OPTNTON NebDrayskan
XX 1 XVyX 1 Friday, November 19,1993
Daily
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lthcoln
l
Jeremy Fitzpatrick Editor, 472-1766
Kathy Steinauer Opinion Page Editor
Wendy Mott.Managing Editor
Todd Cooper .. Sports Editor
Chris Hopfensperger C °P\ Desk ChieJ
Kim Spurlock Sower Editor
Kiley Timperley .Senior Photographer
Editor 's note: The follow ing is part of an editorial printed in the l niversitv of C alifornia
Irvine's student newspaper, addressed to the students of the Iniversity of Nebraska. See
related story on page I.
ongratulations!
Wc just wanted to drop you a brief note applauding your
decision to offer the position of president of your universi
ty to our esteemed executive vice chancellor, L. Dennis Smith.
Sure, L. Dennis is occasionally the butt of our jokes. But it is
only with extreme respect and admiration that we mention him on
our pages.
This is a brave man — a man not afraid to make unpopular
decisions.
For instance: Some vice chancellors might have waffled at the
prospect of selling off UC-owned, ecologically preserved land to
the Transportation Corridor Agency. Some vice chancellors might
have worried about the plight of the endangered gnatcatchcr, the
evaporation of open space in Orange County, or the protest of
student groups such as Students Activists for the Environment.
Not our man, L. Dennis Smith. He was so enthusiastic, he even
forgot to conduct the environmental impact report required by
state law.
Yet if “resolve in the face of adversity” is not enough, you can
add “resolve in the face of diversity” as well.
Last year, when students were protesting the lack of an Asian
Amcrican studies program here at UCI, L. Dennis exhibited an
almost supernatural ability at avoiding contact with any of the
many students who crowded his office in search of answers.
In any case, wc arc impressed that a vice chancellor would risk
such widespread unpopularity through a seemingly blatant
disregard and dismissal of the student body.
Wc are all sorry to sec him go. but the students of UCI, as well
as the California gnatcatchcr, will just have to get along without
him.
— New University
— University of California, Irvine
“Although it doesn’t bring our lovely Candice
back to us, at least we know that justice pre
vailed.’’
— Stan Harms,
father of slain UNL student Candice Harms, reacting to the
conviction of Roger Bjorklund for Candice’s murder.
“Candi would probably tell me, ’Dad, I’ve told
you all along God would handle this.’ She’d proba
bly tell me not to have any doubts — if our society
doesn’t get him, God would. And if I was him,
that’s who I’d be fearing. ’’
— Harms,
on how he thought his daughter would have felt about the verdict
’’I went back to Brooklyn where everyone wants
to handle the ball and everyone wants to shoot it
and no one wants to play defense. I think that’s
how you can describe our team. ’’
— Nebraska men's basketball coach Danny Nee
"I haven’t seen that much red in one place,
ever. ’’
— Newly appointed Nil President Dennis Smith,
describing the Nebraska-lowa State football game.
’’They’re not just acts to get high to. ’’
— Kevin Dochtermann,
concert division vice president for Contemporary Presentations,
talking about Cypress Hill.
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 (he 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 (he hands 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 ofthe 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, if any. Requests to withhold names will not be granted Submit material to the Daily
Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb 68588-0448
1 j.J
Coverage
I would like to say I’m more than
glad the Candice Harms ordeal is
finally over. I don’t think anyone
could imagine how it feels to lose
someone to such brutal circumstanc
es, and then to have it continually
publicized in graphic details by the
media, just to improve ratings and
newspaper sales.
I think the Daily Nebraskan, along
with the other newspapers and televi
sion stations, should grant the Harms
family, along with their loved ones, a
formal apology for using their grief as
a way to make good news. There
should be a line drawn in reporting the
situations of certain individuals, out
of respect for their families, and they
didn’t have to give the graphics of
how she was mutilated just to prove a
point.
In the future, I would hope to see a
little more delicacy in respect to the
victims of such incidents because re
porting the news may require you to
report all of it, but in the same token
sometimes a suggestion is better than
harsh words.
April Patrick
junior
international business, broadcasting
Benefits
Shawn Carlson, you wonder what
the purpose of the grcck system is
(DN, Nov. 16). I cannot help but
wonder if you know anyone in the
grcck system. What do you really
know about it? Not much, I would
wager.
The grcek system, first and forc:
most, provides an opportunity for
brothcr/sisterhood that can be found
nowhere else. Through close academ
ic, social and basic day-to-day inter
action, a young man or woman will
become incredibly close to his or her
brothers or sisters, develop relation
ships that will last a lifetime and
provide a basis for stable and com
fortable adult social life.
To say that all greeks are “upper
middle class” is inaccurate. The only
financial requirements of the greek
houses are that you pay your rent and
otter house fees, which are very com
parable to, if not lower than, what our
esteemed residence halls charge.
Another primary objective is to
preserve each person’s individuality.
Regardless of the stereotypes, we do
not exclude those who drink very
little or not at all. Carlson’s insinua
tions regarding “dangerous sex lives"
are equally unfounded. 1 know more
greeks involved in monogamous or
non-sexual relationships than people
in the dorms, even though I have
much more experience with residence
halls.
Greg Anderson
sophomore
English, political science
Bashing
How interesting that an open-mind
ed publications such as the Daily
Nebraskan finds its responsibilities to
include defining morality—right and
wrong — when it comes to Roger
Bjorklund and capital punishment
(DN, Nov. 18). But since his future
1 ics solely in the hands of one sentenc
ing judge, perhaps as outsiders we can
right a related wrong and kill a few
birds with the same stone.
As 200 students bask in the after
glow of last week’s frenzy, I suggest
that UPC stage a Scott Barney Bash.
It wouldn’t be as “wrong” as the death
penalty. It may send a message to
anyone planning similar crimes.
Mark T. Voss
junior
business administration
'-- i -* IM1 J_Z—I
James Mehshng/DN
‘Whining’
I’m fed up with all the whining by
members of the greek system over the
stereotypical image people have of
them. I’m sure most people are aware
of the wonderful, good deeds some of
the greek community has accom
plished, just as people arc aware of the
elitist image propounded by the greek
system of the past and present.
But really, why can’t you just face
up to the fact that you greeks have
brought all the stereotypes upon your
selves. Just look at you, most of you
dress al ike, right down to your boxers,
you get similar haircuts, shoes, coats,
etc. You live on campus in grandiose
mansions with mystical letters em
blazoned on the facade.
As a system, you are responsible
for the actions of all your members; if
one of you looks good, all of yop look
good and vice versa. I really think it’s
time you looked beyond your self
righteous attitude, climbed down off
your mythical pedestal, rolled up your
designer sleeves and change your
image from the inside out.
Jeff Lutkehus
sophomore
veterinary science
Agriculture
It has been brought to my attention
that there arc some people who feel an
agriculturalist’s primary goal is to
rape and pillage the land and animals
they own.
When will these people realize
that nothing could be more incorrect?
Agriculture is a business and a way of
life. The land and the animals that are
owned by the agriculturalist are con
sidered investments and essential to
the existence of the business. The
mistreatment of these investments
would create an inefficient and un
healthy product. In order to make a (
profit in any business, the invest
ments require exceptional care. To
relate to another type of business, if a
trucking company did not take care of
its trucks, how long would it be able to
operate?
With the previous analogy in mind,
why do people feel that agricultural
ists have this desire to abuse the very
thing that generates a profit, the land
and animals?
It is important to understand the
business and personal goals of an
agriculturalist in order to make intel
ligent judgments regarding the entire
agricul tural industry as a whole. Wi th
out a basic understanding of agricul
ture, “intelligent judgments” arc no
more than emotionally heated ideas
generated from observing an isolated
incidence.
If there are still people out there
who feel we, as agriculturalists, arc
raping for quick profit, consider this:
If agriculture goes out of business,
where will you get your food?
Wayne Choat
senior
mechanized systems management
Religion
In response to Robert J. Tobin’s
letter (DN, Nov. 11), I detect some
confusion or ignorance in his reason
ing about Galileo and the messiah. It
was close-minded men who hassled
Galileo when he was the one who
believed in the messiah.
Doesn’t history show us that peo
ple who stubbornly reject Jesus arc
the most dangerous? Conservative
estimates report atheist Stalin guilty
of 25 million kill ings. Atheist Hitler is
guilty of killing six mill ion Jews alone.
Atheist Mao Tse-Tung killed tens of
millions.
It has always been hard for man to
accept new ideas. I hope Tobin is not
like the men who opposed Galileo
when a different way of thinking was
offered. I agree with Plato as he is
credited with saying,“We can forgive
a child who is afraid of the dark, but
the greatest tragedy in life is men who
are afraid of the light.”
Jay Yousling
pastor,
Harvest Community Church