Editorial
' Netraskan
Cun Wagner, Editor C' / W
\mv I du arils, Editoruli Puife Editor
Jane llirt, \1drui$im; Editor
! vc Rood, \ssocuili' \ews Euittor
Diana Johnson, VV ire run* Editor
( h’.n k (irccn. Copy Di 'k t hud
l isa Donovan. Columnist
Intervention needed
Law would combat domestic assualts
Sorry” isn’t enough tor acts of violence in domestic
relationships among girlfriends and boyfriends, hus
bands and wives and other family members.
And “sorry doesn't comfort victims of domestic
abuse when police officers arrive at the scene, only to
quiet the screams and shouts heard behind closed doors.
Many officers are not allowed to interfere with domestic
affairs, but are instructed only ‘‘to keep the peace.”
But it's possible that Nebraska state senators have made
the task of protecting innocent folks from domestic
violence a little easier.
Under LB330, advanced 29-0 Monday following two
hours of debate, law enforcement officials now have the
nght to arrest a person — without warrant -- if the officer
has reasonable cause to believe the person has committed
a felony or misdemeanor, or has reason to believe such a
person will not he apprehended unless immediately
arrested.
But what makes the hill so effective in domestic abuse
cases is the clarification of the bill’s language brought
about by its author. Sen. Carol Pirsch of Omaha at the
urging of Sen. Ernie Chambers, also of Omaha.
The bill gives officers those rights if a person is
“threatening another in fear of imminent bodily injury.”
Although it is the responsibility of officers to refuse to
abuse certain rights granted in the bill, a policeman’s
badge can also be a welcome sight when a family quarrel
has become a domestic disturbance threatening the liveli
hoods of both children and adults.
Officers, even those with good intentions, have previ
ously lacked authority and have been left somewhat
helpless in curtailing domestic abuse. LB330, with its
sidekick LB218, can help to create a more confident
atmosphere when law enforcement officials are called to
address these cases. And it may even encourage victims to
have some trust in law enforcement.
- Diana Johnson
for the Daily Nebraskan
Reader contests gun opinions
Robert dale anil NRA member
lirian Allen iDY April Id appar
ntlv need reading glasses.
They and the rest ol ihe pro-gun
lobby need to realize that in us cn
irety. the Second Amendment states:
‘A well-regulated militia, being
necessary to the security ol a free
talc, the right ol the people to keep
and bear arms shall not be in
fringed.”
< )pponents ol gun control seem to
onvcnicntly never notice the first
half of the amendment. Perhaps this
s due to the serious doubt it casts
apon the \RA s never-ending cries
defending the ‘constitutionally
uarantced” -ieht to keep and bear
.»rins.
The founders of our ( onstilulion
..ccopted the Second Amendment
ecausc of their haired toward stand
ne armies (such as the one we have
uxlav, as opposed to a militia, or an
army of the citizens). They reasoned
(hat an army ol citizens would he less
likely to oppress ihe people than
would he an army ol professional
soldiers. And ol course it would he
ridiculous to place gun control laws
upon a militia.
Lo and behold, the founder had
imperfect foresight, and today’s free
society finds itself without a militia.
In the absence of a militia (mentioned
in the ignored half of the Second
Amendment), d would seem that the
Second Amendment simply no
longer applies. Claims ol the “con
stitutionally protected” right to keep
and bear arms are then doubtful at
best.
What a shame it is that so many
thousands ol Americans have died
due m part to our country's foolish
trepidations toward gun control law s
other countries without such alti
tudes have spared themselves this
problem. Lei’s look at some num
bers:
In 19H.V Vs people were murdered
by handguns in Japan. In the same
year, there were eight handgun kill
ing’s m Great Britain, mx in Canada,
seven in Sweden. 10 in Australia and
a mere 9,014 in the I'mted Suites.
And that’s just handguns. I'm not
even counting the people killed by
the semiautomatic assault rilles,
which our cili/cns so direly need to
lend off any (gaspi communist inva
sions.
Gale and Allen go so far as to
assert that removal ol this Second
Amendment ‘constitutional protec
tion ’ would lead to a neglect ol other
protections such as tree speech, a free
press, freedom ol religion and so
forth.
i (ion i know how' mey reached
this conclusion. The Iasi time I
checked, such tyranny wasn t par
ticularly prevalent in Japan, Great
Britain. Canada or Australia. And the
unarmed citizens ol Sweden are more
free than even ourselves when it
comes to freedom of expression
Hunters should be able to own
their shot guns and hunting weapons.
I simply have trouble with such
weapons as conccalablc handguns
and semiautomatic assault rifles.
They have one purpose -- to kill
people.
The pro-gun lobby would be eager
to point out dial most owners ol non
hunting guns are responsible. They
are, but there will always be those
who arc not. In any case it seems
ludicrous to claim that the rights ol
such owners are more precious than
the thousands of lives that those
rights cost us every year.
Joe l .uby
freshman
general studies
Party affiliation is meaningless
Chambers calls himself a Republican and no one bats an exe
o. now Ernie Chambers is a Re
publican. Several weeks ago
the controversial suite senator
from Omaha announced his switch of
party allegiance to the OOP. The shill
means little in terms ol state politics,
since the Nebraska Legislature is, by
stipulation, non partisan. It does say
a lot, however, about the suite of
bipartisan politics in the l ruled
Suites.
My initial response to the Cham
bers transfer news was a slight
chuckle and an under-the breath,
“Oh. come on.”
That Chambers should decide to
check the column marked “R“ be
side his voter registration signature
means virtually nothing. In im six
year sojourn in the suite ol Nebraska.
Chambers has variously claimed to
be a Democrat, an Independent and a
standard bearer for the upstart New
Alliance Party. So w hy not go lor the
grand slam ’
m an oi mis suite capital son snoe.
Chambers’ views have changed very
little. And lor all his political partner
changing he is no closer to being a
Republican than Phyllis Schlally is to
being a feminist
I paused in mid-smirk.
I have lor years claimed to be a
Democrat, and it is there that im
voter registration loyalties still he.
Hut as time goes bv I find it more and
more difficult to allihate m\ sell w nh
outdated and olten falsified New
Deal rhetoric. Net when I consider
the messages to he sent in a change ol
registration. 1 balk, and consider :m
present affiliations the lesser ol two
evils.
Chambers has switched. I have
not. Herein is exemplified the para
dox ol contemporary American poll
tics.
Chambers exhibits the first ol two
seemingly contradictory effects ol
the current mess we call the two party
system. Party affiliation says much
too little about the one claiming u
All that is required legitimately to
claim one party or another as one’s
home base is just that - claiming to
belong.
Chambers can call himsell a Re
publican and no one bats an eye.
In recent elections, followers ol
political outlaw Lyndon LaRouche
have won significant victories under
both party banners, and no one even
hints at inconsistency. I aRouche
himself started out a Democrat and
now calls himself a Republican, all
the while spouting the same liscal
poison. Southern Democrats and
New Lngland Republicans have long
felt much more comfortable on the
opposite side ol the hall
So what in the price ol partv asso
ciation ’ And what is the message
sent ’ I rosion ol strong party com
mitments m lavorol winning the vote
iii any ^ost (even deception .’* has led
n recent years to a blurring ol party
lines and an easy detection Irom one
ode to another. It is a detection that
> osts nothing not even .1hangc m
s lew.
Some laud this change as 'bipar
tisanship. ' he stic K.\ sweet air ol
ooperaiion iirrounding President
•'lush s inauguration was enough to
ai.ike one toss one s lunch. But the
genius ul the two-parts s\ stem is
c hoice.
A hen borders disappear. so dex's
choice \nd when voters hear asihes
did m our recent presidential elec
lion. Republicans touting environ
mental and educational issues and
Dcntexrals calling lor law and order
and reduced spending, they |ust
‘Te n i sure what the choices are any
more.
So party affiliation is utterly
meaningless and Chamhois is.
cused lor what (most likely (amounts
to a mindless publicity gesture. Why,
then, my hesitancy concerning my
own political fence-jump’
When I consider a switch of my
own. I am taken aback hv the flipside
of the paradox. Not only does party
affiliation say too little it also says
loo much.
I bis is why I am uncomfortable
with my Democratic lo\allies. I he
staunch refusal ol my party to wake
up and smell the proserhial collee
has left me cold.
The nominations of led Kennedy
clone Walter Mondale and old line
Massachusetts liberal Michael
I)ukakis m the last twoeleUionsvsere
signs that the success ol Republican
loreign and domestic polk ics imm
Nixon to Reagan had said nothing 10
the parly still bask me’ in its post
depression success. I Ins i' not to
mention my age old paitmg wuh the
pari) on such issues a' .inoruon mi■
demand. I he limes, thee area-clung-1
mg; the Denuvratic parts. it is a-not. ■
Hut. toquote levs aimin' fiddler ■
on the Root." "on the other hand..
When I consideradiangeol point
cal venue. I eonte lace to lace with the
posxihiIns ol being iniinhered with
those who conimualh oppose l-'un
control m anv significant lorm any
kind ol national health insurance or
..ssistance. and a strong armed ap
proach to the problem til human
ric’hts \ mlaiioiis worlilw ide.
Mv choice seems to lv lhut
tween hacking Marvisi lehelsorras*
v. ist refvls; ret using unborn ha to
i he right to live or Miller mg seniors
the right 10 die: opposing economic
recovery or government -sponsiu
poverty relief. . lth,l
I don't like it where I ain.hu ■
grass on the other side has vcl m ‘ ■
greener. I am seriouslv consider! 1
move to “Independent." a>mxw ' |
can convince mysell that that is ■
the wimp’s way out. 8
Sfnni'lt is a uraduaU* student in philw*P f B
.nH u ll^ilv Sihr.isk.in editorial column! ■
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