OPTNTON NetSraskan
Yj/l XX 1 XV^/X 1 Monday,May 3,1M3
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Jeremy Fitzpatrick.... • Editor, 472-1766
Kathy Steinauer...Opinion Page Editor
Wendy Molt. Managing Editor
Todd Cooper. Sports Editor
Chris Hopfensperger.Copy Desk Chief
Kim Spurlock. Sower Editor
Kiley Timperley.Senior Photographer
Out of focus
UNL must turn its attention to academics
The end of the spring semester provides a perfect time to
look back on past accomplishments. But few of those with
__serious investment in UNL can look back over the last
semester and feel that anything worthy of pride has been accom
plished.
The semester got off to a bad start when NU President
Martin Massengale announced his plans to not seek an
extention of his contract when the speculation emerged that the
NU Board of Regents was unsatisified with his performance.
The slow pace of the regents have dealt with selecting a new
president is indicitivc of their overall poor performance this
semester.
But UNL suffered its largest setback when the Nebraska
Legislature announced plans to cut the University of Nebraska’s
budget by nearly $14 million. The Legislative Appropriations
Committee eventually cut that in half, with UNL expected to take
a $3.5 million cut.
UNL cannot be expected to excel and improve with substantial
budget cuts and the loss of such important benefits as the Writing
Lab and the Academic Success Center. Without programs like
these, UNL will be passed over by prospective students in favor
of schools that have more to offer than cut programs and tuition
increases.
Even UNL sports programs fell victim to controversies, with
recent debate over student seating at Memorial Stadium. Not only
does the university plan to cut student academic benefits, but by
moving the student section, it is taking away the fun of attending
home football games as well. •* • *
From budget cuts to regents’ infighting, from conflicts with the
Creighton baseball program and Republicans vying for positions
in Young Democrats, the past semester at UNL was one full of
debates, shaky futures and regret. UNL’s focus needs to return to
one of academic excellence and commitment.
Come together
Bosnian conflict needs cooperative effort
The United Stales is teetering on the edge of the abyss that is
the former Yugoslavia. If we arc not careful, we could fall
in.
Saturday, President Clinton moved closer to committing U.S.
troops to hailing the war in Bosnia. He dispatched Secretary of
Slate Warren Christopher to Europe to seek allied support for
possible military action to slop Serbian attacks in Bosnia.
Christopher said Clinton had decided on the direction that he
believed the United States and the international aimmunity
should take.
i ms uircctiuu involves u numoer 01 speeine leeoiniueiiud
tions, including military steps,” Christopher said.
President Clinton is right to act on the Bosnian crisis. The
rapes, ethnic cleansing and slaughter there must be slopped. To do
rnkhing would be silent acceptance of the atrocities that resemble
a Europe of 50 years ago.
But Clinton must also be very careful of taking military action
to end the war. Yugoslavia is not the open desert of Iraq. It is a
conflict much more similar to Vietnam.
The only way to resolve the Bosnian conflict is through a
multinational effort. The United States cannot do it alone. If
President Clinton attempts to, he will bog the United Stales down
in a conflict with no end in sight.
Working together with the United Nations in a shared effort,
the United Slates can help bring justice to Bosnia. Working alone,
it can only guarantee many American livqs will be lost.
Suff editorials represent the official policy of the Spring 1993 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 UNI.
Publications Board to supervise the daily production of the paper. According to policy set by
the regents, 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 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.
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The Ideal
Thank you, Jeremy Fitzpatrick, for
the editorial (DN, April 27, 1993).
The appearance of The Ideal must
have caused considerable consterna
tion at the Daily Nebraskan’s base
ment den, for the paper’s very exist
ence is proof of your failure to accu
rately and impartially represent all
views present at this university. After
a hard day’s study at the Law Library,
your hilarious inability to draft a co
herent response to the DN’s recent
loss of ideological monopoly on this
campus really lifted my spirits.
For a first edition, The Ideal is
actually quite good. Unlike your own
staic-supponcd'publ ication, it was the
result of hard work and personal dedi
cation by a small number of students
who overcame funding challenges,
computer crashes and time shortages
to get a new newspaper off the ground.
As a first effort, it can only improve,
but your criticism fell into exactly the
trap you mock in your new rival: the
substitution of ideology for analysis.
First, you attempt to marginalize
the opposition by categorizing them
as “ultra-conservatives.” I know sev
eral of them and can attest that their
views arc far more representative of
Nebraskans in general than arc cither
yours or your paper’s. The first edi
tion was indeed stronger on rhetoric
than on insight Unlike the DN, how
ever, The Ideal states its editorial bias
right on the masthead. As champions
of reason, they can be expected to
improve in this respect, while I have
wailed in disappointment for two years
for your paper to do so.
Peter Szczcpanski
second-year law student
Republicans
Oh, the truth docs sting! My refer
ence to the Col lege Republicans’ heist
of the Young Democrats’ election as
a dirty trick, in keeping with the sorry
record of the Republican Party in
national politics, certainly pricked
some thin Republican skin.
One should not be so surprised at
the outpouring of convoluted protests
from College Republicans. But the
defense of such actions by the execu
tive director of the state Republican
Party, Philip Young, is another mat
ter. ^We should be able to expect greater
wisdom and ethical judgment from
the spokesperson of the slate party.
Instead, we gel a lamentable de
fense of lying, deception and misrep
resentation. Youguysjusldon’tgciit!
Fair play and following the rules arc
essential for civil society and demo
cratic politics. Regretfully, such things
appear to have little meaning for you.
Mr. Young’s statements do farmore
than could I to prove the truth of my
original characterization of this epi
sode.
Bill Avery
political science professor
faculty adviser. Young Democrats
James Mehsling/DN
Free airfare
In response to Shawn Traudt(DN,
April 29,1993), wc would like lo lake
you up on your offer. Wc have come
to the conclusion that you arc right
when you say “it’s only a matter of
time” before the United Slates en
tirely joins the conservative move
ment. And Shawn, wc believe that
you arc true to your word when you
say, “Give me a call and let me know
how much you need for airfare to the
liberal country of your choice.” We
would like a total of nine one-way
tickets lo Zurich, Switzerland. We
have taken the liberty of calling some
of the airlines so as lo quote you an
estimated price range.
Knowing that you arc price-con
scious, wc can probably agree that the
nine of us will be flying TWA for a
total of $10,062. Don’t worry about it,
Shawn, coach seating is fine. How
ever, we will need that free ride to the
airport that you promised.
One quick side note: Mr. Kcpficld,,
wc advise you to be wary of the people
participating in conservatism. If all
conservatives arc as generous to oth
ers as S ha w n, the movemen twill soon
be stalled due to lack of operating
funds. So heed our warning about the
people you admit to your liulc club,
because as John Stuart Mills once
said, “Not all conservatives arc slu
pid, but most stupid people arc con
servatives.”
Mike Brox
senior
finance
Karl Soudcrs
sophomore
arts and sciences
Retraction
I wish to state that no official con
nection exists between the Nebraska
Chapter of Della Upsilon Fraternity
and Students for America. While some
members of our chapter are active in
SFA, most do not necessarily endorse
or support that group, its ideology, or
its newspaper, The Ideal.
Steve Pardc
chapter president
Della Upsilon
Numbers
For many people, comfort can be
found in numbers. Gary Young (DN,
April 26,1993) seemed to have taken
a sigh of relief when he read conflict
ing reports concerning the number of
homosexuals in the United Slates. I
find it surprising that you arc so proud
to pick up the oriflamme of this new
study as quickly as you discredited
the old one. Where is the importance
in the numbers? Does not one single
gay American deserve the full in
alienable privileges that any citizen
does? Does not 1 percent of the popu
lation, roughly 2.5 million people,
deserve equality of opportunity and
the right to pursue happiness? I hope,
Mr. Young, that you pursue a chal
lenging career in law, but you will
never earn one if you do not accept
equal ity under the law. Justice is blind,
but I fear you might be peeking just a
bit.
Kevin Oliver
UNL alumnus
Military
If we’re so concerned with mili
tary efficiency on the combat field
that we won’t allow homosexuals in
combat, then why do we allow mili
tary personnel to smoke and drink? 1
would find the efficiency argument
more convincing if we were taking
other steps to ensure that our military<
was in shape ami ready for combat. I
find it very disturbing that a smoker or
a soldier with a hangover is supposed
to protect me. Requiring military per
sonnel to take care of their bodies
would far outweigh any ill effects that
could result from a homophobic sol
dier in the foxhole; and besides, isn t
the bigoted soldier the problem and
not the homosexual?
Paul Koestcr
senior
agronomy