Editorial
f Daily
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Amy Edwards, Editor, 472-1766
Bob Nelson, Editorial Page Editor
Ryan Stccvcs, Managing Editor
Eric Pfanner, Associate News Editor
Lisa Donovan, Associate News Editor
Brandon Loomis, Wire Editor
Jana Pedersen, Night News Editor
Progress made
Some exceptions mark 20th Earth Day
Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote that the earth has a
skin and that skin has diseases; one of its diseases is
called man.
* And Paul Goodman described American society as an
“interlocking system of semi-monopolies notoriously
venal, an electorate notoriously unenlightened, misled by
a mass media notoriously phony.”
In the last few weeks, the American public has been
\ treated with an epic three-ring circus starring corporate
America, the U.S. media and our elected officials. A
bandwagon of sorts, the size and safety of which has not
been seen since July 4,1976.
It’s Earth Day, fellow Americans, and by now you’ve
been bombarded with the names of every business and
every politician that ever mad*; “this land a better place
for our children.” One way or another, it seems, the
American powers-that-be find ways to rape Mother
j Nature. It can make a cynic or a misanthrope of the most
pious soul.
But underneath the half-truths and blatant lies of the
I recent deluge of self-heralding, there is a little something
of which to be proud.
According to U.S. News and World Report, the last 20
years have seen some major environmental improvements.
Since 1970, federal park lands in the continental United
States have jumped from 24 million to 26 million acres.
In Alaska, 45 million additional acres have been pno
f tected. Also, the extent of waterways included in the
National Wild and Scenic Rivers has increased by more
| than 12 times.
According to the Association of State and Interstate
Water Pollution Control Administration, 47,000 miles of
rivers and streams and almost 400,000 lake acres are
| substantially cleaner than they were in 1970. Since that
time, lead emissions by automobiles has decreased 96
percent and airborne dirt has dropped by about 63 percent.
And both General Motors and Isuzu announced this
year that they have developed electric automobiles ca
Ipable of the acceleration and speeds necessary to function
in city traffic. One GM engineer believes that within 10
j years, one of the major auto dealers will market an elec
tric car.
Especially of concern to Nebraskans, the nation’s
leading cause of water pollution, agricultural chemicals,
soon may be a thing of the past. Alternative agricultural
methods, which have been proven to produce yields equal
to those gained using chemicals, are beginning to take *
root in the Midwest. As consumers demand more natural
| products, the supply of naturally produced crops surely
' will increase. The 1990 farm bill also will help make
natural farming financially possible.
It seems that beneath the hoopla, Nietzsche’s disease
actually is beginning to cure itself. Man’s historical
| weapon against nature — technology - is now being used
to heal the wounds The “notoriously unenlightened”
American public is using the “notoriously phony” media
I to make environmentally sound decisions.
Certainly, the cynic or misanthrope still has the clearest
Eand mankind. But the 20 years of Earth
lat exceptions — even to human nature —
: rule. For that reason, Sunday is a day
idc celebration. Happy 20th anniver
- Bob Nelson
for the Dady Ntbraskan
■£ditqsM=- "=
The Daily Nebraskan welcomes
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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
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Letters and guest opinions sent u
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the Daily Nebraskan and cannot t>
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braskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 F
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I
‘rEb^UiT* ©*/*/*
■nMHHMHH
College too mature for name-calling
Former John Denver look-alike now ignores derogatory names
46fjr cy, shorty!!!, Yea you, the
1""1 one with the dwarf-like
hands, get over here.”
Way back when I was in fourth
grade, I had a big problem - I was
short. Not just short, but 1 was small,
puny, waif-like, and wore wire-rim
glasses. Actually, I looked something
like a miniature John Denver, way
before I approached the stud-like
proportions I possess today.
Anyway, I was known around
Stewart Elementary as “shorty.” How
humbling. All day long 1 was ad
dressed as shorty. Not Kurt,or buddy,
or pal, or any of those “Leave it to
Beaver” friendship names, just
“shorty.”
I'd lie in bed at night and cry. I
hated the world. 1 haled my dad. “Why
do I have to be so short?’ ’ The world
is so unfair, I thought.
My parents w ould reassure me that
things weren’t so bad, that I’d grow,
and soon I’d be taller than everyone
else. With my mind at case, I’d sleep
and dream of being taller and not
having to look like John Denver. Some
day I’d be big.
Yet, as soon as I got to school, it
started again, “Hey shorty, hey midget,
hey dwarf, hey stubby, etc.”
One big bully in particular, that 1
remember, was named Mike. He was
in the fourth grade, but you wouldn’t
know it. He was tall, big, had biceps
and did not wear glasses. Obviously,
he haled miniature John Denvers.
He called me every derogatory short
name in the book and a few more he
invented. I haled him. 1 hated his
clone friends who all chimed in, “Hey
shorty.”
Every recess I heard, “Hey runt,
worm, stumpy, pony keg.”
Enough was enough. I told my
teacher, but she said to just ignore
them,and they’d quit. Didn’t work. So
I went over my teacher’s head and
told my principal that Mike and his
friends called me shorty, that I was
scared of them, that I did not like
> being called shorty, etc. The pnnei
r
pal assured me that Mike would be
spoken to.
Mike and I both were brought into
the office. The principal asked Mike
what names he'd been calling me.
“ lust shorty,” Mike replied, “I don’t
mean anything by it, just calling him
a nickname.” The principal took all
this in, and instructed Mike not to cal I
me names on the playground any
more.
After school, on the way home,
Mike was waiting for me. As he beat
Kurt
Krugerud
me up, his friends cheered and repeat
edly called me shorty, stubby, dwarf,
etc. Mike told me it would be best not
to say anything or I’d get what for.
My dad w'as not pleased with my
black eye and told me to fight back.
“Hit him back. W hat the hell’s wrong
with you? Call him a lew names.”
“That’s against the rules of the
playground.”
“Well just hit him w hen no teach
ers are around,” dad said.
I had it all planned. Before sch(X)l
I'd call Mike a lummox and then hit
him m the stomach and run. I just
haled that guy and in my dreams I
repeatedly beat him w ithin an inch of
his lif^ and made him beg for mercy,
kiss my shoes and give me money.
All his bully friends would hold me in
reverence. 1 would be the leader of
the playground.
The next morning, I called Mike a
brute, a loser and tried to hit him. He
hit back, and the fight began. Teach
ers broke us up and look us to the
principal’s office. He yelled at us. We
had to slay after school one day, and
if we ever were caught calling each
other names we would get three days
after sch(X)l. Ouch.
For the rest of the year, we never
uttered a word to each other. Yet, if
one could read minds, the things lhe> d
Icam.
The years flew by, and I now find
myself at the university. I’m still short.
No one (except our glorious Corn
huskers) arc perfect, so I live with
being short. I don’t like it much, but at
least no one calls me names remind
ing me of the fact.
My friends sometimes tease me,
and yes, there have been a few times
when strangers like some drunk ath
lete, will tell me,"Move, shorty."
And depending on his si/c, I might
mouth off some lewd comment, or
just sneer at him. But for the most
part, “shorty” seldom is heard.
College students no longer arc in
elementary school. 'Vc don't need
playground rules. I’m sure college
students arc conscious, educated and
caring enough not to bother w ilh namc
calling. People may entertain the
thought that, “Man, there’s that stubby
columnist, v hala jerk.” And there is
not much I can do to stop one’s
thoughts.
And even if I was called some
shortish name, 1 really wouldn't care.
The name-caller has the problem, not
the person being named.
Currently, the University of Nc
braska-Lincoln is trying to institute a
“lighting words" policy. The minds
behind this think that a playground
rule will eliminate name-calling ol a
lewd, obscene, vulgar, profane, de
famatory, insulting or fighting na
ture. Could be, but the minds behind
this policy think that absence of name
calling eventually will eliminate rac
ist, sexist and prejudice thought. I
doubt it.
Mature minds do not resort to nanie
calling.
I don’t call people names, but if
you call me shorty I wish you could
read my mind.
Krugerud is it senior secondary education
major and a Ilaily Nebraskan columnist.
lette^-=;
t The Daily Nebraskan welcomes
. brief letters to the editor from all
' readers and interested others.
’ Letters will be selected for publi
I cation on the basisof clarity,original
ity, timeliness and space available.
. The Daily Nebraskan retains the right
. to edit all material submitted.
Readers also arc 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
ol the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be
returned. Letters should be typewrit
ten.
Anonymous submissions will not!
be considered lor publication. Letters!
should include the author’s name,!
year in school, major and groupaffih-1
ation, if any. Requests to withhold!
names will not be granted. I
Submit material to the Daily Ne-Hj
braskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 14(H) F !
St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448.
