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University of Nebraska-Lincoln Vol. 82, No. 88
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Staff photos by Craig Andresen
Clockwise from top:. About 2,000 people gathered at 15th and P streets for a pro-life rally ; featured speaker Dr. Marilyn
Johnson; Omaha Mayor Mike Boyle also spoke at the rally.
A time to momo'si, to fee nap in action
By Kristi Lynch
Marking the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme
Court decision legalizing abortion, about 2,000 people
silently walked from the Federal Building, 100 Centen
nial Mall North, to the Capitol Building Saturday to show
their opposition to the law and their sorrow for the un
born children of abortion.
Omaha Mayor Mike Boyle told the crowd to "recall
in spirit all of the young children, as we decide to be
silent no more."
Dr. Marilyn Johnson, instructor of obstetrics and
gynecology at Baylor University's College of Medicine
in Waco, Texas, was the featured speaker during a rally
at Pershing Auditorium following the walk.
"This horrendous tragedy, which has ripped America
since the ill-fated decision of the Supreme Court on
January 1973, legalizing abortion of our unborn children
for any reason, has resulted in a decade of sadness," she
said.
Johnson told the crowd that it "is the time to weep ;
it is a time to mourn, but it is also time for us to rise up
in action."
"This anniversary of the perpetration of disregard for
human lifejs the time to mourn," she said.
' Sen. Bernice Labedz of Omaha and Loran Schmit of
Bellwood also spoke at the rally. Labedz said she has
told reporters that pro-life demonstrators nave had "a
great deal" of effect on what she is doing in the Legis
lature. "When you stand up there and you have so much
opposition on the floor (of the Legislature), you know
that there are thousands and thousands of people in
Nebraska that are standing behind you," she said.
Labedz said the only pro-life legislation that will be
introduced in the Legislature this year is a bill opposing
wrongful-life and wrongful -birth lawsuits.
In a wrongful-life lawsuit, a child sues his parents or
doctor, claiming that because of a handicap, he should
not have been born. A wrongful-birth suit is
filed by the parents or family member against the doctor
or medical personnel. It states that the doctor was negli
gent in not informing them that their child would be im
perfect or handicapped. Labedz urged voters to support
LB563, introduced by Schmit and Sen. Sam Cullan of
Hemingford, which would prohibit these suits.
Schmit asked the people to strengthen their position
and cause by broadening their support for the child from
time of birth throughout life.
Ellen Snoddy, secretary of the Lincoln Right to Life
Committee, said there is a controversy concerning what
most Americans' beliefs about abortion are. She said the
press shows that most people believe a woman
should have the right to have an abortion.
"As people are becoming aware of the facts, that
the baby is more than just a clump of cells, more are
changing their minds," she said.
Snoddy said she thinks the reason for the inconsistency
in polls is that the outcomes depend on the way the ques
tions are asked.
The Jan. 24 issue of U.S. News & World Report shows
the difference between two surveys. One was worded
"a pregnant woman should have the right to decide
whether she wants to terminate a pregnancy." Seventy
percent of the respondents agreed. Another survey asked
for opinions on a constitutional amendment, which would
be for "protecting the life of the unborn child," Fifty
percent said they would agree to this amendment.
A call-in poll by KM TV in Omaha reported 1 ,400
views voting that abortion should be more difficult
to obtain, and 800 voting that it should not. The sta
tion called this a "turn-around" from past surveys.
Snoddy said women in Nebraska are able to obtain
abortions. However, because Lincoln has no abortion
clinics, a woman wanting an abortion must obtain it
from a doctor in his office.
Snoddy said abortion is legal during all nine months
of pregnancy, although some states may restrict abor
tions sought during the second trimester of pregnancy.
Nebraska has no such restriction.
3S proposing that
DHL football I team
ge
t paid for
May
By Mona Koppleman
Future Cornhusker football teams could play for
pay if a bill sponsored by Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers
becomes law.
Chambers introduced LB211, which would classi
fy university football players as university employees.
A similar proposal brought to the Legislature in the
past by Chambers met with little success. This version of
the bill includes a 12-point "statement of purpose" that
he said he hopes will "clarify the issue."
"It's- not a philosophical issue with me," Chambers
said. "I want the players to know I'm in their corner."
The bill states that the university employs "a sizable
football coaching staff whose job is primarily to produce
a team "capable of competing successfully with the best
in their conference and in the nation" and to "generate
the largest possible income."
The bill recognizes the importance of a winning foot
ball team to UNL's overall business as an institution, a
program that "could not exist without the athletes who
p'ay the arduous and sometimes dangerous game."
The bill goes on to state that athletes are actively
recruited and scholarships awarded for "athletic prowess,"
not academic achievement.
"Football players are given little incentive to be schol
ars and few persons care how they perform academically
as long as eligibility is maintained," states Section 8 of
LB211.
"Football players are entitled to some tangible return
for the strenuous work they perform and the revenue
they generate for the benefit of the university," according
to the bill.
"It's (LB211) illegal as hell," said Michael Corgan, as
sistant football coach. -
"It's a violaton of NCAA ruling," Corgan said. "It
wouldn't be a Nebraska thing, it has to be nationwide."
The bill acknowledges UNL's NCAA membership.
However, it provides that "in the same manner that
academic students may be paid for performing various
tasks while a student, football players should be paid for
playing football."
Section 12 of the bill states that "any person who com
petes in the sport for (UNL) shall be an employee of
(UNL) and shall be compensated and entitled to the'same
rights and benefits as other university employees.
"Nothing in this section shall be construed to make
such a person a professional athlete," the bill concludes.
Donald Bryant, assistant athletic director, said the bill
would "fly in the face of the Big Eight Confemce, NCAA,
and other amateur sports rules and regulations."
"We view them (football players) as students on Schol
arships like students on engineering scholarships or
any other kind of scholarships," Bryant said. "We don't
view them as professional athletes, so obviously we
wouldn't see eye to eye with the senator."
"If that bill became law and went into effect and those
people were declared employees of the athletic
department and received pay, then they would be
declared ineligible and there wouldn't be any football
team," Bryant said. "You can't play for pay."
Chambers said he thinks benefits prohibited by the
NCAA were being received "by subterfuge." He said this
is not uncommon in college athletics, and has caused
many collegiate coaches to favor pay for athletes, among
them Digger Phelps of Notre Dame.
In response to Corgan and Bryant, Chambers said,
"That is generally the reaction to this bill by people who
don't understand its profound implications."
"Nebraska may be close to number one in football,"
Chambers said, "but Nebraska may be next to number
nothing in understanding this (bill) until it becomes
reality.
"The irony will be when some other state beats
Nebraska in implementing an idea that originated in Ne
braska," Chambers said.
