Common sense questioned, requested by DN’s readers
Comparison
between drinking,
brutality ridiculous
Setting aside the question of ra
cism, the beating of Rodney King
was an unforgivable and absolutely
inexcusablccrime.Theedilor in chief
of the Daily Nebraskan was irrespon
sible in making such a comparison
between public attitude toward drink
ing on campus and police brutality.
I really believe that most students
didn’t care whether or not the stu
dents did it. Although it is not to
dismiss the tragic results it can bring,
drinking is a fact in college and campus
life. The calls mentioned were proba
bly motivated by politics.
Commissioner Gates is clearly
responsible for his police force and
their actions and role in society. But
he seems more concerned for his job
than Rodney King. The guilty offi
cers arc not scapegoats. They arc crimi
nals and they arc guilty. And they
must be brought to justice. Of course,
justice won’t solve the problem of
racism, but it will make the statement
clear that such brutality will ndver be
tolerated — no matter how many
incidents like it occur.
Furthermore, the Firing of Com
missioner Gates would warn all those
in charge that they must take action to
prevent suen aousc.
As a student of the university, I’m
embarrassed that the editor of this
paper would publish such a carelessly
thought-out editorial. As a human
being, I am outraged by the way he
trivialized the inhuman treatment of
another human being.
Miun Kim
senior
architecture
Why is DN
so infatuated
with O’Rourke’s?
Why is the Daily Nebraskan, spe
cifically Diversions, so infatuated by
O’Rourke’s? Just wondering.
K.J. Peters
lecturer
English
People, agencies
are available
if needed
Pat Dinslagc’s article (DN, March
14) on the “Experts’ cry for help”
brings to light an issue that most
people do not want to talk about. I
want to believe the incident was an
unfortunate, isolated case.
In my years here at UNL and in the
Lincoln community, I know there are
people and agencies who can address
the events surrounding a possible
suicide. The article prompts me to
address f hr*. issue of awareness about
such offices as the Educational Psy
chology Clinic, the Psychological
Consultation Center, the University
Health Center and the Counseling
Center who arc capable of addressing
this issue. I think Dinsiage’s negative
generalization of UNL and the Lin
coln community not being able to
respond to potential suicide incidents
is unfair and inaccurate. I know many
hard-working individuals and agen
cies who arc very sensitive to the
issues surrounding suicide.
Marty Ramirez
UNL staff
Spring break
time to make
healthy decisions
As Spring Break 1991 draws near,
we, the members of the University
Health Center Student Advisory Board,
would like to bring attention to Sur
geon General Antonia Novcllo’s press
conference of two weeks ago con
cerning college students’ “binge drink
ing” and spring break.
Although Dr. Novcllo’s request to
brewers to refrain from sponsoring
promotional items that attract under
age drinkers was favorably received,
we on the advisory board strongly
encourage all UNL students to exer
-LETTERS th°e EDITOR
cise extreme caution if they choose to
drink.
In her presentation, Novello cited
some facts and statistics that were
released from the Department of Health
and Human Services’ Office for
Substance Abuse Prevention. We
would like to share that data with you:
• Of 21 percent of all college
dropouts, alcohol plays a role.
• Of those presently enrolled in
college, somewhere “between 240,000
to 360,000” may lose their lives be
cause of alcohol.
• Many students “spend more
money on booze than on books.”
Safer sex should always be a No. 1
concern, not just at special times such
as spring break.
Remember, by safer sex we mean
condoms for males, spermicide for
females, or abstinence — each and
every time.
So, those arc the facts. Now it’s up
to you to decide your course of ac
tion. Nonetheless, for your own safety
and the safety of others, please em
ploy common sense and caution.
Have a happy and healthy spring
break!
Keith A. Malo
chairperson
University Health Center Student
Advisory Board
Have respect
for different views,
societies
I recently wrote a very sarcastic
letter to the Daily Nebraskan. To those
who were offended by my extreme
attitude, I apologize. My object is not
to offend. I just want people to open
their eyes and ears.
I’m frustrated. 1 have to keep my
mouth shut, even around my friends.
Being anti-war is very unpopular. I
have been stereotyped and put down
as less of an American.
1 really feel that the TV is the
opiate of the people. I think that let
ting a TV run one’s life is worse than
doing drugs. Look at our country.
Look at the things that we support and
do. It dictates our lives, our behaviors
and our appearance.
I got rid of my TV several months
ago and the way I view things seems
to be changing in a very unpopular
way. When I sec press coverage on
the war, it is so blatantly one-sided.
How much discussion is given to the
deaths of the Iraqis? How about their
suffering? The American people would
probably have a hard lime supporting
this war if we were being shown the
full picture. It’s sad that we seem so
content knowing so little.
The TV makes an excellent propa
ganda tool. Even the poor in this
country have them, or have regular
access to one. Whai a curse they have
become. How else could the politi
cians get the American people, who
are basically good people, to support
slaughtering thousands of human
beings? How else can they get us to
support a war that is obviously over
oil and power, despite our new envi
ronmental awareness? How many
people who wave flags and ribbons
have any knowledge of Middle East
culture, history or the motives behind
this war? America seems to be in
some kind of trance.
How can I get you to sec that these
people who arc suffering arc people
like us? Do you care? Their family
members have been killed. They have
no dependable food or water sources.
Disease is a threat because they have
no sewage system. Can you imagine
Got an opinion?
The Daily Nebraskan now is
accepting applications for
columnists for the fall 1991
semester. Applicants must be
UNL. students next fall.
l’ick up an application in
room 34 of the Nebraska Union
and ask to sign up for an
interview. The application
deadline has been extended
until Friday.
how you would feel? Can we even
begin to imagine?
All this because Saddam was a
“Hitler.” He’s still in power and kill
ing the Iraqi people, on top of what
we’ve done to them. Can you imagine
the despair? The only ones to lose this
war are the Iraqi people, and they will
continue to lose for a long time. Why
won’t we help them? Why can’t we
i
see that this is a terrible injustice? It’s
not too late to say we were wrong in
supporting this, and make amends. In
the meantime, more Iraqis will suffer
and die. Turn off your TVs, and turn
on your minds. Let’s learn from our
parent’s mistakes.
I see a nation where everybody
could have all they need, plus some.
We could export more than we im
port. We could quit burning filthy
coal and oil. We could have free
education for everybody. We could
be so great, but we choose to take a
different road.
I really love this country. It’s very
beautiful with an abundance of re
sources. If you still feel that war was
right, that is your right. All I ask for is
respect for being a man who respects
the environment and human rights.
Paul Koester
junior
horticulture
You can say many
things about Macintosh.
But “I can’t afford it” is
no longer one of them.
You can talk about how simple the
Apple* Macintosh* computer is to use. Or
how it can think the way you think. Or
how compatible it is with other computers.
But think again when the word
“expensive” comes to mind. Because it’s
just not true any more.
Introducing the Macintosh Classic*
computer. It’s the most affordable
Macintosh, yet it has all the capabilities you
need to handle basic applications, such as
word processing and spreadsheet
analysis. The Classic is a completely
integrated Macintosh system. Its monitor,
keyboard, mouse and system software are
all included, as are extras you might not
expect—such as built-in networking and
the Apple SuperDrive~disk drive, which
lets the Classic read from and write to
MS-DOS, OS/2, and ProDOS* files.
Stop in today. We’ll show you how it’s
passible for nearly anyone to afford a
Macintash. Comfortably.
/-;-\
For more information contact
The CRC Computer Shop
University Bookstore
Lower Level Nebraska Union
472-5785
_Hours: 8am-5pm_^
Watch for Big Red Apple Days April 9-12.
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