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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 1989)
2 NPWS OlP^P^t Associated Press Nebm^kail 1 v V W CP 1. - j JL2bV i Edited by Victoria Ayotte Tuesday, November 21,1989 Survey: Most Nebraskans say abortion private decision About two-thirds of Nebras kans responding to a survey said abortion is a private decision that the government should not regu late, a University of Ncbraska Lincoln office said Monday. The survey of 1,199 Nebras kans was taken before last sum mer’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the Webster case, which has been interpreted to mean states may impose more restrictions on abortion. David Johnson, chairman of the UNL sociology department, said the 1988 survey results were re leased Monday because the topic has become timely in light of the Webster decision and because the Legislature will consider the issue when it convenes in January. The UNL Bureau of Sociologi cal Research said 66.3 percent of the 1,209 people reponding to the survey said abortion is a private decision. The question was one of many asked on the 1988 Nebraska An nual Social Indicators Survey, conducted by mail and by tele phone in October through Decem ber 1988. Another survey would be needed to determine whether the Nebraska political climate on abortion has changed since the Webster decision, Johnson said. In the survey, people were asked “whether to have an abor tion is a strictly private decision, which the government should not regulate in one way or another.” Slightly more than 66 percent / satd they cither agreed or strongly I agreed with the statement; 25.3 ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ percent disagreed or strongly dis agreed; 8.4 percent said they were neutral or didn’t know. The margin of error was 2.9 percent. Similar results were obtained when the same question was asked in 1982. Seventy-one percent agreed or strongly agreed; 24.3 percent disagreed or strongly dis agreed; and 4.9 percent were neu tral. There were 1,892 respondents in that survey. “That question is framed to get a pro-abort response,” said Julie Lostroh, a Nebraska Coalition for Life spokeswoman. She said it would better reflect the attitude of Nebraskans to ask whether they favor or oppose le galized abortion “the way it’s practiced now.” Johnson said the question was worded to relate to issues raised in the Webster case, which has to do with governmental regulation of abortion, not to get a response in favor of abortion. The survey showed political af filiation appeared to be related to abortion views much less than one might expect, Johnson said. Ex cept for people who arc strong Republicans, most groups did not vary in a consistent way on the question, he said. Among those who consider themselves strong Republicans there was the highest percentage of those who strongly disagreed that abortion is a private decision and the lowest percentage of those w ho strongly agreed. But even among strong Republicans, a majority said they believed abortion was a private decision. 200,000 Czechs protest PRAGUE, Czechoslovakia -- More than 200,000 people filled the streets of Prague on Monday, de manding free elections and the resig nation of the hard-line leader in the largest protest ever in this Commu nist nation. For the first time in decades, major protests involving tens of thousands of citizens also broke out in other cities, state-run Czechoslovak TV said. The protests posed the greatest threat to date to the rigid model of Communist government that has pre vailed here since a Soviet-led inva sion crushed the “Prague Spring” reform movement in 1968. Czechoslovak TV said at least 200,000 people took part in the march in the capital. It also reported 20,000 protesters in the city of Brno, 10,000 in Bratislava and 5,000 in Libcrcc. Parly leader Milos Jakes re sponded to the protests by warning the demonstrators not to go loo far. “Any attempts to disrupt social and political stability . . . can only seriously threaten the implementa tion of necessary change and bring the society into a crisis with unfore seeable consequences,” the 67-ycar old leader said on television. Some of the protesters carried banners reading “Red murderers to court” -- a reference to the alleged death of mathematics student Martin Smid. Dissidents say Smid was killed Friday by police, but the government called reports of the death “an un founded rumor.” The demonstrators also supported a general strike called by students and artists for Nov. 27. Bush vetoes D.C. abortion runding ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE - President George Bush on Monday vetoed the bill appropriating money for the District of Columbia because it would allow funds from local taxes to be spent on abortion. It was the second time Bush ve toed the D C. appropriations bill over the abortion issue. His earlier veto was in October. The president, who was returning to Washington from a campaign trip to Rhode Island, sent a message to the House saying the bill was * ‘unaccept able.” Bush said the bill ‘‘would permit congressionally appropriated local funds to be used for abortion on demand with no restriction whatso ever. As a matter of law the use of local funds in the District of Colum bia must be approved by the Congress and the president.” White House Chief of Staff John Sununu spoke with House Speaker Thomas Foley, D-Wash., earlier Monday, and Foley asked for quick action on the bill so Congress would ★★★★★★★ ACudbi have a chance to act again before leaving for the holidays, according to presidential spokesman Marlin Fiizwatcr. The bill would have restricted use i of Medicaid funds for abortions only to save the life of the mother. But Bush objected to what he called “abortion on demand” paid for with other funds derived from local taxes but also appropriated by Congress. i Nebraskan Editor Amy Edwards Photo Chief Eric Gregory 472*1766 Night News Editors Eric Planner Managing Editor Jane Hlrt Darcle Wlegerl Assoc News Editors Brandon Loomis Librarian Victoria Ayotte Ryan Sleeves Art Director Andy Manharl Editorial Page Editor Lee Rood General Manager Dan Shattll Wire Editor Victoria Ayotte Production Manager Katherine Pollcky Copy Desk Editor Deanne Nelson Advertising Manager Jon Daehnke Sports Editor Jeff Apel Sales Manager Kerry Jeffries Publications Board Sower Editor Lee Rood Professional Adviser Oon Walton Supplements Editor Chris Carroll 473-7301 Graphics Editor John Bruce The Daily Nebraskan(USPS 144-080) is published by the UNL Publications Board, Ne braska Union 34, 1400 R St., Lincoln, NE, Monday through Friday during the academic year weekly during summer sessions. Readers are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by phoning 472-1763 between 9 a m. and 5 p m Monday through Friday. The public also has access to the Publications Board For information, contact Pam Hein 472-2588 subscription price is $45 tor one year, t0 the Da,|y Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34, 1400 R St.,Lincoln, Nt 68588-0448 Second-class postage paid at Lincoln NE ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1989 DAILY NEBRASKAN * * * * J AT NEBRASKA DIAMOND * OUR REPUTATION SPEAKS FOR ITSELF: * * * £ ★ t SUPERB QUALITY J ; UNMATCHED PERSONAL SERVICE t * TREMENDOUS SELECTION * J UNBEATABLE PRICES * I * I * Nebraska Diamond Is Well Known £ £ As The Only Place To Go * For Engagement Rings And Fine Jewelry £ * ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ; ★ _l _ ★ : <7 : : NEBRASKA l : DIAMOND : ★ ★ if ★ 865 NBC Center 13th & O ★ ^ Lincoln, Nebraska 68508 * ★ (402) 474 6400 J ★ USA 1-800-334-GEMS * ★ THE PLACE for Engagement Rings ★ a & Fine Jewelry * if ★ 5 ★ ★ i * ★ i ★ ★ ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★*★★★★★★★ Looking for Extra Income during Christmas Break? 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