Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 26, 1988)
Editorial , Curt Wagner, Editor, 472 1766 " _ _ ^ ^ Mike Reillcy, Editorial Page Editor \ I Diana Johnson, Managing Editor jpDldSK3n LeeRttoa. Associate News Editor *■* ^ ^ * j^b Nelson, Wire Page Editor University of Nsbraska-Uncoln Andy Pollock. Columnist Craig Heckman, Columnist D’s, F’s reported Nebraskans fail to understand Indians riloday is American Indian Day in Nebraska. 1 According to Gov. Kay Orr, it’s a day when Ne braskans should ‘ recognize the contributions of the I American Indians and should take the time to strengthen die ties of understanding that bind all United States citizens into one great nation with justice and freedom for all.” Orr officially proclaimed the holiday on Aug. 2,1988. Orr did a good thing with the proclamation, but she and others in Nebraska government must go a lot further than simply making a proclamation. On Sept 22, the Nebraska Indian Commission gave the state a report card rating die addition of education, health economic development, social scivieefffld justice for Nebraska Indians. fSlfl/* * - > '.<* y'> ' The state didn't fair too well. .« C N Nebraska received a D overall for ail those categories and F’s in commitment to and understanding of Indians. • Frank LaMere, a member of the Indian commission and Winnebago tribe, said the poor grades reflect a lack of awareness of the conditions of the Indian people, not nccessarily uncaring Nebraskans. “Don’t throw money at us,” LaMere said, “give us meaningful opportunities.” Nebraska government must show all Nebraskans through deeds what Gov. Orr has suggested with words. Nebraska government should lead the way for all erf us to “recognize the contributions,” and do something to remedy the problems Nebraska’s Indian population faces. — Curt WagB«r for the Daily Nebrasean — opinion__ Senators claim innocence in snickering In their snippets of news (Quibbles & bits, Sept. 21) Mike Reilly (sic.) and Curt Wagner reported that ASUN senators snickered at the proposition of broadcasting senate meetings on cable channel 5. Having been in atten dance at the meeting in question, we heard no snickering, laughing nor chortling. In fact many of us thought that it was a good idea, and are work ing to locale the necessary equip ment. It would be nice if concerned stu dents could follow what the student senate and executives do. It would be nicer still if the DN were to follow up a suggestion for it that was made at the same meeting, and publish an abbre viated agenda in advance of senate meetings, so that students could know what will be discussed, (or what failed to be addressed). Stanford Mommaerts graduate senator Jeff Gromowsky business senator Bill Munn journalism Destry Hood engineering senator Editor’s note: I, too, was in atten dance at the meeting in question. I saw what I saw, and heard what I heard. As for the abbreviated agenda, the suggestion was duly noted, discussed and an agreement had been reached. Also, Mike Reifley’s name is spelled “ey,” not Uy »» concrete sottball nela detested by student The experience of playing on the softball fields on 19th and Vine streets during intramurals should be an experience shared by all. Our team played a double-header Sept. 18 and were lucky to escape serious injury. The fields were concrete slabs with Grand Canyon-style craters ill over them. When a ball was hit sharply, a player didn’t know whether to try and stop the ball or get the hell out of the way to keep from eating his teeth or having things rearranged in the lower extremities. For softball fields, these are the poorest and the lousiest conditioned fields I’ve ever played on. The clods and holes were terrible. It’s a wonder someone didn’t twist or even break an ankle running bases Home plate had such holes in the batters box, the butter would stand with one foot six inches high than the other. We pay $25 for a reason, for what I’d like to know. There sure doesn’t seem to be any way the officials in charge of these “wonderful” fields could possibly “jackhammer” out the concrete and maybe replace it wit) dirt? They say that’s what softbal infields are made of. But of course being a naive university student, could be wrong. Maybe those are the new economi cal infields. They are the “Acme Dustless Infield — Guaranteed not tc be dusty, get wet or be soft in any wa> shape or form.” I’ve talked to several other players from oilier teams and everyone I’ve talked to feels the same, the fields are terrible. It’s sad, and the thought of seeing intramurals fold up is terrible. I would rea.My hate to see it. So why not spend a little time and some of the money we all paid in, and at least smooth out the infields, or maybe even wet them down and drag them. That way, after the next games on Sunday, there are more innocent bystanders than cau salities with broken legs. Derek Schreiter junior agribusiness Lets see... VE6AS gave: us 23 Points ... WAIT \ Tine out! vie Re G01N6. FOR Z ! Senate race is ‘embarrassing’ Juvenile accusations, bickering a waste of time to Nebraskans Vote Dimuiy. Vote and feel guilty. Vote for the lesser of three evils. But don’t vote and say you hon estly respect the man you’ve voted for. I’m referring to this year’s race for Nebraska’s seat in the U.S. Senate between Dave Karnes, Bob Kerrey and Ernie Chambers. At one time I respected all three of these men, now I feel as if the three have metamor phisized into children before the eyes of a waiting public. While campaigning, the three men often refer to the citizens of this state as hard-working, honest, great and loyal. If the candidates really feel this way why have they filled their cam paigns with constant bickering, end less rhetoric and juvenile accusations about one and other? Not only is their behavior a waste of time to Nebraskans and an insult to the people they say they respect, its an viiiucuiaodiiiuu iu puilUL). One of the best and most recent examples of the candidates’ ridicu lous games is the series of events following Ernie Chambers’ formal entrance into the race. Chambers waited until last Wednesday’s deadline to announce whether he would run for the U.S. Senate or run for re-election in the Nebraska Legislature. Chambers automatically entered the race when he refused to choose between one position or the other. ! If Ernie and deadlines ring a bell, I it’s because he pulled a similar stunt earlier this year when he waited until ’ a S p.m. deadline to announce whether he would run for re-election in the Legislature. A large gathering of reporters were waiting to talk to , Chambers minutes before the dead line expired. If there’s one thing I've come to understand about Chambers, it's that he’s preoccupied with [ness attention and he likes to play games. He has turned the floor of the Nebraska Legislature into his stage many times. Chambers wrote a letter to Kerrey ioiiowing me airing oi nis principles above Politics” commercials. Chambers referred to the commer cial as “tawdry” and abbreviated Principles Above Politics into the acronym PAP. “Look what Webster’s 7th Colle giate Dictionary says about PAP,” Ernie wrote, “pap 1: a soft food for infants or invalids 2: political patron age 3: something lacking solid value or substance. “. . . While trying to hide your timorousness behind heroic words, you provided the perfect characteri zation of your political ‘principles’: PAP.” wmiWki Ernie promptly sent his clever let ter to the press. I agree with Chambers that Kerrey is using his speech to gain public appeal. But to go to such lengths to degrade another candidate means that Chambers as a politician would rather waste time degrading a running mate instead of running on his own quali ties. Of course, if Kerrey hadn’t pulled out of the debates and used his disap proval of the New Alliance Party as a vote-getting ploy, perhaps Chambers wouldn’t have written the letter. Indeed, it seems Kerrey has truly forgotten what issues are. Instead he has spent most of his campaign time talking only of his idealism. The other day I walked outside my apartment and found a Kerrey cam paign magazine. In it I found a lot of talk about compassion, world peace and stuff about “we can do anything we want in America.” But I found very little about what Bob will do if I give him my vote. I think Kerrey is a good soul, full of compassion and all that. But I WOU1UI! I vvnc mi uit umsi guy in uk world if he can’t be up-front about what he wants to do. when he gets to one of the most powerful places in government. Karnes says he’s willing to talk the issues. Indeed, his campaign people will tell you that’s all he wants to do. But even though it’s the end of Sep tember, hiscampaign office has yet to produce one pamphlet simply stating how Karnes stands on the issues. They say its in the making. Maybe we can all pick one up when we step outside the voting booth. When Karnes does choose to tell us what he thinks about a specific topic, he takes out a full-page ad in a newspaper and compares himself to Kerrey. On more than one occasion, he has taken Kerrey’s words out of context or turned his actions as governor wound to make Kerrey sound as if he was some evil politician out to ruin the entire state. is____u „r rvaiiiui iiiviiuuiio an ut iwi»v; ^ budget cuts in education or in other areas when Kerrey was governor. But Karnes fails to mention what he would have done under the same cir cumstances, with a state in its worst economic condition perhaps since the 1930s. I originally wanted to write about where die three candidates stood on the issues. 1 soon found out that I couldn't. The information was just too hard to get. But I was told by Karnes people that if I was going to compare the candidates, I should compare apples to apples. Why should I? They don’t. I’m frustrated that voters don’t have a better choice. I don’t want to vote for any of the three candidates. My only hope is that maybe one or more of them will start getting serious about being Nebraska’s voice on Capitol Hill before election day. Unless that happens, I might as well pull a name out of a hat Rood la a senior news-editorial m^jor and a Daily Nibriiu associate news editor. Signed suit editorials represent the official policy of the fall 1988 Daily Ne braskan. Policy is set by the Daily Ne braskan Editorial Board. Its members are Curt Wagner, editor; Mike Reillcy, edito rial page editor Diana Johnson, manag ing editor; Lee Rood, associate news editor; Andy Pollock, columnist; Bob Nelson, wire page editor; and Craig Heckman, columnist. Editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the university, its employees, the students or the NU Board of Re its. itorial columns represent the opin ion of the author. The Daily Nebraskan's publishers are the regents, who established the UNL Publications Board to supervise 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.