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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 18, 1980)
thursday, September 18, 1980 pago4 daily nebraskan U.S. needs one, credible voice in foreign policy During the weekend and earlier this week, the American hostages in Iran became page one news again. The Ayatollah Khomeini had de manded several things from the Unit ed States, including freeing of frozen assets and return of the dead shah's assets in exchange for the hostages. He did not demand an apology. That, of course, didn't mean he doesn't want one. It was reported that the Iranian parliament would begin debate on the hostages Tuesday. Hopes soar ed. President Carter Monday said "finally" a resolution of the crisis might be near. But the parliament delayed the long-awaited debate, instead forming a committee to discuss the matter before it is brought to the full parliament. And Secretary of State Edmund Muskie, responding to Carter's state ment, said information from Iran might signal an end to the crisis, but then again "it might not." Meanwhile, the hostages families, those who have suffered the most through the last 10 months, sent a letter offering to serve as a bridge in negotiations; offering to meet with Iranian officials. Normally, private citizens do not carry on diplomacy for the United States. The families' suggestions is ludicrous. But also not constructive is the ballet between Carter and Ronald Reagan. Reagan says he would give in to the demands, at least for the most part. Carter charges electioneering. Both candidates have shown their willingness to use the hostages as pawns in seeking votes, Reagan with the above statement and Carter con tradicting his secretary of state. Charges in this country against Iran are that negotiations for the hostages' release have been slow be cause Iran is not organized that there is not one voice for Iranian policy. Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, the hostage families, Edmund Muskie, Dick Gregory . . . which one repre sents the voice of American foreign policy? The hostage crisis has illu strated a fundamental weakness of the Carter administration; the lack of a credible voice in foreign policy. That is not to say that this news paper thinks Ronald Reagan's voice would be any better (or even as good). However, Carter overruled Cyrus Vance and subverted hjs efforts to free the hostages. Now Muskie, who has been fairly successful is quieting the issue, faces the same problem. Muskie, not running for president, wants to move prudently. Carter! seeking re-election, wants the host ages back. The families, who cure most about their loved ones, want them back, whatever the cost to American foreign policy. We believe Muskie is a capable statesman. However desperate Carter is to regain the hostages, he should let his secretary be the voice for America. So should the families and everyone else. Scalpers hoard tickets with cruelty but only until underprivileged pass by yjNrc 6 ftfes editor UNL has created its own system of haves and have nots in Nebraska. Thanks to the quality of UNL's football pro gram and the size of Memorial Stadium, a growing number of Nebraska citizens cannot - heaven forbid - attend a football game. SUJuitoSii One can try to ignore this underprivileged class and try to ignore their plight. But it's not easy. They're every where. They're standing outside Memorial Stadium, with .lazed eyes and sullen faces, begging to be scalped to pay $125 for a ticket not worth a 10th of that amount. One can't even read the personals in the Daily Ne i raskan without being reminded of the senseless cruelty v e inflict upon our fellow man. Some of my friends, bless their hearts, have tried to 1 elp these poor unfortunate beggars. Risking strict en forcement of the law that prohibits the sale of student ti' kets to other students or individuals, these brave souls venture forward, trying 'to scalp the less fortunate for every penny they can get. Others, even mo-e "ou'agous, stand outside Memorial Stadium on Saturday mornings. Like good Samaritans, they wait, only until a "have not" sends a wanting glance his way, then fleeces him until he shivers. It's not hard to understand the need of these poor souls who so desperately want to witness a football game. Where else can a person spend a fortune to watch the Huskers put the game away in the first half? Where else can people be packed into seats designed for children -very small children? Where else can a person be scalped twice; once for the ticket and once for the hot dog and souvenirs for sale inside? The experience is so uplifting. I sat beside the guy who went barhopping all morning, silently wishing he'd breathe in another direction. 1 constantly remind the fat lady in front to sit down and take off her ridiculous red hat. These experiences cannot simply be told. One must be there. No, it's not hard to see why we have this underprivileg ed class in Nebraska. The problem is what to do with them. It's easy to blame the NU Board of Regents, but they did try to get money to enlarge the stadium - or at least talked about it. The Nebraska Legislature, stingy as it is, would be an easy target, but many of them know little else but Big Red Football. So they must be sympathetic. The real blame lies with the ticket holders themselves. Those godless heathens who hoard their tickets like gold coins. Those unmerciless barbarians who strut past the un fortunate near Memorial Stadium and think gleefully to themselves: "Let them attend track meets!" ' These are the ones who must be held accountable for the plight of our unfortunate. These are the ones who must pay. Take away their tickets and hold public raffles. It's the only course, for a civilized society. And we are civilized . . . aren't we? Having decided to exercise my right, I would like to say that which is on my mind before the by-laws of this university specify otherwise; which, I may add, may be all too soon. As a student who has been in conflict with this univer sity in the past concerning freedom of speech and expres sion, I find it disheartening and totally unacceptable to see the "Central Committee" threatening the rights of even more students from the power seat of Regents Hall. The "do it right, do it my way" attitude looms over the heads of the employees and now may overshadow the student and the free publication of UNL. A restructuring of the Publications Board would neces sarily entail the positioning of puppets who will either be of the same views as the regents or who will be weak enough to need the job but fear losing it. Although these puppets would not exercise prior re straint in publications per se, it would be very easy to stress one area in news and give less importance to others, pass this decision to UNL publications' staff and thereby effectively suppress areas dealing with topics the regents think would be "better left alone," After all, what we don't know can't hurt us, could it? It is too bad that the regents get no praise for their truly progressive policies such as visitation in the dorms and the policy on religion. Acknowledged, they do some good; not all which comes down from the tower of power is intended to handcuff the student bearing the facade of "it is, for your own good." Continued on Page 5 6 Just Plain Jimmy ' sticks by his old promises Good morning shut-ins. It's time for another episode of "Just Plains Folks," the heartwarming saga of a little nuclear peanut farmer and his struggle to bring us a government "just as good and decent and full of love as the American people." Again. UPSP 144-080 Editor in chief: Randy Essex; Managing editor: Bob Lannin; Newt editor: Barb Richardson; 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 Luebke; Magazine editor: Diane Andersen. Copy editors: Sue Brown, Nancy Ellis, Maureen Hutfless, Lori McGinnis, Tom McNeil, Jeanne Mohatt, Lisa Paulson, Kathy Sjulin, 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. Pro fessional adviser: Don Walton, 4737301. " "The Daily Nebraskan is published by the UNL Publications Board Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semes ters, except during vacations. 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. As we join Just Plain Jimmy today he's seated behind his desk in the Oval Office staring thoughtfully at a large somewhat dusty cardboard box. That's his attractive wife, Just Plain Rosalynn, entering with a cup of Ovaltine! Rosalynn: Really, Jimmy, you should get some rest. I'm sure you'll think up some way to appeal to the voters. Sooner or later. Jimmy: Rosalynn, it just came to me. I'm going to promise them to cut taxes, whip inflation and unemploy ment and balance the budget. Rosalynn: That's nice, dear. But aren't you afraid folks will say you stole those promises from Ronnie Reagan? Jimmy: I most certainly did not! He stole them from me. And here's the proof. (He opens the box. A flock of moths flutter out through a cloud of dust.) Rosalynn: My land! What's in there? Jimmy: All my 1976 campaign promises. And they're just as gocd as new. Listen to this one: If elected, I will bring our American boys home from Korea. Rosalynn: That's still a fine promise, all right. Jimmy: Thank you. Then I'm really going to hit hard on my promise to "put people back to work" in the inner cities and balance the budget "before this next term is over." More important is my promise to lick the 4.8 per cent inflation rate that is "quietly robbing our people." Rosalynn: Yes, that promise is about three times more important today. And what about cutting $5 billion from the defense budget? Jimmy: llmmm. Let's forget that one. But there's no reason I can't still promise to reduce the proliferation of nuclear weapons and "take the first step toward the ulti mate goal of nuclear disarmament." Rosalynn: There certainly isn't. But are you sure, Jimmy, that you can out-promise Ronnie Reagan? Jimmy: No doubt about it. It's a question of experi ence. Do you realize that Ronnie has never once in his life promjsed to balance a federal budget or curb inflation? What's he know about promising such things? I'll be making the same promises in this campaign that I did in 1976. The voters are bound to admire a man who sticks by his promises. (Copyright Chronicle Publishing Co. 19801