_Opinion_
^ Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Chris Hopfensperger.Editor, 472-1766
Jeremy Fitzpatrick...Opinion Page Editor
Alan Phelps. Managing Editor
Brian Shellito.Cartoonist
Susie Arth. Senior Reporter
Kim Spurlock.‘.Diversions Editor
Sam Kepfield.Columnist
Voiceless
Party focuses on wrong issues, problems
It’s too early to tell what kind of election this will be, but so
far there is little hope for anything different coming from
the voices of ASUN.
The first party to announce its platform, VOICE, ft^d nothing
at all new to say. A sampling of VOICE’S proposals:
• Improving and repairing our buildings so they can be used by
all students.
An old issue. ASUN Prcsidchl Andrew Sigcrson tried to draw
attention to this problem last week. An students have been trying
to draw attention to it for years.
• Working against the inclusion of minuses in the grading
system.
A selfish issue. The party members would rather protect their
own grade point averages than the University of Ncbraska
Lincoln’s national reputation.
• Striving to hold student fees to a zero percent increase for
1994.
An economic issue. The returns students gel from their student
fees arc well worth the money spent, and a minimal increase in
the cost of living should be expected from all services.
• Investing outside donations to the university in academic
programs rather than needless artwork.
A stupid issue. People donate money specifically for artwork.
If it isn’t used to improve the aesthetics of the university, the
money can’t be used at all.
• Supporting stronger English standards for graduate assistants.
An ignorant issue, apparently VOICE thinks it can win by appeal
ing for the voles of those few students who refuse to open their
minds — or their ears.
• Increasing the number of bicycle racks in high-traffic areas.
A nonsensical issue. If students walking across campus arc
complaining about bicyclists, why put the bike racks in high
traffic areas, areas where more students arc likely to be?
• Paving existing gravel parking lots.
• Developing a student parking czar to oversee all student
parking concerns.
A dead issue. VOICE, of course, had something to say about
UNL’s ever-present “parking problem.” Despite the lagging
student interest since the “parking debate” that dominated the
,* news three years ago, the candidates wiU do their best to make it
an issue.
• Maintaining the traditions of UNL Homecoming.
A siHy issue. But while they’re at it, why not bring back the
bonfire?
• Improving snow removal priorities for students with disabili
ties.
Another done issue. ASUN took it on with a special resolution
Wednesday night.
Of course, VOICE did advance some ideas worthy of discus
sion. Candidates said they would push for recruiting additional
minority faculty, preparing a voice for students in the Nebraska
Legislature and developing minority representation on campus
committees.
But nothing VOICE said sounded new, and the party was silent
on the biggest issue facing the university — the Legislature’s
proposed cut of $14 million from the University of Nebraska’s
budget.
Staff editorials represent the official policy of the Pall 1992 Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by
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Group bridges international gap
International students have to
deal with a problem that may
seem like a minor inconve
nience, and perhaps is not understood
by a lot of students whose families,
friends and loved ones live close by.
Many of us are halfway across the
world from home. Communication is
a great problem.
Not all of us come from a highly
developed country where a letter could
be sent by priority express mail and be
received in two to three days maxi
mum. Not everyone comes from a
country linked to the United Stated by
a satellite for easily accessible phone
lines. Not everyone comes from a
country for which AT&T, MCI and
Sprint have a phone plan!
There is no plan for some of our
countries— you cannot call them just
by dialing 1 -the country codc-lhc city
codc-thc number. Often you have to
call the international operator to order
a call for a particular time. Even then
you may not get the call to go through.
Often the weather may affect the call.
All this is if your family, friends or
loved ones happen to have a phone
line in your home country, some
times it may take several years or
even as long as a decade for one to get
a line in the home. When I came to the
United States four and a half years
ago, I was quite shocked to be able to
simply call the local phone company
and get my phone line installed al
most immediately. As soon as I moved
in, my line was open and 1 could start
making calls.
It’s so nice to call your folks back
home and find out what is going on
and see how everybody is doing. The
nostalgia and depression hi is all inter
national students pretty hard, no mat
ter how long we have been here, or
how close we may be to our families,
relatives or friends. Then we pick up
the receiver and the first minute may
costas muchasS 1.80 and every minute
after that as much as $ 1.50. Of course
it is cheaper if you arc on a plan. But,
777—-1
By the time you get
to semi-deep stuff,
five minutes are
gone. So you’re left
with a minute when
your family will ask
you if you have
enough money and
if you’re healthy.
most of the time you may end up
spending approximately $10 for an
eight-minute call — if you can stop
your relatives at the eight-minute
mark.
Most of the time the conversa
tions arc not very deep: “Hi! How are
you?! (Screaming in the receiver.)
What’s the weather like over there?
Oh... 45 degrees Celsius? Here it’s
minus 20 degrees Celsius, and we
have a lot of snow... .** By the time
you get to semi-deep stuff, five min
utes arc gone. So you’re left with a
minute when your family will ask
you if you have enough money and if
you’re healthy. You never really find
the details of how they actually are.
So you have to write letters home.
Overseas 50-cent stamps are
pretty ugly, and there isn’t much
variety, so I’ve been using Elvis
stamps because my mom is fan.
Aerogrammes arc 5 cents cheaper,
but you can’t put anything inside
them. Letters take anywhere from
three days to three or four months to
gel lo some countries. Often they
never reach their destination, as has
been thecase with Russiaand the war
tom countries of Yugoslavia.
Many of UNL’s international stu
dents arc lonely. They spend a lot of
time at home because they don’t have
many friends except their fellow citi
zens. They study hard and spend a lot
of money on phone calls and on let
ters.
But quite a few of us arc interested
in improving our English conversa
tional skills and would like to spend
time doing that.
At the beginning of each semester,
the International Affairs Office gets a
large number of international students
who sign up for the English Conversa
tion Program. But there is never an
equal number of American students
who sign up to converse with interna
tional students. Even when American
students sign up, it is to converse to
students whose native languages arc
languages they themselves wish to
study — French, Spanish, Russian,
German, etc. People don’t seem to
sign up in order to help an interna
tional student get accustomed to the
everyday, idiomatic and slang “Ameri
can.
Thai’s loo bad. Meetings arc only
once a week during the semester, or as
often as you’d like. In return, you
would leam about the other person’s
culture, regardless of the language the
student speaks. You can find out more
from the International Affairs Office.
Be sure to come to the International
Student Organization’s Valentine’s
party Friday from 7 to 11 p.m. at the
Culture Center and meet some of us.
I promise this will be a great experi
ence for you. Remember that you
don’t have to travel far, UNL has
students from more than 100 coun
tries!
Obradovk is a graduate student in ere
aUve writing-poetry and a Daily Nebraskan
columnist.
AUU1 tlUll
In response lo a front-page, vin
tage Daily Nebraskan liberal, article
on Feb. 10, 1993, this is a pro-life
argument. So all you pro-choicers out
there, get ready!
First of all, Suzanne Rogcrs-Lipsey
said, “A woman doesn't decide to
have an abortion frivolously.” In con
trast, the sad fact is that some young
women do have abortions due to fright
ful, unpleasant and even hostile feel
ings. In those instances, if LB110 is
passed, factual information about
adoption, the fetus, etc. will be of
fered, along with the 24-hour wailing
period, to help the woman make a
clear, sound choice that is right for
her. And if you believe your choice
was not “frivolous," what harm would
a wailing period do? Honestly, if it’s
a correct decision that you have con
sidered seriously, won’t it still be
correct after the 24-hour waiting pe
riod? Why are you so afraid of a
simple 24-hour wait? Guilty con
science?
1 think Sen. John Lindsay ought to
be commended for his continuing ef
forts to restore morality in the human
race.
Eric J. Hmicek
freshman
biological systems engineering
I read the article (DN, Feb. 10,
1993) about two abortion-related bi I Is
that are in the Legislature, and I have
just one question to ask: What arc the
pro-choicers afraid of?
Are they afraid that women will
become educated about the develop
ment of their child and decide not to
have abortions? In what way does this
affect a woman’s right to choose?
I think it is shameful that wc arc
afraid of the truth — so afraid that wc
seek to keep it from the mother with a
very important “dccision”in her hands.
That decision is between life and
death. Shouldn’t a mother know ev
erything possible about the develop
ment of her child so that she can make
the right decision?
Rene Francis
freshman
psychology