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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 19, 1993)
r VI kl< K II WIUKI ( II I Greek rituals confuse, fascinate Why did 50 naked men run across Vine Street? Some jokes have no answer. Though it was a cold October night and the forecasters were predicting snow, their existence was irrefutable: Half a hundred naked guys screaming like Vikings as they charged across campus. Their white skin was pink with cold. Drivers honked their horns, screeching their brakes to avoid hit ting the Caucasian herd as they ran across the road. We stared at them from the 10th floor of Abel, watching in silence. It was too strange for two freshmen like ourselves to comprehend. “I guess they’re frat guys,” my friend said. I nodded. The next day, I saw a friend of mine who had recently joined a frater nity. I asked him about naked rituals. “Mike, do all fraternity pledges have to run around naked?” I asked. Mike shifted in his seat like Ronald Reagan at the Iran-Contra hearings. “You just wouldn’t understand, Pat,” he said uncomfortably. “You don’t run around naked, do you, Mike?” I asked. “Well ...," he answered. I could sense the invisible wall between fra ternity members and dormitory resi dents closing between us. Little could Mike suspect my terrifying secret. Ever since then, the UNL fraterni ties have been sources of enigmatic mystery to me, like Shrine Temples or the Keebler Elf Tree. I don’t know what the Sigma Phi Epsilon house does with the wooden paddles they have hanging up in the window or what Derby Days is. I can’t confirm why droves of college and high-school girls walk from frat house to frat ouse on the weekend, apparently getting drunker with every hour. But most bewildering of all: What’s the deal with those 30-foot, menacing papier-mache idols of Herbie Husker slaughtering animals? Huh? A year after I witnessed the naked battle charge, I decided to look for | As I watched the women of Kap pa Delta eat dinner, I cackled again—just for kicks. Being a frat guy might be cool, but plan ning the demise of higher edu cation is even better. answers. I walked over to the Kappa Sigma house — lair of Boyd Johnston. Johnston turns 21 today and is leader of Students For America, a band of political extremists who’ve succeeded in making UNL College Republicans seem like moderates. He talks about “Spanicr’s discrimination against the greek system” a lot, so I figured he could give me some neat quotes. “Yeah, we had Herbie Husker in a Heisman Trophy stance,” Boyd said about the Kappa float. “He was hold ing the world in one hand and kicking a wildcat. Afterward, the whole thing got torched and broken down with baseball bats.”_ “Neat,” I said. “Did I tell you about TNE?” Boyd asked. “Dave, tell him about TNE.” Dave Miller, a 19-year-old sopho more majoring in mechanical engi neering, walked up to me and told me about TNE. “They’re a bunch of backstabbing —■” he growled, and then caught him self. “TNE is Theta Nu Epsilon, a secret fraternity composed of members of other fraternities. To get into it, you have to promise to give away the secrets of your other fraternity.” “Every semester they put out a secret newsletter!” Miller said. “They bring out all the dirty laundry on the fraternities. Instead of doing some thing in their own fraternities, they have to go somewhere else. They do it because they’re not satisfied. They do it so they can see themselves as better in their own eyes.” “A group who sets themselves apart in a group to feel superior?” I thought. “How strange!” Miller said, “If we had a TNE member in our house, and somebody found out, he’dbe lucky to make itout with all his teeth!” Miller glared at me, eyeing me with suspicion. 1 thanked Miller and ran home to my dorm room. Then 1 pulled the hidden computer from under my desk and began to type. “Theta Nu Epsilon entry 9,998,752,” I typed. “Boyd Johnston and Dave Miller iqay suspect too much. Have they guessed that I, a common dorm resi dent, am the leader of TNE? Do they know that my secret cameras watch every move they make? Do they know I am planning the destruction of the UNL campus? Just to make sure, I’U have to kill them!” I giggled and screamed my trade mark cackle of awesome menace. Then I flipped on my spy camera consoles. As I watched the women of Kappa Deltaeatdinner through the cameras, I cackled again — just for kicks. Being a frat guy might be cool, but planning the demise of higher educa tion is even better. ' llambreckt ii a sophomore ■ewi-edltorl al major aad a Dally Nebraakaa columalit. K \ I in s | | IN \ | I K Perot’s flag-waving skirts issue Call me unpatriotic, but I had to be dragged to the Ross Perot rally in Omaha on Sunday evening. Maybe I’m just not cut out for these political things. I didn’t vote for Perot last Novem ber. Maybe if I would have been convinced about him then, I would have been convinced that Sunday evening would be educational and inspiring. The shindig started 40 minutes late, so I was already feeling intolerant. Before Perot took the stage, a VFW unit presented the colors, then we said the Pledge of Allegiance. Then a young girl sang “The Star-Spangled Ban ner.” Then we got to sit down, until Perot finally was introduced. Of course, he got a standing ovation. I think the patriotism was sup posed to be flowing through my veins and exploding out of every pore of my body by then. It wasn’t. Afler taking the stage, Perot asked for everyone in the audience who had cither served in combat or lost a loved one in combat to stand. About 30 people from the bottom level stood and received a deserved round of ap plause. Then Perot phoned two service men who were injured in Somalia. Perot said these men’s lives had been “irrevocably altered” because of their service for their country. As if patriotism wasn’t flooding the Orpheum by now, Perot held up the phone while the audience sang “God Bless America” to each soldier. The second time I broke into song, I wondered what this soldier thought as we sang to him. He lost his leg in combat in Somalia. No doubt his life had been irrevocably altered. Was he sad because of it? Was he thankful to have hislife? Was he feeling patriotic because of a sacrifice he made for his country? Or does he, like me, wonder what being in Somalia has todo with Amer ican freedom? If I were lying in a hospital bed I may not want to hear “God Bless America” sung to me over the phone by a bunch of strang ers, led by a billionaire who could buy his way out of any situation. /' . % after losing part of my body while serving in a place like Somalia, I think I would have a hard time feeling patriotic. I may not want to hear “God Bless America” sung to me over the phone by a bunch of strangers, led by a billionaire who could buy his way out of any situation. I have a difficult time justifying losses of life and limb in places like Somalia by saying it is for our free dom and patriotism. I want to know why this man lost his leg. And if I question it, I can only imagine how many times he has wondered the same thing. All this was going through my head, and Perot hadnrt even started his NAFTA talk yet. But the first part of this speech had served its function — to make us think about patriotism and freedom. Perot’s platforms on all issues center on patriotism. Why else would the symbol for United We Stand America be a gigantic eagle? I am not saying that patriotism and freedom are horrible things. I am not saying that those worried about losing their jobs because of the North Amer ican Free Trade Agreement do not have a worthy reason to doubt it. But Perot did not tell us specifical ly why NAFTA was bad. He did not give numbers or facts about how many jobs would be lost. He did not even mention that some statistics showed Nebraska generally would benefit from NAFTA because it would raise the price paid for corn. Perot’s arguments center on the same rhetoric and sound bytes he accuses other politicians of using to benefit their positions. Did the people at this rally think Perot was there because he genuinely cared about the well-being of Nebraskans? He still is campaigning for his own political rea sons. And he knew he couldn’t go wrong in his campaigning, now or during the presidential race, by invoking patrio tism and praising freedom. Both are highly valued. Americans are, by def inition, patriotic. Perot is very aware of this. The military knows this, too. It plays on these same patriotic feelings when it tries to recruit new blood. But sometimes, those men end up losing limbs and lives in places like Somalia, which isn't good for business. These soldiers who lose a lot for our country are used so the rest of us can feel patriotism. Perot did this, too,by call ing these soldiers on the phone and making veterans stand up. Perot can give speech after speech about how bail NAFTA is. He never offers specifics or concrete answers. But the patriotism act just makes him more and more popular. It’s too bad Perot can't give us the specific reasons we should vote against NAFTA. He’s too busy wrap ping himself in the American flag and taking the easy way out. Stei Hauer li a »eaior Rem-editorial Ma jor, the Daily Nebraikaa editorial pace edi tor aad a coluaiaiit. STUDENTS >/ ^p0tt00r PAKISTAN NITE '93 SUNDRV, OCT. 24TH 6:30 PM CENTENNIAL ROOM, UNL City Union ECUADOR ISRAEL ITALY NIGER SPAIN U.S.A. ENGLAND | FRANCE AUSTRALIA RUSSIA ENGLAND*"^ Strictly World Class Global Internships and Language/Liberal Arts Programs a representative will be on campus: October 20th University of Nebraska -Lincoln International Opportunities Fair 9:30 am to 3:00 pm The Culture Center Far program details pitas* writ* or call: Boatoa U mi versify Intermatioaal Prof rams 232 Bay Stale Road, Bos Q, Boston, MA 02215 • 617/353-MM Am t*mml opportunity, affirmative action institution FRANCE AUSTRALIA RUSSIA ENGLAND ECUADOR ISRAEL ITALY NIGER SPAIN U.S.A. ENGLAND JAM October 21, 1993 Broyhill Fountain 6:30 p.m *Kct^iC As our of Ammo.) s foremost J;w percussionists. Kalul has entertained audlrmrt throughout ihr world with his unique percussion playing. Hr has written part of the score for Mo' Money and also appears in I lie movie. Join Kalul. the UXL Veil and Dance Squads. Herbie Huskrr and your favorite football players for an all out Husker Jam Session. If you Ukr what you'see. don t miss Kalul and lus Ritual Trto at Kimball Recital Hall October 2-llh at 8 p.m.. 85 admission for students.