/^VQTX T TOjKT Nebraskan
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Net>raskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Jeremy Fitzpatrick.Editor, 472-1766
Kathy Sleinauer.... Opinion Page Editor
Wendy Mott. Managing Editor
Todd Cooper. Sports Editor
Chris Hopfensperger....Copy Desk ChieJ
Kim Spurlock. Sower Editor
Kiley Timperley. .Senior Photographer
_I ' -1
‘Tailgate’
Alcohol policy should have no exceptions
It’s undeniable that tailgate parties on campus build spirit
before home football games.
This may have a lot to do with the alcohol consumed during
these parties and other parties in people’s homes.
But the difference between these types of parties is that alcohol
is legal to consume in homes, at least for those 21 or older. But
UNL is supposed to be a dry campus. It’s against state law for
anyone to consume alcohol while on campus.
That’s the law, but the authorities often look the other way
when alcohol is being consumed at tailgate parties. James
Griesen, UNL vice chancellor for student affairs, acknowledged
that it’s difficult to enforce the dry-campus policy at tailgate
parties because of many other things that need official attention
before football games.
That is an understandable problem. But the dry-campus policy
is also violated when some groups, including alumni, are allowed
to have alcohol at parties on campus.
The problem is inconsistency.
University officials do not enforce the alcohol policy on adults,
who are often alumni or game-goers and pay to go to games or
may donate money to belong to alumni groups.
But the dry-campus policy is not consistently enforced on
students. Many get away with drinking at tailgate parties on
campus property. Yet at other times, these same people can get in
trouble for drinking in their residence hall room or a fraternity
iThe policy needs to be enforced on all people, students and
adults, the same way at all times.
If UNL is a dry-campus university, it should apply to all on
campus, not only on a select few.
Fair share
U.S. shouldn’t do most of work in Bosnia
The United States has a role to play in bringing peace to war
tom Bosnia. But it cannot and should not take on most of
the peacekeeping burden.
Defense Secretary Les Aspin said Sunday that U.S. military '
planners thought about 100,000 troops would be needed to
enforce a possible peace accord in Bosnia About half of that
number could be Americans, Aspin said.
Speaking at a defense conference in Brussels, Belgium, Aspin
said no final decision had been made on the size or makeup of a
U.N. multinational force that would enforce peace in Bosnia.
Aspin said other NATO countries would have to contribute
heavily to the peacekeeping force in order for it to win the ap
proval of Congress.
But Aspin’s expectations are not high enough. The United
States should not be expected to supply half of a force needed to
solve a European conflict.
It would be foolish for the United States to take an isolationist
stance and refuse to participate in peacekeeping operations in
Bosnia. But it also would be foolish for the United States to take
on most of the responsibility for the mission.
The United States can no longer continue to be the sole answer
to every world crisis. Europe needs to take a stronger role in
solving its own problems.
If Americans make up the majority of the troops in Bosnia,
then any problem in the country will be an American one. Presi
dent Clinton should refuse to make that mistake and require other
NATO countries to play a larger role in keeping the peace on their
own continent.
Staff editorial* 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 of the newspaper lies solely in the bands 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, ifany. Requests to withhold names will not be granted. Submit material to the Daily
Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448.
fCi'SDE.WNE.D •« HO NO^E. .
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Tender moments brighten days
It’s early, around 5 a.m.
I’ve Just put Aaron down after
feeding him the first of his many
bottles for the day. He eats a lot.
This week’s column idea hasn’t hit
yet so I decide to just sit, think ami
write. About nothing in particular, I
just sit and write.
This time I write about life at this
moment.
No, life for me isn’t perfect now.
Not enough money, too many
more than enough worries.
The morning is shaping up to be a
cool one, following the cod night
before. The kind of light where you
open your windows and fall into that
deep autumn sleep.
Cod enough that I snuggle closer
to my wife for warmth, and she to me.
Halfheartedly we argue about who
gets up with Aaron when he begins to
stir. It’s cold in the house. Since she
works in the morning, 1 get the job. I
don’t mind, I’m the Daddy.
Cathy changes his diaper while I
prepare his bottle. She has him ready
when 1 come back.
Wrapping him in his blanket, I sit
in the rocker. It's a glider, the kind
that puts not only Aaron to sleep, but
me too on occasion.
1 sit there swaying back and forth,
Aaron cradled in my arms. He finish
es quickly and closes his eyes. Go to
sleep, little man.
In the glow of the night light, I look
at his face. A peaceful, serene look
falls over him. His hands are clasped
together, as if praying.
Life can be hard, not real enjoy
able. But at this moment, holding my
son, relishing that he is part of me, life
is good. I wish I could have more
moments like this.
After a while, when I’m sure he’s
asleep, I lay him back in his crib,
covering him with his quilt. He moves,
lets out a little peep, turns on his side
and falls back to sleep.
I walk into my daughter’s room.
We start by watching Barney the
Purple Dinosaur. Alley sits in
awe, with a smile on her face,
watching Barney go through his
routine. A laugh escapes her
now and then.
As usual, she’s tossed and turned and
kicked off her blankets. I pick up the
blankets and cover her again. She
doesn’t wake.
Sitting in the living room, I can’t
get back to sleep. In the chill of the
morning I think about the day gone
by.
It also started early, 4:20 a.m. to be
exact, with Aaron waking to be fed.
Alley got up at 8 to see her mother
off to work; they both miss each other.
Today I’ma house husband. I have
Wednesdays free from school and
have arranged my work schedule to
be home with the children.
We start by watching Barney the
Piuple Dinosaur. Alky sits in awe,
with a smile on her face, watching
Barney go through ha routine. A laugh
escapes her now and then. Aaron sits
in his bouncy seat watching Alley.
Just wait kid, you’ll love Barney too.
Later, the three of us go for a thrive,
with the kids in their car seats, me up
front. Alky yells “cow” whenever we
pass a farm with the bovines. She also
moos. Aaron falls asleep quickly.
Later in the afternoon, after lunch
and naps, we play. Alley gets her
blocks and makes things. Aaron watch
es with a look of amazement on his
face. He watcheseverything, not blink
ing.
I sit back awl watch Alley talk to
Aaron. He smiles his open-mouth
smile to her. She continues to speak in
her language.
I sit there, amazed that these are
my two kids. They are part me, part
Cathy, part my ancestor* and part
hers. I still catch myself thinking that
1 can’t believe I have children.
There was a point in time where I
didn’t think it was going to happen.
But, after three miscarriages and
countless disappointments and scares,
my wife and I were blessed with our
daughter, followed shortly and a little
unexpectedly by our son.
Life has been rough for us. Money
is short, time is short, the bills are
long. I worry too much about things
both meaningless and worthwhile. l’m
gone too much. I’ve missed some
things I wish I hadn’t
But when holding Aaron, seeing
him smile, life is good. The worries
are forgotten, the bills left in the draw
er.
But when arriving home and hav
ing Alley run to me for a hug, getting
a kiss from her, life is good. Time is
endless.
Yes, Ufe is hard but not hopeless;
there is a light at the end of the tunnel,
although it’s hard to see sometimes
through the fog. I still have my wor
ries and troubles. The bills are begin
ning to go away.
Life is still good. I won’t let the
bills, worries and troubles get in the
way of enjoying the time I have with
my family.
No matter how hard life is, in the
end, life is good.
Wri|hc la ■ (radiate scadeat la Jaaraal
baudi Daily Nebraska* calaiaiat.
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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)
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