equality, music review strike sour notes among readers
-LETTERS tTh°e EDITOR
Columbus Day
does not call
for celebration
Justice is thequality of being right,
correct; use of authority and power to
uphold what is right; lawful; imparti
ality in the administration of the law.
This is an appeal to the reader for
justice in countering the Columbus
myth.
At this time, the United Slates is
looking forward to the commemora
tion of the 500th year of Christopher
Columbus. Arriving at these shores,
let us remember the cruel policy ini
tiated by Columbus and pursued by
his European successors and perpe
trated against the Native American.
Let us remember the brutalization,
plunder and annihilation of the native
people and rape of the land itself.
White settlers deliberately prac
ticed genocide. At one lime or an
other every colony paid a bounty for
“Indian” heads or scalps. Adol f Hitler
killed an estimated 60 percent of the
Jewish population, white invaders
killed 75 percent of the native popu
lation. Those not killed outright fell
victim to disease that arrived with the
invartpre in thic ('nniltmni ..^a <<,«_
mon rum” introduced by those same
intruders, which continues to kill native
people today.
Jim Wallis, in his article; “1992; A
Call for Reconstruction,”calls for the
truth about Columbus and the era of
death and destruction that follows in
his wake. He stales:
‘Columbus did not know where he
was when he arrived in the Americas,
and didn’t know where he had been
when he relumed to Spain. The only
thing Columbus did know was what
he wanted — gold and slaves.”
Thus began an era of conquest,
genocide and slavery that is cele
brated by American school children
each October on Columbus Day as
the great adventure of discovery. And
for 1992, the 500th anniversary of
Columbus’ first voyage a giant ex
travaganza is being prepared.
At his time of commemoration,
indigenous people, African Ameri
cans, church and progressive organi
zations wish to use this time of the
quincentennial celebration as a “teach
ing moment.”
A time to educate the public about
their true history, that there was never
a time since the founding of this re
public when the motives of this coun
try were innocent.
History books need to be rewritten
to tell the truth about the past. It
should be a time for reflection on the
great sacrifice in Native peoples’ lives,
land and resources stolen away from
indigenous people. The cost in North
America was 9 million Native Ameri
can lives and more than 100 million
acres of traditional tribal land to make
the United States what it is today.
The cost of settling the western
hemisphere is the lives of untold
millions of African slaves and native
people in Central and South Ameri
can and the destruction of civiliza
tions that had existed for centuries. Is
this a cause for celebration?
A more appropriate celebration
would be a memorial to all who have
died unjustly, simply because they
were indigenous to this part of the
world.
Let this quinccntennial be a time
for healing, reparation and redirec
tion of federal policies toward in
digenous people. “A People’s His
tory of the United States” by Howard
Zinn, should be required reading for
the coming quincentenniai observa
tion. It tells the truth about the enslav
ing and extermination of millions.
Other suggested reading of some older
books that arc still relevant today are
“Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee”
uy Drown, muster uiea tor r our
Sins” by Vine Deloria, Jr. and “Black
Elk Speaks” by John G. Neihardl.
Let justice be done.
Jenice Bigbee
Lincoln
Women faculty
priceless
to UNL’s future
We have one question for the
College of Law at the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln: Given that Ms.
Hartigan, an assistant law professor,
has more publications and has more
education than her male counterpart,
Got an opinion?
The Daily Nebraskan
now is accepting applica
tions for columnists for the
fall 1991 semester. Appli
cants must be UNL stu
dents next fall.
Pick up an application in
room 34 of the Nebraska
Union and sign up for an
interview. Interview dates
arc March 20-22.
doesn’t it logically follow that she
should receive tenure? And one more
question for our university commu
nity: Haven’t we been discussing for
many long months the need for UNL
to retain more qualified women fac
ulty? Let’s not just give lip service to
the goals we set for our university.
UNL, work hard and honestly to keep
good women faculty: They are a valu
able resource we can’t afford to lose!
Connie Neal
graduate student
sociology
with 11 other concerned women and
men
Review of group
lacks reasoning,
musical knowledge
John Skrctta, it is obvious that you
know nothing about the music of Loose
Ends (DN, March 12). Loose Ends
has been recording with MCA for
several years with its own style of
UK-R&B music. It has been one of
the most respected and popular R&B
groups for years. To compare its al
bum, “Look How Long,” with the
music of BBD is absurd. If you were
to ask anyone who listens to Loose
Ends, the person would definitely tell
you that its music is a mix of smooth,
jazzy bass tracks and not the hip-hop
and pop sound of BBD.
Loose Ends is popular for its origi
nality and has never needed or tried to
replicate any other group’s music. I
suggest you sit down and try to study
the different types of R&B music
before coming up with ignorant
comparisons. I’m sure all Loose Ends
fans would agree with me when I say
that it would be more sensible to
compare Loose Ends with One World,
Caron Wheeler and Soul II Soul — all
from the UK.
Carl McIntosh, the producer of
“Look How Long,” is one of the most
successful R&B producers in the
industry today. Don’t put down his
style because you’ve probably never
heard it before, or because he has
mastered the computerized, pre-pro
grammed music of today. McIntosh
shows his expertise and creativity with
hyped bass rhythms and jazzy over
tones incorporated with African-style
drum beats full of original appeal.
It’s too bad you didn’t listen closely
to the lyrics on “Look How Long.”
The lyrics are sincere and are not in
any way trying to come from the
same angle as BBD. You failed to
mention three cuts (“Don’t Be A Fool,”
“Hold Tight”and “Time is Ticking”)
giving a positive message to hold on
to your dreams, be patient and not to
try to commit suicide if things aren’t
going your way. You missed out,
buddy. It’s obvious you didn’t do
your homework. I hear there’s extra
credit if you listen to the album again
and recognize the real talent of Carl
McIntosh and Loose Ends. It’s a shame
when talented, genuine, non-lip-sync
ing groups get less praise for their
unique style.
I’ll give Loose Ends my own rat
ing — 4.99999 (Five is excellent).
Mark K. Johnson
junior
accounting
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