Opinion Daily - Nebraskan Monday, Augurf 23.1993 Nebraskan Editorial Boafti University of Nebfaska-Lincoin Jeremy Fitzpatrick .. Kathy Sleinatter_ Wendy Mott. Todd Cooper. Chris Hopfensperger Kim Spurlock. Kiley TimpeHey ... Editor, 472-1766 Opinion Page Editor . V. Managing Editor .Sports Editor ... .Copy Desk Chief ....... Sower Editor Senior Photographer I D! IOKI M Prove it Action must follow Spanier’s good ideas UNL Chancellor Graham Spanier discussed some of the university's problems and introduced some good ideas in his State of the University speech Friday. Spanier addressed several issues, such as the recently-adopted admissions standards and sold-out residence halls. Both show that UNL is pushing for higher goals and working to accommodate student needs and requests. In fact, a recurring theme of Spanier’s address was UNL’s need to continue to push for various improvements. Spanier said 34 percent more racial minority students attend UNL this year than did four years ago, and this improvement is an example of UNL pushing to expand UNL’s atmosphere and make it a friendlier and more racially diverse one. But this fact most be weighed against the 136 complaints filed with the Office of Affirmative Action between September and July, Spanier said. Apparently not all students, faculty and staff are satisfied with what they find at UNL, and Spanier acknowledged this. He was right when he said we must all promote a better environment for minorities. Otherwise the number of minority students seeking higher education at UNL will turn around for the worse. In the long run, this would hurt the environment here for all students. Spanier also introduced plans to start a women s soccer team, build student-family housing units on City Campus and remove the employee parking lot north of the Nebraska Union and replace it with an open spot—“a place for people,” he said. adm/nStrators need to follow through and turn these good Seas into reality. Reno’s right Nebraska s model curbing youth violence Attorney General Janet Reno had nothing but good things to say about Nebraska at the Governor* s Conference on Violence and Youth on Friday. She commended Nebraska’s leaders for taking steps to curb youth violence in this state. She said it was encouraging to see leaders from all branches of the government work together to find a solution to the youth violence problem in Nebraska. “You may very well set an example for the entire nation,” she said. She stressed investing in America’s youth to prevent the problem from growing out of control in the long run. She ap plauded Nebraska’s leaders for doing just that — finding a way to prevent youth violence from starting rather than dealing with the problem later. Having this conference and involving teen-agers in it is a step in the right direction. While Omaha has had several incidents involving youth violence — and several lives lost — the problem here is not the staggering, paralyzing problem it is in many sections of the country. But the only way to prevent the problem from escalating in our part of the country is to follow Reno’s main suggestion in her speech: Pass the Brady Bill and President Clinton's anti-crime package, which could put as many as 50,000 new police officers on the street. “The time has come for the people of America to say that we are sick and fed up with assault weapons,” Reno said. The weap ons are only used to kill people, she said. Too many of this country's youth have died to prove this true. With the Brady Bill and Clinton's anti-crime package, maybe conferences to end youth violence would not be needed. I Dl inkl \l I'm k N Staff editorials reprsecni the official policy of the Fall 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 ofRefents. Editorial columns represent the opinion of the author The repents publish the Daily Nebraskan. They establish the UNL Publications Board to supervise the daily production of the paper. According to policy set by the repents, responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of its students I i 1111< I’m it n 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 ere 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, ifany. Requests to withhold namee will not be gnuited. Submit material to the Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St.. Lincoln, Neb. 6S3SS-044S. ^£ \\ Kl(.II I Fishing makes escaping great There’s a saying I remind my self of from time to time. “A bad day fishing beats a good day at work.” Yep, that about covers it. There is no better way to relax in this world than to grab a tackle box, a couple of poles and find a pond to drown some worms in. This year, I found a farm pond to try my ludi at.'> «••»*'» * *» To me, sitting along the banks of a pond watching the bobber is heaven. There are only two things better, watching my kids and walking through a plowed field looking for pheasants. The pond I fished this summer is about a naif-mile from our house. All I have to do to get there is walk out the back door, over the railroad tracks, across one hay field, a milo field, a gravel road and jump a small creek. Also, look out for the electric cat tle fence. It’son, and it hurts when you touch it, trust me. Once there, I have to walk around to the north end, which is easy enough because of the cattle path that circles the pond. All you have to do is watch where you step. Sitting there, waiting for the bob ber to begin the dance that signals a bite, I thought about all the fishing I’ve done in the past. One of the earliest memories is f shing at a pond in Kansas. Dad rush ing back and forth between my broth er, sister and me helping to reel in the bass we caught. He never did get a chance to get any fishing in. Granddaddy spent all of his time get ting snagged. There were the times spent fishing at the lake not far from home. Only it is a private lake, and we would have to crawl under the fence to get to the lake. We never did catch anything worth keeping there. Fishing in Colorado with my wife’s uncle has always been a joy. The first A good pair of boots, a tackle box, fishing pole, bait and a pond, lake or stream will always have more meaning than any other form of entertainment. i time wc -were there; Jack-and I both caught our limit of trout in about two hours. The last time, Jack outfished me, which isn’t a surprise, as he, a cousin and I fished in a lake at 10,000 feet. We stood there in the rain, sleet and sun doing our best to get those trout. I can't wait to get back there for more. At my pond, fishing is just a bonus. Sitting there just listening and watch ing is what getting outdoors is all about. The last time I was there, I watched a muskrat swim across the pond until he saw me and dipped below the surface. I also got to watch a hawk dive down for the kill. To many people, it's a gruesome sight, but in reality it is just basic nature. The survival of the fittest. Fishing is basic nature. Survival. For hundreds of years, man and ani mals have gone after fish. Either us ing hands, spears or high-powered rod and reels, men have fished as a basis for survival. Now it's sport. Just watch the Sun day morning fishing shows. There is money to be made on the professional fishing tour. What a job, being a professional fisherman. To get paid to fish. Not like they do on the coasts with a trawler and nets, but with a rod and reel. I wonder if there is a tour school you have to qualify at to make the pro tour, kind orlike the PGA. Gee, just think of all the endorse ments and money Michael Jordan® could make from the fishing world. 1 He might even get a boat named after ’ him. I look at fishing as a way of relax ation. Whether I catch a fish or not doesn’t really matter. What matters is that 1, or my fam ily and I, get out into the outdoors and experience all it has to offer. 1 enjoy going downtown to a movie, but get ting away from people is preferable. Some may see it as weird or bor ing, but the beauty outside the city limits beats any museum or restau rant. How many of us have seen the Sandhill cranes, bald eagles—not the ones in a zoo, but along a river — whitetail deer munching soybeans, or a family ofbadgers scampering around its den? Getting away from it all is more than a cliche. It is a way to recharge one’s batteries. It’s a way to get a grasp of what life is all about. Cable, VCRs and made-for-televi sion movies are meaningless forms of entertainment. A good pair ofboots, a tackle box, fishing pole, bait ami a pond, lake or stream will always have more meaning than any other form of entertainment. It may seem odd, sound hokey and look funny, but when given all of that, I’d rather go fishing. WrlgkC b • gradate itadeat la jouraalbai a ad a Daly Nebraikaa cohmaiit. P.S. Write Back The Daily Nebraskan wants to hear from you. If you want to voice your opinion about an article that appears in the newspaper, let us know. Just write a brief letter to the editor and sign it (don’t forget your student ID number) and mail it to the Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 ‘R’ Street, Lincoln, NE 68588-0448, or stop by the office in the basement of the Nebraska Union and visit with us. We’re all ears.