thursday. September 4, 1920
page 4
daily, nebraskan
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Reagan caught too often
apologizing for errors
Ronald Reagan, of all people,
ought to know that videotape
accurately saves what has been said.
Yet Tuesday he issued a statement
saying that the Carter campaign had
distorted what he said in Detroit
Monday, vaguely linking President
Carter to the Deep South - which
was fine - and to the Ku Klux Klan,
which was silly.
Tape shows, without question,
that Gov. Reagan said he was glad to
be opening his campaign in Detroit,
while the president was in the town
and state that gave birth to the KKK.
Like so much of what he said in
speeches during the primary camp
aign, neither of Reagan's assertions
were correct. Yes, Carter was in
Tuscumbia, Ala., but neither Tus
cumbia nor Alabama were the birth
place of the Klan.
So Reagan found himself in the
awkward position of apologizing for
the error, clarifying what he meant
and defending an apparently stupid
comment. Again. Frankly, the gover
nor does too much of that.
Kennedy tax cut figures, Viet
nam, China and now the KKK - and
the campaign only officially geared
up Monday - all hint that Reagan
seems to believe the electorate is
watching a movie, and doesn't worry
about the veracity of the actors'
lines.
Unfortunately for the Republican
nominee and his supporters, the
campaign and its parts are well
recorded, and the public has easy
access.
One must wonder, were Reagan
elected, if he would say something
during negotiations with the Soviets,
Chinese or someone else, and then
have to issue an official apology the
next day. Or if he would have to
clarify his statements? Or defend
them and say the tape lies?
Would he ask Congress for a major
economic or defense program, and
then after hearing reaction, revise it?
Would he have his facts straight
for the annual State of the Union
message?
Reagan's statement implying that
the president, who has almost
naively fought for human rights, was
favoring the Klan is not sufficient to
vote against the ex-actor. But he has
similarly misinformed things often
enough that one must question his
ability to understand evidence and
facts.
Columnist finds his entire life
is contained in his hip pocket
I suffered a harrowing experience the
other day that could have made my life
miserable for a long time.
Police could have arrested me had I
been stopped for a minor traffic violation.
I would have been denied several student
services at UNL. I probably could not have
written any checks at local stores and
might have suffered a serious financial setback.
1 wasn't convicted of rape or treason.
I lost my billfold.
It sounds silly, but it isn't For in my
wallet is my driver's license, and without it
io
UPSP 144-080
Editor in chief: Randy Essex; Managing
editor: Bob Lannin; News editor: Barb Richard
ton; Associate news editor: Kathy Chenault;
Assistant news editor: Gordon Johnson, Tom
Prentiss; Assistant night news editor: Okonkwo
Ifejika; Entertainment editor: Casey McCabe;
Sports editor: Shelley Smith; Photography chief:
Mark Billingsley; Art director: David Leubke;
Magazine editor: Diane Andersen.
Copy editors: Sue Brown, Nancy Ellis.
Maureen Hutfless, Lori McGinnis, Tom McNeil,
Jeanne Mohatt, Lisa Paulson, Kathy Sjutin, Kent
Warneke, Patricia Waters.
Business manager: Anne Shank; Production
manager: Kitty Policky; Advertising manager:
Art Small; Assistant advertising manager: Jeff
Pike.
Publications Board chairman: Mark Bowen,
475-1081. Professional adviser: Don Walton, 473
7301. 0 The Daily Nebraskan is published by the UNL
Publications Board Monday through Friday dur
ing 'the fall and spring semesters, except during
vacations.
1 "Address: Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska
""Union. 14th and R streets, Lincoln, Neb., 68588.
Telephone: 472-2588.
Material may be reprinted without permission
if attributed to the Daily Nebraskan, except
material covered by a copyright.
Second class postage paid at Lincoln. Neb..
68510.
1 can't legally drive. In fact, all forms of
identification are in there, and with no ID,
I couldn't write checks for groceries or
books, I might be denied service at local
bars since I'd have no proof of age, and I'd
be denied several services jt the university
that require a student ID.
And if an unscrupulous person found
my wallet, that person could take my
charge cards and spend me into financial
oblivion (a process that, with my budget,
would take about three minutes).
It's scary to think that I, like many
others, carry my entire life in my hip
pocket.
Without my wallet, I couldn't prove
who I am, where I work, that I'm a stu
d.ent. AAA probably would refuse to tow
my car, I couldn't get into Big Red football
games, and worse yet, I'd have to pay cash
for all those non-necessities 1 love to
charge.
Without that eight-inch strip of cow
hide, life as I know it would cease to exist.
I'd have no way of proving I was a living,
breathing human being with an established
place in our democratic society.
There's something undemocratic about
the notion that our word is no longer proof
of who we are. Last week, as I was inter
viewing people at Gateway Mall as part of a
"Man in the Street" story for a journalism
class, I was approached by a policeman
who demanded some form of identifica
tion. The spoken word was not enough-he
needed something emblazened in plastic.
I harbor no grudge against the officer.
Me was courteous, and after all, only a pro
duct of a society that believes plastic cards
are proof that the person holding them is
all right. And he allowed me to continue
my interviews after I produced the
required number of cards (two).
. And for those of you wondering if I
ever got my billfold back -and I'm sure
there are many-the answer is yes. A friend
found it in his car.
But now I don't know whether to thank
him or curse him.
w mr. WI0- m mn i I
fetos d (Sis Gdite?
In compliance with a decision of the NU
Board of Regents, students now have the
option of applying for a refund of student
fees paid into Fund A. Should one refuse
to finance ASUN, the only service they will
lose is some free legal advice. In exchange,
they will receive 86 cents.
Now 86 cents may seem trifling, but
add everyone's together and ASUN collects
a neat $20,000 a semester. Do you know
where your money is going? Do you care?
Perhaps it doesn't bother you that our
ASUN president used student money in
attending the USSA Conference in Oregon
(of which ASUN isn't even a member).
Many people I've talked to over the
years see ASUN as a joke. It's time to start
asking questions about where your money
goes, and if you don't like the answers
you're getting, then withdraw your money.
Remember also that the questionnaire that
comes with the refund application is
optional.
Personally, I'm pleased that I now have
a choice as to where my hard earned monev
will go My 86 cents might be better utilized
buying new shoestrings for my tennis shoes.
Diane Walkowiak
Senior, Teachers College
Centennial unique
As an alumni of UNL, the degree of
"intelligence" that goes into determining
what academic programs to slice as a result
of finding deficits never ceases to amaze
me.
Ezekial Bahar, Faculty Senate president
and a member of the Academic Planning
Committee, states in the August 29th Daily
Nebraskan that the decision was between
Centennial College and the library.
I hope Ezekial didn't strain himself in
his "consideration." Those of us who are
students of higher education know the
unique benefits of the Centennial Educa
tional program. What is a university if it
cannot offer students diversity and an
avenue for individual pursuit of know
ledge? To even consider the library as a
potential candidate for reduction of funds
is contrary to the purported intent of a
university.
Gina G. Washburn
Insidious assumption
Your editorial supporting the draft was
based on two assumptions worth examin
ing. The most noticeable is the assumption
that the draft is necessary for military pre
paredness. As long as our soldiers are paid
less than civilians for similar jobs, we can't
say we're given the volunteer army a fair
chance.
More insidious is the assumption that
the greatest threat to our freedom is from
without. Of course, there are bullies in the
world; to find one, look in the mirror. If
only we could see ourselves as other
countries see us. And if only the concept
of the United States as a superpower was a
passe' as that of Isolationism.
Let's not forget what is worth fighting
for. Making 19- and 20-year-olds pay the
cost of military preparedness is a kind of
taxation without representation. A peace
time draft is inherently unfair because no
one else is sacrificing.
A too-great level of military prepared
ness has tempted us before to meddle
where we have no right, and to ignore
peaceful ways of promoting freedom. Join
the army, if-you believe in the draft, and
spare me the futility of trying to explain
what Vietnam taught us besides the
importance of drafting equally from
various sectors of society.
Marcia D. Elliott
Leap towards war
Against the wishes of the voters.
Congress recently passed a draft registra
tion bill and has appropriated 133 million
of our tax dollars to do it.
One argument used to pass this legisla
tion was that it was only registration, not a
draft.
Of course, the only purpose of a draft
registration is to draft. Registration is a
small step toward a draft but a giant leap
toward war.
The only instance in which a draft
should be allowed would be in the event of
an invasion. Nothing could be more
irresponsible, nothing could be more
criminal-than to chase after a war in the
Mideast, or anywhere else.
If the Carter administration really wants
to protect us, why isn't something done
about Communist Cuba, now bristling witn
missiles 90 miles from our shore?
Americans had better realize that there
is a war going on right now. It is a war
against the American people by the greedy
pressure groups and the crooked politicians
who misgovern us.
That is the real war, and one that we
had better win, or our enemies will destroy
us all. ,
Mike O'Neal
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