tuesday, november 20, 1979
daily nebraskan
page 5
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s
Continued from Page 4
Americans, don't allow America and the American flag
to be used as a symbol of trickery and outrage. We hope
you do not let the U.S. government keep this country as a
shelter for dictators, and criminals of other countries. We
hope you show to the people of the world the same that
you showed for the Vietnam War. God Bless You.
. . Iranian Muslim Students Association
Racism in America
The ongoing takeover of the United States Embassy by
Iranian supporters of the religious rule of the Ayatollah
Khomeini, regardless of its questionable merits, has given
vent to two American traits: overt racism and imperialist
ethics.
The rise of punk violence against Iranian students does
not merely reflect anger over American hostages. Racism
has been part of the American scene since this country's
birth. Now, with the embassy takeover, such attitudes
have been given covert as well as overt sanction by assort
ed powers, from President Carter to UNL professors.
Mindless mob violence has erupted in the context of a
nation-wide witch-hunt-in which all Iranians are suspect
ed and considered guilty (of who knows what) until
proven innocent. The tactic of requiring all Iranians to re
port to immigration officers is somewhat reminiscent, not
only of the McCarthy era communist scare, but also of the
WWII tiavesty in which Japanese-Americans were herded
into concentration camps. 1
Unlike the Japanese Americans, the Iranians are no
not U.S. citizens, so perhaps there is more justification for
treating them as social lepers. However; the current
official "eye-for-an-eye, retaliatory attitude does not
speak well for the nation oft -proclaimed as the leader of
the "free world," the "champion" of democratic rights
and justice. .
If equal justice were indeed the hallmark of America,"
we would expect even treatment of all foreign students.
Which raises the question: Will the United State Depart
ment.also start investigating the possibilities of visa vio
lations among Taiwanese exchange students, or those
from Argentina or Venezuela, or, for that matter, from
Britian and Western Europe? Are questions ever raised
about Cuban, South Vietnamese, and other . 'refugees?
It seems easy for some Americans to hate, "slant-eyes,"
"gooks," "camerjockeys." etcparticularly if . they can
justify their attitudes and actions for once on a seemingly
rational basis. It is also easy to start talking in Hitlerian
tones about bombing some Third World country into sub
mission, presumably because "American honor" has been
threatened Somehow forgotten is that United States
imperialsim would like very much to have a pretext to
safeguard its economic interests (as distinct from its shaky
"honor") in Iran.
Also somehow forgotten is the former Shah-who is
supposedly not the issue. Yet it was American military
and financial interests that sustained and benefitted from
the Shah's vicious rule. It is interesting to speculate how
the people of Israel would have reacted had the United;
States given asylum to Adolph Hitler or Herman Goering.
For the Iranian people who have grown up under the
Shah's tryanny, under systematic oppression, murder, and
exploitation, this is, for them, a parallel situation.
It is unfortunate that innocent people have been
caught up in this anti-imperialist struggle. And the
Embassy takeover has been criticized even by the lately
resigned Iranian government officials. But the real issue is
the Shah and his ties to America and American foreign
policy, not the visa status of exchange students. Instead of
intensifying race hatred and petty national chauvinism, it
is time for this country to stop being the second home for
the facist dictators of the world.
, Moira Ferguson
Faculty Advisor Iranian Student Association
Regents praised
I come away from the November meeting of the Board
of Regents with a great deal of excitement. As you have
probably heard, the Board reversed a 1978 decision ban.
ning the use ot student tees tor speakers ot a political and
ideological nature. It is my feeling, and the feeling of your
student government, that this policy change will enable
the University Program Council to provide the kind of
speakers' program that will greatly enhance the educa
.tional opportunities at the University.
I wish to commend several members of the board for
their willingness to listen and react to the arguments stu
dents presented on Friday. Regents Hansen, Koefoot,
Schwartzkopf, and Simmons, are to be commended, not
only for their vote on the issue, but also for their Insight
on the great potential of such a speakers program in the
university community.
Moreover, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the
more than 200 students who appeared at Regents Hall on
Friday. I was impressed with these students concern over
education and the issues related to it.
Aside from the speakers issue, the only issue that per
tained directly to students was a teacher assistant training
program that students brought to the Board in the Sep
tember meeting. This program, aimed at the recruitment,
evaluation, training, and communication skills, of gradu
ate teaching assistants was passed on a vote of 7-0. This
item will be targeted for budgeting in the 1981-82 fiscal
year and implementation at that time. This is a program
that can greatly improve the quality of education at the
institution lor a relatively small investment.
There are several issues on campus that merit your
attention. Two of these issues deal with closings. One is
the proposed closing of the student union earlier than
usual. The other with the possibility of closing the Men's
P.E. Building second semester. Neither of these closings
seem an advisable alternative from a student perspective. ,
We would appreciate knowing how these closings will
affect you. .
Other projects ASUN will be involved with during the
next month will include the housing department's alcohol
awareness project, the university budget and the compli
cations related to it, and the beginning of Senator Kelly's
fight to raise the drinking age. Once again, if you have any
reactions to these items please refer them to the ASUN
office, room 115, Nebraska Union.
Bud Cuca
ASUN President
Thank you
I would like to extend my warmest "Thank You" to all
of the students who attended last Friday's Board of
Regents meeting to show.support for the student position
on political speakers. Those of us who had been working
on the speakers issue really appreciated the solidarity
shown last Friday. Thanks are also in order for Tim Rinne
and the members of USED for showing to all Nebraskans
that students at this University care about where their
education is headed. Finally, I would like to thank
Regents Simmons, Koefoot, Schwartzkopf, and Hansen
for realizing in this instance that the students of the Uni
versity of Nebraska are dedicated to the quality of educa
tion here, and will strive to improve it in all possible ways.
. Hubert Brown
ASUN 1st Vice-President
Professor honored
for medieval study
UNL Associate Professor and Chairman of Modern
Languages Department David Gitlitz was honored at an
award luncheon Monday for winning first place in the
development and implementation of a summer sessions
program. .
The program, which entailed a 650-mile hike along a
pilgrimage route in northern Spain was commended for its
creativity by the North American Association of Summer
Session's Creative and Innovative Award Committee.
Gitlitz said he, another professor and seven students
spent two and one-half months studying the history, art,
architecture, literature, culture and language of Spain
during their pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
"We wanted to structure some type of course .that
would provide students with an opportunity to develop a
keener appreciation for medieval Spanish life, practice
Spanish conversation and develop an understanding of
modern Spain 'Gitlitz said.
"It's nice to get recognized for what was an enormous
amount of work and fun," he said, recalling the 18 to 40
mile a day walks the class undertook on bumpy roads
through high rolling plateaus, fertile valleys and fields
tilled with grain.
"All of the students gained a great deal of sophistica
tion in medieval art " Gitlitz said. "On a final examina
tion, all of them entered a church they'd never seen
before and successfully identified each architectural style,
sculptural and painting style, and dated each within 50
years.v
"Naturally, their conversational Spanish improved as
well," he added.
The class was the second UNL class in three years to
garner the first place award for creativity from the
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