Editorial
(Daily
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Amy Ldwards, Editor, 472 1766
Boh Nelson, Editorial Page Editor
Ryan Sleeves, Managing Editor
Hric Pfanner, Associate News Editor
Lisa Donovan. Associate News Editor
Brandon Loomis, Wire Elditor
Jana Pedersen, Night News Editor
Burning Old Glory
Supreme Court should put off decision
President Bush made it clear in his 1988 campaign that he
didn’t like the American Civil Liberties Union. Since his
election, he has made it clear that he doesn’t like civil
liberties.
Since last summer when the Supreme Court upheld the right
! to symbolic speech in the Hag-desecration case of Texas vs.
Johnson, Bush has basked in his wonderful patriotism and
pushed for protection of the Hagan any way he could. Although
[ Bush’s enthusiasm for a constitutional amendment has waned
as public interest has decreased, he still won’t let up.
On Tuesday, the Bush Administration asked the court to
hurry up and hear two cases involving a new federal statute
■ banning Hag desecration. Federal judges in the District of
Columbia and Seattle have declared the law unconstitutional.
It is interesting that Bush, who was in no hurry to even sign
the law and let it become law without him, is now pushing to
have it upheld.
me Justice Department asKeu to nave uie orai <uguiiituu>
moved up to April 25, before the term ends in July. The
1 Supreme Court’s information office said the justices will meet
in a private conference today to consider moving the date. The
Daily Nebraskan sure hopes they decide not to.
David Cole, a defense lawyer for both cases, said the
administration's request was politically motivated. He said an
1 expedited decision would make flag burning an issue in this
year’s House and Senate elections. He also said if the court
invalidated the law in July, there almost certainly would be a
proposal for a constitutional amendment.
Cole said the cases deal with a touchy constitutional issue
I and should not be subject to politics.
“It would get the most deliberate attention if the court
decides to hear it in October and decides it later in the year,
presumably after the election,” the Associated Press quoted
him as saying.
Not only should this constitutional issue not be subject to
politics, it should not be subject to discussion. The
Constitution was ratified more than 200 years ago. Its First
Amendment guaranteed the right to free speech and to petition
j the government for a redress of grievances. There can be few
ij expressions more effective at demonstrating grievances to the
government than the burning of its precious cloth.
If burning a flag is not speech, what is it? Treason? Hardly.
Treason is levying of war against the United States or giving
iaid and comfon to its enemies.
People don’t bum flags to hurt their country, but to help it.
They have ideas — however misguided they may be -- about
how this country could be improved. They know that their
ideas will be ignored unless they employ a vehicle as shocking
as flag burning to convey them. Ideas, right or wrong, arc
protected by the First Amendment.
-- Brandon Loomis
for ike Daily Nebraskan
onimnrL
—F^MrEADER |
Hiring by qualifications too simple
The front page of the March 6
issue of the Daily Nebraskan con
tained an article concerning the sen
tencing of Steve Ernst. Although 1
didn’t feel the article was front page
newsworthy, I considered it better
journalism than last spring when he
was all but hung by the press he
received.
Because rape is such a tense issue,
Mr. Ernst’s case received incredible
amounts of attention. The county at
torney Michael Hcavican is currently
running for attorney general and saw
this case as a basis for his strong stand
against rape and harsh sentences for
those convicted. Most people are
probably satisfied with the fact that
Mr. Ernst received four years proba
tion, 500 hours community service
work, 60 days in jail and restitution to
the victim and her family. Let us not
forget that Mr. Ernst was able to plea
bargain down to a lesser charge making
his charge a class four felony, second
degree sexual assault which amounts
to attempt.
To put this in perspective for you,
last week a man from midwest Ne
braska was convicted of rape, his
victim was under 18, he used a gun to
force his sexual assault, and in the
case there was medical evidence to
support the facts (something not true
in the Ernst case). This man was found
guilty of first degree sexual assault, a
class three felony, and sentenced to --
drum roll please -- one year probation
and payment for counseling costs for
the victim and himself.
In total sarcasm let me just say
this: Isn’t it nice to see that positions
of power, like the county attorney’s
office and the attorney general, are
political offices elected by a society
in the throes of a battle over crime
control and due process? God knows,
hiring the most qualified man for the
job, not influenced by political aspi
rations and goals but by the scales of
justice and due process of the law,
would probably just make too much
sense.
Matthew M. Hansen
junior
criminal justice
Hell created by campaigners
Another week of elections means more words, harassment
Cough! Cough! Cough!
“Have 1 awakened in hell?”
Cough! Cough!
“No, I’m just sick.’’
Wednesday, I woke up with a ter
rible cold. 1 felt miserable. I guess
walking to class Tuesday in the rain,
barefoot wasn ’t such a cool idea after
all. So now, I would pay. And pay
dearly during one day of “Campus
Hell.’’
I’m not even going lodwcllon my
many personal problems before my
visit to “Campus Hell.” I’ll just briefly
mention them. I was sick, I was tired,
I had no clean clothes, I had no money,
I had no food, I had a cold sore, 1
couldn’t find my car keys, and I was
constipated.
These problems are nothing out of
the ordinary for me; they happen every
day. How do I survive? I go to cam
pus. Walking about the people, feel
ing the activity, being part of learning
makes me forget my problems, re
lieves my stress.
Yet, today would be different.
Today was ELECTION DAY. A day
when all of my personal problems
would confront the campus problems
head-on.
The University of Ncbraska-Lin
coln docs have a few m inor problems.
It seems one is solved and another
festers itself. Yet, that is what our
Association of Students of the Uni
versity of Nebraska elections are for.
To elect competent, dedicated, head
strong, future leaders to determine
and solve our campus problems.
As I walked to class, my personal
problems dissipated as I pondered the
great minds at work behind the grind
ing wheels of ASUN. This year’;
election result would be different
problems would be solved, and mj
life would be easier. I fell so opnmis
tic. My constipation already wai
improving.
Perhaps the newly elected part;
would solve the insipid parking prob
lem at UNL. Maybe VISION, TO
DAY or STAND, (V-T-S, for short)
would see to it that every student gc
his or her own personal stall. Hov
very beautiful.
Want to get bombed alone in you
dorm room or fraternity? No prob
lem. At this very moment V-T-S is
probably working out a solution to
provide alcoholic access to everyone.
Hey, if the bigwigs at the Wick Alumni
Center can gel crocked so can the
students.
Are you tired of the trains that
block your passage, or inhibit your
sleep? Have no fear; suggest to your
leaders from V-T-S that they devise a
plan to build an underground system
for the trains to travel beneath the
campus. Out of sight, out of mind.
Do you think that we at the univer
sity arc unfairly represented? No
problem any longer. Lobby the lead
ers in V-T-S to overthrow the regents,
burn effigies of them and vote in only
students. Hey, they did it in Eastern
Europe. Why not here?
Life could be so great from now
on, yet, as I drew near the union for
my ritual of coffee and newspapers,
my optimistic outlook faded and my
constipation got worse.
Same as the last year, same as all
the previous years. The election fi
asco.
One problem UNL seldom suffers
through is litter.
Students seem concerned and try
to throw their garbage within at least
a 10-foot radius of the many trash
; cans. And, when they do miss, our
, university ground crew does an cx
' cellcnt job of finishing the business.
Yet, this Wednesday was uncommonly
i polluted.
Just as Phil Gosch had predicted at
t one of the debates, this election day
■ was full of color, VISION-Yellow,
- TODAY-Orange and STAND-Green.
, How very pretty. Especially the way
t their fliers littered the campus. A
/ virtual blanket of fall colors.
If campaign garbage wasn’t enough,
r how about noise pollution and/or
- harassment. You couldn’t walk two
feel without someone thrusting some
literature at you, sticking their fingers
up your nose.
“Have you voted?”
“NO!”
“Please vote for VISION.”
“Get lost.”
“Here’s our platform.”
“Thanks, I needed a Kleenex.”
I had come to campus with the
intention of voting. Maybe this year
would be different, and problems would
be tackled. Besides, if I voted, I could
gel cheap beer. Yet, with all this
hounding, 1 was about to change my
mind.
“Do I have idiot printed on my
forehead? Yes I’ll vote! Just leave me
alone!”
In the Crib, with all the campaign
literature I picked off the floor, I
carefully researched the three parties.
Which one would be best for the job
of making life for students so much
easier? Here arc my findings.
VISION first. Phil Gosch of VI
SION is too short. I’m short. Never
trust a short person. Yet, I did think
Shawn Burnham was pretty cute, but
not enough for my vote.
How about TODAY? Too greek.
They would win, and that would be
excuse enough to print some more
greek T-shirts. Sorry, no vole there.
How about STAND? I was not
impressed with their political savvy
at debates. However, they did have
long hair. I have long hair. I voted for
them, to no avail.
It’s now Friday. I’m still sick, I’m
still constipated, and the problems at
UNL still exist. I knew all the prob
lems wouldn’t go away overnight,
but I did think at least the elections
would be over. One of the greek par
ties would be hungover, yet happy,
typing up their new resumes. But no.
The elections will continue for
another week. A AAHHHHH!!! More
words, more litter, more promises
and still, the problems of UNL will
continue - the parking, the railroad,
etc.
And I’m sure I still will be consti
pated.
Krugcrud is a senior secondary education
major and Daily Nebraskan columnist.
letter—i_-_
The Daily Nebraskan welcomes
brief letters to the editor from all
readers and interested others.
Letters will be selected for publi
cation on the basis of clarity, original
ity, timeliness and space available.
The Daily Nebraskan retains the right
to edit all material submitted.
Readers also are welcome to sub
mit material as guest opinions.
Whether material should run as a let
ter or guest opinion, or not to run, is
left to the editor’s discretion.
Letters and guest opinions sent to
the newspaper become the property
of the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be
returned. Letters should be typewrit
ten.
Submit material to the Daily Ne
braskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 R
St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448.
