friday, december 12, 1975
page 4
daily nebraskan
swan-song message
from the editor
This is the Daily Nebraskan 's last regular publish
ing day, so I am stepping out of the self-imposed
stricture of first person plural for the second time
this semester for a swan-song message from me, the
editor, to you, the reader.
Using "we" instead of "I" has been a reminder
"that editorials are meant to deal with issues, not
my own glorification. It is an adjunct to the journ
alism rule that reporters keep themselves out of
their stories.
And the "we" should embrace more than just
the editor. It indicates the editorial stance of the
paper itself. However, since Daily Nebraskan edi
torials have, in recent years, been signed by their
authors, the use of "we" here carries a contradiction.
It became apparent to me about halfway
through the semester that, because of this con
tradiction and the awkwardness of the form, I
should give up "we" or "us" for the easier-and
more honest-singular.
But I disliked the idea of changing persons mid
stream (I tend to be slightly stubborn).
The only other time I have used the first person
singular on these pages turned out to be the first
storm of a tumultous semester.
Outrage over one of September's "Ralph" car
toons and equally outraged reaction to my
response, were only the beginning of our troubles.
Some of the Daily Nebraskan's problems have
been internal; others (most recently, our Mexican
standoff with the open meetings law) have received .
public attention.
All have been challenging. To me, the challenge
has been exhilarating.
At times I have been disappointed that, although
I received an enormous volume of letters, relatively
few of them directly responded to material carried
in the paper (except in response to other letters).
But I have tried to make the editorial page a
forum for student opinion and the letters served to
inform readers about issues the Daily Nebraskan
may have missed.
I am proud of this semester's staff and the
product they have turned out, week after week,
putting in long hours for some mighty short pay
checks.
And I look forward to seeing next semester's
paper, especially the editorials (that lucky son-of-a-gun,
Vince Boucher, will have an election year to
work with).
Hm. . .instead of a swan song, this has been
more of an ugly-duckling ditty.
But I wanted to give you something of myself.
Merry Christmas.
Students who have been writing to inmates at
the Nebraska Penal Complex could help spread the
season's cheer between now and Christmas by
asking their correspondents to send them the
names of other inmates who have no one to write
to, and giving those names to their friends.
Even a Christmas card from the outside could
turn a bleak holiday into one with meaning for a
person on the inside.
Students on inmates' visiting lists may send
packages to the penal complex starting Monday.
The parcels may contain shelled nuts, fresh fruit,
fruit cakes, gum or commercially packaged candy,
baked goods, potato chips and crackers in their
original containers.
These are the only items the penal complex will
accept and there is a 10-pound limit on packages;
no more than two parcels may be sent.
If you are writing to an inmate but are not on
his approved visiting list, ask to be sent an approval
form. Only persons on the visitors list are allowed
to mail Christmas packages to inmates and the in
mate must tell the officials who is sending the gift
Sound like a lot of hassle? The officials do make
it tough, but the trouble would be worth it.
Rebecca Brite
- W '
. Tf) THAT OflE'S
oh, booon GOODi:
JUST UH AT IWEl!
1
7
A footer nsHumn!
m r I
the word unheard
Vanity is part of the game
By Del Gustafson
Re: Summi Cronn's letter in Wednesday's paper regard
ing this writer's vanity.
Dear Summi,
After reading your letter to the editor concerning my
vanity I was perplexed as to what would be the right re
sponse. Should I:
(1) sarcastically attack it in Burke an fashion (but such
literary devices as sarcasm and parody seem to float over
your humble head, huh, Summi?). (2) ignore it (but then I
wouldn't have anything on which to write this week) (3)
blow off my bloated head (but this would leave the world
bereft of its greatest mind since Socrates, or more humbly,
since Mill (you've got me really groveling now, Summi) or
(4) attack your letter frontally, which would have the
advantage of being readily comprehensible?
I opted for stratagem (4).
Anyone who read last Friday's column and concluded
that it was written with the solemnity of a Christmas Mass
must fave gone to great lengths to develop and polish his
stupidiiy: a good God would never endow an individual
with such an excess of natural idiocy.
You are the type, dear Summi, that would watch Duck
Soup, starring the Marx Brothers and complain that Firefly
was not democratically president of Freedonia.
This is not to assert, however, that while you didn't
understand the column's point, you didn't carefully study
it.
How much time and energy you must have spent in
counting the column's lines. J had no idea the column was
45 lines long, but if I ever desire a column of mine to be
counted again, I will know where to go.
You erroneously claim in your letter that my column
was rrleant solely as a forum for expression of my political
views. There is no limit as to the choice of my subject mat
ter; I may write on any subject from morality to the execu
tion of people who write silly letters to the editor.
Moreover, the distinction you draw between politics and
vanity is illusory. To study the politician is to study vanity,
for that is generally what drives people into public life.
Admittedly there is a strong clement of self-pride in
volved in writing a column for the Daily Nebraskan (it cer
tainly isn't the money). I guess it is the desire to see one's
name in print. . . which reminds me, Summi, why will you
not put your name in print?
Come on, Summi. While only a few of us may be intelli
gent, many may be brave. Remove your disguies and let my
incandescent blue eyis bum into your vapid soul.
Just to prove Summi Cronn's letter has not reduced my
enthusiasm for the theater, I would like to announce that
the intriguing and powerful story of the relationship be
tween a black New York lawyer and an uneducated white
southern girl will be presented in the play My Sweet Charlie
Saturday and Sunday in the Arena Theatre in the Temple
Bldg.
Playing major roles will be Bill Davis and Suzie Kozak.
Curtain time is 8 pjn. Saturday and Sunday night with a
matinee Sunday afternoon at 2. Tickets are available at the
Temple box office or call 472-2073.
to the
1 on
The Daily Nebraskan. welcomes letters to the
editor and guest opinions.. Choices of material
Eublishetf will be based on timeliness and originality,
etters must be accompanied by the writer 1 name,
but may be published under a pen name if requested.
Guest opinions should be typed, triple-spaced, on
nonerasable paper. They should be accompanied by
the author! name, class standing and major, or
occupation. All materiel submitted to these pages is
subject to editing and condensation, nd cannot be
returned to the writer.
Dear editor,
For the last several weeks the public has had the Fiesta
Bowl lammed down their throats. Once the team finally
made up its mind to attend this post-season white elephant, Question Of truth
US8 COHUOVCIsy muumeu.
Now that we are somewhat assured that the team has
accepted the invitation (they are going, aren't they?), the
question is the Comhuskar Band. '
In their race against the calendar, the band must produce
$42,000 by Dec. 26 if they have any hope of trampling the
Tempe turf. Where is the pot of gold to be found? Don't
ask the Big 8. They Ve given us their share.
The coaches and staff? Oh, they've cut down on their
meal allotments, so they've done their share. All of a sud
den the end of the rainbow is over the heads of the Ne
braska people.
Should the needed money be raised, what will Nebr
askans gain besides a souvenir program from a local radio
station and the satisfaction of contributing to the revenue
of Temps, Ariz.?
Since the primary purpose of bowl games is to attract
tourists and thus increase the revenue of the host city,
shouldn t Tempe pay for the band's trip? After all, we're
doing them a favor.
Let's face it, band. You are neither wanted nor needed
So, martyrs, grab some nails and enjoy a Nebraska
Christmas.
Bill Hessling
Bob Hessling
Editor's note: Whether the band is, Indeed, needed it
the Fiesta Bowl may be debatable. But it is pretty obvious
from the number of contributions the band is recervina'
that they are wanted. a'
skarfstau' t0bea Dke bldktion of spirit of Nebra-
Dear editor,
1 F?Ti,T ? kave bcen hearin "bout the Sherdell
I don't think it is a question of taking sides; I want onlu
Sh." known ,0 ,u?h Elf w
The articles and letters I have seen raise in my mind
several questions (that I don't care for) about the affair:
Just how many of the who ! for I wis really want
the truth? Are they for him simply because he was black
and so are they? How many black people are using Lewis to
get even with whitey, saying, "Look what they did to our
brother. We can't let them get away with it.?"
-How many are against Lewis because he was "just a
nigger" (their words, not mine) and they are white? How
many whites are standing up for the police as simply the
better of the two?
-Would as many blacks be "for the troth" if Lewis had
been white, or would they not have cared as much?
-How much (both black and white) are against the
police simply because they are "pigs" and represent the
establishment? These people don't care about Lewis; they
just hate cops.
Of course, many people also believe there has to be 1
better way to handle such situations; I agree. Perhaps if the
facts of the Lewis killing are brought out, a better way can
be found.
KathyBartels
Correspondenco needed
Dear editor,
I am serving time at the Attica Correctional facility and 1
m seeking correspondence. I am 22 years old, black, with s
very liberal mind. If anyone is interested in corresponding
with me, please write to the address below. Thank you.
James Hughe
28662 E-SM
Box 149
Attica, NX
14011
