OHNDN
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Chris Hopfensperger..Editor, 472-1766
Dionne Searcey.Opinion Page Editor
Kris Karnopp.. . . ..Managing Editor
Alan Phelps. ... . ... Wire Editor
Wendy Navratil.....Writing Coach
Stacey McKenzie.Senior Reporter
Jeremy Fitzpatrick..Columnist
Do unto others
UNL needs to cure, not ignore, racism
Racism is one of those things you can’t always prove. It is a
gray area in a world of colors. It is felt, but not always seen
or understood. At times, it is unintentional, but it is always
painful.
And it is here on campus. It exists — whether it’s as subtle as a
cold stare or as blatant as a prejudiced remark in or out of the
classroom.
Try as they might, the university’s students, faculty and
administrators cannot deny the fact that racism exists at the
University of Ncbraska-Lincoln.
About 1(X) students participated in a rally against racism
yesterday at Broyhill Fountain. Students encouraged their peers to
come together, unite and look
past racial boundaries. They
shared their feelings on
instances of racism at UNL.
Their words should not
oc ignored.
Jusi because race riots
haven’t broken out on campus
doesn't mean racism is non
existent. This semester alone
has brought forth evidence of
it at UNL — most recently, in
, the investigation of the disap
pearance of Candice Harms.
After being told that
Harms was seen talking to an
African-American man in class
on the day of her disappear
ance, police officers singled
out the five African-American
Bnan Shellito/DN mcn ^ ^ c)ass for on_
ing because of their race.
Earlier in the semester, results of the UNL Racial Climate
Survey offered documented proof of students’ negative feelings
about the atmosphere for minority students campuswidc.
Many other incidents of racism have undoubtedly gone un
documented but not unnoticed by minority students.
But skin color is not the only basis for prejudices at UNL.
Students with disabilities and homosexuals arc discriminated
against also.
Richards Hall, despite improvements, remains inaccessible to
students who use wheelchairs; ROTC, despite university policies
against discrimination, remains off limits to homosexual students.
Women, minorities, people with disabilities and homosexuals
arc all significantly underrepresented at upper levels of adminis
tration at UNL. The university is overwhelmingly governed by
middle-aged, middle-class white males.
This lack of diversity extends beyond the bounds of the admin
istration and faculty. Minority students find themselves alone in
classrooms, student groups and social situations.
It is a feeling non-minority students may never experience. But
it is something they must understand.
All students need to take advantage of every opportunity to
understand one another. Attend rallies, speeches and programs
that focus on minority affairs. But most importantly, lake lime to
listen.
Ending racism isn’t a complicated matter. It goes back to the
most simple rule even a child could understand: Do unto others ..
Staff editorials represent the official policy of the Fall 1992 Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by
ihc Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board Editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the
university, its employees,the studentsortheNU Board of Regents. Editorial columns represent
the opinion of the author. The regents publish the Daily Nebraskan. They establish the UNL
Publications Board to supervise the daily production of the paper According to policy set by
the regents, responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of
its students.
The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the editor from all readers and interested others.
Letters will be selected for publication on the basis of clarity, originality, timeliness and space
available. Ihc Daily Nebraskan retains the right to editor reject all material submitted. Readers
also arc welcome to submit material as guest opinions. The editor decides whether material
should run as a guest opinion. Letters and guest opinions sent to the newspaper become the
property of the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be relumed. Anonymous submissions will not be
published. Letters should included the author’s name, year in school, major and group
affiliation, if any. Requests to withhold names will not be granted. Submit material to the Daily
Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 14CX) R St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448.
Rtv-fvx “NK^ Wt
YlftKT Htoi UKE
S\iSV^ CRHCTOMHV.
\ME'RE iU^T \^FOR^1\OK1
Gcnvfc5HK(a, -WT5 fcu..
.••;• ' '; .• j
t
-1. —1—:
First-timer lives voter’s nightmare
Election day is over. But for
me, Election '92 will remind
me of one thing: If I’m ever
out of town for another election, I’ll
have to get an absentee ballot.
I forgot to gel one in time this
election year. I fell obligated to drive
1 to my hometown,
[Omaha, and vote, be
cause this was my first
election. I didn’t want
you-know-who to win.
Driving down Inter
state 80, I saw a car with
a “Bush ’92" bumper
sticker.
iiat is going through her mind?”
I asked myself chuckling, as I drove
past the happy-looking woman. She
must be on her way lo vole, I thought.
A few minutes later I drove past a
car with a “Ross Perot ’92" poster on
the back door window.
“He has got to be crazy,”1 said out
loud as 1 stared at the driver with
glaring eyes.
Perot didn’t really want to be presi
dent.
If he were elected, Perot would
think of his presidency as a hobby. He
spent millionsof dollars on advertise
ments — more than he would have
made as president for two terms.
Perot enjoyed messing with Presi
dent Bush and Bill Clinton, though.
Perot needed a vacation from work
anyway. I mean, if he could run a big
business, then he should be able lo run
a government that’s making less
money than he is, right?
If Perot had won, I would have
ostracized myself from this country
— or died — whichever came first.
Well, upon entering Omaha, I de
cided to go straight to the school that
served as my polling place.
I walked into the school and straight
lo the tables to receive my ballot.
A woman handed me the ballot and
directed me toward the voting booths.
I went inside and filled in the oval
dots. At that moment, I felt as if my
vote really counted. But at that mo
ment, it didn’t.
When I finished voting, I returned
the ballot to the woman who then
thanked me for taking time to vole.
That’s it? They just trust that ev
erybody will say who they arc, and
that’s it?
“Do 1 need to show you some kind
of identification or something,” I
asked.
The woman looked a little embar
rassed and directed me over to an
other woman who had the list of the
registered voters in that district.
“Your name?” she asked.
“Kimberly Spurlock,” I answered.
As the woman glanced through the
names and past S-P-U, she asked me
if I was a registered voter.
“Well, yes,” I said looking con
fused. I mean, I wouldn’t have come
to vote if I wasn’t registered, I thought
to myself.
She couldn’t find me on her list.
Great. I drive all the way to Omaha
from Lincoln on bad tires in an effort
to not be considered a contributor to
the failing of the United States; I
attempt to cast my vote and this is
what happens.
“Where do you live?” the woman
asked me. I gave her my permanent
address, and wailed for a reply.
“Well, we don’t go past 3()lh
Street,” she said.
I lived on 31st Street.
The woman gave me a number to
call to sec where my district’s voting
places were. But alter hearing con
tinuous busy signals, I decided to go
by my aunt’s house m chit-chat for
awhile.
When I explained to her my rca
sons of being in Omaha, she asked
who I voted for.
“She probably voted for Perot,”
her husband said laughing. Ycah, right.
We talked for awhile, and I told her
my problem. She then told me where
my grandfather voted . . . and I was
soon on my way lo-King Science
Center.
As I arri ved at the center and walked
inside, I saw neither polling booths
nor voters.
This belter be the right place. I was
filled with frustration.
“No, I’m sorry, you don’t vote
here,” a woman said.
I explained to the woman that my
aunt said my grandfather voted here.
“No, he must have voted at Martin
Luther King Elementary,” she said.
Again I was off to another school.
That night my luck had just about run
out.
“You’re not listed here,” yet an
other woman said.
By this lime I had fell like giving
up. But I couldn’t. I had some strange
feeling that my vote was the most
important vole of them all. III didn t
vole, Bush would win.
I called my other grandfather and
asked him if I received a registration
card in the mail. He said no and asked
me when I registered to vote.
1 told him in high school.
He then told me that I was sup
posed to vote where he voted because
I was living with him at the time.
Relieved, I drove to my fourth and
final destination and received my bal
lot.
I guess by then Clinton had already
won. But I still fell my vote counted.
Spurlock is a junior news editorial and
broadcasting major, a Daily Nebraskan night
news editor and a columnist.
-1
Racism
I am writing in response to Sen.
Ernie Chambers’ allegations against
the police department. This is a really
goodcxampIcofhowChambcrs blows
things out of proportion. Racism is a
big problem, but calling this event
racism — please!
Candice Harms has been missing
for more than a month and the police
are following any and all leads they
have. Candice was seen talking to an
African-American male in her class
before she disappeared so the police
arc contacting the African-American
males in her class in hopes pf maybe
getting some information to help solve
the case.
Yes, the police arc singling out
(
these men because they arc black.
However, Harms was seen talking to
a black male. If you want to call that
racism, then the United Negro Col
lege Fund is also a racist group be
cause it only gives scholarships to
Alrican-Amcricans. This group
singles out blacks.
If Harms was seen talking to a
blond white male, and the police con
tacted all people in that group, which
I’m sure they would, would Cham
bers still act this narrow-mindedly?
Probably not. You probably would
not have even heard about it.
1 he police have a hard enough job
as it is without idiotic allegations such
as these. Also, Chambers wants Jim
Gricscn, U N L v ice chancellor for slu
dent affairs, to resign because of his
response to this issue. Please!
I’m sure many voters and students
arc very impressed with Chambers
professional approach to his job, such
as making things hard for budget re
quests for UNL, for example, if Cham
bers doesn’t get answers. What a
grown-Op way to handle a job, espe
cially when you are a leader in the
state! 1 quit acting like that around age
7.
To the parents of Harms: Our hopes
arc with you. Chambers, I think it
would be best for you to resign and
concentrate on easier things like your
wardrobe. --—
Richard W. Tasl, Jr.
sophomore
criminal justice