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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 19, 1993)
Opinion Monday, April 19,1993 • 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 Dirty tricks Silly infiltration does little to fight apathy Some members of UNL’s College Republicans apparently have loo much time on their hands. Thursday night, eight students believed to be College Republicans attended a meeting of UNL’s Young Democrats. The students joined the group and then announced their intentions to run in the elections held at the meeting. Because of a low turnout at the meeting, the new members managed to get two members of their group elected president and treasurer of the Young Democrats. Now, after protest from the Young Democrats, Republicans Chris Peterson and Rob Bryant have resigned the positions. The two claim it was all an attempt to motivate students and eliminate apathy. Bill Avery, professor of political science and adviser to the Young Democrats, put it more clearly. “The Republicans have a long, well-established track record of dirty tricks. It’s distressing to see these kids engaging in it this early. They only show they arc capable of cheating and decep tion,” Avery said. Whatever motivated the young Republicans in their attempt to take over their rivals, it was nothing as noble as fighting apathy. Their actions were silly and should be labeled as such. If the College Republicans are really interested in eliminating student apathy, they should concentrate on activities that might really motivate students, not infiltrating other student organiza uons. Gridlock Republican filibuster prevents progress The reports of the death of gridlock in Washington have been greatly exaggerated. Despite rhetoric about being ready to work together to solve the nation’s problems, Republicans and Democrats were up to their old tricks over the weekend. Republicans in Congress are stalling President Clinton’s $12 billion economic stimulus package, calling it wasteful and unnec essary. Clinton has campaigned for the plan as essential to creating jobs. As is usually the case in Washington, nothing is getting done. But the Republicans must bear a large burden of the responsi bility in this case. Clinton has compromised on the bill, cutting it from $16.3 billion to $12 billion. He has also asked the Republi cans to offer their suggestions on how the plan could be im proved. The fundamental difference between the president and the Republicans is over how the measure should be financed. Clinton wants to borrow the money, while Republicans want to cut from other programs. The Republicans have a right to object to the bill if they don’t agree with the financing. But they should take Clinton’s cue and suggest an alternative plan of their own if they arc unhappy with the president’s proposal. They should not use this debate as a political opportunity. i nc senate win vote i uesoay on wneincr to cut on me Kcpuo lican filibuster that is blocking the bill. Hopefully the filibuster will be voted down and the issue can be discussed openly. However the Senate decides on Clinton’s bill, it should do so through discussion and debate, not filibustering and political' maneuvering. If gridlock is really over, the Senate should be able to rationally , decide what is best for the United Slates. If they can’t, then little has changed in Washington. Staff editorials represent the official policy of the Spring 1993 Daily Nebraskan. Policy it set by the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. Editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the university, its employees, the students orthe 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 act by the regenu, 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. The Daily Nebraskan reuins the right to edit or reject all material submitted. Resident 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, m^jor 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. 68588-0448 . m >*« T\\t GauJE.Se RtVUfcUCWi. ____■■aMMpraraiinamima— ‘Liberal act’ I take exception to the DN edito rial, “Childish antics” (DN, April 16, 1993). For once in my life, I did something most people consider a liberal act* I protested a demonstra tion. The DN chastised me and others for protesting, saying we were scared into these so-called childish antics because we are frightened by women in positions of power. This is a preju dicial statement on the pan of the DN, because they assumed the motivation behind my protest was sexism. The real motivation behind my protest was not Hillary Clinton, but her ideas. Socialized medicine would be detrimental to the nation, because it would kill the small engine of eco nomic growth: small business. That is why I protested. The DN’s double standard on pro testing also bothers me. There are protestors all the time on campus, but this is the first lime the DN terms this behavior “laughably juvenile.” The eight individuals who protested Bill Bennet were not criticized like we were. The editorial slated Hillaiy should be welcomed because she is taking a firm stand on an issue that needs to be addressed: health care. I did the same thing, except I stood on the other side of the fence. For four years, I have read editorial after editorial about the need to be heard and the constitutional right of free speech. I chose to exercise this right, and the DN condemned me for it Robb Douglas senior economics Murder I have before me two flyers from the Students for America. One indi cates that the market is the group’s secular reference and that God is its spiritual reference. The other flyer promotes capital punishment. I won der whether capital punishment falls under the realm of the market or under that of God. I do know that Cain did not receive the death penalty, the fifth command ment says, ‘Thou shall not kill” and although there arc religious references to an eye for an eye, there is nothing aboutalife. So the capital punishment question must fall under market forces. Capital punishment proponents argue that imprisonment is not always permanent enough and is loo costly, and that the appeals process is also too costly. Therefore increasing the num ber of executions will save us money and make us safer. 1 do not believe that society should fall to the level of criminals. We should not be in such a hurry to kill. Perhaps it is not coincidental that in a society that is seemingly so eager to kill thal its citizens have no respect for life, either. John Setumi graduate student modem languages James.Mehsling/DN Explanation Having read the recent reports of the election for the new officers of the Young Democrats, I’m sure many students may be wondering why we ran for the offices even though we are Republicans. First of all, th is was not meant to be some harmless prank. Our goal from the beginning was to show other stu dents what kind of influence we as students can have if we organize. It is probably embarrassing for the Young Democrats — the student representa tives of the largest political party in our country — to have their election results altered by nine votes. And it should be. In fact, we would like other university students to use this as an example of what can be accomplished by organizing. It is frustrating to realize that in the last local election in Lincoln, if we would have had our own candidate, and if only 15 percent of the students voted, our candidate would have fin ished first! We have a powerful force in our numbers here at the university, but apathy runs rampant. As Thomas Jefferson said, “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never wasandwhatneverwillbe/’Wecan’t afford to be ignorant of what govern ment is doing for us and to us. As students, we are here to leam— not just about a specific major, but about life and civic involvement. Those of us who gel involved now are going to find it easier to make those commitments as we go out into the professional world. We will have ex perience scheduling our lime, and we will have a belter idea of what making a commitment to our civic responsi bility is all about. Do we really want to be officers in Young Democrats? No. Our political philosophy, and that of most Nebras kans, is one of fiscal conservatism, reduced government spending, strong national defense and respect for our military and the general notion that government should play as small a role in citizens’ lives as possible. The Democratic party currently stands for none of these things. We are not at home in the Democratic party, and we never intended to “sabotage" or ‘‘take over” the Young Democrats. We also do not want to spark new interest in the Young Democrats, although a healthy debate of the issues is impor tant, especially for a university. Our message through our recent actions is to provide a ‘Svake-up call” for all students at UNL and encourage them to participate in government whether it be student, local, state or federal. Our point has been made and we hope many students can learn an im portant lesson through this. We will leave the Young Democrats organi zation to its own members and com pete with them as it should be — through the regular election process. We look forward to the challenge. We hereby resign our positions in Young Democrats as of April 18,1993. Chris Peterson senior business Rob Bryant senior finance Seating I would like to support Travis Hopkins’ letter regarding student seat ing at football games (DN, April 12, 1993). All of my friends, and myself especially, are extremely upset at this decision. Putting UNL students in the end zones is like making high school students sit in their cars while watch ing their classmates play football. One of the reasons for giving this decision was students throwing things during the games. Well, I don’t think putting us at the top of the end zones is going to stop those who are childisn enough to throw th ings from doing so. A different solution to this problem is definitely needed. I think serious re consideration about moving students is only fair. Jenny Anciaux * freshman . - psychology