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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 30, 1993)
i A&E Concert reviews Les Exodus, Bigga and 311 took the stage at a sold out Nebraska Union show. Monday 85/58 Today, partly sunny with a chance of thunderstorms. Tuesday, mostly sunny and dry. Vol. 93 No. 7 Weekend rallies give Capitol steps a workout 100 gather to recall march led by King By Ann Stack Staff Reporter On Aug. 28,1963, Martin Luther King Jr. led a historic civil rights march to the nation’s Capitol. On Saturday, almost 100 people came together at the Nebraska Capitol to show that his dream was still alive—but had not yet been realized. “It's 30 years later, and we’re examining some of the same problems today, such as jobs, justice, peace, health care, education and family,’’ said John Ways Sr., president of the Lincoln branch of the National Asso ciation for the Advancement of Colored People. ‘it’s not just a civil rights march; it’s about turning our priorities around,” he said. Ways said people needed to take an ac tive interest in civil rights in order to show politicians the concerns weren’t limited to one racial group. “It’s a national issue, not young or old, black or white,” he said. “We are all part of one body, and if one part of that body isn’t functioning, then the whole system is thrown.” Lincoln resident Gerald Henderson has been part of the civil rights body since 1957, when he joined the NAACP. Henderson marched to Washington for civil rights in 1963 and again in 1983. He said the marches were unified, with every one on the same quest for equality. “There was a feeling or camaraderie you can’t explain; we were all there for the same reason,” he said. Henderson said the same sense of unity could be felt at Saturday’s rally. The local march was important, he said, because it brought together people of many ethnic backgrounds. “We have been placing too much empha sis on the differences between people, ’ he said. reopie snouia De aDie 10 ieei mey can go up to anyone and start talking and the friend ships shouldn’t end here.” Jan is Walker, president of the YWCA’s board of directors, agreed the goal of racial and ethnic equality was one to keep striving for. “In the 1960s we were energized by a dream. Now it’s the ’90s and weYre tired of the work, but we have a vision of peace, justice and unity for all,” she said. Linda Morgan, president of the Afrikan People’s Union at the University of Nebras ka-Lincoln, said, “One man’s dream made it possible for people to judge me on the intellect I speak, not the color I wear.” Charles McClendon, APU’s first vice pres ident, gave a passionate rendition of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, reminding the , crowd of the message they were there to celebrate. Not everyone at the march was making a statement. Some were there to hear a mes- .. sage. >c UNL sophomore Jason Reitmeier said he * See NAACP on 2 < v '■ Travis W#yJng/TJN Charles McClendon, a junior finance major at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, recites part of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speech, “I Have a Dream” Saturday morning at the State Capitol Building. Travis Heying/DN I Dan Williams (right) and Henry McWilliams Sr. join hands and sing together on the steps of the Capitol during the NAACP “I Have a Dream” rally Saturday morning. . Motorcyclists rev up to oppose helmet law By Jan Calinger Staff Reporter__ ' About 150 motorcyclists rolled into Lincoln at 2:45 p.m. Saturday, and none were wearing state-law-re quired motorcycle helmets. The motorcyclists joined about 25 others at the steps of the State Capitol to protest Nebraska’s mandatory motorcycle helmet law. John F. Aman, attorney for the motorcy cle rights group ABATE, the American Bik ers Association for Teaching and Education, said the motorcyclists started at Waco and rode to Lincoln. The motorcyclists obtained a parade per mit that took effect at the Highway 77 bypass. Once there, cyclists were allowed to remove their helmets until they reached the Capitol. Terry Schulz, head of the Nebraska Mo torcycle Coalition, said the rally was not intended to debate the protective value of helmets but to debate whether or not the government should be able to force motor cyclists to wear them. . ‘This is not an issue of whether helmets are good or bad,” she said. “It’s an issue of whether government has a right to intrude in your personal life.” even so, sne said, neimets weren t al ways as effective as the general public be lieved them to be. Schulz said a brochure distributed by ABATE of Nebraska says the Department of Transportation found no ev idence that helmets reduced injuries in acci dents where the motorcyclists were driving more than 13 mile r hour. The rally start t 2 p.m. with voter registration and a petition drive to repeal state helmet and seat belt laws. Supporters could also sign a “petition protection” peti tion that would prohibit the Nebraska Leg islature from reinstating laws repealed by other petitions. Nebraska’s mandatory seat belt law, which was repealed by petition in 1986, was rein stated by the Legislature this year. In a show of support to repeal the helmet law, some cyclists rode all the way from Waco without helmets. Tony Tipitilli, 35, of Waco said he was pulled over by a state trooper outside of Seward for riding without a helmet. “There were others without helmets,” he said. “They picked me out of a crowd.” Aman said he would use Tipitilli’s ticket as a “test case” to determine whether it was constitutional to stop a rider without a hel met if the rider was not violating any other laws. Nebraska la\y enforcement officials can not stop an automobile driver for not wear ing a seat belt, but they can stop a motorcy clist for not wearing a helmet. Warren Sheeney of Freedom First of Nebraska said he thought helmet laws didn’t fit the image of American freedom. “The fact that (legislators) pass laws like See ABATE on 2 Massengale temporarily halts new consulting position By Steve Smith Sector Reporter it “--sidcnt Martin le put the brakes on ester’s new consult ing assignment Friday, amid contro versy about the former UNK. chancel lor’s role in the system. Joe Rowson, a University of Ne braska spokesman, said Massengale would present an alternative proposal regarding Nester at the NU Board of Regentsrmeeting Sept. 10. Rowson said Massengale decided Friday to stick to the proposals of Regent Don Blank, of McCook. Blank raised questions last week in a letter to Massengale about Nester’s agreement with the NU president. - The regents wanted a more specif ic description for Nester’s new posi tion, including, if necessary, an as signment-by-assignment synopsis of Nester’s next six months, Rowson said. Nester, who now lives in Cincin nati, retired from the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s top post Aug. 15. He began working full time out of Cincinnati about two weeks ago as Masscngale’s special assistant. Nester’s consultant job evoked an outcry from several regents who won dered whether his duties already were being performed by central staff em ployees. Blank said last week that Massengale should reconsider the agreement and give the regents a more specific job proposal. “Blank’s suggestions are clearly reasonable, and we plan to follow his approach," Massengale said in a writ ten statement. “There has never been any question that board of regent’s approval would be sought and that I would make a recommendation re garding this proposal." Some members of the Board of Regents have said they were upset by aspects of the agreement, including the amount of Nester’s salary. In a letter to Massengale Thurs day, Nester said he expected the NU president to stick to the original agree ment, in which Massengale had re quested Nester act as a NU system consultant for six months. Nester would have been paid $56,900 for the six-month job. The salary was equivalent to that he re ceived in hair a year as UNK’s chan cellor. Regent Rosemary Skrupa, of Oma ha, said she hoped the board could reach a compromise with Nester. “What kind (of compromise), I don’t know,” Skrupa said. “But I think that’s probably going to be in order.” Skrupa said Nester was “a brilliant man” who had “dedicated much of his life to UNK and the NU system.” She said Nester’s letter to Massengalc gave strong indications that the former UNK chancellor still had a desire to work within the NU system. “Judging from what I’ve seen (of the letter), it sounds like he still has the good will of NU on his mind,” Skrupa said. “I think he still wants to be involved.” In a press release Friday, Massengale said he probably didn’t provide the regents with enough in formation about Nester’s job duties the first time around. Ncster could not be reached for comment.