0
Pa*e Frlitnriiil Nebraskan
4 Si i I It M Wednesday, February 7,1990
(Daily
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Amy Edwards, Editor, 472-1766
Bob Nelson, Editorial Page Editor
Ryan Steeves, Managing Editor
Eric Pfanner, Associate News Editor
Lisa Donovan, Associate News Editor
Brandon Loomis, Wire Editor
Jana Pedersen, Night News Editor
Rumors denied
Lied parking puts priorities in order
Thanks are in order to Franz Blaha and the rest of
UNL’s Parking Advisory Committee.
A committee proposal written by Blaha and passed
Monday ensured that parking for Lied Center events will
be given no priority over academic or any other activities
; on campus.
Prior to the committee meeting, rumors were spreading
that student and faculty campus parking permits would be
void during performances at the Lied Center.
Instead of giving Lied Center visitors priority, the com
mittee established a shuttle system and a valet parking
i program.
Under the proposal, a shuttle will transport patrons
from Area 10 university lots west of Memorial Stadium
for $1. Also, valet parking service by ROTC cadets will
be available for $3.
_ . - . . . i i . - -1_V !_I
I Diana saia in me proposal mat an cvcm ai uic ucu
Center should not have higher priority than the Foreign
Film Series at the Sheldon Film Theater or a recital at
Kimball Hall.
“Therefore,” Blaha wrote, “any parking considera
tions for the Lied Center must be based on the premise
that they do not infringe on the needs of these facilities,
nor the uninterrupted conduct of the academic affairs of
the university.” M
In a Lincoln Journal story, John Burke, UNL parking
director, said UNL lots near the Lied Center, like those
near Westbrook Music Building and the Temple Building,
| will be policed by UNL parking attendants. Faculty and
staff with permits for those lots may park there as usual,
he said.
A priority system, like the one used during UNL
I football games, would have been a huge inconvenience
for anyone attempting to use campus facilities other than
the Lied Center. The committee’s decision to oppose such
action was obviously made with students and faculty in
_ mind -- something very refreshing on a campus where it
i often seems that everyone but the students and faculty are
privileged.
- Bob Nelson
for ikt Daily Nebraska*
Rusher’s censorship offensive
As was reported in the Daily Ne
braskan’s coverage of the First Amend
ment debate (DN, Jan. 31), William
Rusher made several interesting points,
including his statement that Ameri
cans have the Constitutional right to
be offended. Unfortunately, there arc
several loopholes in Rusher’s posi
tion which I feel arc worth a closer
look. Rusher stated his belief that
only written and oral communication
can be protected by the First Amend
ment. He continued by saying that
actions such as flag-burning arc tak
ing the amendment too far and that
such actions arc unnecessary in mak
ing points of opinion, due to the edu
cated person’s ability to express them
selves sufficiently either through their
oral or written speech.
A few discrepancies and contra
dictions worth noting:
Not more than 10 foci from Rasher’s
podium, a hearing-impaired student
was attending the debate, accompa
nied by two sign language interpret
ers. Ironically, according to Rusher’s
definition, this translation, or form of
speech is not covered by our
Constitution, due to its lack of verbal
or written form.
To continue this point, it would
then seem logical that any other ges
tures (a middle finger), facial expres
sions (smiles, frowns), etc. also arc
not covered by our First Amendment.
I guess when someone steals my park
ing spot in the future, I’ll have to rely
on my verbal skills to express my
displeasure (glad I’m not hearing
impaired).
Rusher’s decision that actions arc
unnecessary in making a point clear
goes against everything I’ve ever
learned in a speech class. Apparently,
all our textbooks should be rewritten,
because we no longer need the previ
By ms ueiimiion, "ollcnsivc” and
“unnecessary” actions such as flag
burning, building of shantytowns, etc.
should be replaced with written and
oral comments, which although
“offensive,’ arc tolerable. Obviously
then, the action had a greater effect
on his psyche than the speech, and
due to the action’s ability to prove a
stronger point than words were able
to evoke, the action can not be equally
replaced by words, because an coual
effect is not achieved.
If a picture is worth 1,000 words,
and a 3-D hologram is worth a mil
lion, I would submit that a demon
stration that affects all five senses
must be worth a nearly infinite num
ber. No one 1 know has time to lister
to an infinite number of words, so an>
million-plus word essay or oral speech
would not get the point across be
cause no one would stay around lonj
enough to pay attention. Words
whether written or orally communi
catcd cannot equate a live demon
stralion.
Rusher’s belief in our conslilu
tional right to be offended is to b<
applauded, but his censorship of ac
copied methods of expression and hi!
self-contradictions arc not. Perhap:
Rusher and his followers should re
evaluate their positions and dcfmi
lions.
Heidi Putenser
sophomort
MNAMCE ORDERS OMlV. LIMITED gaRPlV.
— ■ ■ «
It could even happen to you
Being dumped requires good humor and a positive outlook
rjust got done with the second
serious relationship of my life.
This one, like the first, de
cayed by my doing and ended with
me caring again for my partner who
had found someone more worthy of
her care.
In both eases, the details of my ex
girlfriend’s new relationship were used
to convince me that our own relation
ship was over. Once again, I got to
imagine her being held late at night
by someone else, talking softly and
touching gently. Boo-hoo. It happens
to everyone.
It’s been five days since we stopped
seeing each other. I spent the first
night with an old high school friend.
He let me bitch and talk lough and
whine and talk sensitive to him. He
shook his head and said “relation
ships suck’’ a lot like a good friend
should.
The second night, I met a girl at a
party. We talked until 8 a.m. about
everything but past relationships. I
drew a trumped-up outline of my past
and everything sounded exciting and
original and creative. It was a thrill to
meet someone new. It was the same
thrill for which I sacrificed security
and empathy.
And therein lies the horror of rela
tionships for me. Once I’ve become
involved with someone, 1 become
obsessed with friends and freedom
and the billionsof people I have never
met. Once I lose a relationship, I
become obsessed with the warm
contentment of holding someone
special I know better than myself. I
can never appreciate the freedom or
the bond I have worked so hard to
make.
1 suppose this happens to a lot of
people in college. This university has
thousands of beautiful people and
thousands of ways to meet them, and
you know that nothing lasts forever.
The system brings you these beauti
ful people and continues to do so long
, after you’ve committed yourself to
one.
It’s a four-year game of “Lei’s
Make a Deal.” You’ve won a big
prize, but there arc other doors and a
short amount of time.
Tick-lock . . . tick-lock . . . what
arc you going to do?
Getting into these situations is easy.
Getting out of them is the real prob
lem.
The thoughts that made perfect
sense after my first breakup were
frightening. I wondered if beating
Mr. Right into oblivion would be
Bob
Nelson
proper revenge. I made plans. I won
dered how bad she’d feel if I tortured
myself. I wondered if I would be
better off if I tortured myself. I made
more plans. I made hundreds of plans
the first few nights after that breakup,
none of which were rational.
This breakup is proving to be a lot
easier than the first. It seems that
when you’re growing up, any love
directed at you is a constant. Your
parents, grandparents, relatives and
friends always will be there. Losing
someone doesn’t make sense the first
time. Someone leaves you and it feels
like they’re dead except they mock
you by playing family with someone
else. Late at night, staring at your
ceiling, you sometimes think things
would be better if they had died.
The first night of this breakup the
thought of punching her new boy
friend made a sickening amount of
sense. By Saturday, Mr. Right was
innocent, and the breakup was more
or less a bad joke. It’s time to meet
new people.
Who knows where the line is drawn
between scenario and action in think
ing after a breakup. Students have
jumped out of Cathcr Residence Hall
and have beaten innocent people
senseless with these same thoughts.
What lets one person cool off and
move forward while another rums or
ends their life?
I suppose it depends on how much
the person’s self-concept hinges on
the relationship. If it’s a bowling ball
among peas, the concern for saving
the remains is minimal.
A lot of students find a person they
care for and proceed to let the rest of
their life rot away. Love becomes
everything, while friendships and
career plans suffer. When someone
leaves them, all that’s left arc old
acquaintances and a failing college
career — not much to live for.
After my first breakup, I found
myself a sophomore with no major, a
mediocre GPA and a lot of sour friend
ships. After a while, I found solace in
the opportunity of improvement. It’s
pure luck that I tend to look forward.
And even though I was much bet
ter prepared this time, I still got some
of the twisted thoughts that follow a
breakup. I feel a little dirtier, a little
wiser and a little older, but that’s
about it. I’m extremely lucky.
But so many students have let their
lives slip for a relationship. And some
of those aren’t optimistic and have
never been dropped hard. Those are
the people who really suffer.
It seems like every year someone
around here gets dumped and kills
himself or herself. A friend or a way
out probably would save them.
So if you’ve never lost someone,
be careful and make sure you have an
escape route. It can happen to you.
And with that bit of banal preach
ing, I will go and learn to appreciate
relationships when I have them and,
most importantly right now, appreci
ate freedom when I have it.
Whoopee-ding, kids, it’s psycho
drama. At least you feel alive.
Nelson is ii senior news-editorial major
and the Daily Nebraskan editorial page edi
tor and a columnist.
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