' rT Editorial Ndwaskan
^ ilmil Vt JL V* JL JL W JL Monday, October 31,1988
Curt Wagner, Editor, 472-1766
Mike Reilley, Editorial Page Editor
Diana Johnson, Managing Editor
Lee Rood, Associate News Editor
■ Bob Nelson, Wire Page Editor
University ot Nebraska-Uncoln Andy Pollock, Columnist
Micki Haller, Entertainment Editor
Quibbles & votes
DN supports Bereuter, betting amendment
Editor’s note: Throughout the week, the Daily Nebras
kan editorial board will share its endorsements for the
1988 elections. The DN will publish separate editorials
about its decisions on the presidential, U.S. senate and NU
Board of Regents races as well as Initiative 403. Today’s
I editorial covers a variety of issues and races on the Nov. 8
ballot.
— Republican incumbent Doug Bereuter earns the
DN’s support in the 1st District Congressional race over
Democratic candidate Corky Jones. Bereuter, who is
seeking his sixth term in Congress, has proven himself as
a worthy member of the House of Representatives.
Be re liter’s educational views are particularly notewor
thy. He believes that state and local governments have
primary responsibility for education, but adds that the
federal government should play a larger role in post
secondary education. He supported a bill that passed
through the House recently allowing parents to avoid
paying taxes on interest earned from investment bonds
used to finance college educations.
Because of Bereuter’s support of education, as well as
10 years of experience in the House, the DN gives him the
nod over Jones.
— The DN urges voters to “just say no” Initiative 403,
which would amend the state constitution to establish a
right to keep and bear arms for lawful purposes. The
amendment would cause more problems than its worth. It
could become a legal technicality for the National Rifle
Association and other groups to justify their rights to
carry handguns.
Secondly, the right to bear arms is a federal, not a state
issue. The right to bear arms, at least for militia purposes,
is already covered in the U.S. Constitution.
— The editorial board supports both state constitutional
amendments No. 3-A and 3-B, which would require regis
tered voters, not electors, to be eligible to sign an initia
tive or referendum petition.
Changing to the registered voter requirement would
help officials keep better track of who’s signing the
petitions. Accountability has been a problem in the past
— The DN also urges voters to support state constitu
tional amendment No. 2, which would authorize wagering
by the parimutuel method on horse races run either within
or outside of the state if such wagering is conducted at a
licensed racetrack.
This amendment would do two things. First of all, it
would allow the state to monitor an activity that has been
going on illegally for years. Also, it would bring revenue
to struggling tracks in the area, particularly Ak-Sar-Ben in
Omaha, which has received tax breaks to keep the track
afloat.
— Mike Reilley
for The Daily Nebraskan
’ Reader: Kerrey can do the job
in tne miast 01 a sea oi baa mourn
ing. I would like to offer a lighthouse
view of the U.S. Senatorial campaign.
Emie Chambers, a state senator,
has years of experience in the Ne
braska legislative process. His sup
port, however, barely extends past his
constituency, and his recent alle
giance with the New Alliance Party
brings many questions to mind. Con
trary to what Chambers said in a re
cent debate, one does not run for
office under a party without support
ing its principles and condoning its
- actions.
Dave Karnes, the appointed in
cumbent, has several months of expe
rience in the l/.S. Senate. It would be
enlightening to learn of his work as
senator, but instead his media re
volves around smearing Bob Kerrey.
Kerrey, former Nebraska gover
nor, had many economic crises
dumped in his lap, the majority of
them caused bv preceding governors.
Yet, it was Kerrey who erased the
state s 14/ million acncii wunoui
permanently raising taxes. This upset
my colleagues at the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln.
Any competent leader (and any
one who knows simple addition)
understands that cuts need to be made
in order to balance any budget. I was
attending UNL when Kerrey was in
office. I came to the realization that
the future of our state and our lifeline
— the fanners — take precedence
over my tuition costs. The loss of
UNL’s nursing school is much less
devastating than the loss of a farm to
a family. There are three nursing
schools in Omaha. The family leav
ing the farm has far fewer options.
Fellow students join me in reality.
Put our state above ourselves. Our
education will endure, without
Kerrey’s help, our farmers may not.
Erin A. Hahn
graduate student
political science
<
_________ _CANt'JPJ_
Student boos bother Osborne
Classless act also shown by off-field antics of Husker players
Il was a cold, rainy day in October
1981, and the Nebraska football
team was playing Auburn. Nate
Mason was the quarterback for the
Comhuskers and Nebraska had lost
two of its first three games.
At halftime, the Tigers led 3-0, and
a chorus of boos filled the stadium as
the Huskers headed to the locker
room.
That was the last time Nebraska
football players were booed by a
Memorial Stadium crowd—until last
Saturday.
As the Huskers left for intermis
sion trailing Missouri 6-0, a spatter
ing of boos cut through the chilly
October wind. It seems like it’s the
thing to do this year. Two weeks ago,
fans booed Gov. Kay Orr and Univer
sity of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor
Martin Masscngale during the
halftime ceremonies of the Home
gdlllC.
After the game, Nebraska coach
Tom Osborne lashed out at the stu
dents, apparently even the ones who
didn’t voice their displeasure.
“Our student section was booing
us, which showed a lot of class,” he
said. “I guess they booed the governor
and chancellor a couple weeks ago, so
apparently they’ve got things figured
out over there.”
Gee, I guess so, Tom. Maybe
they’ve got enough figured out to
look at a problem objectively, like
that of their school’s team resembling
Kansas State’s, and respond however
they see fit. Even if it does lack class.
And as far as booing the governor,
that wasn’t exactly the case. The stu
dents, at least most of them, were
booing Massengalc for his decision
not to move the game to accommo
date an ESPN national broadcast.
What Osborne neglected to men
tion was the fact that 1,000 or so
students were booing, not all 15,000.
And at least half the boos were com
ing from older fans — probably even
some of the big-money-donating al
ums and boosters.
But, of course, Osborne won’t
criticize them. If he did, where would
the money for new practice facilities
meeting rooms and weightroom<
come from? Students are easy to criti
Wl A 1 A
cize.
After all, student fees can be raised
only so much. Right, Tom?
“We all noticed it,” Osborne said
Sunday of the crowd’s criticism.
“Fans have been treated to many
years of real good football. If they
can’t tolerate one half of sub-par
performance—that’s the way life is.”
Yes, that’s right. And if Osborne
can’t tolerate the fans’ right to voice
their opinions, as negative as they
may be, then that’s the way life is, too.
You can go ‘round and ‘round about
it.
And the times Nebraskans have
criticized any aspect of the Husker
football program — even when the
NCAA was on campus investigating
it — have been few and far between.
Osborne doesn’t truly know what
criticism is. If he was coaching in a
major metropolitan area — one that
doesn’t have a media that kisses up to
the state’s only Division I football
program and cater to its every need—
he would be under the gun all the
time.
Take a look at UCLA, Southern
Cal, Illinois and Miami. Criticism is a
past of their respective every-day
ctIipHiiIac
Osborne is right on one count,
though. Booing a team, especially a
college team, does lack class.
But then, the 1988 Nebraska team
isn’t a “normal” college team. For the
last couple years, the team has had a
very un-Nebraska look — mostly off
the field.
And you can lake that any way you
warn
Osborne says the UNL student
body lacks class. How much class is
involved in slashing police car tires
with concealed switchblades, beating
up girlfriends, kicking in apartment
windows, lying to the police and the
NCAA, shooting BB guns at cars and
bad-mouthing upcoming opponents
for weeks in advance.
Or how about taking a swing at a
Missouri player during a fumble re
turn for a touchdown? There’s some
real class for you.
Let’s face it, there have been a lot
of times in the past few years that
Nebraska football players have de
served boos for off-field antics and
have gotten none.
For Osborne to denounce students
— all students — for voicing disap
proval is unfair. It would be like
condemning the whole team for stu
pid off-the-field mistakes of a few
players.
That, too, is wrong. But at least it’s
much more justified.
All season, Nebraska coaches —
namely defensive coordinator Char
lie McBride — have complained
about fan support. According to
McBride, either the crowd hasn’t
been loud enough, or people thatcri ti
cize the Huskers for their lack of
defense and uninspired play are
wrong. Uh-huh.
Nebraska’s coaches need to re
mamkAP iKot onunn/t in ihp nnhlir
spotlight is going to be in die prover
bial “fishbowl” of public scrutiny,
themselves included. When Osborne,
who earns well over $100,000 a year
(including non-salary earnings) for
coaching a college football team,
criticizes students for having no class,
he’s not gaining any friends. He’s
certainly not gaining any sympathy.
And McBride’s complaints about
the crowd not adequately motivating
Nebraska’s defense are ridiculous.
The crowd isn’t getting paid nearly
$60,000 a year to motivate the de
fense, Charlie.
If you can’t do it, neither can the
crowd.
Osborne’s comments came at a
very emotional lime. But so did the
boos from a small — very, very small
— minority of Husker fans.
At any rate, Osborne owes the
UNL student body an apology.
Green is a news-editorial and criminal
justice major, and is the Daily Nebraskan’s
copy desik chief and First Down Magazine
editor.
-efluqaifc
Signed staff editorials represent the
official policy of the fail 1988 Daily Ne
braskan. Policy is set by the Daily Ne
braskan Editorial Board. Its members are
Curt Wagner, editor; Mike Reilley, edito
rial page editor, Diana Johnson, manag -
ing editor, Lee Rood, associate news
editor; Andy Pollock, columnist; Bob
Nelson, wire page editor; and Micki
Haller, entertainment editor.
Editorials do not necessarily reflect
the views of the university, its employees,
the students or the NU Board of
Regents.
Editorial 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.