Editorial I Nebraskan r:~“_ Curt Wagner, Editor. 472 1766 Amy lidwards, Editorial rage Editor Jane llirt. Managing Editor Lee Rood, Associate News Editor Diana Johnson, Wire Page Editor Chuck Green, Copy Desk Chief Lisa Donovan. Columnist -. Prejudice abounds Cut of CO LAG E funding shows bigotry If it wasn’t apparent before, it is now — homophobia and bigotry exist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. And they exist in the highest student governing body, the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska. ASUN Wednesday night removed student fee funding for the Committee Offering Lesbian and C»ay Events. Earlier in the semester the Committee for Fees Allocation had allocated $746 for the gay/ lesbian programming group. ASUN needlessly removed that funding, while giving various rea - sons that showed each senator’s personal prejudices, fears of what they know little about and total disregard for the mission they were elected or appointed to perform. Countless times during the meeting senators brought up a 1987 ASUN ballot question asking students if they approved of funding for a gay/lesbian group. Senators said the majority of the students who voted in the election voted against the funding. ASUN senators claim they are representative of the UNL student body. But that is not a valid claim w hen only 15 percent of the student body voted. Gay and lesbian students boycotted the 1987 elections, protesting the NOFAG party that was on the ballot. If senators want to be truly representative of the student body, they should represent all of the student body -- including homosexu als. That did not happen at Wednesday’s meeting. And that shows ASUN senators are not doing the job they have been elected to do. ASUN senators, like all citizens, are allowed to have their ow n personal biases and prejudices. But, when acting as the representa tives of all students on this campus, they should rise above those prejudices. They did not do that last night. Case in point -- newly appointed Sen. Steve Thomlison, a freshman in general studies, opposed COLAGE funding partially on a morality basis. Since when do ASUN senators have the right to judge the morality of students? Thomlison moved to amend CFA’s proposal so that it would not include money lor gay and lesbian programming. He quoted the U.S Supreme Court case, Bowers vs. Hardwick. Unit slated Unit "the federal Constitution does not confer fundamen tal right upon homosexuals to engage in sodomy,” Part of that decision was based on “die presumed belief of majority of Georgia electorate that homosexual sodomy is immoral and unacceptable ...” ritomlison said alter the meeting that u> assume that homosexuals have constitutional rights is to throw away years of teaching of morality. During the meeting, he urged ASUN senators to take the morality of homosexuality into consideration before voting. Part of his speech included an assumption “that wc are all Christians here.” Well, UNL is a state-run university that docs not discriminate because of race, sex or religion. Thomlison seems to be forgetting that. He said that a “majority” of students on campus are Christians and he feels he is representing that majority. But not all UNL students are Christian. And Thomlison’s arguments concerning sodomy have no business in this debate. COLAGE funding does not go to organizing sodomic orgies, or any other sexual act - be it hetereosexual or homosexual. The University Program Council, which COLAGE is a committee of, creates its committees to suit the educational, entertainment and § cultural diversity of student needs at UNL. COLAGE is a committee that does this, but ASUN doesn’t seem to care. COLAGE programming can benefit all students on campus by just bringing homosexuality out into the open, by increasing the understanding of homosexuality and by stopping homophobia. That is something that ASUN senators would definitely benefit from. The gay and lesbian population also can be considered a legiti mate culture. Homosexuals have their own distinct history, litera ture, music, vernacular and societal function to provide for progress and change. Therefore, the gay and lesbian population is definitely a minority: as Webster’s Dictionary says, "a part of a population differing from others in some characteristics and often subjected to differential treatment.’’ Last semester, ASUN senators talked openly about how a weekend ’’Appreciating Cultural Diversity" retreat showed them how minorities were treated unfairly. Other senators’ comments' showed they wanted that treatment to change. What has happened to their attitudes since then? They definitely reverted back to old attitudes last night Students cannot have representatives who go back on their words and don’t rise above their biases when passing legislation. For this reason, the Daily Nebraskan asks for the resignations of the 18 senators who voted against COLAGE funding. The DN has urged funding for COLAGE since the semester began, and continues to do so. ASUN President JelT Petersen, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs James Griesen and Chancellor Martin Ma^Mle must look beyond any prejudices they might have and put Ml for CO ILAGE back into UFC’s student fee budget. The funding will benefit all students •• Cmrt «uid A ray E4wttr4c . Jk» iH* Datiy Ntbraska* way / ' v ' ✓ ayato.^ r>o^,tiN has of Ft Rfo* wwwri [AC* ^Aftry^Ott T<> * w^cwtR nuRpnts < >* 5Al^AN RUStfb'E, 4 ^AYTWOTV of <'SATAM5 VEftStS” — ^V>^r HoN£r,MTlj vTfte 6Jw ! /Jr r'J Events. ASUN senators did not have the foresight and intelligence to make the right decision concerning COLAGE funding. I only hope ASUN President Jeff Petersen. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs James Griescn and Chancellor Marlin Mas sengale have the foresight to reverse the decision. Lalcr this spring, all of you will have the chance to voice your opin ion on the subject. The Question will be placed on the ballot for AS UN elec tions. This gives each of you the chance to open yourself up to learn ing about a group of people you may disagree with. You may actually learn something. I realize many of you fall into the category of bigots, but here is your chance to change that. Problems abound. First, is the electoral turnout a true representation of the student population? Over the last three years, the percentage of eligible voters who actually voted has been between 13 and 15 percent. That’s a very low turnout. The demo graphics of the voters are subject to question, also. During the last three elections the greek system has had more input than either the residence halls or ol f-campus students. You can argue that it is the non-grcck popula tion’s fault for not voting or you can argue that there is a Haw in the system which allows this to happen (but that's another story). I Secondly, is it really lair to place a B minority organization on the hailoi B lor acceptance or rejection.’ (men B the nature of man to reject those dil- I ferent from himself, I feel it is \ery B unfair. W hy should ('Ol A(ih ha\e B their tale placed on ihc ballot when B other minority organizations do not' fl Why shouldn't the As un-Amcn- M can. Chicano, Black and Native • American student organizations jUo be' placed on the ballot* Why shouldn't the Women's Words and Music group be placed there ’ All ol these groups represent a minority |K>sition. All of these groups are dis criminated against. All ol these groups are using their funds to lieht this discrimination But I haven't seen any letters complaining that these groups will receive student fees. Why then has Utc lundmg lor COL AGE created such a stir ? Ma> he it has to do with fear. You can usually identify a member of a racial minor ity, but you can almost never identify a homosexual by sight. Even alter talking to one or being friends * uli a homosexual you may have no idea. Herein lies the fear - of not knovc mg if your friend is gay. How would sou react? Would you still be friends ’ I know a few men who arc gay and I don’t have a problem with them - though I admit it has shocked me. I don’t know of any close friends of mine who arc gay. Does that scare me? No, and it shouldn’t scare you cither. Even if it docs you should not turn your fear into hate. Face the fear and learn from it. Don’t deny other people’s rights because they are dif ferent. Learn from that difference. You all will be given a choice. Make the choice that shows intelli gence and the willingness to grow. Do not turn fear into natc. Hate destroys a little bit of all ol us. Heckman is a senior International affairs im^jor and a Daily Nebraskan editorial col umnist. 11_ - ___ . The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the editor from all readers and interested others. Letters will be selected for publi cation on the basis of clarity, original ity, timeliness and space available. The Daily Nebraskan retains the right to edit all material submitted. Readers also arc welcome lo sub mil material as guest opinions. Whether material should run as a let ter or guest opinion, or not lo run, is left to the editor's discretion. Letters and guest opinions sent to the newspaper become the properly of the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be relumed. Anonymous submissions will not be considered for publication.,Letters should include the author’s name, year in school, mtqorand group affili ation, if any. Requests to withhold names will not be granted. Submit material to the Daily Ne braskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 K St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448.