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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 22, 1983)
Pegs 4 Ddfy Ncbraskcn 3" i O ''i X Conceit understood 05 Lust year, in the hours lere the Miss America Pedant, I U'.l.:i villi the woman who was about to become the former l ibs America, end with the woman who although she did net know it was about to become the new Mis3 America. The outgoing Miss America Elisa beth Ward, cf Arkansas seemed tired, distracted, almost brittle. She seemed, in short, to haw had enough. I asked her if winning the title the pre- 1- Civ n ( .jSy " Bob - Greene vious year had been a dream come true. She said no, that was not it at all "It was more of a relief," she said. "It was never so much of a dream for me. It was a goal I set for myself, and I did everything in my power to achieve that goal. So when I got it, I was relieved that I had reached the goal But dreaming had nothing to do with it" The Miss-America-to-be she was Debra Sue Maffett, Miss California provided the most vivid of contrasts. She was clearly so thrilled to be in Atlantic City that she could hardly sit still in her chair. I asked her why she wanted to win so badly. "I think a person's life is like a tabula rasa (clean slate)," she said. "All the things you do and all the people you meet are added to your tabula rasa. And the woman who wins the pageant . . . just think of all the experiences shell be able to add to her eld tabula rasa." It is September cgain,the season for the shifting cf Miss Americas, and I find myself wondering about Debra Sue Maffett Has she changed her view point in the year since she won the title? The concept of Miss America is strange enough as it is; a starring television audience always one of the year's biggest watches the Sat urday night festivities, and for that fleeting period of time when, the r winner ;zl'.3 down the runwey, it b fair to try that she b the meet famous person in the country. Hut that goes away so quickly. Within a week cf that Saturday niht certainly within a month you 'could be hard-pressed to End many Americans outslue the winner's home state who remember her name. Dy the end cf her reign even that number ha3 dwindled. Miss America the concept is famous, and always will be. Miss America the person is not There are so many attractive people in this country; if the rcijr.bg Mi:s America were to walk unannounced into an airport or a shopping mall without a sash across her chest, with out a retinue cf chapercnes there really is a good chance she would net be recognised. Certainly heads would turn because she is pretty, but wheth er many people would be able to figure out that she was cGefclly the fairest of the fair "your ideal," as the song goes is open to question. The question does not come up much during the winner's year a3 Mi:3 America. Almost every day she b tra wling to this Indiana shopping center opening, or that New Mexico notary meeting. Strangers who see her for the first time are seldom given the luxury to wonder, the whole point cf her national tour is to announce to all within her sight: This is Miss America. But does the impression stick? I dent know. When I was introduced to Elisabeth Ward it was in a room with the 50 new Miss America contestants; and even though I had witched the idea which cne she was. If I had been told to pick her out, I could not have done it - And now it b Debra Sue MafTctt's turn to figure out the meaning cfitalL I dent know if she still speaks cf her "tabula rasa"; I don't know if she even remembers that the term once meant something to her. You get to be Miss America for one year and one year only. 1 if l - L rt . ; 1 'iU '' 1 LJ V fix . 7 Kaw rt I ' )) : i .VcJ. fctftVifce J 1 Off ; rmidce a. The word "peace" ha3 gone through some violent twists during President First, there vas "peacekeeper" (or was it "peacemaker?") the deadly Now we have "peacekeepers' stationed in Lebanon. wounded. And, according to wire service reports, cur peacekeepers course, cr.r shells have LUIsd bath" soldiers and chZer.3 in the l.Zs cf fy fr" f --s 11 Our peacekeepers probably are in Lebanon. The Cept 3 bsue cf A HIC 4w KmIw ivkMaiV iitjVvJ The Associated Press says Heegan and 'Congressional leaders have reached' an agreement that cHer.inate3' the constitutional controversy ever the War Powers Act, and fcllov.s the President to keep tlv? trocs there for .18 months. The pre pes el still must be ' passed by both the Mouse and Senate. My guess is, the number of dead Marines wO increase cn an upward curve as those 18 months go by. So far, they haven't been able to keep the peace. They havent been able to hold Lebanon together. Dy increasing the nur.ber cf seniec-mcnt deployed near Lebanon, end by incrceeir.g the time they tpend there, we crJy increase the chances that more cf thess. will die. Our interest in Lcbar.aa b not worth the lives cf cur men. If ths presence of fc-fc-s. vAb-tiii musi"u1 m w vv It b rertkwhile to he!p he!d Lebanon te . v.. r. lit Lcba.sn is ....r.g apart Clpleraatie help b therr.e it ve can do. m.:, Th2 ti3 cf peeexepers has come and gsr.e Ls Lebanon. Ks;v it b time for diplomacy. Economic pressures, KSI,- r l wk tQ : ' I Cz want my draTl-age blood spZsd cn the sand cfLebar.cn, nor the just irJght get o ccmr.Thcr& For as frult!:es as diplomacy can be, no one dies c fit 4 ' Vfll 1 I ! I- i