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daily nebraskan
friday, march 13, 1981
OK)
Pervasive student apathy smothers needed voice
liven though it might be consider
ed redundant to write about student
elections at this point, there is an
issue that needs to be discussed.
The elections might be considered
by some to have turned out to be
a fiasco. Indeed, the delays in com
puting and releasing the results,
the complaints brought up in Stud
ent Court and the petty mudslinging
by candidates detracted from the
credibility of the election.
The true fiasco was the low ot
er turnout. This is a matter thai
needs to be regarded not just In
an elite few. a traditional feu.
a radical few but by all students.
Perhaps analyzing apathy only
confounds the aggravation.
It might be of some value for
all students, no matter uh.it age.
no matter what political Li'Wv
they take, no matter
it
i w i e
they care about, to evaluate their
reasons for not voting.
That the elections are a joke
might be true if students consider
their needs worthless.
I hat the elections are only a
futile exercise might also be true
if students consider their opinions
so.
That it is all a game might be the
truth if students do not indicate
otherwise.
That ASUN merely spews pro
posals which are seldom, if ever,
carried out by those who hold
real power might be true consider
ing the weight that the NU Hoard
of Regents and the central admin
istration seem to give those pro
posals. It is eas to ignore a few students.
It is een easier to ignore their prop
osals when the are elected by a
tew other students.
In this case, the clout of ASUN
seems to be a clear reflection of the
students' desires. Students don't
vote and regents don't listen.
The university seems to be caught
in a kind of vicious cycle of apathy
that is worsening each year. It
approaches the point where it is
dividing the ASUN Senate and
filling some of the senators with
cynicism and paranoia.
If students refuse to vote, denying
a real mandate to their student
representatives, those representatives
become discouraged by the lack ol
confidence expressed by their con
stituents and superiors.
An example of this pervading
discouragement and dissension was
seen at Wednesday night's ASUN
meeting. Kick Mockler had just
been elected. The process was over
for another year.
The senators argued about spend-
... i i- i
mg . i s lor an auverusement m
the newspaper the day before the
election. It said, "ASUN works
for you."
Senators who had run on plat
forms calling for an ASUN over
haul said the advertisement was
misleading, a lie and a waste of
student fees. They were answered In
more "traditional" senators who
said, essentially, "ASUN works and
we've always done it this way."
There is now a real need for an
effective voice for students. Will
we lose important programs, good
professors, needed new facilities'1
Unless students decide to vote. the
will have no voice in these mat
ters. Whether there is a need lor change
or not. ASUN will never have any
effect on important decisions if
students fail to vote.
Diane Andersen
Steve Miller
March 12. 1981 10 a.m.
It was time for my weekly hiatus to the mailbox to
see if I got any mail. I only go once a week because I'm
pretty realistic about my chances.
Lo and behold there was a lone letter left for me.
1 ven though it was from the U.S. Army, 1 was still
excited until 1 saw whom it was actually addressed to.
It read: Dear (Jim P. Warneke.
Lack of respect
plagues columnist
I
There it was in black and white another example of
the lack of respect that this journalist receives from his
fellow human beings. Let me clarify that. I don't just
have a lack of respect, I don't get any respect. The
letter from the Army was the final straw and I can ex
plain why, but first let me give you a sort of blow-by-blow
account of my respectless life.
I don't know what it is about me. but it seems like
I'm always getting dumped on. I-very time someone
goes in a restaurant, I get signed up for the 12-and-under
birthday club. Since I'm the kind of person who
can't refuse an invitation, I average about 10 birthdav
parties a month. They're kind of fun. but 10-year-old
girls arc a little young.
And then if my "friends" get tired of that, they
sign my name to complaint forms at restaurants and
tell the manager that I would be willing lo meet with
them in person if they would contact me. I get more
letters from restaurant managers than I do anvone
else. And the only complaint that I can think of when
i meet with them is that they should be more stringent
in their birthday club membership.
Those kinds of thinks used to happen daily, but
now it's the nickname things.
Again, some of my "friends" started calling me
"Gimp" and it really didn't bother me too much. Since
I use crutches, it was basically accurate and it was
better than my old nickname of "Ugly," which was
also probably accurate.
Anyway, somebody got the smart idea to give my
name to the Army as being interested in enlisting. But
they didn't sign me up as plan Kent M. Warneke, but
"Gim P. Warneke."
So 1 started getting phone calls asking for Mr. Gim
Warneke. for a long time I didn't catch on, but then I
realized what else could it be, but another example of
lack of respect.
And the bad thing about it was that the Army re
presentatives were so polite. They asked me how
classes were going, how I got my unusual name and
things like that. They almost got me to enlist with the
condition that I could be in one of their neat little
commercials with the tanks and all that.
But alter a month of this, it got a little old. 1 still
try and be polite when they call, but now every time
I'm thinking I should he saying something like "I'm
on crutches for God's sake. Gim P. put together is
Gimp, get it'.' What do you want me to do. run the
obstacle course in a wheelchair?"
I'm sure sooner or later, the Army people will
quit calling me. It doesn't really matter though. It's
just a matter of time before something else pops up
and shows a lack of lespect. Maybe this time someone
will tell frank Sevigne that I'm interested in being
on the I'M track team in the 100-vard dash.
Rita wears fur coats, wants to wear blue jeans
As the last journalist in the United Stales to unci view
Rita Jenretle. I was properly appieheiiMve .in I waited lot
Mrs. Jenrette to join me lor dinnei at a Chicago tcstaur
ant called Cricket t's.
After all. Mis. Jenrette had become suddenly famous
by virtue ol two acts:
(I) She took her shirt and tiousers oil loi I'lavbov
inauaine, and (2) She told anvone who would listen all
nebraskan
(he teriible things her congiessman husband. John Jon
tette.did while they weie mairied.
Since approximate!) 2.7S4 oihet repoiteis hail talked
to Mrs. Jenretle beloie my appointment. I could think of
very little new information I could possibly elicit from
her. Making love on the steps of the Capitol ' She had
told thai stoiy many limes. Stepping naked into a hot
tub al a Washington parly .'Old news. Being propositioned
In politicians prominent and obscuic? I veivone knew
UPSP 144-C80
Editor Kathy Chenault, M.rnagmg Editor Tom Mc Neil News
editor Viil Swinton, Associate news editors Diane Andersen.
Steve Miller. Assistant news editor Boh Lanmn. Night news
editor Kathy Stokebrand, Magame editor Mary Kempkes.
Entertainment editor Casey McCabe, Sports editor Larry Sparks,
Art director Dave Luebke, Photography chief Mark BiHmgsley
Assistant photography chief Mitch Hrd icka Editorial page assist
ant Tom P'entiss
Copy editors Mike BarteK, Sue B'own, Pat Clark. Nancy Ellis,
Dan Epp, Beth Headnck, Maureen Hutfless, Alice Hrmcek, Jeanne
Mohatt, Janice Pigaga. Tncia Waters
Business manager Anne Shank. Production man, met Kitty
Policky, Advertising manaqer Art K Small. Assistant advertising
manaqer: Jeff Pike.
Publications Board chairman Mark Bowen, 473-0212. Pro
fessional adviser Don Walton, 4 73 7301 .
The Daily Nebraskan is published by the UNL Publications
Board Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semes
ters, except dur.ng vacations
Address Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union. 14th and R
streets. L-ncoin, Neb . 68588 telephone 472 2588
Material may le reprinted without permission if attnlxjted to
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greene
I was pondering all this when Mrs. Jenietle swept into
the loom, bedecked in a black fur coat. We shook hands,
and she sal dow n to join me.
l oilunalely. I dod not have to think ol an iiniuedi.ne
question, lor Mrs. Jenrette had a piece ol news she was
eager lo volunteer lo inc.
"I have to lly lo New York in the morning." she said
"Milton Greene wants lo photograph me. lie's the man
who took the famous pictures ot Manlvn Monroe, and
now he wants to take my picture. I think that's nice."
I attempted to lacllully broach the suhccl ol Mis
Jenrelte's attaining all ol this startling celchtitv solclv
on the basis of her husband's misfortunes.
"Oh John.'" she said. "He called me in m hotel tooui
last nielli. I don't know how he found out where I was
stay ing. Do you know what he asked mo? He asked me it
I would send linn an autogiaphed copy of in pictuies in
riuvhov. I mean, really'.' I felt like just hanging up."
She ordeied lelluccme. and began examining a lettei a
man had wntien concerning an interview she had done
with loin Snyder.
"I his is a nice lettei." she said. "He didn't like the wav
Tom Snyder Healed me. See this last line? He says that
some people pist don't have anv lespecl."
Mrs Jenielte said that while hei limousine had been
stopped in Michigan venue traffic thai afternoon,
people had eaihcied aioiind and pounded on the hood.
"I hey weie veiling "kii.i. Rita." she said. "I thought
that was nice. I opened up the window a little bit and
handed them a cop ol 'Anx n "
Oui dmiici i! ned. and Mis ,leuie;te said that she had
spent seuM.il limits uent! talking with Hugh Hefnei
"He's le.iUv a tike man." she said. "Do ou know how
mleiested he is v wmld hungei ? Most people don't
know thai about luiu. I told linn that if I ever become
a big success. I plan to give pail of my money to cine
hungei m Bialia and Bangladesh He said that was nice ."
We had some dunks Mrs Jenietle told me that she
hoped I was keeping our convocation in perspective
"We io two little people on this eaith." she said
"We're not important at all. Do you ilnnk thai people
will v.ue what we'ie talking about 50 ears from now '
hlty yens dom now it will bo some other lepotlet talk
mg lo si. mc ..ther congressman's wile. In 50 years, no one
will even temembet I tank Smalra. "
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