between God and Stalin. Most people groping for a total
itarian symbol would have come up with Hitler. Yet I
submit that your columnist is incapable of honestly facing
the connotations, both for humanity and for himself, of
such a similarity. I am accustomed to cheap shots on
Nelson's part, but this is the biggest and the cheapest I've
yet seen.
. One last remark. In paragraph seven, Nelson makes
reference to "man's freedom." Curious words, coming from
an authentic cynic. I thought they'd put that out of the
way years ago.
Nathan H. Briggs
Two cheers for "Ralph"
Dear editor, ' , .,
Afte :; reading the editorial page in Friday s Daily
Nebraskan, we feel compelled to write and voice our
complaints.
As anyone who read the Friday edition can confirm,
buite a few letters were received voicing outrage for the
stereotyping of minority groups. Our question is how many
of these people were upset by the stereotyped "Farm Boy"
portrayed in the previous comic?
If any objection was raised at all, it sure didn t receive
a full-page spread and formal apology from the editor. We
know of quite a few farm boys who got quite a chuckle
out of the comic.
Ron Wheeler, in our opinion, pokes fun not only at
blacks, but at whites, the Campus Police, the football team,
the entire university system and Big Red Rooters.
We can understand a few people being upset over what
they read into the comic, but then hardly a day goes by
that someone couldn't find something in "Ralph" to be
upset about if they wanted to. What was worst was the
editor's inability to back up both her "quick decision" and
her staff.
Ron Wheeler has an excellent comic strip which brings
out the stereotypes each of us possess but are afraid to
admit, so that we can laugh at ourselves and with others.
We would hate to see Ron's comic be further censored just
because some people are too close-minded to laugh at
themselves. Two cheers for "Ralph" and get an editor that
will stand up for freedom of the press.
RussMoreland
Joe Friedman
David Vanier
Steve Mckarsky
Jim Jensen
Allen Meyer
RichHealy
Jerry Zaster
Trish Friedman
RossStoffer
Corinne Moreland
Campus trouble
increasing daily
As a guest speaker told Daily Nebraskan staff
members' at the start of this semester, UNL is a
troubled university.
Many of the problems are financial; Faculty
salaries are low, classroom materials are in short
supply, residence hall rates have risen, food service
prices are up, intercampus transportation costs
more. . . the list grows daily.
Other issues are harder to pin down. Who
governs UNL-the regents or the Legislature? Why
are faculty members and administrators leaving?
Is reaction to one of this paper's cartoons an iso
lated phenomenon, or does it reflect general dis
content among UNL minority students?
Should faculty members have a greater voice in
university operation? If they seek that voice
through organizing, can they go on strike? What
would that mean to this school?
Has student government, like the ASUN poster
stamp, outlived its purpose? Or is it a viable and
effective institutions?
Where is student power on bodies such as Fees
Allocation Board and the Council on Student Life,
whose members are supposed to represent
faculty and administration? Is there too much? Is
it there at all?
How well does the University Hearth Center
service its clientele? How useful are the UNL place
ment offices? How much, and through what chan
nels, can any of these things be changed?
The Daily Nebraskan must know how its readers
feel about these and other issues if we are to give
them effective coverage.
Reader access to the paper through letters to the '
editor, guest opinions and Short Stuff may be
limited by newsprint space, but access to our office
through personal visits or the telephone is open.,:
Visit us, or give us a call. Your input and
feedback are vital to us.
Rebecca Brite
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long hard climb
Feminism means equality, not dominance
Feminism is a philosophy of equality. Equality is harder ease.
to attain than dominance.
When two siblings attempt to divide a candy bar exactly -in
half, each will claim they received the smaller portion.
The inherent equality of the sexes is basic to the femin
ist philosophy-not that they are the same, but that abilities
and intelligence are given in proportionate amounts to each.
Some people do not believe the sexes are equal. Either
they believe men are stronger, smarter and better than
women, despite opposing evidence, or they want 'to play
games.
'The game is the competition between all men and
women that exists in the minds of some people. Men win
the game by assorting their "male superiority," Women win
the game by deviousness, craft and deception.
Men live up to the model "man" by giving the constant
impression of strength, virility, handsomeness, imperturb
ability. Model "women" have to be beautiful, sexy, com
placent, compliant people who carry out their natural
duties (cookine. sewing and taking care ot children) with sex.
However, women who are caught up in this game do not
necessarily believe in the basic inferiority of women
Thebr sneaky natures compel them to lie about their
d?rtu we" A7 '?! other women-"Men are such
children. Isn't that just like a man, ail thumbs!" and "Yes I
have John, the nerd, wrapped around my little finger and
he doesn't even know it!"
People receive their indoctrination into the game from
various places. "I Love Lucy" is the game recorded for
posterity on film. Can Lucy keep her extravagent purchase
a secret from Ricky? Will Lucy kiss and make up or will she
hit Ricky in the face with a pie? (sneakily and deviously
of course).
The game players could be left to play their game in
eace if they didn't assume everyone should see thines
As a proponent of feminism, I don't believe in making
people look, sound and smell the same.
I am sensitive to bumper stickers that say "Help stamp
out rape, say yes" and magazine ads refer to mother's little
gul growing up to cook, sew and take care of babies,
i f , 8ame players se feminism as a threat to their
Jfestyle. In a way they are right. Feminists want people to
neve more freedom. They point out the absurdity of our
male and female stereotypes.
They want people to quit the game and become free
agents. People who are satisfied with their assigned roles do
not have to change. ,
Gran tins fmiril rifthta anA J') mean
an women will dig ditches or go to war. Nor docs it mean
mpn mint r(- . i 1 P
men must Ston nnpnino Atnr fV.
- "ecu ccn as saiaoie comrnouiues, ws""
peace ii they didn t assume everyone should see things
uieir way. remuusis nave caiijmi on to the came and k V as sa"1 cuinniuuiuca,
decided each individual should be allowed to develop indi 1 u LUppcd from afa. baby machines, sex objects,
vidua! talents without artificial barriers made because of IZ cr be wcn as a interesting variation of a basic-
person.