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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 12, 1993)
Ji m;\n 11r/r \ i kick Kennedy politics return again A couple ot gunshots 23 years ago this summer killed more than one man. The shots killed Robert Kennedy, who had just won the California pri mary and was headed to Chicago to attempt to secure the Democratic par ty’s nomination for president. I wasn’teven bom then. Mostof us at UNL probably weren’t. But 1 am intrigued by the life of Robert Kennedy, anyway. What is most interesting about Robert Kennedy? It has been said before, but I will repeal it here: Kennedy was someone who had ev erything, and he cared about people who had nothing. A millionaire who had every ad vantage in life, Kennedy concerned himself most as a senator with racial and social justice, with helping those who had not been bom with the ad vantages he had. No man is perfect, and Kennedy certainly wasn't. But it is interesting to think of what may have become of the United States if Kennedy had been nominated and become president in stead of Richard Nixon in 1968. He could hardly have done worse than resigning in disgrace. » Now the United Slates seems to be turning back to the type of politics that faded after Kennedy died. We have elected a Democratic president. We have passed a budget that requires some sacrifice. We arc considering national health insurance. There is no clear consensus of where America should go. But there docs seem to be an understanding that individual interest is not enough to move a nation. We can only go for ward if we arc willing to work togeth er and accept a general responsibility for our future. Perhaps we can now start worrying as much about the world we will have to live In tomorrow as the one we live In today. Robert Kennedy understood that we should help disadvantaged people in America because it is the right thing to do and also because it is vital to the future of our country. He under stood that the future of people who arc poor and hopeless cannot be separat ed from the future of those who arc not. Wc are all one country. Half of us cannot go forward wh ilc the other hal f stays behind. During the 1980s, wc turned away from that logic. That lime period should not be exaggerated as good or bad, but it is true that people who were in trouble in this country were gener ally ignored. Ronald Reagan symbolized the period when he said homeless people were that way because they wanted to be. Reagan was also someone who had everything. He was a millionaire. But he did not seem to care very much about those who had nothing. . When the president takes an a gen eral attitude of indifference towards those in need, that altitude becomes legitimized. Ana wnatever eise Reagan did, he did little to help those in need. The legacy of the 1980s is the largest debt in the history of our coun try and social problems that are worse than they have been in 20 years. It is true that some profited during the 1980s. But is our country better? Are we a better people? Should the success of a nation be measured in terms of its wealthiest citizens, or by the welfare of all its people? It is perhaps significant that on the 25 th anniversary of Robert Kennedy ’ s death the United States is in a transi tion period. We are moving away from the conservatism of the 1980s to something new. What wc will become is not clear yet. But the most exciting part is that we will decide. You and I will decide what kind of country the United Slates will be. It is our turn to help make that decision. Ronald Reagan was an older man, and older men shaped the course of our country in the 1980s. Now we have a young president, and the poli cies of our government have taken on a younger tone as well. Perhaps we can now start worrying as much about the world wc will have to live in tomorrow as the one wc live in today. Robert Kennedy. who was only 42 when he died 25 years ago this sum mer, said he wanted the U.S. to be a nation that cared about all its citizens. He had a compassion that cared about people who had nothing. We don’t have to make the United States that kind of country. But we could. Fitzpatrick la a senior political science major and the Summer Daily Nebraskan fea tures editor. .' , . VVhai Dors UNL Think1’ I-— “ What do you think of Sen. Kerrey’s vote last week endorsing President Clinton’s budget deficit reduction plan?" “I’m all for it. There is a lot of misinformation, but Kerrey made the right decision.” Jeff Argov Sophomore Civil Engineering Prayer I see by ihc article in the August 5 Daily Nebraskan (“Prayer reinstated at graduation ceremonies'’) that we arc to have prayers at commence ments once again. 1 have been opposed to this action, for many of the reasons given by Dr. James McShanc in his letter to the faculty committee last December (and I wonder how many members of ASUN seriously read that letter!). However, if we are to have prayer, I urge two specific policies: One: ifthisislobeacommunily in which public prayer is appropriate, “Sen. Kerrey was in a real lough spot. The big thing about having a political office is to represent your constituents. If you look at the agri cultural sector, most farmers and Ne braskans are against it. At the same lime, I have to give him credit be cause he was in the public limelight.” Kyle Gilster Senior Political Science LETTERS TO THE EDITOR then lei the prayers be given by mem bers of the community — students, faculty and staff. Do not ask some professional prayer from ofT campus to come in and decorate the occasion. Two: if one of the purposes of the prayers is to be a testimony to the pluralism of religious life among the people of this community, then do not only ask persons of different religious persuasions to pray. Let those differ ent persons pray in the fullness and particularity of who they arc. Don’t ask them todissolvcthc tradition from which they come into some innocu ous “least common denominator” of “Quile frankly, the whole thing scares me. I don’t agree with Kerrey because I don’t have confidence in politicians in general, and I don’t nave confidence that the promised cuts will happen.” Teresa Eske Sophomore Psychology —compiled by Derek Samson civil religion. Where is ihc pluralism in lhat? Lcl the Jew pray as a Jew, the Moslem as who or she is, the Hindu ihe same and ihc Christian as whatev er style of denomination they may be. “...in the name of Jesus Christ” is the basic expression of a Christian’s iden tity. Religious conviction comes in particularities, not vague generalities. If you don’t want those particulari ties, then at least drop the pointless rationale of pluralism. Larry Docrr campus pastor Comers tonc-U M HE I •• ■ FRESHMEN Register to win FREE PARKING for a semester with participating merchants! 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