Senator, Nee, Cooper Park protesters upset readers
Ecology students
say park protest
was misdirected
Amidst all the media hoopla over
the Cooper Park escapades, the ob
jectives of the environmcntalists/tree
sitters/fence scalers have been ob
scured. If the groups and individuals
involved were attempting toconvince
us to be more aware of the long-term
impacts of human activity on the
environment, we laud them and en
courage them; if, as it appeared, their
goals were to save a handful of trees,
we feel the activities of the last couple
of weeks were quite misguided.
We, as students of ecology (as
defined by Krebs, a well-known con
temporary ecologist, to be “the sci
entific study of the interactions that
determine the distribution and abun
dance of organisms”) earn our keep
investigating the impact of various
factors on native organisms of the
Great Plains. Although not usually
the focus of our studies, we acknowl
edge the impact of humans on native
systems, and, as such, we arc also
environmentalists. Habitat reduction
following human activities has had
severe impacts on many native spe
cies. One such activity involves the
introduction and cultivation of exotic
species by naive (albeit well inten
tioned) individuals and groups. The
trees of Cooper Park are one example.
The 28 elm, 21 locust, 17 hackberry,
nine cedar, four pine, four ash and
two crabapplc trees that were removed
arc not indigenous to prairie environ
ments and their presence in this re
gion is emblematic of the very “prog
ress,1 1 as decried by Bob Nelson, which
humans have wrought on the tallgrass
prairies of this region.
i iiruugn momuzing to rescue
the Cooper Park trees, these environ
mentalists imply, by their action, that
it is acceptable to destroy native
vegetation to plant exotics such as
these trees, but it is unacceptable to
remove these very same weeds in
order to expand a school. Yes, James
Zank, we applaud the efforts of the
Lincoln Public Schools to improve
our school system and improve the
educational opportunities of our chil
dren; we also applaud the citizens of
Lincoln who participated in the demo
cratic process of public hearings and
voting for the bond issue for improve
ments of Lincoln’s public schools in
1988. We submit that most conserva
tionists (conservation as defined by
Teddy Roosevelt to mean “the wise
use of natural resources’ ’) would agree
that the clearing of less than 20 per
cent of the trees (from a stand of 500)
in order to improve the educational
opportunities of a large number of
students is indeed a wise use of our
natural resources.
We agree that many development
projects of past and present have been
implemented without taking into
account their long-term impacts on
the environment. We arc quite ex
cited,however,by the large number of
people who feel that this is no longer
acceptable behavior. Nonetheless, we
feel there arc much more worthy causes
for individuals and groups to cham
pion: the preservation of local tracts
of native prairie, actively opposing
the Two Forks Dam project, support
ing conservation of the Platte River
system, and recycling, just to name a
few.
The importance of realizing our
mistakes and taking steps to clean up
the environment need to be applauded,
and Ecology Now (perhaps they would
be more appropriately referred to as
Environment Now) has taken great
steps to make people aware of impor
tant environmental issues. However,
in the final analysis, we feel that no
matter how noble these group’s in
tentions might have been, concerning
this issue, their efforts have been
misdirected.
Spence Behmer
Rich Alward
John Rowe
graduate students
ecology
Longsine shocked,
questions wisdom
behind comments
This is an open letter to State Sen.
Lorraine Langford of Kearney.
The occasion of my 23rd birthday
a few weeks ago brought to mind the
question, “Will I ever feel like an
adult?’’ Now, having been exposed
to your wisdom, I can answer un
ashamedly.
No. I will never feel like an adult.
Formally, the distinction between
child and adult was one between those
who are developing physically, and
those who have developed. But it is
also used to distinguish between those
who have grown beyond concrete
operational thinking abilities into
abstract thinking modes.
Unfortunately some people, hav
ing developed physically, never grow
to think abstractly. Even more people,
who possess some basic abstract think
ing ability, never use it. They cease
growing and become mature. Ma
ture, I trust, you will recognize as
your self-inflicted euphemism for
reactionary, unthinking and inflex
ible.
I’m intrigued by your idea that
young people make some of the worst
decisions in the world. I have long
been convinced that the worst deci
sions in the history of the world have
been made by white men over 30.
However, most of the truly cataclys
mic world happenings have been due
to the failure of while men over 30 to
think about things in such a way as to
make defensible ihe proposition that
they had actually made decisions. Only
in the modern age of expanding civil
rights and liberation is it possible to
make a similar generalization about
white women over 30. Soon anyone
over 30 will be equally responsible.
I am shocked by your accusation
that young people are disinterested in
policy issues. From my experience,
young people are highly interested in
even such mundane policy issues as
arise in the Nebraska Legislature.
Many of us arc distraught that our
senators waste time with efforts to
limit the rights of expression and at
tempts to inflict flag worship on un
suspecting youth in primary grades.
Many students are also stupefied by
our senators’ perceived need for con
voluted taxation of illegal activities
in Nebraska. Transparent legislation,
laws clearly written for clearly de
fined purposes and well crafted to
provide clear effects are nearly al
ways superior tools from the stand
point of concerned citizens. I don’t
have time to follow dozens of con
fused rambling proposals from the
Unicameral.
1 have, until now, been a disinter
ested opponent of such things as a
vote for the student-regent. However,
I now believe that such minor prob
lems as double representation can be
easily eliminated and that some bene
fit may result. Students are obviously
not being adequately represented by
senators such as you, and perhaps that
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is right. After all, they make up only
a small portion of your constituency.
If it is only that you have lost touch
with students, I would be more than
happy to arrange a meeting between
you and some students concerned about
whatever list of policy issues that you
provide. Take heed though, some
students will be so immature as to
seriously consider new solutions to
old problems.
Gary W. Longsine
senior
economics and international affairs
Biased statement
made by senator
provokes reader
It is remarkable how far ignorant,
bigoted people can go in this state.
While it’s been obvious that you can
be the governor of Nebraska and still
be an imbecile, I had hoped that the
Legislature was composed of more
culturally aware, intelligent people.
State Sen. Lorraine Langford has
proven that wrong.
If students in the age range of 18 to
20 make the “worst decisions in the
world,’’ how does that speak for the
quality of our educational system? If
students can’t be trusted to share their
insight into our educational system,
then damn it, Sen. Langford, why
don’t we just stop the the whole edu
cational process, sell off the univer
sity properly and save the taxpayers’
dollars? Let’s just make the state into
a wasteland of impoverished farmers
and nuclear waste dumps. Why don’t
we just disband the state of Nebraska
as a whole')
This is of course an extreme idea,
but then it seems as though Sen.
Langford is extremely prejudiced
against a group of people of a certain
age who want to learn. Never mind
that there arc people in that group
who defend in our armed services,
work on politicians’ campaigns, strive
to end the nuclear arms race, work for
the preservation of the environment
and usually hold down part-time jobs
in addition to attending school and
maintaining households. I want to
assure the feeble little mind of this
senator that no one I know has a
lifestyle that would be appropriate as
ihe screenplay for “Animal House
IV.”
Sen. Langford doesn’t trust stu
dents to make good decisions, and
we’re the ones that are going to do it
in the future. I only hope that the
young people of her district are lis
tening so they can make a good deci
sion when she comes up for re-elec
tion. No one should have to put up
with such an arrogant, biased, short
sighted, out of touch individual, let
alone allow foer to hold public office.
James A. Zank
junior
arts and sciences
Disappointed fans
form club against
basketball coach
After sitting through an absolutely
pitiful season of basketball hereatthe
University of Nebraska-Lincoln we
have decided to start our own club
called the “NEE must flee” club. We
cannot believe that with all of the
money and tremendous facilities the
athletes have available that Danny
Nee cannot and has not produced a
team that is at least competitive on a
national level. It certainly says some
thing that people, Dick Vitale for one,
have called the Bob Devaney Sports
Center “the best place for the worst
basketball.’’ J
With the exception of one player
(who has no business on the court of
a Division I basketball game) Ne
braska has some real talent. Clifford
Scales could play for many of the
better programs around the country,
and if Nee would quit treating Rich
King like a child and let him build
some real confidence, he could de
velop into a very successful college
player. Carl Hayes has shown some
real talent and if Nee doesn’t ruin
him, he should be awesome.
We realize that the Big Eight
Conference has really turned into a
powerhouse, but what about our non
conference schedule?
Wyoming beats us by JO points'
There is no way they have that much
of an advantage on us in talent. Mi
ami or Ohio beats us? Come on! Nee
has had four years now to implement
his own system with his own players
and look at what it got us.
As students, we feel like we arc
being cheated out of at least some
excitement. Look at what Tony Bar
one has done at Creighton in the same
amount of lime Nee has been here.
Digger Phelps has been booed at Notre
Dame this season and look at us. We
cannot believe that there is not any
more negative press for our basket
ball program. If you compare the
amount of heat being pul on the ath
letic programs here at the university,
you would think that the football team
is the loser. And to lop it all off. Bob
Dcvaney gives Nee an automatically
rolling over contract for four more
years! It makes you wonder if Dcva
ncy really wants a winning basketball
program that will take away some of
the limelight from his pride and joy
(ours, too): the football team.
Another classic example of what a
fine coach Nee is, is how he handled
Eric Johnson last season. In the first
two games of last season he scored
something like 61 points, which
prompted Nee to shut him down.
Hindsight is always 20/20 granted,
but look where he is now. Would
anyone who watched the way Nee
handled him have been able to see his
real talent and leadership? The fact
that he is playing for the Utah Jazz in
the NBA should speak for itself.
Our suggestion: Fire Danny Nee
and buy out his contract. We doubt
that this will ever happen here, but if
it does, we should hire someone like
Rick Barnes from Providence, R.I.,
who will be taking a team with much
less talent to the NCAA’s. Or how
about an assistant from a program
like North Carolina, which is where
Kansas got Roy Williams who will
probably win the coach of the year
award this season.
Brian Staudenmaicr
senior
marketing
Tyc Martin
junior
business administration
Negative views
of senator
surprise student
Dear Sen. Langford,
It is attitudes like yours which help
to perpetuate the negativism toward
the youth of today. I was shocked by
your comments concerning your
opposition to the proposed student
trustee vote on the basis of “imma
turity” and apathy of college stu
dents. I am surprised that you are not
carrying your backward attitude and
stereotypes one step further by sitting
at home cooking and cleaning for a
living.
The day before your comments
were made, an article (DN, March 9)
showed the following;
“About 500 students at Arizona
State University in Tempe demon
strated last month after regents voted
to raise yearly tuition by SI 16 for in
state students to $1,478, and $1000
for out-of-stalc students to $6484 at
ASU.”
“In Oklahoma, 10,000 students
attending public colleges and univer
sities presented regents a petition
protesting proposed tuition increases
ranging up to 12.5 percent.”
These figures show that college
students arc “worried about the courses
taught and how much those course
cost.” I am certain that, should tui
tion increases of similar magnitude
be proposed in Nebraska, students
would not just stand by and let things
happen.
In addition, if students between
the ages of 18 and 20 “make the
worst decisions in the world,” why
do 18-ycar-olds have the right to vote?
When U.S. Senator Jennings Ran
dolph was fighting to give 18-year
olds this right in the early ’70s, he
obviously felt that they were mature
enough then, as they arc now. I would
only question the maturity and ability
to make political decisions of those
18- to-20-ycar olds in Kearney who
voted to elect you to the stale Legis
lature.
Amy Lee
senior
meteorology
Pickles’ low prices
will shock you
but not this bad!
Nobody sells more
music for less.
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