Editorial
... Cun Wagner, Editor. 472-1766
L/3lly Amy Hdwards, Editorial Pax* Editor
^ Janc ,I,n- donating Editor
| || |"P| C I^T Cl II Lee Rood, Associate Sews Edit >•'
^ WlJJAliU, n. Diana Johnson, Wire Paxe Editor
University ot Nebraska Uncoin Chuck Green, Copy Desk Chief
I.isa Donovan, Columned
Segregation again
Competition could ruin education system
T^Jebraska’s Legislature is considering taking George
I ^WRnch’c sn/i allou/ino chtHArOc frs nffpnd the
elementary and secondary school of their choice.
Why?
Proponents of LB 183 have argued that the open enroll
ment hill would force schools to compete for students,
• thereby increasing the quality of education. In order to
attract the most and the best students, schools would have
to acquire the best teachers and maintain facilities and
equipment. Students who have problems with particular
teachers would be able to move to new schools and start
over.
Competition. That’s the American way, right? But
competition, by nature, leads to a loser for every winner.
LB 183 would probably be good for some schools and
some students. But what about the rest?
The schools that prosper, even if they grow, won’t be
able to accommodate everyone. Students who were left
behind would face degenerating facilities, decreasing state
aid and the teachers that the other students are supposedly
running away from.
Schools viewed as inadequate would inevitably lose
any competition for students. So students stuck at the
worst schools would be worse off than before.
The losing schools would be those that already are
underbudgeted. Students leaving those schools would take
with them $1,920 each in state aid.
Also, some taxpayers would get stiffed while some
would get off easy. If most parents in an area send their
children to School District A, instead of School District B
~ where they live — taxpayers in District A would have to
pay an increased tax to accommodate the larger enroll
ment. Taxpayers in District B, if the school survived,
would not have to pay as much but their children would
still get the benefits District A taxpayers are paying for.
And the open enrollment bill smells a bit like segrega
tion. Whites could, and probably would, flock from
schools in North Omaha or any other district where
minorities aren’t so minor. High school and elementary
students aren’t old enough to realize that cultural diversity
is needed, healthy and important. That’s the American
way, too.
Separate but equal went out the door in 1954. Let’s not
invite it back in.
•• Brandon Loomis
for the Daily Nebraskan
1 *PMW'W;
Correct KRNU facts revealed
Ev eryone has a right to express an
opinion when that person has facts
supporting his or her claim. But no
one should have a right to sound off
when they arc ignorant to the facts.
Thai’s exactly what Mark
Hoffman did when he criticized
KRNU for not playing “alternative”
music and trying to compete with
area radio stations (Daily Nebraskan,
March 21).
First, KRNU gets its music do
nated. Our budget is very fragile and
we rely on record donations from
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* a position to ask for hundreds of
“alternative” music albums from
stores to change format. We have to
go with what we have. I’m surprised
a broadcasting student wasn’t aware
of this blatant fact.
Second, KRNU is a learning facil
ity first, and there is absolutely no
competing with other area stations.
KRNU is non-commercial; we don’t
have to worry about scoring impres
sively on the arbitron ratings to stay
on air. Thai’s why KRNU can afford
to put rookies on the air like
Hoffman.
Finally, KRNU docs offer alterna
tive music. On Mondays, Wednes
days and Fridays from 10 p.m. tc
midnight and on Tuesdays from i
p.m. to 10 p.m. students bring in the
small samplings of music they own
On these nights, they put logethe
excellent shows. Also, we offer i
sports talk show, news, sports broad
casks of football, basketball and base
ball home games. KRNU has th<
most variety of any station in Lin
coin.
Rick Alloway is one of the mos
dedicated and professional stalioi
managers around. He is very mucl
respected in the department, and if hi
could change the format, he probabl
would. However, what’s being pro
posed is not feasible. If Hoffma
would have been willing to ask a fev
simples questions before writing t
the Daily Nebraskan, he could hav
saved himself much embarrassmem
□ Tim Washbur
junic
broadcasts
Ollie walks into gunfight alone
_ . . . . /. . f • < I f \ T >1.
Koyko says Keagan s
The late Judge John King, a i
tough South Side Chicago i
Irishman, had a simple way of
measuring a person’s loyalty and
character.
Of some people, he’d approvingly
say: “If you have to walk down to the
O.K. Corral, he’ll go with you.’’
Or with a sneer, he’d say of some
one else: “If you have to go to the
O.K. Corral, don't wait for that guy.
He'll hide in the outhouse.’’
He w as referring, of course, to the
legendary gunfight in Tombstone,
Ariz., w hen Wyatt Harp, w ith his two
brothers and Doc Holliday at his side,
walked down to the O.K. Corral to
lake on the bad guys.
It was his way of saying w hether a
person was, to use a Chicago phrase,
“a stand-up guy.”
I lk.u.nk> ..U,,... I.IS Imn'o ,,l.l
fashioned standard while reading
about the latest developments in the
Oliver North trial.
And I w as surprised and saddened
to see that Ronald Reagan, the Old
Cowboy, is still not inclined to walk
down to the O.K. Corral with Ollie
North.
North’s lawyer has subpoenaed
Reagan as a defense witness.
That makes sense. They’d like to
pul Reagan on the stand and gel him
to concede that he knew a lot more
about the Iran-Contra affair than he
has admitted to.
If North’s lawyer could do that, it
would make North appear less of a
loose cannon, breaking laws and
thumbing his nose at Congress when
he saw fit, and more of a loyal, obedi
ent Marine, fulfilling the wishes of
i his commander in chief.
> Obviously, Reagan doesn’t want
nouia testify to support ms ntru nunn
o testify about what he knew or That w'ould probably make him
didn’t know, since the justice depart- the first American fired and impris
rieni has been fighting to keep him oned for acts ol heroism. It it hap
jff the witness stand. pens, I can imagine other military
This has to be a great disappoint- men saying: “What, you want to give
ment to North. Although Reagan me a medal? Please, I beg you, don l.
fired him when the scandal began I have a wife and kids to think ol.
unfolding, Reagan made a point of So if there was ever a time when
describing North as a “hero.” North needed a stand-up guy at his
It has to be gratifying to be called side, it’s now. Alter all, it Reagan
a “hero” by the president of the thought North was a “hero, that
United Slates. must mean he approved of what
North had been doing to further Rc
_ agan’s goals. And if he considered
North a hero, he must have been
aware of what North was up to. Or
else he wouldn’t have called him a
hero, would he?
Of course not. I can’t believe that
- Ronald Reagan would tell the Ameri
can people that someone was a hero il
he didn't know’ for sure that he was.
On the other hand, it must have Maybe he would have done that w hen
been confusing to North to be fired he was a sports announcer, but surely
and called a hero at the same time. It not as president,
would be understandable if North This, then, would be the appropri
said: “I thought they held parades for ate time for Reagan to say:
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instead of a ticker tape shower?” lake that long walk down to the O.K.
By calling North a “hero,” Re- Corral all by yourself. I’m going to be
agan persuaded a large segment of right there with you, partner.’
the population, who had never before That’s not too much to ask. Alter
heard of the Marine colonel, that he all, Doc Holliday did it for Wyatt
really was a hero. And that helped Earp, and Holliday was nothing but a
North win most popularity polls dur- dentist w ho gave up pulling teeth for
ing and after his testimony at the the life ofa card shark and gunlighter.
congressional hearings. 1 think we have the right to expect
But now the “hero” is up to his more from a president than a boo/ing
cars in trouble, standing trial for ex-dentist,
shredding government documents, Of course, there might be a,good
providing illegal aid to the Contras reason why Reagan docsn l want to
and other alleged mischief while walk down to the O.K. Corral with
working in the White House. Ollie, the “hero.”
If he’s convicted on even some of Maybe Reagan didn’t see the
the charges, he could wind up in a movie,
federal prison. ©The Chicago Tribune
Student questions graffiti marker’s sentiments
I On March 23,1 was walking along enough to even remember our last, drugs?
14th Street, I suffered a blast from the although undeclared war, Vietnam. I’m willing to bet you aren’t even
past from the archaic anti-military In fact, out of all the active duty old enough to remember when the
s sentiment that characterized the personnel in the building, there arc United States was involved in Vict
1960s and 1970s. On the garage cn- only a handful who were in the serv- nam. So, why don’t you forget about
trance to the Military and Naval Sci- ice during Vietnam, and even fewer trying to reopen a wound in Amcr
l cncc building, a rejuvenated anti- who actually experienced any com- ica’s past that is probably older than
i military sentiment was expressed by bat there. Of course, the Tailed insult you are, and of which you understand
i a lar|e, black, spray-painted “WAR couldn’t be addressing any of the very little?
» PIGS. ... dedicated ROTC students since the Whatever your belief is, at least
/ Being a political science and his- combined combat experiences of believe in it enough to be able to
- lory major, I think I would know if the these armed forces hopefuls only add profess it in public, not in the middle
i u s- Armed Forces had actively par- up to a few fist fights. . of the night with spray paint on a
/ ticipatcd in any wars in the past 10 to To the person or persons respon- garage door. Even gay rights activ
3 . kul none come to mmd. sible for the graffiti, I say this: If you ists, who constantly receive negative
z purely, the defunct flow/jrchild- must voice your opinion, at least be publicity, are man enough to an
auinor of the graffiti must still be in brave enough to do it I’ c correct way. nouncc their beliefs in public! Grow
touch with reality enough to realize How about an organized rally? Or up! You’re in college! Now, don t ,
t at the attempt of an insult to the perhaps a picket line or sit-in? In- you feel silly?
ft dedicated armed forces personnel stead, why don’t you try coming back John Vela
r inside is a total failure. Most of the to the present and support a real cause sophomore
8 people inside that building aren’told - like pro-life, pro-choice or anti- political scicncc/history