The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, January 24, 1991, Page 3, Image 3
Journalists recount war coverage experience By Jeremy Fitzpatrick Staff Reporter Reporting near the front lines in Saudi Ara bia didn’t always mean giving the audience at home a bird ’s-eye view of the war, two journal ists said Wednesday. At a forum sponsored by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Academic Senate, the jour nalists agreed that freedom of the press to cover the war was a problem. MikeMcKnight of WOWT Channel 6 and Mary Williams of KMTV Channel 3 traveled to Saudi Arabia in late December to cover the 55th Reconnaissance Wing based out of Offut Air Force Base in Bellevue. They said that during their stay in Saudi r .. — ■■■■ ■ ■ - Arabia, they were always accompanied by public affairs officers from the United States and Saudi Arabia who monitored their stories. “You are not allowed to travel freely in the country,” McKnight said. “No one really knows what is going on in the front lines because the press is not allowed there.” Williams said, “You see what they (the military) want you to see. You get more feature stories than hard news.” “I believe journalists understand there are some things we can’ t report,” she said. “But the military is holding a lot back.” McKnight said he thought some in the mili tary believed the media had hurt military ef forts in Vietnam. “They are not going to let this be another Vietnam in that regard,” he said. The two journalists showed a brief film of soldiers talking about their experiences and sending greetings to their families. The journalists said the morale of the troops was good. “The soldiers are homesick, of course,” Williams said, “but they were generally up beat.” McKnight said there was a lot of camarade rie among the troops. “They want to get it all over with and come home,” he said. “The soldiers were all very scared inside, but they realize what they signed on for and are ready to do their jobs,” Williams said. The two journalists said Saudi Arabia was a very different country from America. Williams said she in particular felt the dif ferences between our two cultures. “Women are not equals there,” she said. Williams said she was not allowed to drive, couldn’t pay the bill in a restaurant and was forced to wear a long black robe when she was off base. “But the women there seem accustomed to it,” Williams said. McKnight described the Saudis as “cool and removed.” He said they didn’t like their coun try being filmed and weren’t receptive to Americans. “You got the idea they were tolerating us,” McKnight said. . Doc Homar/Daily Nabraakan Social Studies UNL freshman Greg Gray studies his Education Sociol ogy notes in Henzlik Wednesday morning. Commission Continued from Page 1 could include the addition of doctoral programs at the University of Ne braska at Omaha and master’s degree programs at the University of Ne braska at Kearney, Chadron State Col lege and Wayne State College, the bill says. The commission’s comprehensive plan would include admissions stan dards, tuition and fees and financial aid policies. The commission also would pri oritize capital construction requests to the Nebraska Legislature. NU capital construction projects currently are prioritized by the NU Board of Re gents and go straight to the Legisla ture. Scherer said the regents still would prioritize projects at NU, but would be supervised and coordinated by the commission. He said the bill to create a more powerful commission would not take original supporters by surprise be cause there is a “strong notion by both the Legislature and the people that the state needs a stronger commis sion.” Wood said he is“generally pleased with the language in the bill.” He said some “fine-tuning” might be needed to ensure that the commis sion’s powers under the bill agree with the powers granted to it under the constitutional amendment. -POLICE REPORT-1 Beginning midnight l uesaay, Jan.22 11:30 a.m. — Wallet stolen. Cook Pavilion, S22. 1:14 p.m. — Three buckets of soap stolen, Hewit Academic Center, $180. 1:22 p.m. — Two hubcaps sto len from car, 19th and S streets, $40. 1:33 p.m. — Fire alarm cable accidentally cut, Ruth Staples Child Development Laboratory. 3:22 p.m. — Fire alarm acci dentally tripped, Abel Residence Hall. 4:10 p.m. — Auto accessories stolen, Harper/Schramm/Smith complex parking lot, $50. 4:17 p.m. — Coal stolen, Lee & Helene Sapp Recreation Facility, $227. Hesolution introduced Senators urge respect for flag By Tabitha Hiner Senior Reporter Supporters of a resolution intro duced Wednesday in the Nebraska Legislature to protest desecration of the U.S. flag are hoping the war in the Middle East will further their cause, one of the resolution’s proponents said. Sen. Stan Schellpeper of Stanton said the timeliness of the resolution may help it pass the Legislature. “I think especially since we’re having this conflict in the Middle East, that it’s only right that we stand up for the flag,” Schellpeper said The resolution may have had a Dean to provide ‘Food for Thought’ Karen Craig, dean of the Univer sity of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Home Economics and a professor of consumer science and education, will be the speaker for the first spring semester “Food for Thought” pro gram Friday. Craig and other speakers in the spring brown-bag luncheon will ad dress the question, “If not by bread alone,... then what else?” She wili give her perspectives on what is needed for a fully human life, once the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter are met. The lunch will begin about 11:30 a.m., and the program will start at about noon. ASUN Continued from Page 1 of our generation and we need to discuss it.” But Chris Potter, College of Arts and Sciences senator, disagreed, say ing he thought ASUN was overstep ping its boundaries. ‘‘I don’t think we were elected to make pronouncements on acts of for eign policy,” he said. A resolution supporting student soldiers in the Persian Gulf was passed, however. The resolution expressed concern for the student soldiers and hope for their safe return and smooth transi tion back into their classes. Two government bills authorizing the Government Liaison Committee to lobby in ASUN’s interest also passed. One stated ASUN’s opposition to legislation that would subject NU regents to the possibility of recall. ASUN also voted to lobby the Legislature to delay until next year action on a bill creating higher educa tion learning centers in Scottsbluff and Grand Island. Next year a strength ened Nebraska Coordinating Com - mission for Postsecondary Education will be in place, the ASUN bill states, ensuring that there would be no dupli cation between the learning centers and other postsecondary programs. Senators also passed an amend ment to require election of students to the Committee for Fees Allocation. Currently, CFA members are ap pointed. CFA candidates will have to run in ASUN’s spring elections, but inde pendent of student election groups. Legislation recommending park - ing improvements on East Campus and scholarships for black South African students also passed. tougher time before the crisis, he said. Sen. Elroy Hefner of Coleridge, who introduced the resolution, agreed that the timing may help the resolu tion. U.S. patriotism is high, he said, adding, “we see so many people flying their flags right now.” “A flag is a symbol of liberty and freedom and we need to respect it,” he said. Sen. LaVon Crosby of Lincoln, one of the 14 other senators who signed the resolution, also said that the American symbol should be pre served. “To take it and stomp on it . . . shows disrespect,” she said. Although flag desecration was permitted by the 1989 Texas vs. Johnson U.S. Supreme Court deci sion, the resolution states that “the flag is not private property subject to a private prerogative to maim or de spoil in the passion of individual protest.” If the resolution receives legisla tive and gubernatorial approval, the Legislature will petition the U.S. Congress to propose an amendment to the Constitution. The amendment would allow Congress and the states to prohibit desecration of the U.S. flag. RqIIv you’re right,” he said. J Traver said people may have Continued from Page 1 questions as to why the United at war.” States is in the gulf, but now is not Traver said that in limes of the time to ask them, war, people cannot be divided in “We are at war. Support the their support. troops now, and after it is over, ask “Don’t be ashamed of your feel- questions and demand answers if ings. If you support the troops, necessary ” Vie said. \ fe FreekAilcrocoinpiiter Classes I 5 The Computing Resource Center is offering a JS B§ free microcomputer seminar to UNL students. The | ■ seminar will feature an introduction to WordPerfect on f No Reservations Required The seminar will be held in the Sandoz micro B computer lab. I WordPerfect on the IBM I I Thursday, January 24 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. § Where specials are the same all day, every day _________ Prime Time | Special | Each Additional 10" Pizza $2.50 | Each Additional 14" Pizza $4 50 j 475 l 6363 Everyday Two-fers j --- ! I l l I I I i I I Each Additional 10" Pizza $2.50 | Each Additional 14" Pizza $4.50 I | 475- j | 6363 j