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Daily Nebraskan
Monday, April 26, 1982
Editorial
Sheltered students
are disadvantaged
In his Arcopagitica, 17thentury writer John Milton
argues that if truth and falsity are allowed to battle freely
in the marketplace of information, truth always will win
out. Confronted with good and evil, people will learn to
distinguish between the two and choose good. Milton
maintains that no one can know good without first con
fronting evil.
As wise as Milton's words seem, many people in the
20th century have forgotten to heed his message. And
thus, parents have worked to ban certain books in their
children's schools. They have told teachers that some
literary works are not appropriate reading material for
elementary, junior high and senior high students.
Teachers and students discussed this issue at a meeting
of the Nebraska Council of Teachers of English this week
end. They expressed doubts about how students were to
confront real issues if they were not allowed to read about
them in literature. It seems some parents are ready to ban
any books that contain dreaded four-letter words, sexual
scenes or unorthodox ideas.
But these parents make the mistake of thinking all such
words, scenes and ideas are dangerous. They forget that
many of these are presented in contexts that allow stu
dents to evaluate them for themselves or with the guid
ance of a teacher.
Furthermore, such words, scenes and ideas are not
always used gratuitously. For instance, among the books
banned in various parts of the country is Mark Twain's
Huckelberry Finn.
Some parents have criticized Huckelberry Finn for
portraying racism and using the word "nigger." However,
the whole purpose of Mark Twain's book is to show how
destructive and stupid racism is. As Huckleberry and his
friend Jim, a runaway slave, float down the Mississippi
River, Huck learns that Jim is just as much a human
being as any white man. He sees that Jim has the same
emotions and needs as any other human being. All the
way along, Huck questions the wisdom of a society that
buys and sells human beings. Huckelberry Finn is a state
ment against the very racism many criticize it for present
ing. Like many of the books banned , Huckelberry Finn ex
plores an issue that students will face in their lives. Surely,
students need to be exposed to those ideas so they can
deal with them outside the classroom.
Some would say classics like Shakespeare's plays would
be safer fare for students. But anyone who has studied the
works of the great bard knows that he too can have his
bawdy moments. But there are too many significant
lessons in a single Shakespeare play to allow the banning
of his works. And besides, as Shakespeare himself might
argue, sex and other "off -limit" topics are part of life. To
be honest, an author must deal with them.
Let's give students some credit. If allowed to, they can
think for themselves and decide whether to accept the
ideas they find in literature. That exercise will prepare
them for a time when they are faced with controversies of
their own. If we shelter students, they won't be ready for
that battle of ideas that Milton thought so important.
Do we want future generations to be unthinking and
unprepared or do we want them to be able to cope with
and analyze the world around them? The world is not al
ways as neat, tidy and proper as we would like. And if we
must protect children, the best way to do it is to get them
ready for that world.
3
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Falklands stage set for disaster
This then is the state of the world.
In the Atlantic Ocean, the British fleet has been steam
ing half-speed ahead toward the Falkland Islands. Above
the fleet and in the fray, the American secretary of state
has jetted full-speed ahead, from Argentina to Britain and
home again.
At the northern end of this oceanic shuttle zone,
Britain's Maggie Thatcher has vowed, "Failure? The possi
bilities do not exist." At the southern end, Argentina's
Ellen Goodman
dictator Leopoldo Galtieri has vowed to "fight against
colonialism in all its forms." On the ground again, Haig
can be heard squawking, "Time is running out."
Each country is convinced that history, if not also
God, is on its side. Each country proclaims its readiness to
If nn nnnth? r' and the 1 ,800 Falklanders and
their 70,000 sheep, to rubble to prove the point Each
may vaguely remember that one of the natural inhabitants
ot these bleak islands is the albatross.
From a distance, it is popular to look upon this scene
as if it were just a throwback to an earlier, vaguely irrat
ional period of gunboat diplomacy. International realtions
as staged by Gilbert and Sullivan.
But I don't see this as a revival. What I see here is main
stream state-ot-the-art foreign affairs. An active aggression
and an instant threat to match it. Two leaders who want
to hang on to their jobs. Two countries posturing their
way to the brink because of personal ego, national pride
and party politics.
I see another classic setup for disaster, created by lead
ers that historian Barbara Tuchman once described as
"woodenheaded in the act of woodenheadedness."
I don't say this lightly. I spent a good part of Ground
Zero Week listening to and reading speeches about war,
nuclear war. I saw the markers - within this radius of
Ground Zero there is nothing but a silent crater, within
this radius firestorms and fallout - and I saw people at
these events.
Most of them, most of us, would like to believe in the
orderly, rational conduct of foreign affairs. They would
like to believe in authority and feel safe within a "policy."
Continued on Page 5
.
Letters
Sheldon display obscene
A trip to the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery has always
been an exciting experience, but this time it was a fright
ening one. It is exciting when one stands in awe of the
perfection of hand and pen on exhibit, frightening when
illicit sexual perversion is mislabeled as art.
With the recent media attention to the display of stu
dent work at the Sheldon, I wanted to see the work my
self. The largest crowd in the gallery last week seemed
to congregate around the hot item, the photo essay de
picting homosexuality.
I had never before realized that homosexual behavior
captured on film would classify as art. I had not known
that the story of Mark and Doug and their sexual exper
ience was material appropriate for public view. I had
not been educated in art appreciation, and thus was not
aware that when men wait in public restrooms for other
men, what you really have is art.
This "artistic endeavor" that Dave Thompson refered
to in his editorial (Daily Nebraskan, April 22) is what the
U.S. Supreme Court refers to as pornography, thereby
without the protection of the First Amendment. In Miller
vs. California (1973), the Court established obscenity as
work which depicts or describes sexual conduct in a pa
tently offensive way. In addition, the community has the
right to make such discretionary decisions.
If this is art, why isn't heterosexual activity art? if
Sheldon wanted to appeal to the prurient interests of its
audience, the quality of the exhibit would have been im
proved by posting a favorite skin magazine.
If the purpose of the display was to expose the public
to quality work by students, this material should have
been removed to make room for more of the art that
other artists produce. The museum is full of great student
work.
It is a shame that the financial supporters of the gallery
were never allowed to see the outstanding quality of near
ly all the student work.
Mark Hoerth
Sophomore
Electrical engineering
Editorial voices reason
My God! Finally, a voice of calm, reasoned sanity is
raised. Just when it seemed that the point had been
reached where only silliness and over-emotionalism would
follow, when both sides seemed to be scurrying for law
yer offices and worse: just when the whole situation had
been reduced to unfounded claims and obscene phone
calls, there it was - a clear, firm and fair look at the
whole situation, and it was right there on page 4 of the
April 22 Daily Nebraskan: David Thompson's editorial
entitled "Free expression smothered by lack of thought."
Having recently been the subject of Thompson's sen
sitive and sensible examination, and having received, as a
result, one of the more reasonable press interviews it has
been my pleasure to receive, I am more than impressed
with this young man. His editorial only further confirmed
my faith in him. His voice lends a major share of dignity
to the Daily Nebraskan and to the voice of UNL's student
body.
Dale Wilson
Graduate student
Theater
Argentine policy praised
I would like to commend the Argentine people for
their heroic struggle to recover the Falkland Islands. I
express hope for their success.
If the situation takes a turn for the worst, I would
recommend the Argentine government offer to compen
sate Great Britain tor the Falkland Islands.
I would, nonetheless, have Argentina remain steadfast
in retaining Argentine sovereignty over the Malvinas Is
lands. Why is it necessary for the British to lay claim over an
island situated miles from their own native habitat and
territory? It seems ironic the British would engage in an
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