Opinion
Nebraskan
Thursday, Saptamhar 2,1993
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Jeremy Fitzpatrick..
Kathy Steinauer....
Wendy Mott.......
Todd Cooper.
Chris Hopfensperger
Kim Spurlock.
Kiley Timperley....
. . . Editor, 472-1766
Opinion Page Editor
.. . Managing Editor
.Sports Editor
... .Copy Desk Chief
.Sower Editor
Senior Photographer
I Dl I nl<l \l
Waste not
NU needs only one engineering college
he University of Nebraska at Omaha may gain an engineer
ing school if some Omaha businessmen have their way.
They say a separate engineering college at UNO would
draw qualified employees to existing businesses and attract more
industries to the city.
Currently the UNO engineering program is part of UNL’s
engineering school. Most engineering students can take their first
two years of classes at UNO, but they must complete their
degrees at UNL.
David Sokol, president and chief executive officer of Califor
nia Energy Co., said Omaha industries are even willing to absorb
the cost of a second engineering college to “make sure costs
aren’t borne by other taxpayers in the state,” he said.
This move shows that Omaha businesses want to attract
workers and industries to Nebraska. They also realize the univer
sity budget could not handle the costs of a new college at UNO.
But rather than building another engineering college, these
businessmen should consider donating that money to help bail the
university out of a crisis budget situation.
A new engineering school would need a dean, staff members,
labs and equipment. It would be like buying another engineering
college for a state where one works fine.
University employees who lost their jobs in the last round of
budget cuts might agree that a new college at UNO is an extra
expense at a time when there doesn’t seem to be enough money to
go around.
The issue is not that the state needs a new engineering college
or has outgrown the one it has. It is a matter of convenience. Even
if businesses have offered to foot the bill, it is not a necessity.
Any money given to the university now should be used to
make sure university employees do not lose their jobs, not to pay
for a college identical to one that already exists.
Lean machine
Plan to shrink military not strong enough
Wednesday the Pentagon unveiled a five-year defense plan
designed to give America a “lean, mobile, high-tech
force.” The plan is supposed to make the military more
efficient while allowing it to fight wars on two fronts.
The plan maintains a high level of military forces, which
means more base closings will be likely because of budget
restraints. Only two defense programs are canceled in the plan.
Defense Secretary Les Aspin formulated the plan, and it was
approved by President Clinton on Monday. It calls for the shrink
ing of the Army from 14 to 10 divisions by 1999, the loss of one
of the Navy’s 13 aircraft carriers and the reduction of the Air
Force from 28 to 20 wings.
But the plan also calls for the building of an additional Seawolf
nuclear attack submarine, and approves the construction of the Air
Force’s F-22 stealth fighter and new versions of the Navy’s F-18
strike aircraft.
It does not call for reductions that are large enough.
The United States faces an uncertain world filled with many
challenges and difficulties. But it also faces an uncertain world at
home. Our domestic problems cannot be ignored.
Clinton is right to reduce the size of the military to make it
more capable of responding to today’s foreign threats. But he
must go further and ensure the United States is also capable of
readily meeting its domestic challenges.
If the United States is unable to handle the challenges it faces
at home, it won’t be able to respond to those it faces in the world.
I HI IOUI \ I l’< >1 l< \
Staff editorials represent 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 of Regents. Editorial columns represent
the opinion of the author. The regents publish the Daily Nebraskan. They establish the UNL
Publications Board to supervise the daily production of the paper. According to policy set by
the regents, responsibility for the editorial content ofthe newspaper lies solely in the hands of
its students. __
I i 111 k I'm i< \
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 Nebraakaa retai ns the right to edit or reject all material submitted. Readers
also are welcome to submit material aa guest opinions. The editor decides whether material
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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. 68388-0448.
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‘Beer gut’ not worth bragging about
A story in yesterday’s Daily Ne
braskan said that despite
UNL’s dry campus status,
someone had been walking around
the university with “a very obvious
beer gut.”
The reporter was talking about the
recent onslaught of vandal ism here—
‘beer gut” graffiti is everywhere.
The perpetrator has spray painted,
stenciled and freehanded the phrase
on stop signs and buildings, trash cans
and UNL sculptures.
So now the question of the day is:
te Mtteer guVriilHil <#
Or, more importantly, “Why is beer
gut?”
The vandal’s identity remains a
mystery, as do his motives.
I know I’m being sexist by assum
ing the vandal is a male. But society
pushes men to puff out their chests in
relation to the amount of alcohol they
can consume, so my assumption is
based entirely upon my socialization.
Speculations regarding the van
dal’s identity have run rampant in my
rumor-filled head.
When I first saw the graffiti, I was
driving west on Vine Street. I spotted
the colorful words on the concrete
barricades outside the Sigma Alpha
Mu house.
My first assumption was that some
drunk fraternity boy had done a phys
ical appraisal and tried to purge him
self of his shame.
But then I thought the vandal could
be boys from rival houses poking fur
at heavy drinkers on the other side oi
fraternity row. But I quickly dismissed
that because they had so many othei
things to poke fun at.
Then I thought he was perhaps
some older, blue-collar, working-class
Joe who wanted to show those damn
college kids that he was proud of who
he was.
But now 1 have to wonder.
Isn’t “beer gut” an odd choice foi
a self-proclaiming moniker?
If I were to paint my nickname
everywhere, I would choose some
thing self-congratulatory or egotisti
cal. Something like “buns of steel.’’
It’s so American. What other
culture could so succinctly
sum up an entire drinking
pastime? What other culture
celebrates the consumption of
hops and barley?
That way no one would ever tie the
name to me. The closest I’ve ever
come to buns of steel was a trip to the
exercise section of Blockbuster Vid
eo.
One of my friends suggested he
would call himself‘slender thighs” or
“sinewy shoulders.”
But to proclaim yourself the proud
owner of a “beer gut” is insane. Or
worthy of a stint on Sally Jessy.
“And today’s show features peo
ple that say ‘I have a beer gut and I’m
proud of it.’”
But maybe it is a real statement of
pride. The vandal could appear on
Geraldo, soliciting others of his kind
with the slogan “Beer guts of America
Unite!”
It would be a call to armchairs.
“I drink, therefore I am.”
Or if the vandal is a woman, “I am
beer gut, hear me hurl.”
I’m not a fan of graffiti, but not
because it’s illegal. My objection
comes from the presentation of graf
fiti. Usually it’s sloppy, means noth
ing and cannot be deciphered. Usual
ly it’s done by teen-agers with noth
ing better to do and even less to say.
But this beer gut guy takes graffiti
to a new level. It’s dearly inscribed,
it’s colorful and it makes a statement.
It's so American. What other cul
ture could so succinctly sum up an
entire drinking pastime? What other
culture celebrates the consumption of
hops and barley?
No self-respecting person in Japan
would spray “beer gut” everywhere.
And “saki gut” just doesn’t have the
same rhythmic flow.
The French preferwine, so it would
be “Dom Perignon gut” or “Chablis
gut”
If it were me, it would be “Mad
Dog gut.
But heavy wine drinking is associ
ated more with headaches than bloat
ed bellies. So it just wouldn’t be the
same.
Perhaps the celebrated beer gut is
just following in the footsteps of the
Romans — revelers and partiers of
unequaled fame. As Rome was being
sacked, proponents of drunken orgies
probably painted the Pantheon with
f‘BEERGVT.”
But if beer gut is following in
Roman steps, then the Empire’s end
doesn’t bode well for the beer drinker.
Rome wasn’t rebuilt in in a day, it’s
been said. And beer gut will not re
form his drinking and painting ways
in a day either.
He’ll stop his self-graflitinc ways,
give up that Old Milwaukee for Bud
Light. He’ll hit the weight machines,
do crunches daily and develop a wash
board stomach.
He’ll go on Letterman promoting
his new take on the Abdomenizer—
a Thighmaster for big bellies.
But until that day arrives, I guess
we’ll all have to (Hit up with good ol’
gut His “artistic expression” will serve
as a daily reminder that I must active
ly pursue a diligent exercise regime.
Maybe gut’s scribbles could in
spire me to use a little self-control in
my life and motivate myself. And
maybe UNL’s vandal could use a
little self-control and express himself
in another way.
Like giving up the gut.
Stajfir li ■ Mater EagMsb aad Utfory
porter aad a Dally Nobraikaa
atit.
I I I I I I<S (< » I III I IHInK
.p. 71 ■ /• v -
.. ..
Gay bashing
The editorial on gay bashing (DN,
Aug. 30) led out some things.
Harold Grover was a friend of mine.
I am not writing this to advertise my
grief, but to make a point that was not
made in the editorial. There are two
other lives that have been ruined be
cause of this incident: the two 19
year-old boys that are suspected of his
murder.
Hate and fear like those boys felt
isn’t spontaneous. It was their fami
lies and community that taught these
two boys that gay people were bad or
sick or whatever the term was in their
lives. They are the true killers. As
long as this society allows judgments
of a person’s worth by their sexual
preference, we are all guilty. It is the
“innocent** gay joke, the snide re
marks, the fear that makes us all share
in the guilt of Harold's death.
As long as this continues in our
society there will be more lives taken
and more lives ruined, and for that I
truly grieve.
Kathryn Hollerman
sophomore
theater
Gun control
Sam Kepfield’s argument that gun
control is the “easy, gutless solution”
(DN, Sept. 1) to the problem of vio
lence in our society strikes me as
rather illogical.
I’m well aware that gun control
will not reduce the number of unsta
ble, violent people out there. But it
just might reduce their capacity to
kill. I’m sure the people at that
McDonald’s wiHild have preferred that
Dion Terres had had a knife than
several guns.
Stephen Witte
graduate student
history
