Opinion Netwaskan Thursday, Oetobar 2d, 19N Nebraskan Editorial Board University of Nebraska-Uncoln Jeremy Fitzpatrick . . Kalh v Steinauer.... Wendy Mott. Todd Cooper. Chris Hop/ensperger Kim Spurlock. Kiley Tim per ley .... . . . Editor, 472-1766 Opinion Page Editor .. . Managing Editor .Sports Editor .... Copy Desk Chief .Sower Editor Senior Photographer kl>l IOKI \l No pain Event intended to educate people Critics are coming out against the Great Plains Winter Sleepout, an event to raise money for Lincoln’s homeless. The Rev. Andy Hird of All Souls Non-denominational Church and Street Missionary and a group called Humanity Plus plan to protest at the sleepout because it distorts the problem of homelessness and exploits homeless people, Hird said. He said he thought those participating in the sleepout would be too comfortable to identify honestly with the homeless. They will be dressed warm enough to endure the weather and would not truly experience what being homeless entails. The protesters forget the point of the sleepout: to raise money for the homeless. The event is meant to be a day for the public to think about homelessness, to offer a glimpse of what it might be like and to raise money to fight it. The issue should not be how comfortable or uncomfortable the participants arc. Those sleeping out will not be allowed to sleep in tents or bring cook stoves, but will depend on their clothes and sleeping bags to protect them from the weather. While the participants will not leave the sleepout with a full understanding of the plight of the homeless, they will have focused on the problem for at least a moment. Sleeping out shows the participants are willing to give up their cozy beds for one night for a worthy cause. They could easily choose not to donate money to help the homeless, or could do so without any idea of what it means or feels like to be homeless. Hopefully many people will participate in the sleepout, and the event will raise the organizers’ goal of $30,000. Hopeftilly the participants will continue to work to end the problem of homelessness long after their sleeping bags have been abandoned for down comforters. Keep military open Justice shouldn't limit gays ’ right to serve The Clinton administration is asking Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor for an emergency order that would let the Pentagon implement the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military. This order would limit the enforcement of a lower court’s ban on discrimination against gays in the military. The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy cannot be enforced while the lower court’s ruling stands, and this ruling is scheduled to be heard in a court of appeals in December. Justice O’Connor handles emergency matters from the Circuit Court that handled the lower court’s case. She has the power to limit the court’s ruling so it only affects this case, or she can refer the matter to the full Supreme Court. She should let the lower court’s ruling stand as it is. President Clinton promised when running for president that if he were elected, he would lift the ban on gays in the military. Since then, he has continually backpedaled on this promise, and this eventually led to the compromised “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. If the lower court’s ruling is allowed to stand, Clinton would finally have fulfilled his campaign promise. But the appeals court could overturn the lower court’s ruling and the Pentagon’s desired policy on gays in the military would then be enforced. The Clinton administration should wait to see if this happens, rather than pushing for an emergency order to get the Pentagon’s policy passed. I HI H >KI \l IN il l< \ Staff editorials represent the official policy of the Fall 1993 Daily Nebraskan. 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