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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 27, 1990)
T Editorial (Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board University of Nebraska-Lincoln Amy Edwards, Editor, 472-1766 Bob Nelson, Editorial Page Editor Ryan Sleeves, Managing Editor Eric Pfanner, Associate News Editor Lisa Donovan, Associate News Editor Brandon Loomis, Wire Editor Jana Pedersen, Night News Editor What Others Think Ruling finally addresses homelessness A ruling this month by the New York State Supreme Court shows that someone has finally realized that the homeless problem will not just disappear. The court ruled that the state must give welfare recipi ents enough money to afford adequate housing and or dered a trial to determine whether New York’s shelter allowance is enough. Final’y, there is an answer that effectively addresses the problem. Let’s hope this ruling will prevent any of New ^ York’s 450,000 welfare recipients from having to live on the streets or in homeless shelters. Guidelines of this type should be enacted on a national level in order to guarantee all citizens their right to ade quate housing. The homeless are not all drug addicts and schizophren ics; many are families with small children who have fallen | on bad times. Many U.S. families are just one paycheck or welfare check away from homelessness, and the state of New York has found an effective way to stop the growth of the | homeless population. -• The University Daily Kansan University of Kansas Probing story about Quayle reveals joke • ‘‘It’s no joke,” says the headline of the latest issue of “Time” magazine. “This man could be our next presi i dent.” ll Yes, the magazine was referring to Dan Quayle, vice J president extraordinaire. And the probing story about 1 Quayle literally was filled with interesting anecdotes and ® stories about the veep. Our favorite was a quote given by one of Quayle’s | former college instructors. “I looked into those blue eyes, and I might as well have been looking out the window,” | he said. In light of such comments, perhaps “Time” would | have been wiser to give the article a headline such as ‘‘The Joke.” After all, that’s how we’ve always referred to him. •• lovta State Dally lewa Suite University Editor ’s goal is to convert souls A very sick slate of affairs it would be, if amateur social engineers like Amy Edwards were somehow able to implement their bizarre solutions to social problems on society. If she had her way, higher education would be little more than one grand program designed to adjust the attitudes of those who have “undesirable” opin ions. According to her, teaching stu dents math, history and chemistry is not enough. Not even “sending se lected students to retreats ” is enough. Not even a “fighting words policy” that allows slurs against Catholics, but on the other hand does not tolerate even a playful allusion to racial or sexual characteristics (a black girl riding a tricycle), is enough. No, the fundamental purpose of a university is to convert lost souls to a saving faith in Amy’s values. From what authoritative source does she claim to have obtained these “correct” val ues? Are we just to presume that she and those in her crowd are “right” and others are “wrong?” Actually, her values are the trend of the moment. Depending upon the political climate of the lime and place, these same people would probably be touting fascism if it were the right “thing to do.” Deep down I think they’re simply opportunists seeking to fit in with an “in” crowd. They also like to feel justified or at least belter than the rest of society. It’s good to be able to look down upon scummy sinners. They probably even snicker to themselves that minorities could never make it without the help of the liberal white establishment (of which they’re proudly a part) and worry about where the “great cause” would go if minorities ever refused to be kept in their place, i.c. of depend ence. They like to use words like “combat.” By “combat” they mean “gain control of the appropriate po litical apparatus, with which to squelch the free exchange of ideas.” Really, it’s just fine if these fanat ics want to speak their minds. They should be able to exercise their right to free speech. But it’s not fine when they decide that they have a monop oly on truth and can therefore start suspending students they disagree with, fining them, making them undergo “counseling,” and ultimately con vert the university into a religious revival. (Incidentally, it is also my suspi cion that the DN bunch would never print my letter intact, not only from [>ast experience, but also because the ast thing a group of losers wants is a challenge to their sacred orthodoxy.) Darin J. Knepper senior German/history education Soon-to-be-graduate lets loose Cat hair, watery mustard, interviews, pessimism fill thoughts nMay Iz,I II beoultahcrclor gcx>d. Since this is my last column, I’ve decided I'm going to be daring, pull a half-Nelson and wing it for a change. Normally, I’d have some defin able subject in mind, have the facts to back it up and end it with at least some kind of sensible conclusion. This time, whatever pops into my mind at this moment (don’t worry, this won’t take long) is what you’re going to read. In other words, I’m letting loose . .. so be prepared (cuz I’m not). Atthc moment, I’m thinking about this job interview I’ve got in about three hours from now. Since I’m gradu ating soon, this interview naturally means a lot to me. I’ve been up since 6:30 this morn ing preparing for it. However, it’s only 10:02 a m., and my got-it-to gether facade is already beginning to wilt a bit. I’ve redone my makeup two times, checked for runs in my hose every hour, hated my hair about a million times, and, oh yes . . . have so far spent about half the morning picking white cal hair off my black suit. I don’t think I’ll ever be done with that. I can just see the scenario now. The interviewers will discuss all my excellent qualifications, my commendable work record, my en thusiasm and intelligence. “She seems just right for the job,” one interviewer will say. “Yeah, but, geez, did you notice how much cat hair was stuck to her jacket?” another one will ask. “Oh, yeah, I noticed that right away. I also noticed that her hairdo wasn’t exactly right.” “Yeah, she definitely has a prob lem with hair. So, should we still consider her?” “Nope, on second thought, send 0 her a nice personalized torin letter. And don’t forget to sign it this time.” Well, if this is the way the big interview process goes, ail I have to say is: Big Hairy Deal. Something else that’s on my mind right now is cheaters. 1 really hate people who cheat on tests, on papers, on everything. 1 just ran into one this morning. This cheater’s a pretty nice person, except for the fact that he cheats. He seems to rationalize this is the way of the “real world.” Great. I can’t wait to visit this guy in jail 10 years from now.. .after he’s arrested for cheating on his income tax. IRS is the real world, bub. C.J. Schepers What I do love is people who are honest. Even if they tell me that they can’t stand the sight of my face, it still gamers more of my respect. Like my fnend Victoria. She’s never been afraid to tell me what she thinks. The first couple of times she did this though, she really bruised my ego. I could ask her anything, and she’d tell me straight off. “Carrie, hmmmm,” she’d shake her head, “well, in my opinion, ! think you’re wrong.” “Well, who asked you, you *#@!,” I’d say indignantly. “You did,” she’d remind me. I quickly learned to appreciate her honesty, and today I consider her one of my very best friends. After all, it’s extremely rare today to find friends who have the guts to be honest with you. I can only admire it. Une thing i aon t aamirc, now- i ever, is pessimism and gossip. I once worked around this kind of poison, 1 and it persisted mainly among the working women of the office. In fact, it nourished. I even fell into some of it myself. Negativity and back-stabbing has this irky ability to grow on you. You start to think that maybe this is the “real world.” But it’s not. I recommend avoiding it lor your self -- because it will only drag you down - along with the others around you. I’ve learned to follow' the simple rule of avoiding these troublemakers, because frankly - they make me sick. I’ll tell you something else that really turns me off. Watery mustard. It can really be a downer to a wholesome chicken-becf-parts, cvc rything-that’s-ediblc bologna on w hue bread sandwich. You know how that goes. You’ve got the bread, you’ve got the lettuce, you’ve got the cheese and then you reach for the mustard, thinking maybe you’ll draw something unique today - like a smiley face - on top ol your boiogna. Instead, you end up squirting wa tery mustard all over your sandwich, until you remember: “Oh, yes. I need to shake it up, for a smooth consistent application.” Sounds like I’m getting ready to paint my house or something. What I am gelling ready to do is to finish school, finish this column w ith a lew mature words of advice, and then - I’m oulta here. So at 31, here’s a hit of my wis dom: Sometimes, you’ve got to say. “What the shucks.’’ Have a happy life. Schepcrs is a senior news-editorial major and a Dally Nebraskan columnist. ||g editorial — Signed staff editorials represent the official policy of the spring 1990 Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. Its members are Amy Edwards, editor; Bob Nelson, editorial page editor; Ryan Sleeves, managing editor; Eric Pfanner, associate news editor;Lisa Donovan, associate news editor; Brandon Loomis, wire editor; Jana Pedersen, night news editor. Editorials do not necessarily re flect the views of the university, its employees, the students or the NU Board of Regents. Editorial columns represent the opinion of the author. The Daily Nebraskan’s publisher* are the regents, who established t W UNI. Publications Board to supervis ag the daily production of the paper. ^ According to policy set by the re* gents, responsibility for l^c 1 Ml contentoi the newspaper lies solciv "Mi the hands of its student editors.