FT FdHnrial Nel5raYskan
4 JLj %JL A JLCS. JL Monday, January 16,1989
Curt Wagner, Editor, 472-1766
Amy lidwards, Editorial Page Editor
Jane llin, Managing Editor
Lee Rood, Associate News Editor
Diana Johnsor Wire Page Editor
Chuck Green, Copy Desk Chief
Lisa Donovan, Columnist
Dream continues
Americans must work to make King's dream reality
Today the United States celebrates the 60th anniver
sary of the birth of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr., whose dream of freedom and equality for all
Americans has yet to be completely realized.
King brought the Civil Rights Movement to all Ameri
can people, for all American people. He lived and died to
correct the injustices of his time, because he knew the
cause was a noble one.
Today, we as Americans must honor King by continu
ing his dream. From this day forth we must make his
dream our dream; we must live our lives to see our dream
become reality for all Americans, regardless of race,
color, creed or sexual orientation.
We as Americans must stop any injustices we see --
from sexual or racist comments to physical abuse of one
another. We must not rest until the wrongs are righted.
Then and only then can we call the United States a free
nation that believes in equality for all.
Then and only then will our dream be realized.
- Curt Wagner
for the Daily Nebraskan
Conquering apathy
Student involvement is needed at UNL
With a 5-3 vote Saturday, the NU Board of Regents
opened the door for University of Nebraska
students to finally get involved in the governmen
tal process that most effects them.
Regents passed a resolution to record unofficial votes
of student regents from the three NU campuses.
Recorded votes can give students a stronger voice, but
only if they use it.
Because of regents’ concerns about student apathy
toward university issues, the vote has been adopted only
for a one-year trial basis. If regents do not notice im
provements in student input on issues, the vote might be
taken away in December.
As University of Nebraska-Lincoln Student Regent Jeff
? Petersen said, the unofficial vote will make student
I regents accountable to their constituents. But this ac
countability must be a two-way street. Regents must meet
with students, and students must contact their regents to
tell them how they feel about issues.
Every semester, students complain about the Office of
(Scholarships and Financial Aid, student fees and the As
sociation of Students of the University of Nebraska.
They complain about poor faculty salaries and the
rising cost of higher education, among others.
Although many complaints are justified, it is all too
often that students can do nothing more. This trend needs
to stop.
I Much is happening this semester that will effect NU
students for the next few years.
The Nebraska Legislature will reconvene Tuesday.
Gov. Kay Qrr has presented her budget and questions
need to be raised about tlie amount of money appropriated
to the university for faculty salaries, research and other
budget items.
UNL’s Committee for Fees Allocation will decide in
the next few months how much students will pay in fees
next year, and where that money will be channeled.
Through ASUN elections in March students will vote for
a new student regent, and for student representatives from
their colleges for the next ^ear.
5-pweit tuition increase looms over univereity stu
Studenis need to be aware of these issues and get
involved in governmental processes.
They need to lobby the Legislature through the Govern
ment Liaison Committee to increase funds for financial
aid, faculty salaries and other issues.
They need to attend CFA and student government
meetings, to vote in ASUN elections, to voice their
opinion at any meeting where it’s needed. This ss the only
way they can get what they want
When students get involved, they can make changes.
Amy Edwards and Curt Wagner
for iht Dotty Nibrcskan
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Stephanie Cannon/Oaily Nebraskan
Flame still burns in some hearts
Guest columnist praises Americans who stand up for rights
Today, America has the unique
opportunity to be a part of one of the
greatest struggles and dreams to be
written in the pages of history. To
day, ail Americans have an opportu
nity to be drum majors for freedom
and justice.
You may have been too young in
the 1960s; you may have hid behind
legal niceties, such as it is a44 Negro’4
problem, a local problem, a Southern
problem, or a non-judicial problem.
The commcmorauon of the Rev. Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and
achievements gives all of us one
more chance.
This national holiday captures the
courage and leadership of a man, the
longing and hopes of a people and the
potential of a nation. Dr. King and the
Civil Rights Movement revealed to
the world the flame of freedom and
opportunity that burns in the hearts of
ail people -- regardless of political
and economic persuasions, or cul
tural and racial origins.
When African Americans were
brought to Jamestown, Va., in 1619
and were enslaved, the flame of free
dom burned in their hearts. The insur
rections of Denmark Vesey and Nat
Turner, Harriet Tubman’s ‘‘Undcr
ground Railroad,” Frederick
Douglas’ mammoth efforts in the
abolition movement, the founding of
the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People and
the National Urban League and Char
les Houston and Thurgood
Marshall’s well-orchestrated cam
paign against Jim Crow were all
manifestations of that eternal llame
of freedom.
This flame of freedom continues
to bum, and has fueled the presiden
tial aspirations of Rev. Jesse Jackson
in two historic campaigns, seeking to
remove some of society’s final politi
cal and economic barriers.
*
This llame radiates with such in
tensity that it could not be extin
guished by the cruelty of slavery, nor
by the inequality of Jim Crow, nor by
the oppression and brutality of the Ku
Klux Klan and White Citizens’
Councils. This flame is a God-given
thirst and hunger which propels all
people towards the land of democ
racy, of self-determination, and of
opportunity. This llame invigorates
their capacity to struggle, providing a
sense of purpose. This llame enables
oppressed people to labor in the vine
yard of freedom although it is
guarded by overseers of racial big
otry and discrimination, or overseers
who seek to deny the humanity of
fellow citizens.
I believe that this perpetual flame
fueled the courage of Dr. King and
the Civil Rights Movement. If we
remember our history, the same
flame was ablaze in the hearts of
Benjamin Franklin, Crispis Attucks,
George Washington, Thomas Jeffer
son, Salem Poor and countless others
in their unprecedented struggle
against the tyranny of King George
and England. Thus, Dr. King and ihe
Civil Rights Movement represented,
and continue to stand for, the best in
the American dream and the history
of civilization.
Unfortunately, too many Ameri
cans in both the North and South
abandoned their heritage, transform
ing the Constitution into a document
of hypocrisy, rather than a document
of freedom and justice. Through his
leadership skills and his commitment
to frccdom, justice and non- v iolence,
Dr. King taught America to believe in
itself. He inspired America to put
aside the Constitutional and legal
barriers that faced each African
American and other individuals dis
criminated against.
There is, however, much yet to be
done. The workplace must be free o!
racial and sexual bigotry. Our schools
and universities must become centers
of learning where all students have an
equal opportunity u» succeed. The
vestiges of racial, ethnic and sex dis
crimination must be eradicated Irom
the body politic.
Therefore, the struggle for free
dom 3nd justice must be joined. The
struggle must he joined by all Ircc
dom-loving people - regardless ol
color, creed, sex or national origin.
We must be thankful that Dr. Marlin
Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights
Movement opened a door, an effec
tual door for all of us « a nation and a
people. *
Michael Combs Is a UNL associate professor
of political science and pastor, Mt. Zion
Baptist Church
-
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.... . ..
Signed staff editorials represent
the official policy of the fall 1988
Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by the
Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. Its
member* are Curt Wagner, editor;
Amy Et&ards, editorial page editor;
Jane Hirt, managing editor; Lee
Rood, associate news editor; Lisa
Donovan, columnist; Diana Johnson,
wire page editor; and Chuck Green,
copy desk chief.
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