T EditorialNelwakkan
UUJLivrXlUl Tuesday, May 1,1990
(Daily
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoin
Amy Ldwards, Editor, 472-1766
Bob Nelson, Editorial Page Editor
Ryan Sleeves, Managing Editor
Brie Pfanner, Associate Mews Editor
Lisa Donovan, Associate Mews Editor
Brandon Loomis, Wire Editor
Jana Pedersen, Might Mews Editor
Court was limited
Ruling dictated by ASUN Constitution
The UNL Student Court decided Sunday that there is no
room for interpretation in the ASUN Constitution to
allow Sandy Haughton to serve as a senator for the
Division of Continuing Studies.
Continuing studies students began paying student fees this
3 year so they were given a senate seat for the first time.
Haughton was elected ASUN senator for the division, but
later was informed she could not serve because a rule stated
that to be eligible for the senate, a candidate must “be regu
larly enrolled as a full-time student, either as an undergraduate
3 or graduate student.” A full load is 12 hours. Haughton carries
six.
The student court dismissed the request, stating that,
when the language of the constitution is plain and unambigu
ous in its meaning, there exists no room for interpretation.”
Association of Students of the University of Nebraska Presi
dent Phil Gosch said he is disappointed with the court’s
I decision.
(“Perhaps there’s a greater leeway m the interpretation or the
constitution than the court chose,’’ he said.
It seems that sadly enough, the student court had no leewayv
Us job is to interpret the constitution. It would be quite difficult
to interpret 12 hours as meaning six hours, or full time as
meaning part time. The student court was bound by uninterpre
table language -- namely, numbers.
This certainly is not to say that Haughton should be denied
i her seat in the senate. Less than 1 percent of the approximately
3 800 division students meet the 12-hour requirement. The other
99 percent still pay fees and still deserve representation. These
| students have a right to control where their student fees are
spent.
But the only method to get this vote is by amending
the ASUN Constitution. For Gosch, Haughton and all others
| concerned, this means the painful process of gathering signa
tures from 5 percent of the student body to force a student vote.
» Not much fun, especially considering the time of year.
Gosch and Haughton’s reaction to the student court decision
« is understandable considering the route they now must take.
1 But the student court did everything they could. Now it’s up to
the students to do all they can to help gain a vote for the
Division of Continuing Studies.
- Bob Nelson
for the Daily Nebraskan
Military’s homophobia debated
“Be all thal you can be.” How
many limes do we hear that slogan in
our lives? It is a catchy phrase used to
advertise the U.S. Army, but after
reading the letter by Douglas J. Shonka
(DN, April 18) I get the d 'linct im
pression that these are just empty
words trying to lure young people
into the ranks of an institution based
on prejudice and hypocrisy.
Douglas makes a point to criticize
AS UN for not understanding the
military’s role. Strangely though,
Douglas himself seems ignorant to
what the military’s role is. “The
military’s purpose is to win wars in as
efficient manner as possible - not as
a case study for a social experiment. ’ ’
Well isn’t that special. Warmongers
are in the military. Isn’t the TRUE
and intended purpose of the military
to defend the United States? If Douglas’
definition of the military’s role is
seen as correct, then the military has
not fulfilled its purpose.
Homophobia docs exist in our
culture and that certainly includes the
military'. Until we understand homo
sexuals, we cannot except them. To
“be all that you can be,’’ one must
conquer many fears, from working on
helicopters, jumping from planes,
driving tanks, being shot at, and a
multitude of other super-malc-ego
things thal arc fed to our young people
by way of the airwaves and printed
media. The people in the military
need to have the REAL courage to
make adjustments in their attitudes.
Douglas, your letter reeks of
homophobia. If you believe that co
hesiveness of a unit is important, why
is it detrimental to have a gay in the
unit? They are people just like any
one else, and arc just as capable as
heterosexuals to learn the skills that
are mandatory for military action.
There would be no problem if you
weren’t prejudiced against them. If
our society promoted, understood and
accepted gays, their security risk
wouldn’t be as big a problem.
You feel your rights would be in
fringed upon if you were forced to
serve with a homosexual? Oh, give
me a break,you sniveling crybaby!
You’ve never had to do something
you didn’t like in the military?
You may think of me as poorly as
you do ASUN, Douglas, but I think
that puts me in pretty good company.
I’d like people to reali/.c as well that
Douglas never supported his claim
that ASUN senators are “self-impor
tant, resume stuffers.’’ That too is
just another one of his childish at
tempts to justify his prejudices. In
this instance, ASUN has the interest
of people in mind, not their resumes.
They are tak ing a com mcndablc stand
against the institutionalized prejudice
that exists in the military.
Just try reading Douglas J. Shonka’s
letter substituting the words “gays”
or “homosexuals” with the word
“blacks” or “Jews” and I think any
reasonable human would see the foul
garbage that is his prejudice.
It takes more courage to change an
unfair system that one is a part of,
than to fight a war against those who
oppose it.
James A. Zank
junior
arts and sciences
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Test grades really do matter
Finals week dampens student’s normally bright outlook on life
olummst s note: Following the
tradition of other columnists
this week, this column may
contain cheesy reflections on the end
of the school year and corny refer
ences to the past.
I guess I’ve been pretty lucky so
far in my life. Early returns tell me
I’m doing okay.
I get that feeling because, despite
the occasional disappointment, I’ve
been fairly successful at most every
thing I do. That doesn’t mean I’m
terrific at everything I do, but I don’t
feel I’ve ever truly met with fall-on
my-face failure.
Maybe it’s just my outlook. I tend
to see things from the brighter side. I
tend to find silver linings in the gray
est of clouds. I tend to brush off poor
test grades with a “next time I’ll
study harder.’’
But this lime of year always gets
me down. This time of year means
there arc no more next times in tests.
That’s what the word “finals” is all
about. At no other time during the
semester do I have the potential to
blow anywhere from one-fifth to one
third of my grade in one afternoon.
The optimist in me says, “Hey,
test grades don’t matter that much
anyway. Potential employers want
experience and your kind of attitude.
They don’t care about grades. You
can always sock it to ’em with a
snappy interview.”
And the naive one inside me adds,
Besides, you have a few years to go.
You can always make up for it later. ’ ’
But the truth is, grades do count
for something in the post-college world.
The realist in me tells the optimist my
grades might be what gels me that
interview. The mature one tells the
naive one there’s no true way to erase
that bad grade; even a removal carries
an asterisk.
So, this is the time of year when
my stomach, along with the rest of the
campus’ stomachs, gets growly, be
cause even if my track record shows a
majority of successes, there are just
enough failures out there to make me
shaky.
Take, for example, an event dur
ing my senior year of high school.
Pedersen
I was a member of my high school
gymnastics team, and we were solid
contenders for the state champion
ship. Our toughest competition didn’t
come from other teams, it came from
our own teammates. And now the
veterans, including me, were com
peting head lo-head with some up
and-coming sophomores and fresh
men for spots on individual events.
Although I’d secured a place on
the team, I really wanted to compete
in all four events, as I had the previ
ous year. But I knew the younger
gymnasts were better than me in some
spots, especially the balance beam.
So, I got this great idea: Throw a
big trick, wow ’em, grab the last open
spot on the beam. For me, that big
trick was a back flip.
It was the conference champion
ship, two short weeks before the stale
meet and the last sure time for me to
compete on the beam. The coach al
ready had hinted I’d lose my spot to
one of the younger gymnasts if I didn’t
nail that back flip.
I was reasonably secure about the
trick. I’d done it in practice dozens of
times. But from the start of my rou
tine, I was shaky - a wobble here, an
unsure step there. And then there I
was, poised, lingers tingling, doing
my in-the-head countdown.
One. Two. Three.
I jumped. I flipped. Both feet
touched the beam. I bent my knees to
steady the landing. But when 1 rocked
back on my left heel, I discovered it
was slightly off, and I dropped four
feet to the mat.
So, my balance beam career came
to an end, and every time I’m faced
with similarchallenges.Igc' that old,
back-flip feeling again.
This week, I’m feeling that way
often. My so-called dead week is loaded
with two final project deadlines and
one final exam.
I just know no matter how hard or
late I study, that back-flip feeling will
nag me until the end. And then there
will be that moment when! check my
left heel to see if I’ve made it.
About the time that blue computer
sheet has lines of gray dots all over it,
I’ll start second-guessing myself. If
only I’d studied harder or earlier. If
only I’d done belter on that first lest
back in February. If only ...
One of my favorite Peanuts car
toons shows Charlie Brown helping
Sally with her homework.
Sally says, “It’s going to be a
history test, and I need your help.
Fortunately, I think it’ll probably be
mystical choice.”
“Multiple choice,’’ Charlie Brown
corrects.
And Sally says, “Whatever.
Sally’s right. There is a certain
mysticism about exams. And I guess
the only way to get away from that
back flip feeling is just toget through
it.
Okay. Here wc go.
One. Two. Three.
Pedersen is x sophomore advertising major
and a Daily Nebraskan night news editor and
columnist.
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 arc Amy Edwards, editor;
Bob Nelson, editorial page editor;
Ryan Sleeves, managing editor; Eric
Pfanner, associate news cdilor;Lisa
Donovan, associate news editor;
Brandon Loomis, wire editor; Jana
Pedersen, night news editor. ■
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