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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 1989)
Editorial Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board University of Nebraska-Lincoln Amy lidwards, Editor, 472-1766 Lee Rood, Editorial Page Editor Jane Hirt. Managing Editor Brandon Loomis, Associate News Editor Brian Svoboda, Columnist Bob Nelson, Columnist Jerry Guenther, Senior Reporter Support fair press Public perceives reporting as biased A recent poll has revealed some depressing statistics about the people and the press. According to a Times Mirror Center telephone poll taken in August, 68 percent of 1,507 randomly selected adults said the press tends to favor one side when reporting political and social issues, rather than fairly reporting all sides. Four years ago, 53 percent of those interviewed in the poll said the press was biased in reporting the news. Sixty-two percent (versus 53 percent in ’85) also said news organizations are “often influenced by powerful people and organizations.” According to an article in the Washington Post’s National Weekly Edition, more people also are losing respect for their local newspaper. “In 1985, 16 percent rated the daily newspaper in their area as not believable; today, 32 percent said the same thing.” Researchers attribute the increase in those who rate news organizations as not believable to inaccuracy, bias and lack of independence from other powerful institu tions. I The poll doesn t paint a pretty picture tor today s news organizations. But sometimes the truth hurts, ft becomes increasingly difficult to keep the news unbiased when more and more big-name corporations and advertisers, with powerful interests at stake, dominate the economics of various news organizations. \t also is hard for journalists who are truly concerned with getting unadulterated news to the people to convince the public they are legitimate. With so many sensational news shows and newspapers these days, it’s a wonder the press has sustained any dignity at all. But the blame does not rest entirely on the news media. Because we live in a capitalistic society, news organiza tions need to stay profitable in order to survive. In order to do so, they supply what the public demands. If a majority of the public wants to watch so-called “news” shows such as “Geraldo” or “A Current Af fair,” or read sleazy supermarket scandal sheets - these media will survive. And, to a certain extent, the public also can control the news media’s accuracy. If people only read newspapers or watch news shows that strive for accuracy and fairness, sensationalist news fabricators will fall to their knees. It is important to remember that news reporters are human. They make mistakes. They have opinions. And, for whatever reasons, some don’t take their jobs as seri ously as they should. But good news organizations continuously strive for fair, accurate, thorough reporting. They may fall short on occasion, but they have the best interests of the public at heart. The public should reward those organizations with their support. -* \m RiknI for the Daily Nebraskan IMM—————11—M—M—llWMlM'ia——1—— Opipim^__ Reader says UNL residence halls serve ‘slop’ to diners Although I have only lived in the residence halls for a short time, I seriously can’t imagine any other schools with such a poor excuse for a food service. The food is said to be high in nutritional value and all the meals make up a full-balanced diet. The only problem is, you can’island to eat it. I have, on a number of occasions, entered the food service and passed by the entire food line without pick ing up one item. Everything tastes the same. They use the same sauce for Cizza, spaghetti, lasagna, and a num er of other dishes as toppings. The price of breakfasi is S2.35, lunch and dinner are $4.25.1 feel this is an outrageous price for the slop they try to feed us. There should be menus posted in advance to let us know what will be served, then we could choose if wc want to eat it. I also think that if we choose not to eat the food that we should be refunded at the end of each billing cycle for the meals we do not eat. If we are re quired to have a meal card, they should at least make the food edible! Jim McNally freshman finance Political upheaval exhilarates Abolishing ASUN would end illegimate government, boredom This campus is boring. Sure, a few theopaths soapbox by the fountain, a few snowballs arc thrown, a few goalposts fall. But, for the most part, University of Nebraska-Lincoln students just drudge along with the clock, passing time with a liule study, a little beer and a lot of television. What’s worse, UNL students must watch TV and see that some people aren’t as bored as they are. Every day, UNL students arc forced to watch thousands of people frolicking in the streets of Prague and Berlin. Students must ask, “Why are they having so much fun?” But deep down, I think we all know the answer. Yep. Political upheaval is a blast. You see, East Europeans frolic because they get to overthrow gover ments. UNL students don’t over throw governments. Therefore, they’re bored. So what should UNL students do to stop being bored? That’s right. Overthrow a govern ment. Let’s see, I don’t think we can overthrow the national or state gov ernment. They have troops and guns. Just ask Ron Roskens. We could have overthrown the university president or the regents, but someone’s already done that And Marty Massengale is loo nice to overthrow. I guess that leaves only one alter native. Thai’s right, abolish the Associa tion of Students of the University of Nebraska. Some would say that just because a group is bored, that doesn’t neces sarily mean it should overthrow a government. They would say that a government first must be found to be illegitimate before it can be de stroyed. This is a terribly boring theory, but it must be addressed. Last year, because of boredom, only about 2,500 students voted in the ASUN elections. About 25,000 stu dents were enrolled at the university. Therefore, about 10 percent of the student body voted. Many of those who voted, one can assume, voted only to get the super-cool invisible ink stamp on their hand. As of 1985, about 5 percent of the Soviet population was in the commu nist party. In 1989, IMPACT won the ASUN elections with 49.8 percent of the vote, or about 5 percent of UNL’s population. The Soviets don’t use super-cool invisible ink stamps. That means everybody in the Communist party is a Communist. Thus, our government is less legitimate than a Communist government. If Eastern Europe re volts, so should we. Also, the Homecoming Commit tee is part of University Program Council. The Homecoming Commit tee did not allow write-in candidates for Homecoming King and Queen. The ASUN president was a candidate for Homecoming King. Like ASUN elections, the Homecoming elections also used super-cool invisible ink. The Communist Party, prior to this year, did not allow write-in candi dates. This year, Boris Yeltsin was elected in the Soviet Union by write in votes. Therefore, the Communist party allows freer elections than our Homecoming Committee. If Eastern Europe revolts, so should we. If you read the last few graphs only once, I think you’ll realize we must abolish ASUN. Oh yeah, one more thing, ASUN does absolutely nothing. Another neat reason to do it. If wc abolish ASUN, a new government could be designed by UNL’s political science department. This is only fair. Every other sci ence department gets to do experi ments. The political scientists should be given a chance to design and ex periment, too. The department could have a con lest in which all Poli-Sci majors must enter a constitution for a new student government. The constitutions then could be judged by a board of profes sors with cash prizes going to the best framer. The winning constitution then would be submitted to the ABOLI TION party. The 37 members of the ABOLITION party would run for executive and senatorial positions within the existing government. Once elected, ABOLITION mem bers would vote to dissolve the exist ing government and replace it with the government designed in the win ning constitution. The reign of a pointless, unpopu lar and incestuous student govern ment would be crushed, local politi cal theorists would get needed expe rience and every student could feel the exhi laration of political upheaval. Students of the university unite! Declare your independence! Let the revolutionary fires of boredom rage! Yippee! And for goodness’ sake, don’t forget to vote in March. The merri ment of Eastern Europe awaits you .. . and so docs the invisible ink. Bob Nelson is a senior news editorial major and a Daily Nebraskan columnist. bigncd stall editorials represent the official policy of the fall 1989 Daily Ne braskan. Policy is set by the Daily Nebras kan Editorial Board. Its members arc Amy Edwards, editor; Lee Rood, editorial page editor; Jane Hirt, managing editor; Brandon Loomis, associate news editor; Jerry Guenther, senior reporter; Bob Nel son, columnist; and Brian Svoboda. col umnist. Editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the university, its employees, the students or the NU Board of Regents. Editorial columns represent the opin ion of the author. The Daily Nebraskan’s publishers arc the regents, who established the UNL Publications Board to supervise the daily production of the paper. According to policy set by the regents, responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of its student editors. letter_ The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the editor from all readers. Letters will be selected for publication on the basis of clarity, originality, timeli ness and space available. The Daily Ne braskan retains the right to edit all mate rial submitted. Readers also arc welcome to submit material as guest opinions. Whether ma terial should run as a letter or guest opin ion. or not to 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. ™ajoi and group affiliation, if any. Re quests to withhold names will not be granted. Submit material to the Daily Nebras kan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448.