Opinion
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
Dead end -
AS UN efforts come too late for action
Students looking to right the wrongs done to them by
professors who violate dead week policies may hit a dead
end if they try to solve their problems now.
Association of Students of the University of Nebraska Sen.
Leslie Strong has been appointed to handle complaints from
students about dead week policy violations.
During dead week, which starts Monday, professors are
prohibited from giving most exams and assigning papers.
Strong will look over students’ complaints and contact profes
sors who violate the rules of dead week. Strong said no com
Dlaints had been filed vet. but she cxnccted lo ect some next
week.
But there is one problem.
“Unfortunately, it’s kind of after the fact,” Strong said. “I can’t
fix it this semester, but I can contact the professors and tell them
not to repeat the violation next semester.”
Instead, students should have gone directly to the source before
now. Professors will listen to complaints. If they don’t, UNL’s
ombudsperson has the power and authority to find a solution to
the problem.
Students need to be aware of dead week policies before the last
two weeks of the semester. ASUN should be commended for
placing classified ads in the student and faculty newspapers to
inform people about the rules.
But UNL students should take the responsibility on themselves
to know their rights and the proper channels to follow to make
sure those rights are protected.
Child support
Bill would guarantee college opportunity
Not every idea about educational funding in the Legislature
is bad. In fact, the bill Sen. Chris Beutler of Lincoln is
thinking about resubmitting could be very beneficial to
some students.
The bill, killed last year because of higher priority issues,
would require non-custodial parents to keep making child-support
payments until the child was 22, if the child was a full-time
student. Now, non-custodial parents have no obligation to support
or help fund a child’s education once the child reaches 19.
This year’s bill may not be identical though. Beutler is consid
ering some good revisions to last year’s version. One revision
would have the money sent to the school rather than the custodial
parent. That would be more appropriate and palatable for non
custodial parents. They can know exactly where their money is
going.
The idea is not without its faults however.
Some parents choose not to pay for their children’s education
at all. If the state requires a non-custodial parent to help pay for
their children’s education, it should guarantee that amount is
matched by the custodial parent.
And some non-custodial parents continue to dodge child
support payments. That problem must be controlled before the
ctofo pan pvnnpl In fnrpo lhr»m In fiinH a philH’c piiiipalmn
A number of custodial parents have approached Bcullcr, he
said, saying they felt their ex-spouses were not making a fair
contribution to their children’s education.
But Bcullcr said many non-custodial parents don’t object to
helping pay for education and don’t think the bill is necessary. If
passed, however, the children of parents who don’t plan on
helping pay for school would have a better shot at an education.
After all, the parents’ relationship with their child is not a finan
cial obligation that should end once the child reaches a certain
age. _
Staff editorials represent the official policy of the Fall 1992 Daily Nebraskan. Policy is tel by
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-H
Star TVek
Given a choice, I would much rather
c live in the world portrayed by “Star
Trek: The Next Generation,” a true
meritocracy with an active, fair ethi
cal framework, than the finger-point
ing, politically correct dystopia advo
cated by Krejci (“Star Trek,” DN,
Nov. 30). “Star Trek” may be a visual
portrayal for our society, but it cer
tainly is not a portrayal of our society,
any more than westerns are. Krcjci’s
i analysis of the show is fatally flawed
l in this respect.
The idea that a “white male con
spiracy” is somehow in control of the
Federation is ridiculous. Watch any
of the shows where Picard is commu
nicating with his superiors at Starflcet
Command. A majority of the admi
rals in Starflcet are women, minori
ties or aliens and are portrayed as
highly competent and loyal. A large
number of societies the Enterprise has
encountered are governed by women.
To denigrate the acting talents of
the blacks on the show by accusing
them of hiding behind masks is, at
best, absurd. Geordi LaForge became
rhmf AnrririAAr nf tkn Cnf AmfinA k . . kin
superior technological skills com
pared with the white male who filled
the role in the first season.
LaForge is not hidden behind his
visor any more than a blind person is
hidden behind a sccing-eye dog or a
paralyzed person behind a wheelchair.
He is portrayed as a shining example
of the ability of people to overcome
their disabilities, thus serving as a
doubly effective role model. Michael
Dorn, the black actor who plays Lt.
Worf, may wear a lot of makeup, but
not to hide him from the audience.
Dorn plays a Klingon; he does not
play a black man dressed up as a
Klingon. His makeup is no more a
mask than Spock’s Vulcan ears.
1 have already discussed the large
number of women in the command
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tack on Crusher as an example of a
stereotypical, caregiver role deserves
refutation. Since when is a female
medical a stereotype? Entry of women
into the professional ranks of our so
ciety, whether as doctors, engineers,
lawyers or business people is to be
applauded, not attacked.
Crusher’s staff also includes male
nurses, a further example of the “ism
less” society “Star Trek” tries lopor
tray. Both Crusher and Deanna Troi,
the ship’s counselor, carry the rank of
commander, outranking everyone on
the ship except Picard and Riker.
Krejei also mentions Wesley
Crusher as a further example of the
so-called white-male conspiracy and
claims there are no equivalent fe
male, minority or alien counterparts
I direct Krejei to the episode where
Wesley first applies for Starfleet Acad
emy — and gets beaten out by an
alien. Or the show where an error in
judgment on Wesley’s part almost
costs him his career. Or the recent
show wherein Alexander, the Kiingon
son of Worf, helps save the ship from
piracy. Crusher is neither perfect nor
unique.
“Star Trek” is getting a lot less
credit from recent writers than it de
serves. In their zest to deconstruct yet
another set of ideas, they arc totally
missing the goal of the show. We live
in a flawed world, amidst racism,
sexism and violent crime.'
The point of “Star Trek” is not to
directly address the woes of today as
if it were a fairy tale or futuristic
morality play — it shows us a society
without such evils. The show’s goal is
to paint a picture of what is possible
— to point us in the direction of what
our lives and society could be like, if
we could learn to let go of the divi
sion, the hate, the prejudice and the
finger-pointing and get down to the
task of living and working together to
make life better for everyone.
Matthew Wigdahl
graduate student
mechanical engineering
Sexual harassment
I agree with Sam Kcpficld that
without a practical understanding of
the nature of sexual harassment and
assault, society and the law can vic
timize men as a group. Of course, I
also agree this is wrong.
However, Kcpfield’s column, as
usual, lacked follow-through logic,as
well as examples of his main point—
proof. He did not cite any of the proofs
a woman could provide in a situation
where there arc no wi messes and where
often there is not physical contact
between victim and perpetrator. It is
this very nature of the situation that
encourages sexual harassers and as
sailants.
Kcpficld’s column was written
from the perspective of a potential
victim of false accusation. He says
sexual harassment should be stopped
because it reflects badly on men. In no
way docs he indicate such crimes
should be stopped because they injure
the victims.
While Kcpficld clearly delineates
Paula Coughlin as a good accuser and
I
Anita Hill as a bad one, he offers only
the timeliness of their accounts as the
distinction between them.
I must leave it to persons experi
enced in counseling the victims of
rape, incest and harassment to explain
to Kepfield the gross ignorance of this
criterion. Except for Coughlin, not
one of the women Kepfield mentioned
came forward on her own or ever*
made a formal accusation.
Each woman simply told what hap
pened to her — or what she contends
happened to her: an attack on her
dignity and physical integrity by a
public figure.
Kepfield obviously is not that open
minded. His response to Rape/Scxual
Assault Awareness Week was to write
a misinformed and insensitive col
umn where self-interest wasonce again
his sole motivation. Meanwhile, the
mistrust between men and women
continues as so-called innocent per
sons like Kepfield insist upon main
taining an atmosphere where sexual
harassment and assault can flourish.
Joan Ratliff
Lincoln
Conservatives
Conservatives are not afraid to
stand up for what they believe in the
pages of the Daily Nebraskan, con
trary to Jon Bruning’s challenge
(“Conservatives, come out of closet,”
DN, Nov. 16). We just don’t take the
DN seriously. There is no question in
my mind that the editorial staff at the
DN has an extremely liberal agenda
and docs not merely intend to publish
an informative and entertaining news
paper. The gaudy excesses paraded in
Diversions each Thursday arc proof
enough of that. I admire Sam Kcpficld
for submitting such thoughtful and
powerful columns to people who ap
pear to think of him simply as their
token conservative viewpoint.
If we conservatives are to win the
war of morality, it will not be through
skillful rhetoric, loud demonstrations
or political clout. It will be because
we truly love our country and our
fellow man and arc totally devoted to
the truth. It will be because we arc
willing to carry more of the burden on
our own shoulders instead of blaming
everyone else.
It will be through the sincerity of
our concern and because others can
find no contradictions in our lives.
Moreover, this battle is a spiritual one
and as such it will only be won on our
knees. May the frayed fabric of our
country’s morality be healed before
we reap the full consequences of our
actions.
v.r :zjr:: " - ;
Perry Sink
senior
electrical engineering
