pageS
friday, march 21, 1980
daily nebraskan
Krugerrands question world's justice, peace
l have read your articles with respect to the use of the
Knieerrands. I would hope that Professor Ifaack is incor
rectly quoted in his statement that the "people that are
complaining are those who haven't really done anything
for the institution." I do not know how Professor I back
can know that black students on this campus who belong
to the objecting organization are not contributing any
thing to this institution. I doubt that itbenefitany of us,
administration or faculty, who live by the presence of stu
dents here to regard them as "not having really done any
thing to this institution. I doubt that it befits any of us.
when professors regard black students in this light. The
College of Engineering has few minority students or
faculty and hence its members may not appreciate their
contribution to this campus. From a completely self
serving perspective, the institution ought to remember
that, had we no black students or faculty, we would have
no federal funds, no accreditation in most areas, no public
respect, and no football team worthy of the name. We
would be poorer culturally, and many of our students
would have a worse education for a world in which deal
ing with people whom the United States has oppressed,
within the country or outside it, will be increasingly a
necessity both for the humanities specialist and for the
scientist or engineer.
Moreover, by raising questions about justice in South
Africa and the justice of our investment in it through the
UNL foundation, the black students have raised questions
about how justice and peace are sustained in our world,
questions which ought to be part of any student's educa
tion and the education of our country if it is to survive
without experiencing constant humiliation of the sort
which it knew in Iran during the period of the Shah's
overthrow. Indeed, for as long as black students have been
on this campus, they have raised these quesions, and I for
one am indebted to them for it.
In the same article. Dean Young says that he cannot
understand why the objection to Krugerrands as they do
not belong to South Africa any more. Purchasing them or
transferring them, using them in any way, makes them a
more valuable commodity .and gives them legitimacy as
political and economic symbols. The South African
government makes enough on the minting of them as
opposed to selling the gold as bullion to pay for very ex
pensive advertising in maior business journals as well as in
many of the news weeklies. They belonged to South Africa;
they were purchased by Mr. Coe; they were given to tne
university. Mr. Coe was presented by the press releases as a
man who had invested in Krugerrands innocently and got
all of this money like Danae's rain, falling from Jove's
heavens; and I initially assumed that he knew nothing
about the separatist system in South Africa or about what
he was investing in. But Mr. Coe's recent letter to the
Lincoln Journal makes it seem that he regards blacks as
the primary source of racialism in South Africa. He cites
prejudiced attitudes which exist in the all-black mines and
stores of South Africa and asserts that "white" South
African business is integrated. It is not the case that South
Africa had an integrated policy in its predominantly
white stores and business areas; it has done a bit ot
cosmetic integration in the last few years; but in most
areas, the segregation has been absolute, the differential in
pay between blacks and whites gave ten fold to whites
what was given to blacks for the same sorts of jobs. Blacks
could not vote, engage in the political process, own
property in most areas of the country or protect their
families against the violations of the contract labor
system. They were given the rights even of half-citizens
only in rural bantustans which make even our Indian re
servations look benign.
Anyone subjected to a lifetime of such evil is not likely
to think kindly in his or her oppressors; "those to whom
evil is done do evil in return. Certainly there is black
hatred of whites and other groups in South Africa, but
black people did not create the system. Western business
and Boer inhabitants created it, and Krugerrands help to
sustain it. When I saw the letter from Coe Apparently
blaming blacks for South African racism, I began to see
his purchase of Krugerrands and his attitudes toward the
country as of a piece. Dean Young's and Professor Haack's
explanations appear to me to befit the recipients of such
a gift, but they do not befit them as I know them in other
context: thoroughly decent people with a general concern
for justice. I hope that they have been misquoted and that
they will reconsider the action of their college so that
their college and the university in general can act in a way
which suggests that black students have the respect here
that their contribution to the campus and to the nation
deserves.
Paul A. Olson
Professor of English
UNL Human Rights Committee member
6 (te d!ite7
Continued from Page 4
In response to your letter in the March
14 Daily Nebraskan, I would like to share
my feelings about capital punishment.
Three yean ago my best friend, James
Richardson, was killed while on duty as a
policeman in York. The murderer was an
angry 17-year-old boy man who had been
drinking. For his mistake the young man
will spend many years in a prison. Even
with parole he will probably not be out un
til he is older than Jim ever lived to be.
I don't hate this young man and I can't
see that his death would protect the rest of
the world or in any way make my life any
better. It would be a waste of another per
son who might become a useful, good
member of our society. When I heard that
he was charged with less than 1st degree
homicide I was glad. My desire is that he
learned and will grow through this difficult
time in his life. Maybe he can fulfill some
of the things Jim left undone.
Four months after Jim died my friend,
Katherine Brooks, was murdered. Kathy
was a student at UNL and worked in the
Union. I know many people here still re
member her with love. Her murderer seems
to be a very violent man who caused hurt
and pain for a long time. I do not know a
lot about him, but I do know that keeping
him alive is cruel and unusual punishment
for Kathy's friends and family and maybe
even for him. I can't believe he is a happy
person, and I think he would be happier to
just be dead.
If I were told that he would receive the
death penalty only if I pulled the switch -then
he would die. I'm not proud to admit
I could cause the death of a human being
but I believe it would be right. It would
protect a lot of people from this dangerous
man and perhaps would give him peace.
I know many people disagree with me.
At least I've had to settle this issue for my
self as a real issue and not an academic
question. Because I've known two different
sides of the question I feel I've come to
accept the present system as good as can be
in a world where one man can still cause
the death of his fellow creatures.
Amy Mauh
NU employee
Gross mis-evaluations
I must point out some gross mis-evalua-
In The Pub
Fri. G Sat. march 21 & 22
9:00 p.m.-12:30 a.m.
01.00 cover
n
7
CHESTERFIELD
BOTTOMSLEY
& POTTS
Gunny's -13&Q
47S8007
GUNNY'S
PUB
tion and outright ignoring of facts in
Brent Robinson's article about the Ameri
can League Division races in Wednesday's
paper.
First of all I feel compelled to point out
to Mr. Robinson that there are seven teams
in each division in the American League
not six as he reported. The two teams he
ignored are the Baltimore Orioles, who
only won the pennant last year and took
the Pirates to the seventh game of the
World Series. The other team is the Texas
Rangers, a favorite if not the favorite to
win the west division this season. Mr.
Robinson states in his picking of the
Yankees for first in their division that all
you need is money to buy the players for a
team. If this is so, the Rangers are the team
for him.
Mr. Robinson shows his blatant home
town favoritism or blindness in picking the
Royals to win it all. Their pitching staff
looks like a combination of who's who in
minor league baseball and who used to be
in major league baseball.
My most vocal disagreement is with how
he can pick the talent-less Toronto Blue
Jays over a talented ball club like the
Cleveland Indians.
My recommendation is to hire a writer
with some knowledge of at least how many
teams are in the major leagues. By the way
I am available for employment.
Martin K. Fleming
History Major
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