T Editorial IsSSsa,
Curt Wagner, Editor, 472 1766
Amy Edwards, Editorial Page Editor
Jane Hirt, Managing Editor
Lee Rood, Associate News Editor
Diana Johnson, Wire Page Editor
Chuck Green, Copy Desk Chief
Lisa Donovan, Columnist
Apathy a concern
Longer campaigns a possible solution
Voter turnout for the ASUN elections this year was at
its lowest point in the last four years.
With all the concern about student apathy, maybe
the electoral commission should lengthen the amount of
campaign time.
This Is the second year campaigns have been limited to
one month, and voter turnout has dropped each year.
One of the concerns for the time limit, according to
Electoral Commission Director Mark Fahleson, was that
candidates were spending too much time campaigning,
and stress from the elections hurt their studies - a valid
argument.
Marlene Beyjte, ASUN adviser, said the election com
mission also thought that candidates could use their time
more wisely for campaigning if the campaigns were
shortened.
But from the percentage of students who voted in the
last two campaigns, and the low-impact debates this year,
it seems that candidates are not soliciting students’ inter*
est.
In 1986-87, four parties ran for ASUN. Voter turnout
was 14 percent of the student body- In the 1987-88.elec
tions, there were six parties and 15 percent of the students
voted.
Last year, when the one-month limit was imposed,
l; 42 percent of the students voted for three parties. This
year, there were four parties, and only 11J2 percent of
the students voted.
The decrease m voter turnout could be attributed to a
lot of different things. The number of parties running for
election and the issues being debated probably have a lot
to do with the number of students who show interest in
. the elections.
Beyke said another possible reason for low voter
I turnout could be that the student advisory board slots were
not filled. Underclassmen usually fill the slots for advi
sory board, she said, and often have more enthusiasm for
recruiting voters.
Dui wnaiever me reasons, somemmg snouiu oc uunc iu
increase student awareness and voting in the ASUN elec
tions.
When campaigns are limited to one month, students
don’t get much time to get to know the candidates. De
bates are not well-attended, and students aren’t aware of
all the issues on the ballot
Debates also don’t get very heated, And instead of the
issues, candidates debate the competency of their adver
saries. The mud-slinging is petty and it gives students the
i impression that ASUN is not a worthwhile organization.
Eventually, students just don’t care.
Fahleson said he is not sure there is a real solution to
student apathy in elections, and he may be right. But the
electoral commission should check into ways to better sell
elections to students, so students understand the issues and
vote for the people who best represent them.
-* Amy Edwards
for (he Daily Nebraskan
Signed stall editorials represent
the official policy of the fall 1988
Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by the
Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. Its
members are Curt Wagner, editor;
Amy Edwards, 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 t.iief.
Editorials do not necessarily re
fleet the views of the university, it'
employees, the students or the Nl
Board of Regents.
Editorial columns represent th
opinion of the author.
LdtC&nonn
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 are welcome to sub
mit material as guest opinions
Whether material should run as a let
ter or guest opinion, or not to ran, ii
left to the editor’s discretion.
Submit material to the Daily Ne
braskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 I
St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448.
Governmental atrocities abound
Columnist abhors country's ‘in deed' support offoreign policies I
There currently exist two areas
of the world where the living
conditions and the treatment
of the people who live there are de
plorable. These areas arc South Af
rica and Lebanon. Ironically, the
United States supports the oppressive
regime -- if not in words, then defi
nitely in deed.
Just about everyone is familiar
with the situation in South Africa.
The white minority government con
tinues to suppress the majority black
and Indian populations. This policy is
known as apartheid. Personally, I
think the nolirv of anarthriH i«
bullshit
Since 1985, when the government
declared a “stale of emergency,” the
police have had almost unlimited
power to interfere with the lives of the
blacks. Under apartheid policies,
people can be jailed indefinitely with
no charges brought against them.
This is one of the most demoralizing
things possible -- to be locked away
with no idea of how long you will be
there.
But the news gets worse. The cur
rent president, P.W. Botha, is recov
ering from a stroke and his ability to
rule is limited. He recently has come
under increased pressure to resign
and let a Mr. DeKlerck take control.
DeKlerck is more conservative than
Botha - which could spell even
tougher times for the black majority.
Although, the United States has
denounced the policy of apartheid, it
continues to deal with the minority
government. The U.S. government
I uses various excuses lor continuing
business as usual, but what it really
comes down to is that none of the
. government’s reasons hold any air.
There is no good reason to continue
supporting the Botha regime.
In fact, there is a very good reason
not to. Apartheid will end. That is a
’ given fact. The end will either be
violent or peaceful. 1 have a feeling it
• will not be peaceful - things have
\ n „ i «
gone loo far for that to happen. So we
are facing a violent revolution in
South Africa. The blacks will finally
achieve their goals.
And don’t think for a second that
the new government won’t remember
the actions of the United States.
People will remember the continued
support of apartheid, and they will
not be pleased. Then the United
States will be placed in the position of
having “real” security concerns.
The pseudo-problems that Washing
ton has given for support of apartheid
will become real problems with the
post-apartheid government.
The West Bank and the Gaza Strip
are sites for more atrocities commit
ted in the name of “National Secu
rity.” In the 15 months since a Pales
tinian uprising began to protest the
Israeli presence, more than 400
people have been killed. Most have
been Palcstinains, but some were Is
raeli soldiers.
In the “occupied territories,” as
they have come to be known, the
Israeli soldiers arc in an impossible
situation -- to control a population
which believes that Allah rewards
personal sacrilicc for His greater
good. This translates into rebelling
against Israel and everything which
represents Israel - in this case, the
soldiers. In response, the Israeli
Army has tended to use excessive
lorcc in dealing with the Palestinians.
What really bothers me about this
is that the Israelis have no real claim
l° “Je arca- They captured it in the
i war. Since that time, they have
basically ignored the plight of the
Palestinians living there -- the same
way they have ignored the plight of
the Palestinians they displaced over
40 years ago when Israel was
founded.
Worse yet is the continued “no
questions asked” support by the
United States. I agree that Israel may
be in an area important to us. but our
government often has gone over
board with this. Until last year, the
United Stales refused to recognize
the Palestine Liberation Organiza
tion. Now otir government has
loosely commuted itself to dealing
with the PLO to find a solution to the
problem of what should be done with
the millions of displaced Palestini
ans. 1 hope that a solution can be
found, but 1 fear it will lean heavily in
favor of Israel.
Don t misunderstand me. i uon i
even begin to support the terrorism
that the PLO has committed in the
past. The useless killing of innocent
people is deplorable -- but yet this is
exactly what Israel has repeatedly
done to the Palestinians. Instead of a
horrible outcry from the United
Stales, there is silence each time an
Israeli soldier kills an innocent child.
Only when there is an act of terrorism
by the PLO does our government
raise its voice.
In both cases — South Africa and
the West Bank and Gaza Strip -
atrocities are being committed. In
both cases the United States gives at
least tacit support to the governments
committing them. Through that sup
port, the United States is condoning
the atrocities itself. I am not proud ot
the United States’ support for either
country.
In fact, 1 am not proud of my own
country. Are you?
i
Heckman Is a senior international aft
major and a Daily Nebraskan editorial c
umnist.
aiuaenis condemn columnist1 s concert review
5 In reference to the column (Daily
Nebraskan, March 17) “Reserved
concert seating vital,” by Lisa Dono
van, you seemed to enjoy yourself at
- the R.E.M. concert; were you one of
those people drinking and toking up?
We dislike the insinuation that
. everyone smokes marijuana at con
certs. Marijuana is illegal in this
; country and some of us concert-goers
are law-abiding citizens who go to
concerts to enjoy the music - not to
■ alter our minds with drugs. In the
1 words of our former first lady and our
personal idol, Nancy Reagan, “Just
say no!”
AJso we imagine that as you pay
515 for tickets to R.E.M. you would
want to sit down so as to better enjoy
the music (because we all know sit
ting has been proven as a better listen
ing device). But if you would have
gone to R.E.M. five or six years ago,
you would have only paid $5 and
heard a lot more talent emanating
from that “larger-than-life per
former that we so badly want to
touch which of course causes rush
ing of the stage and in turn causes
trampling of people as you so clo
quently pointed out. ,n
We’re also concerned about tne
percent hearing loss you suffer from.
If R.E.M. cares so much about its fans
(as we’re sure they do) then maybe a
your request they’ll lower the vo
ume. If not, our advice to you is
stay home and not review any mon
concerts.
Hal Turner
engineering
Trent C(x>per
art