Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 12, 1994)
OPINION Netiraskan Tuesday, April 12, 1994 Jeremy Fitzpatrick Rainbow Rowell A de ana Left in. Todd Cooper Je(/ Zeleny. Sarah Duey. William Lauer . Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board University of Nebraska Lincoln Editor. 472-1766 Opinion Page Editor Managing Editor Sports Editor Associate News Editor Arts & Entertainment Editor Senior Photographer Edmoki w Costly benefits Health care plan effects must he studied Many students conic to college to find careers where they won’t be expected to flip burgers or deliver pizzas. But if President Bill Clinton's health care plan is approved, even some of these low-paying, part-time jobs may not be available to college students. The plan would require all small businesses to pay up to SO percent of insurance premiums of all employees. To pay for this, the business might have to eliminate jobs, and most of these would be part-time jobs. Mark Lutz, chief administrator of the Nebraska Restaurant Administration, said “Anyone who works in a restaurant is going to be hurt.” This will include students. Students often don't have time to work 40 hours a week, so many rely on part-time jobs. Clinton’s plan could make it difficult for students to find jobs. Before adopting any health care plan, we must make sure it will help more than it will hurt. If Clinton's plan cannot pass this test, it should be rejected. However, we should not reject the plan just because it may inconvenience us if it will help the country at large. No reform will help everyone. Any plan will ask for some sacrifice from parts, maybe most, of the country. But if this sacrifice will improve the accessibility of health care in the United States, we should be prepared to adjust our lifestyles. Justified air attacks American bombs will save city's citizens Imagine if tanks and artillery surrounded Lincoln and started shelling the city. Imagine this city being devastated after a two-week siege. Now you have some idea of what life is like in Gorazde. a city in the former Yugoslavia. Gorazde is made up mostly of Muslims. Bosnian Serbs have been attacking the city for two weeks, doing their best to kill everyone who lives there. Under United Nations orders, Gorazde is supposed to be a “safe area” for Bosnian Muslims. On Monday, NATO warplanes dropped bombs for the second straight day on the tanks and artillery shelling the city. The mayor of Gorazde said in a radio broadcast that the air raids did not halt the shelling of the city. NATO and the United Nations need to keep up their air attacks on the forces surrounding Gorazde until the city is safe. Gorazde is not a military center. It is made up of civilians who arc being slaughtered. The planes making the attacks were American. The risks of further military action will largely be to Americans. But through air raids, the United States can do a great deal to help the civilians that arc being slaughtered in Gorazde at little risk to our pilots. The genocide in the former Yugoslavia simply mast be stopped. If the United States can save lives without putting its pilots at significant risk, it should do so. till I < > l< I \l IN >1 l< \ Stall editorials represent the olTicial policy of the Spring 19*14 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 lulitorial columns represent the opinion of the author The regents publish the Daily Nebraskan They establish the UNI. 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 hands of its students I I NIK IN >| |( \ The Daily Nebraskan welcomes briefletters 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 inulerial 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 mi school, major and group affiliation, ifany Requests to withhold names will not be granted Submit material to the Daily Nebraskan, .14 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St , Lincoln, Neb 68588 0448 /can't &m\ ste the 6AME-- "THE SIGN IS SO MORRIS L£/ * CAU'T BELIEVE. 5ocv\ A KILE THING I SVEN IExiStS % FORtVlAW OF ITS INCARNATE ENilL </ Left CAuU IT THE. BM^FORO lANN - I R\D\CU\_ous Chris b \nks Week promotes greek benefits During this week, Greek Week 1994, we all have a chance to be reminded of the many benefits the grcck system has brought to the University ofNebraska-Lincoln campus. For those of you who think I’m being sarcastic, think again. As a member of a fraternity, I am a strong proponent of “going greek,” though there are some problems we grecks need to fix. When I was a high-school senior, I never gave much thought to college. I was busy enough already. When my friend Jim asked if I was going to go through summer rush, I told him that they weren’t on tour and that I didn't like their music anyway. Obviously, I had a lot to learn. That summer, I was taken out to dinner, to the dog track and to lakes for beach volleyball by the rush chair men of almost every house. Even if I had never signed a house, this experi ence was worth going through for the fun and the chance to meet other UNL students. However, 1 did become a member of a house. Sigma Nu. and have never regretted my decision. The grcck system offers students the chance to become leaders in their own house. Those who take up the challenge learn about paying and col lecting bills, working with the admin istration, planning and organizing events, and enforcing rules. Not everyone is cut out for this: 1 can think of a few failed officers we've had, including myself. But, those people who arc successful show that they’re ready for the real world. Even those whoaren’toflicers have plenty of chances to be involved. Par ties and philanthropies arc great ex posure and usually have cool T-shirts, but I ’m referring to being in a system larger than yourself. Intramurals and activities like Homecoming give grceks chances to plan and participate in events with other members. I also have a common bond with thousands of people across the country, which could help me out The greek system has brought leadership to the university, has offered large-university students a small-college atmosphere and, through philanthropies, has given back to the community. with my career or just give me some place to visit on vacation. The statistics, straight from “Ripley’s Bel icve 11 or Not.” also show that grecks, on average, have better grades than the rest of the university. Greeks aren’t a bunch ofbrainiacs, but the h igher grades aren ’ t just due to good test flics, either. I know that I’ve helped other guys in my house with calculus and have proofread dozens of papers, and others do the same things. Having older members who’ve taken your classes before can be an advan tage. Obviously, thegreek system is more than just buying friends, just like liv ing in the dorms is more than playing hacky sack by Broyhill Fountain. But the stereotypes persist, in part because of our own mistakes. Some problems still exist, but they arc ones we can fix. Lately, the greek system has come under fire for hazing. 1 can honestly say that this is mostly a problem of perception. The few incidents that do occur arc often assumed to be preva lent throughout the system. Most houses have moved away from these old traditions, and this took place long before the Jeffrey Knoll accident. I applaud the new anti-hazing law and hope that all hazing can be elimi nated but realize that we aren’t the monsters we’re often painted out to be. I also would like to see this legis lation applied to gangs, but that’s another matter. A personal belief of mine is that the greek system needs todiversify. Quite simply, grccks arc pretty white. Although there are some racists in houses,just like there are in the dorms or off-campus, their shrinking num bers are no longer the source of the problem. Almost everyone, whether black, white, Hispanic, Asian, or whatever, who wants to sign a house docs. How ever, practically 100 percent of rush ecs arc European-Amcricans. I can’t blame people from other cultures for not rushing when we ap pear so homogenous, but appearances arc deceiving. Maybe rush chairs need to recruit or something, but this prob lem needs lobe solved because the rest of the world isn’t so white. The greek system has tarnished its own image with stupid brawls, which definitely don’t occur very often any more, pranks and hazing. However, the rest of the university should not judge the entire system for the failures of some individuals. The greek system has brough t Icad ership to the university, has offered large-university students a small-col lege atmosphere and, through philan thropies, has given back to the com munity. This is why we have Greek Week: to show off our accompl ishments over the past year a nd also to have some fun before the end of the semester. For those of you who aren’t greek. but think the system doesn’t sound so bad, gi vc rush a try. You have noth ing to lose, and everything to gain. Baalis It a Jailor lateraidoail affairs major aid a Daily Nebraska! coiumaist. Ill 11 Ks KM III I IH IOU Singapore I n response to the editorial w i th the headl i nc “S ingapore s ti ng” (DN, Apri I 11, 1994). You say “Fay’s punishment is un questionably too harsh. The United States should protest the flogging...” What I would like to find out from you is.onwhatauthoritydoyoucxpcctthe Unites Slates to protest the laws of another country? The United States has one of the highest crime rates in the world, and year after year, the U.S. system fails to lower these figures. Therefore, I feel the United States is hardly an authority to question the laws of a country where the judicial system works. Also, I think it is time that those protesting Fay’s punishment realize that vou do not go to another country, break the law and then expect to be treated differently from the rest just because you are a U.S. citizen ... it doesn’t work that way. Amar Patel junior finance