01 j SJTON Nebraskan
^ 1 Friday, March 5,1093
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
“There still will have to be budget cuts. There's
no way around that. ”
— State Sen. Scott Moore, after Nebraska’s projected $65
million budget gap was reduced by $33 million.
“It's really sad when top high school students
have to look elsewhere... when the university no
longer looks attractive for the best and brightest. ”
— UNL freshman Julie Duerfeldt, who had to change her major
to pre-physical therapy after last year's budget cuts eliminated the
sports medicine program.
“One of my greatest fears is that (university
administrators) are going to cut major programs
and faculty to the point that students will have to
leave the university. ”
— ASUN President Andrew Sigerson.
“They talk the talk, but they don’t walk the walk. ”
— Gabriel Lardizabal, evaluating the performance of ASUN
officials after they are elected.
“Since the football program generates millions
of dollars and the function of the program is to
maintain a winning football team, it’s only
reasonable that these young men get something in
the way of a cash return. ”
— Sen. Ernie Chambers, justifying his proposed bill that would
require UNL to provide a stipend to its football players.
“There’s a pretty good crop of running backs
and there’s not a high demand for them in the first
round. ”
— Craig Ellenport, Sport Magazine's college football writer and
the former editor in chief of College & Pro Football Newsweekly,
evaluating the draft prospects of Nebraska running back Derek
Brown.
“Even a man like Christ has to meet with
unbelief. ”
— David Koresh, Branch Davidian cult leader, who claims to be
Jesus Christ.
“A condom would work better to prevent disease
than a stick of bubble gum. ”
— Catherine Yronwode, editor for Eclipse Enterprises non
fiction, on the company’s decision to include condoms with its new
line of AIDS cards.
“Kevorkian seems to enjoy his role as
Michigan’s resident Grim Reaper, but what he’s
doing is wrong. By killing people he’s playing
God.”
— Michigan Sen. Doug Carl
1 am so numb that I can’t fool anger. ”
— Ernest DiGiovanni, whose brother John was killed in the
blast at the World Trade Center Friday.
“All across America we have problems that
demand our attention. National service Is nothing
less than the American way to change America. ’’
— President Bill Clinton, announcing his national service plan,
which would allow college students to repay loans through
community work.
Staff editorials repretent the official policy of the Pall 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 regenu publish the Daily Nebraskan. They establish the UNL
Publications Board to supervise the daily production of the paper. According to policy set by
the regenu, responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of
iu students.
The Dai ly Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the editor from all readers and interested others.
Letters will be selected for publication on the bash of-clarity, originality, timeliness and space
available. The Daily Nebraskan retains the right to edit or rejecLall 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 relumed. Anonymous submissions will not be
published. Letters should included the author’s name, year in school, major and group
affiliation, if any. Requesu to withhold names will not be granted. Submit material to the Daily
Nebraskan. 34 Nebraska Union. 1400 R St.. Lincoln, Neb. *8588-0448.
BUT I'M FEEUN6 NONSENSE. TW>
MUCH BETTER W\U- MNAE Nf»v FEEL
NOW. BETTER. JUATT
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Parking
Obviously, Bruce Marsh (DN,
March 1,1993), you are one of those
students who doesn’t read the bro
chure provided with your parking
permit. Otherwise, you would know
that the faculty and staff — unless
they pay $205 or $270 — have to
scramble for parking spots just like
the students. Yes, some of our areas
are close to our offices, but when we
pay $54 (like 1 do), we scramble like
the students.
You are correct on one account, I
don’t have to scramble for a spot. The
reason I don’t is because I come to
work at 6:30 a.m. and do physical
training with my cadets. If you would
like to join me for PT, you, too, will
not have to scramble for a parking
spot.
Stephen E. Goodrich
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army
professor of military science
‘Ridiculous’
In reading Sam Kcpfield’s article
(DN, March 3, 1993), it took all of
three minutes to surmise the profes
sion he will take part in. Ctaly an
attorney — or an aspiring one —
would attempt to shift the blame of
the “Home Alone” characters so to
make it appear that the real victims
arc the parents, not the children that
have been left to fend for themselves.
This is ridiculous!
is tnc motncr of tnc Lincoln 3
ycar-old child a victim for leaving her
chi Id alone in the evening to go out for
a few drinks? No! Even the most
skilled architect of twisting words
and Tacts would have to admit that this
act is extremely wrong. A parent’s
first responsibility is to ensure the
welfare of a child, not to sec that her
social life is realized.
I believe it is within the state’s
right and responsibility to ensure the
safely of its citizens. In this ease, a 3
year-old child has been neglected by
her mother, and I believe the state has
a probable cause to both take the child
away from the mother and file crimi
nal charges against her for obvious
neglect.
Finally, if this wercapcrfect world,
we would not have to interfere in
citizens’ personal affairs. But if a
citizen is not taking a basic responsi
bility seriously, then we must not wait
until some tuum comes to a child
before we do something to stop it.
After all, some parents are no more
able to parent than a law graduate is to
see the real victims in this case. Per
haps more schooling is needed for
Kepfleld in order to see this issue
more clearly.
Rusty Gard
sophomore
criminal justice
h-— I
David Badd®rs/DN
‘Nauseous’
One of your often-published col
umnists has grown tired of hearing the
words “home alone," but two words
that appear in the Daily Nebraskan
make me no less nauseous: Sam
Kepfield!
“Government’s job not parenting”
(DN, March 3, 1993) is yet another
column (hat Kepfield can add to his
thick stack of inaccurate and insensi
tive editorials. Once again Kepfield
has disparaged a very serious matter
by advancing an argument that is as
insane as it is extreme. It is apparent
that Kepfield is neither a parent nor a
caring or concerned individual.
Leaving a 3-year-old child alone
(or any child alone, for that matter) is
abuse, and such abuse should not be
trivialized with euphemisms such as
“bad parenting." If a parent is willing
to leave a child alone for hours or
days, one can only wonder whether
the child is being subjected to other
forms of parental neglocL
I find it appalling that Kepfield
would “applaud" the Shoos. Granted,
they have every right to fight off
charges levied against them, and, in
turn, the two little girls left alone for
10 days during the holiday season
have the right to feel safe and enjoy a
secure and happy childhood. If their
parents refuse to offer basic protec
tion and care, I thank God for the
people (the district attorney. Child
Protective Services and other child
advocate groups working long hours
for little pay and with little support)
who are willing to fight for these
children’s rights.
For someone who has expressed
strong pro-life sentiments in the past
to condone the endangerment of chil
dren is shocking. His warped sense of
reasoning leads to the conclusion that
it is permissible to endanger the life of
a child as long as it is outside the
womb.
Child abuse — including leaving
children alone — will never become
“tiresome.” Perhaps Kepfeld, because
of his insensitivity and lack of toler
ance, may grow tired of hearing about
child abuse, but caring individuals
will continue to fight for the rights of
this precious, albeit silent, minority.
Bernadette Lally
third-year law student
Guns
I’m writing in response to the edi
torial “Misrepresentation” (DN,
March 2,1993). Once again someone
is writing on a subject he or she knows
nothing about. The bill — LB83 —
had good intentions but was a bad
idea. Since I am a gun owner and a
member of the NRA, I feel I know
more about the subject than most. To
say that the NRA doesn’t care about
children is not only absurd, but it
shows the ignorance of some people.
The NRA sponsors many different
programs to educate youth on safe
gun handling and shooting skills.
LB83 would require gun owners to
lock firearms with some type of trig
ger-locking device. Some of these
devices can be found on firearms on
display in gun shops and large dis
count stores. A firearm intended for
home defense would be rendered use
less with this type of device.
The bill was intended to prevent
accidental shootings at home, yet there
is no law to prosecute homeowners of
accidental poisoning of children.
There is no law on how to lock up the
dangerous home-c leaning chem icals,
nor is there a law on how to lock up
scissors or matches.
More children drown or are in
jured by accidental poisoning or cause
property damage and even death by
setting fire to homes with matches
than are injured by firearms. I don’t
see any laws to prosecute people for
not childproofing their homes. It all
comes down to making sure that the
home is safe for their children. This
bill unfairly singles out gun owners,
and the NRA is standing up for our
rights. Without the NRA, we honest
gun owners and caring homeowners
would be subject to many stupid laws
like LB83. Instead of singling out gun
owners, let’s create a law that would
make irresponsible homeowners re
sponsible for their aclions. Obviously,
whoever wrote this editorial thinks
it’s OK for children to play with
matches or drink household chemi
cals or play with knives.
Kelvin K. Kreitman
senior
political science