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
Noble, mission
Military goal is to feed hungry Somalis
Somalia is about to get its best present ever as the United
States military embarks upon the ultimate missionary
mission — helping the hungry.
For some time now, people all around the world have been
sending food to the starving people in the African nation.
Unfortunately, groups loyal to the opposing warlords in
Somalia’s civil war have intercepted much of the food.
Agencies
already aiding the
hungry estimate that
half of the food sent to
Somalia so far has been
stolen.
Finally, after
the deaths of 300,000
Somalis this year, the
United States has
decided to send 30,000
troops to the African
nation to “restore some
semblance of order,’’
Defense Secretary Dick
Cheney said.
The plan, as
late as it comes, is
admirable. This time,
the United Slates cannot
be accused of stepping
into a regional conflict
with its own ulterior
motives. If there is
bloodshed this lime, it
scow Maurer/DN will not be in the name
of oil.
But this time is no simpler than previous U.S. involvements.
President Bush ordered the relief effort, intended to secure
Somalia’s major ports and airports, on Friday. The plan was laid
for American troops to enter the region, establish peace and
begin distributing food.
But, at the same time, relief workers were forced to withdraw
from areas that need volunteers as well as food. By Sunday,
relief workers had already sent out 100 trucks loaded with food
that has been sitting on the docks of Mogadishu’s port for a
month.
Nearly 2,000 Marines were making their preparations to come
ashore. They will be joined by soldiers from France^ Egypt,
Turkey and Mauritania. The troops will not fire unless they arc
fired upon.
For now, the United States is not in for the long haul.
“If you’re looking for the United Slates to slay until all
Somalia’s problems arc solved — it’s not going to happen,’’
Cheney said.
The mission is admirable. The United Stales must not get
mired in the political battle in Somalia. American troops headed
to Africa are to ensure that the food sent to the African nation
makes it to the people who need it.
This is not a political mission, and the United States should
not embroil itself in a violent morass.
The United Stales has the means to establish the peace —
quickly. It is the role of the United Nations to help keep it.
The No. 1 goal is to feed the hungry and save the starving.
The troops have the potential to save 2 million Somalis from
starvation.
The United States cannot afford to forget its objective, and the
mercy mission must not turn into a tangled, bloody battle.
Staff editorials represent the official policy of the f all 1992 Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by
the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. Editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the
university, its employees, the students or the NU 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 forthc editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of
its students.
The Daily Nebraskan welcomes bnef 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. I he Daily Nebraskan retains the right to edit or reject all material submitted. Readers
also are 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 returned. 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, 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448.
‘So be it’
The solution to the human rights
problem is simple. We arc all human,
and everyone should respect and ac
cept the diversity or our Earth’s
peoples.
African, Asian, Caucasian, Chris
tian, Buddhist, homosexual, hetero
sexual, male, female, whatever. Who
cares about the basic labels? We are
all human.
Yeah, yeah, 1 know some people
might pass off what I’m saying-as
hippie drivel, but the world would be
a hell of a lot better if we all just smile
at one another and say, “so be it.”
Beyond that, maybe we should all
look into someone’s eyes and pul
ourselves in their place. Feel the preju
dice, the hurt and the hatred aimed at
all of us from someone who doesn’t
understand an individual personal
culture.
Our Earth is just one planet in an
infinite number of planets. Why should
we be so divided? What happens when
we make contact with another world?
Will we still fightamongst ourselves?
Our planet must unite, but it has to
start small. First, within yourself, then
among friends, later in a community,
a city, a state, a country, a continent,
then a planet.
So during National Human Rights
Week, look inward and open yourself
to the diversity surrounding us.
Michael Svoboda
sophomore
broadcasting
"Dark side’
I must admit 1 was very amused by
the recent Sam Kcpficld column con
cerning Thanksgiving (“Stop theguilt
at Thanksgiving,” DN, Dec. 2). In
fact, I have been amused by Kcpficld’s
columns all yearlong. Now,don’tgct
me wrong. I personally like Kcpficld
and have a class with him. We just do
not share the same views on certain
issues.
I got my first union card whcn>
was 17 years old. When I was 19,1
went to work in the coal mines in
western Wyoming, and when I was
28, I was elected president of the
Western Energy Workers Union. I
have been active in the Democratic
Party and worked on many campaigns
and issues in support of the party.
Needless to say, Kcpficld and I don’t
view things the same.
I must admit I have enjoyed his
columns. In fact, I have kept most of
them in a clipping file on my living
room table. Maybe it is a fascination
with the “dark side” or just a need to
explore and learn about a new and
different way of thinking. I don’t
know. But I keep them and read them
often.
Last week after coming come from
class, I discovered that my dog had
gotten into the garbage. Now the little
mutt knows better, and I felt he needed
to be disciplined. Without thinking I
grabbed up all of Kepficld’s columns
and wrapped them in the recent issue
with the column about Thanksgiving.
Then using the column in sort of the
same club-like way that Sam docs, I
beat the poor unfortunate animal.
When I came to my senses, I
stopped to see if 1 had hurt old Shep.
I now notice two things about him that
I think arc adirccl result of the contact
with the material. First, whenever he
moves, he seems to veer wildly to the
right. Second, whenever he speaks,
his knees begin to jerk.
The power of the press is an amaz
ing thing.
Donald Wade Davis
sophomore
Teachers College
1 - •
ijrauuauon prayers
I would like to commend^\SUN
Speaker of the Senate Andrew
Loudon’s clever and provocative
adoption of cultural-diversity speak
in his AS UN resolution that was voted
down last week.
The resolution said that keeping
prayers in the graduation ceremony
would “offer a cultural and educa
tional experience by displaying dif
ferent religions’ traditions.”
Really. One might as well include
a McDonald’s commercial or a lop
10 hit single. Or yet another inspiring
passage from the writings of a dead,
white, Christian male. Or some shop
ping center Christmas music.
1 would like lo ask Loudon just
who he thinks he will be educating. It
seems to me that most of us arc well
aware that a lot of people think there
is a God. We have had ample expo
sure lo Judeo-Chrislian chanting, if
you^k me. Further inundation is not
Trcccssiiry, thank you.
\|lh^nk the nine members of the
comflTcncement committcc who voted
against the resolution for bearing in
mind the non-religious and the differ
ently religious. I thank them for un
derstanding that exposure to the fa
miliar is not educational.
If Loudon wants the ceremony lo
appeal to the majority, he should as
least be honest about it. To couch his
agenda in the jargon of the sclf-righ
leously open-minded is transparent
and silly, if not a little bit dorky.
Pohl Longsinc
senior
mathematics, computer science
Multiculturalism
Docs Kimberly Spurlock ever think
about what she is writing? I couldn’t
believe it when I read, “Malcolm X
did not condone violence but believed
in self-defense.”
It sccmsa strange coincidence, but
the Klan claimed to be against vio
lence except in cases of self-defense,
loo. I’m sure you will agree the Klan
is an evil, hate-driven organization.
Malcolm X was a militant radical.
I sec, Abraham Lincoln didn’t free
the slaves. I guess the Emancipation
Proclamation of 1862 and ’63 were
meaningless. The\fact that Lincoln
endorsed the 13th Amendment must
seem insignificant to you. Just to show
you that Lincoln was more than a
political opportunist, look at his record
as a public servant.
Lincoln first went on the record
against slavery in 1837 as a stale
senator in Illinois. During his term in
the U.S. Congress, he attempted to
abolish slavery in the District of Co
lumbia. After the passage of the Kan
sas-Nebraska Act, the future presi
dent was drawn back into politics
where he fought the movement to
expand slavery. This is what led to his
joining the Republican Party and his
winning the parly’s nomination for
the presidency.
Lincoln could have been concilia
tory and given the South what it
wanted, but true to his nature, he pul
principal ahead of all. I don’t apolo
gize for loving justice, and I don’t
apologize for all the while boys who
lost their lives securing the freedom
of slaves.
If you think Lincoln wasn’t a hero
for all Americans, there’s something
wrong with you. He was a great man,
not bccauscof his race, but because of
what he did. The last country to offi
cially abolish slavery was Angola in
I960. Slavery docs still exist, but not
here.
As for the color of Jesus, who
really cares? 1 have always believed
the leac hings of Jesus and that he gave
his life for our sins were more impor
tant.
My problem with Spurlock is that
you think of every issue as black vs.
white. Every groupof people has con
tributed to our magnificent society.
To pretend the only groups of signifi
cance arc the blacks and whiles is a
disservice to all. I hope you take ad- j
vantage of die multicultural opportu
nities on campus — you need them.
John Shuman
junior
Spanish, anthropology
