Opinion
Wednesday, November 9,1994 Page 4
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Uncoln
JeffZeleny.Edilor’ 472'J 766
Kara Morrison.Opinion Page Editor
Angie Brunkow..Managing Editor
Jeffrey Robb. Associate News Editor
Rainbow Rowell.Columnist/Associate News Editor
Mike Lewis.CoPy Desk Chief
James Mehsling.Cartoonist
A new Congress
Republican control is a step backward
Campaign ’94 ended historically Tuesday.
Voters in the traditionally conservative state of Nebraska turned
toward the Democrats.
Nebraska voters re-elected a Democratic governor to a second
term for the first time in 20 years.
Bret Gottshall/DN
And a vicious U.S.
Senate race in Nebraska ended
in a Democratic victory with a
polite concession and a call for
unity.
But nationally, voters
showed they are angry and
distrust the Democratic party.
For the first time in 40
years, Republicans will control
both the House of Representa
tives and the Senate. This is a
sign of pure dissatisfaction with
President Bill Clinton.
Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan ),
the Senate’s new majority
leader, was all smiles Tuesday
night.
“Not since 1952 have Republicans controlled the United States
Congress,” Dole told The Associated Press. “That’s when
Eisenhower was elected president, the Dodgers were still in Brook
lyn and a postage stamp cost 3 cents.”
This spells not only gridlock, but deadlock in Washington.
Worse, it spells a return to “good ol’ boy” politics with an
emphasis on the GOP’s severely flawed “Contract with America.”
The contract sounds great, promising tax breaks and smaller
government. Yet it offers no definitive spending cuts and unrealis
tic tax reliefs for the affluent.
At best, it is a huge step backwards. It is an old plan that had 12
years to work and failed.
Much of rest of the world has expressed wonder as to why
Americans oppose their president who has held inflation, decreased
unemployment and made a dent — though slight — in the deficit.
We have made progress in two years, despite America’s sour
attitude about politics, but we have a long way to go.
Don’t expect miracles in the next two years of political stagna
tion. We’ll understand what real gridlock is. We’ll see Newt
Gingrich in action.
Watch for cuts in social programming, in education, in environ
ment cleanup, in health care reform and in the progress we have
made toward a more egalitarian nation — steps that had begun to
heal and strengthen the hearts and souls of our nation.
Our responsibility does not end in voting for a partisan standoff.
We have to work together to secure a better future for all Ameri
cans, not just for a few.
The ’50s are long gone, the Dodgers are on strike, postage
stamps have increased in price tenfold, and Bob, we're not in
Kansas anymore.
We have a lot to worry about today.
r -
Staff editorial* represent the official policy of the Fall 1994 Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by
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VOTERS
No respect
As a Comhusker fan, I would
like to congratulate the Nebraska
football team on a job well done.
Your performance was outstanding,
and I enjoyed watching every
minute of the game.
However, as a member of the
Comhusker Marching Band flag
line, things did not go as well. It
was the last home show for many
of the band members, and it took
many long hours to perfect.
Unfortunately, our hard work
went mostly unnoticed. During the
final strains of “America the
Beautiful," the NU Spirit Squad
came barreling through the band,
while Tom Osborne thoughtfully
directed his troops around us.
Not only did the squad run
through the band, they ran over the
American flag. They also grabbed
flags and ran into members of the
flag line. What kind of childish
behavior is this?
One comment made was: “Don’t
worry, it’s only the band.” Only the
band! Sure, HuskerVision may
have stolen some of our spotlight,
but you won’t find HuskerVision in
the Orange Bowl. I’d like to see the
spirit squad pump up a Nebraska
crowd, m a sea of Miami or Florida
State fans, by themselves.
I respect the spirit squad’s grace
and athletic ability. What I no
longer respect is their attitude. We
are all from the same school,
cheering for the same team. Let’s
show each other a little respect and
remember why we are here. School
Spirit.
Dani Browne
sophomore
broadcasting, advertising
Homecoming
I am writing in regard to Jamie
Karl’s column (DN, Oct. 28, 1994)
and any other questions concerning
Kwani Stewart and Ayanna
Boykins’ protest to the Homecom
ing Selection Committee.
I am immensely insulted by Mr.
Karl, Vice Chancellor for Student
Affairs James Griesen and others’
indifference to this annual griev
ance.
The homecoming event is
supposed to be one of celebration;
that is a given. And those who are
upset with the royalty selection
process have not forgotten that.
Does this mean we would blindly
accept, year after year, an event
that openly discriminates against
individuals? Both women have
expressed that this discrimination is
based on nongreek affiliation, not
race or ethnicity.
But once again, those unedu
cated about the situation turn the
conflict into a black-white issue,
undermining the credibility of two
who only want what has been
wrong for so very long to be
corrected.
Mr. Karl stated that if everyone
were conservative like he was, then
we wouldn’t always be basing
things on race. Then why is he
saying that all these BLACK
students, as opposed to just
students, want a free ride? Why
should it be any more of a griev
ance if those protesting the selec
Bret Gottshall/DN
tion process were Caucasian?
How can a committee that
doesn’t even partially represent the
populace of this university select a
royalty court that is supposed to
represent the “Best of the Best?*’
Jake Kirkland Jr. was right in
saying a committee that is com
prised from a specific group of
people will more than likely choose
others that reflect themselves.
So as to not have this grievance
occur for another year, the entire
homecoming selection should be
remodeled. This committee should
be made up of the major groups
existing on this campus: greeks,
nongreeks, residence hall residents,
all ethnic and racial group mem
bers, the physically challenged, off
campus and nontraditional stu
dents, as well as faculty and staff
members.
It is not enough for the commit
tee to have only one member to
represent a single racial or ethnic
group to claim that it is.
multicultural and unbiased.
Multicultural ism is defined not
only by skin color but by many
things which many people seem to
forget. If this multicultural commit
tee chose mostly greek students,
then there wouldn’t be a problem.
Also, I have a very hard time
understanding why the committee
cannot tell the difference between
UNL-affiliated activities and UNL
related activities. Fraternities and
sororities are not related to UNL;
they are affiliated. Not everyone
can participate as members in their
activities. They also exist on about
every college and university
campus across the United States.
But these affiliations were consid
ered to be qualifications for the
court, while according to the
application, they are not.
I find it difficult to accept that
neither Ms. Stewart nor Ms.
Boykins were considered qualified
to represent our university. Ms.
Stewart was nominated for “Top
6,’’ a national award based on
academics and athletics, for which
each Division 1 school can choose
two representatives, and from all of
those there are ONLY SIX finalists
(last year Trev Alberts was one of
these recipients), by using the same
application used for homecoming.
Yet, she could not be chosen for
the FIRST of two interviews by a
panel of her peers for not one but
two consecutive years. Now, I
would find that personally insult
ing.
Dr. Griesen was right in saying
that both women were disap
pointed. Who wouldn’t be? It’s a
natural human tendency for people
to be disappointed if something
doesn’t go their way. But do not
attribute their actions as that of
whining, insufferable, uppity black
students who want a break wher
ever they can and expect to get it.
All that was asked was that
some action be taken before next
year’s celebration. I suggest — no,
1 dare — the committee to take up
the challenge of doing what they
have claimed to be doing all this
time. I believe they owe it to us —
to all of us regardless of color. 1
would like to know that if I were to
apply sometime in the future that I
would be given the same consider
ation as any other person.
Jacqueline Baez-Thompson
Junior
communication studies