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daily nebraskan
thursday, january 15, 1981
King 's legacy of justice must march on into '80s
Martin Luther King.
Once he was a man with a dream;
a man who illuminated his vision of
hope that racial equality could be
come a reality.
He was the spirit of the nonvio
lent black struggle. He was the soul
of the multitudes who took to the
streets during the 1960s because
they believed in a principle -because
they believed social injustices could
and should be made extinct.
He accentuated the meaning of
the word sacrifice, originally with his
tireless efforts for a noble cause, and
ultimately with his violent death by
;in assassin's bullet.
Martin Luther King was born on
Jan. 15, 1929. It's too bad he didn't
live to celebrate his 51st birthday.
Today is a good time to look back
and contemplate the accomplish
ments made by the late Martin
Luther King. It is also a time to look
ahead and consider whether enough
is being done to keep the King legacy
alive.
Sadly, recent political and social
events promote a dismal forecast
for the hope of eliminating racial in
justices. A resurgence by the Ku Klux Klan
is a very disappointing reflection on
human nature.
President-elect Ronald Reagan's
statement that he would like to
return the country to the days
before there was a racial problem
proves he is not understanding of nor
sympathetic with those who suffer
from prejudice and inequality.
Sentiments to kill programs born
in the 1960s to combat racial in
equalities, such as the fair housing
program, ;re spreading and make the
outlook for realizing King's dream
even more bleak.
Therefore, it is time for a firm,
honest commitment to be made
toward eliminating minority oppres
sion. The promises of the 1960s are
remembered and should be honored.
It is just as important that all
people realize the dangers of com
placency and the hazards of relying
on comparisons to historic times
when evaluating social conditions.
A lot has been done in the past
100 years to improve the lives of
minority people. Unfortunately, not
enough has been done during the
past 1 0 years.
It is time to expand upon the
legacy left to the world by the late
Martin Luther King while it is still
remembered.
Baby-boom values
need to grow up
LOS ANGELLS Seventy-seven-year-old Mike Mans
field of Montana recently gave the Washington Post some
examples of what he thought was "wrong" with American
society.
There are "too many fat people. . . Not enough pride
or courtesy or politeness," he said. "Too many people for
themselves . . . Ton willing to let George do it' because
they don't want to be personally affected."
Are these merely the ravings of an old crank? Not
really.
These criticisms come from a former Senate majority
leader who, as U.S. ambassador to Japan, has spent the
iast four years watching America from the outside. Un
doubtedly, his standards have been influenced by Japan
ese culture, which is steeped in pride, courtesy and a
strong family tradition.
For a while now. Mansfield has been concerned that
the erosion of such values in America may be responsible
for our ills. During an interview with us at his tastefully
decorated embassy office in Tokyo several months ago,
he appeared particularly troubled by the way this decay
has made the baby-boom generation a selfish, materialistic
and lazy lot.
Lately, we've noticed evidence of Mansfield's concerns
in our own circles.
Item: A second-year law student in Washington, D.C..
threathens to sue his roommate for jeopardizing his legal
career. Apparently, the aspiring attorney, who is a New
York City native, became distraught when, near exam
time, his roommate underwent tests for hepatitis, not
knowing whether the entire household had already been
infected.
Item: A married couple, 25-years-old, complains that
they have had to resort to supermarket store brands and
meatless days in order to make payments on their new
Porsche sports car.
Item: An office secretary vows to "get even" with a
local dry clearning establisment when she discovers the
label on her $100 designer jeans has been torn off.
To some, these anecdotes might seem like aberrations.
But they are all too common, and probably reminiscent
of pigheadedness of which we've all been guilty and later
regreted.
Maybe we need such accounts to remind ourselves that
we're all too selfish for our own good.
To be sure, few secular public figures aside from
Jimmy Carter and California Gov. Jerry Brown seemed
willing to articulate the need for values in tune with these
times of scarcity. Then again, the electorate wasn't too
receptive either.
In 1980, Ronald Reagan appealed to many voters with
his call for traditional American "family" values.
But he also told his fans that they deserved to have
more and more. His major campaign theme "Let's make
America great again" -found an eager, and susceptible
voting audience.
Reagan may not have realized the impracticality of his
rhetoric. But for a large number of Americans his words
only fueled existing nostalgia for days when the Russians
were No. 2 militarily. Pax Americana ruled Japan and
Western Eruope and the developing world knew better
than to talk back to Washington or to the U.S. multina
tionals. Back then, no one could force Americans to apologize
for consuming over one-third of the world's resources 1
meddling in other countries' affairs either overtly ;
clandestinely. Continued
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Innocent handout reveals the truth
.i . ii . .i i
ie nuncneu. sciuiiv oiu man waicneu us nom across
the busy city street. Partialis hidden by a rustic brick
pillar, his eyes seemed transfixed and pieicing as I stole
yet another glance his way.
He was in terrible need of a bath and new clothes, and
most likely a stiff shot. But for a wide-eyed 12-year-old,
he was an adventure.
I grew up in upper-middle class suburbia, exposed only
to country-club neighbors and kids in color-coordinated
outfits. I knew nothing of the kind of man across the
street, save what I had read or seen on television.
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To me he represented mystery. A man who looked
lonely and dejected; a sharp contrast from my world.
We crossed the street and headed for the large variety
store just to the right of where I saw the man. I looked
around but didn't see him, and although the adventure
left too, admittedly, I was relieved. From across the street
he was interesting, on his same side, he was eerie.
Just as I passed the pillar, "his" pillar. I saw him.
hunched in a corner, perched on one foot and still watch
ing. My eyes darted back to my friend, but out of the
corner I could see him move closer to us. AH of a sudden I
felt a hand on my arm and heard his gruff, wispy voice.
"Honey, my wife is very sick and I need some bus
money to go see her in the hospital. Do you have any
spare change," he asked.
Instantly-whether provoked by fear or compassion. I
still don't know - I shoved my hand down into the pocket
of my corduroys, pulled out the S2 my mother had given
me for spending money and put them in his shaking out
stretched hand. Just as he was about to mutter his appre
ciation, my friend appeared, grabbed my other arm. and
whisked me down the dusty sidewalk.
Didn't I know that he was just an old bum. a bum
looking for a drink' Didn't I know that there was no sick
old wife"' Didn't I know"
No. I didn't. My culture had protected me from people
like him. shaded me from the harsh reality of poverty, of
desperation, of deprivation. Out in my little world, there
wore no bums, no ghettos, no hungry children, no filth.
In my world tliere was only happiness, sunshine,
laughter. I knew nothing of the "other" world I had just
witnessed.
For an instant I hated my world. It had not prepared
me for anything else than itself, it had not taught me the
things I should know. And for an instant. I wanted out.
But once I realized what actually had just happened;
what single and fortunately innocent event had just
taken place, I was jolted into an understanding and I knew
my little world would never be the same.
As I sat on the bus bench, waiting for my mother to
come pick up my friend and me, I cried. I hurt, not
about the lost $2, not about poverty, not because he was
dirty and old, but because he had lied.
Maybe my world had taught me value after all.
4
UPSP 144-080
Editor Kathy ChervuU; Managing editor: Tom McNeil; News
editor: Val Swmton, Associate news editors Diane Andersen,
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Business manager Anne Shank. Production manager Kitty
Pohcky, Advertising manager Art Small, Assistant advertising
manager: Jeff Pike
Publications Board chairman Mark Bowen. 4730212. Pro
fessional adviser Don Walton. 473 7301
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