The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, October 05, 1987, Page 4, Image 4
Editorial Nebraskan University of Nebraska-Lincoln m_i_ ! Mike Reilley, Editor, 472-1766 [Jeanne Bourne, Editorial Page Editor Jann Nyffeler, Associate News Editor Scott Harrah, Night News Editor Joan Rezae, Copy Desk Chief Linda Hartmann, Wire Editor ( harles Lieurance, Asst. A & E Editor ! Perennial problem Multinationals violate ethical practice There were quite a few turned heads when this year’s Newport Folk Festival debuted as the Nestle ; Folk Festival Newport. Nestle Foods Corp. invested $20,(XX) in the festival in order to get the name change. The symbolism was important for the company, which for seven years was the object of a world wide boycott protesting its pouring of free baby formula into Third World countries. According to UNICEF, at least 1 million infants die annually j from complications associated with bottle-feeding. In 1984, Nestle signed an agreement to stop the dumping, and the boycott was halted. This summer’s festival, with such soci al-conscience spokcspcople as Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie and Judy Collins singing under the Nestle banner, helped to solid ify the company’s return to America’s good graces. The only problem is that the dumping has not stopped. Ac ' cording to sources quoted in the Aug. 25 Village Voice, the ship ment of formula is at the same level as before the boycott for most countries and has even increased in some. Yet Nestle has succeeded in convincing many that the problem is over. Apparently, this is all they wished to accomplish through their 1984 agreements. The Nestle ploy is just the latest example of a perennial problem — rampant unscrupu lous ethical practices of giant multinational corporations. For example, the Daily Nebraskan is investigating the destruction of South American rain forests to create pastures on which to graze inexpensive beef cattle. The World Bank, Campbell’s Soup Co. and the Marriott Corp. arc just a few of the American interests contributing to this ecological disaster, according to the World Rainforest Move ment. The World Rainforest Move ment had a major victory this summer when Burger King re sponded to a national boycott and announced that it would rid itself of all rain-forest beef by Sept. 1. We can only hope that Burger King isn't taking a page from Nestle’s playbook. With great opportunity comes great obligation. The seduction of the dollar is almost overwhelming, but America’s multinationals must begin to take seriously the example they are setting. The humane treat ment of the world’s population and the responsible treatment of its ecosystems and resources arc minimal requirements for par ticipation in worldwide eco nomics. Companies that choose to violate these basic human guidelines should be boycotted and protested until they agree to act civilized. The expression "business ethics” is already considered oxymoronic by many. Let’s not make it into an overt contradiction in terms. 35 bicyclists ticketed; special lanes needed Thirty-five bicyclists have been ticketed for traffic violations in the last month. Ninety percent of the offenders were University of Nebraska-Lincoln students. According to the law, “Bi cycles operated upon a roadway arc subject to all duties and rights applicable to motor ve hicles.” Bicycles also arc pro hibited on sidewalks between L and Q streets and between Ninth and 16th streets. Although the tickets arc in accordance with the law, bicy clists aren’t always accorded the same courtesies as motor-vc hide operators. For many UNL students, bi cycles arc the only mode of transportation, and they are considered a danger on the side walks and in danger on the streets. One solution is to designate lanes just for bicycles such as Boulder, Colo., and Madison, Wis., have. The lanes are needed especially in the downtown area and near campus where there is a plethora of cyclists. This way both cyclists and pedestrians would be safe. It would save police time and money, and students would be spared the cost of tickets. Editorial Policy Unsigned editorials represent official policy of the fall 1987 Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. Its mem bers are Mike Reilley, editor; Jeanne Bourne, editorial page editor; Joan Rezae, copy desk chief; Jann Nyffeler, associate news editor, Charles Lieur ance, assistant arts and entertainment editor; Scott Harrah, night news editor and Linda Hartmann, wire editor. Editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the university, its em ployees, the students or the Nl! Board of Regents. The Daily Nebraskan's publishers are the regents, who established the UNL Publications Board to super vise the daily production of the paper. According to policy set by the regents, responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of its student editors. "SO/wE READ ACTION THERE, PAMS ... PAYToN FAKED LEFT, SPUN Rl CHT AMD SLASHED HIS WAY TO THE HEAD OF THE PICKET UM6 1 " Iran, Iraq continue the struggle 'Brats'need to be spanked, but who should act as daddy? It’s amazing how much death, damage and destruc tion can result when angry little countries like Iran and Iraq go to war. The childish leaders of these nations and their zombie-like follow ers continue to fight an eight-year war that neither side seems likely to win. It was during the Iranian Revolu tion that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein decided the time was right to pick a fight. The Iraqis launched an invasion into southern Iran, hoping to secure the long-disputed Shall-Al Arab waterway and a more fortified route to the Persian Gulf for its oil tankers. They got more than they bargained for. The quick victory that Hussein anticipated became a stalemate, and a real military victory seems unlikely in the foreseeable future. By now, most other fighting na tions would have given up, but we must remember that Iran’s and Iraq’s leaders arc incapable of rational adult decisions. Iraq began the war like a bully kicking another kid when he wasnT looking, and Iran fights on with the vengeful maturity of a9-ycar-old. Hussein and the Ayatollah Ruhol lah Khomeini are like two stubborn brats wrestling in the desert. Iraq is nearly exhausted and would settle for a tie, but Iran is hell-bent on revenge, unwilling to accept anything less than the capture of Baghdad. Iraq’s allies, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other con servative Arab states, are terrified ol Iran’s “revolutionary fever” spread ing to their lands, and will join the fray before allowing Iran to win. In short the war is far from over and more likely toexpand than it is to scca truce What does the rest of the worlc think of this fight between 9-ycar olds? Naturally, the United Nation? wants to break it up. Alter all, the United Nations has pleaded for a cease-fire for years now. The United Nations behaves a bit like a mother try ing to break up a fight between boys w ho arc too big to spank. The mother can scream at the children to stop, but Iran and Iraq keep fighting on. Most of us know what happens when mommy’s screaming doesn’t work. Daddy comes home, spanks the boys and sends them to bed without any supper. But who’s daddy in this family squabble? Will it be the United States or the Soviet Union that finally steps in and arbitrates—or forces — an end to the war? This is where the similarities to a fight between children ends. The re sult of the war is, by itself, relatively unimportant. But if either of the two superpowers gains influence in the strategically vital Persian Gulf as a result of the war, then the other super power is sure not going to just stand by and watch. The Third World can no longer engage in isolated wars, because each strategic hot spot has become a battle field between East and West. Each superpower picks a favorite, bets on him, trains and equips him, and watches uneasily as its proxies fight it out. It is the way wars are being fought in Nicaragua, Angola and Afghani slan. Il is how they were fought in. among other places, Cuba and Viet nam. Iran and Iraq present us a strange case in this modem depiction of war fare in the Third World. Both sides fail to see the greater stakes in the eyes of the superpowers, and this is likely to cost them. Iran hates the United States, doesn’t trust the Soviets, and resorts to North Korea, China and even Israel for arms. Israel hopes that by keeping them both fighting, the Muslims eventually will kill them selves Qff. Iran is a maverick, an overconfi dent rookie in a game much larger than it realizes. As a child, it has much to learn about the complex political realities of seeking major power shifts in the strategic Persian Gulf. The superpower that feels shortchanged will walk all over whatever gets in its way. Unfortunately, children learn slowly, and Iran and Iraq are particu larly slow learners. Some day they surely will realize that the little war they are fighting means a lot more to the powerhouses than they know. Both Iran and Iraq stand much to lose in theend. because a tug-of-war would certainly cause as much damage to the rope as to the teams pulling at each end. We would all be much better off if peace could be negotiated and the crisis prevented. If the children could leant a little faster, then mommy might keep daddy from spanking them. But tor now, the stubborn little brats keep punching. It’s too bad that even a guy as old” as Grandpa Khomeini still behaves like a child. The people of Iran and Iraq will suffer for the ignorance of their leaders. Snodgrass is a senior economics major. Letter Project explained Wc were pleased the Oct. 1 issue of the Daily Nebraskan carried a feature photograph of a joint project between one section of the University Foundation’s program and a textile, clothing and design department class. Its caption “What the . . .?” raises some of the issues involved in the two hour cooperative project. This letter is to clarify the purpose of the event, which occurred Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. to noon. Ten groups of TDC students were given colored plastic, an ordinary material, and one hour to design a preselected space. They were asked to alter the environment in some way so that pedestrians would feel invited to interact with it. The University Foun dation students were to define interac tion and to observe individual re sponses to the structure, counting the number of men and women who inter acted with it. During the construction and obser vation periods, issues relating to the larger role of public art became appar ent. Students observed a broad range of responses from extremely hostile to euphoric, which reflect the range of response that public art generates. We hope that this brief exercise was an opportunity for both the artists and the college community to pause for a moment and consider our rela tionship to the environment. A simple and temporary manipulation of the space alters how one perceives and responds to it. Wendy Weiss assistant professor textiles, clothing and design Margaret Nellis University Foundations instructor coordinator of community health