monday, October 13,1975
4
daily nebraskan
editorial Wini
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Alas, poor Ralph,
innocent bystander
'Shot down' again "Shoot early and of fen
ft
Alas, poor Ralph. As if being disqualified for
Homecoming King wasn't bad enough (it seems our
friend with the mustache hasn't paid this
semester's tuition and is having trouble proving he
was a junior), now he has been "shot down" in
his own, territory, the Daily Nebraskan editorial
opinion page. . .
- It's not that we felt Ralph was getting too big
for his britches. The cartoon's new dimensions
should not be interpreted as an effort to cut
Ralph and his friends down to size.
The recent appearance of advertisements now
and then on the once-sacred editorial page is a
clue to our dilemma. The Daily Nebraskan, like
many other papers, is grappling with what is called
a tight news hole.
That means, among other things, that some of
the ' regular features we promised our readers
earlier this semester have been abandoned in favor
of our top priority: campus and local news.
On the editorial page that translates into high
priority on readers' opinions, in the forms of
letters to the editor and guest opinions.
Ralph is not being relegated to the back burner.
We're confident the strip will remain as enter
taining and easy to read as it was in larger days
and Ralph's lost inches will be our readers' gain.
Rebecca Brite
Rv Arthur Hnnne
The election of 1984 was scarcely a battle at all. From
the onset, the Democrats clearly had the Republicans out
numbered, outmaneuvered and outgunned.
When the bodies were counted on election night, it was
obvious that, except for a few guerrilla bands hiding in the
lulls, the Grand Old Party was over.
While violence had always marked American politics,
it was not until recent years that activists had effectively
demonstrated its efficiency. By rubbing out nine Presidents
alone in the past 16 months they certainly proved their
point.
What turned the tide, however, was the realization by
the gun manufacturers of the potentialities of this new
market. Hitherto, they had based their advertising
campaigns on an appeal to the male sexual drive. But they
were selling only three million or so handguns a year for
a paltry gross of $100 million.
The first breakthrough came in a subtle ad for the
ultra cheap ($698) Friday Night Special. It carried only a
photograph of the single-shot pistol and the simple caption:
"One Bullet Is Worth Fifty Million Ballots!"
Sales soared. Surefire Firearms Corp., Inc., took a full
page ad in Parents Magazine depicting a beaming father
watching his little daughter load a revolver. "I'm glad she's
taking an interest," he is saying proudly, "in politics."
"To the polls, ye sons of freedom!" proclaimed a public
service message prepared by the gun lobby. "Shoot eariv
and often!" And the Boy Scouts cooperated with a nation
wide Get-Out-the-Sniper Drive.
The few voices raised in opposition to the trend were
quickly silenced by the National Gun Nut Association.
("When guns are the nuts," was their slogan, "only nuts
won't have guns")
They pointed out that, thanks to guns, no public figure
had been done in for years by a silk-stocking or even
panty-hose strangler. Bank robberies committed by archers
were minimal and rocks were seldom used as weapons,
particularly in urban areas where they were scarcer than
handguns.
The trend was even more invigorating at the local level.
Who will ever forget Mrs. Hermione Billings, president of
the Fleasantville P.T.A., who scragged the mayor with a
.38 to protest the lack of a traffic signal at her son's school
crossing?
So at last, every American came to enjoy true equality
in our democracy-all equally able, depending on marks
manship, to exercise their inalienable right to eliminate the
candidate of their choice. .
The Democrats victory in the 1984 election proved,
however, somewhat pyrrhic. Unfortunately, they hadn't
been able to find anyone willing to run for office.
(Copyright Chronicle Publishing Co. 1975) : -
Dear editor,
Congratulations to ASUN. Finally they are trying to
solve a problem which has plagued this campus for many
years. At last there is a committee to investigate ways to
put more student input into Yell Squad selection.
But, alas, there were not enough senators at the Oct. 8
ASUN Senate Meeting to vote on equally important matters
that threaten to destroy our university.
On Sept. 17 the ASUN Senate approved a consitutional
amendment that would give student regents voting rights.
The amendment was passed by an overwhelming 26-1 vote.
It is too bad UNL students do not back ASUN quite that
overwhelmingly. I refer to the fact that only 10 per cent of
the students voted in last year's ASUN elections. How can
the student regent be given a vote when he cannot even get
a majority of his consitutents to vote?
It seems that a group which calls itself the student
government of UNL would be able to conduct official
business at all its meetings. Instead, they often cannot
produce or keep a quorum.
The ASUN Senate has appointed committees for almost
everything that comes before them. I think it is commend
able that the senators are so well informed that committees
are created so they might be told the facts.
I would like to thank the 90 per cent on this campus
who did not vote last year and the 10 per cent who did
vote. You have made ASUN what it is today.
Tim W. Gustafson
A HAIRCUT
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Small announcement
Dear editor,
On Oct. 9, Rep. Morris Udall spoke at Centennial
College to some ISO people. Fortunately I happened to
notice the one paragraph in the. Daily Nebraskan stating the
time and place, and was able to go hear him speak.
I am by no means a Udall supporter, but . I believe that
when a presidential candidate, regardless of party or
stature, comes to this campus, there should be more than
a "Short Stuff announcement.
-University students should take advantage of the
occasions to educate themselves on subjects of importance
outside our often sheltered community. But it is up to
such media as the Daily Nebraskan to make knowledge of
these events available.
I hope this priority will be reviewed by those in your
organization who decide what we, the students, will read.
DavePederson
rudely interrupted by some obscene language. I investigated
and discovered, to my astonishment, that some fraternity
men (if I can call them men) were yelling their hearts out
to anyone who would listen.
I asked that they please quiet down and was promptly
called some names I wouldt call my worst enemy.
When I trasferred here, I was under the impression that
the fraternity guys were more mature than the guys in the
dorms. Now I'm not so sure. This incident has lowered my
opinion of the whole Greek system, especially the guys.
.. . . Wifla Marie Lowson
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A complete, high efficiency
CB radio, with everything
needed for beginning CB.
Complete with microphone
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Disappointed with Greeks
Dear editor,
The other night while I was studying, I was rather
The Daily Nebraskan welcomes letters to the
witor tad guest opinions.; Choices of material
published wfil be based on timeliness tad originality.
Letters must be accompanied by the writer's name,
but may be published under a pea name if requested.
Guest opinions should be typed, triple-spaced, on
nonerasable paper. They should fee. accompanied by
uw minors name, diss standing and major, or I
occupation. All materia 'submitted to these pages is
sub'ct tc A'ti j " - u I
returned to the writer. . -' I
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