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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 19, 1995)
Opinion Thursday, January 19,1995 Page 4 Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board University of Nebraska-Lincoln JeffZeleny.,..Editor, 472-1766 Jeff Robb...Managing Editor Matt Woody..Opinion Page Editor DeDra Janssen....Associate News Editor Rainbow Rowell.Arts & Entertainment Editor James Mehsling...Cartoonist Chris Hain.Senior Reporter PBS in danger Quality television deserves federal funds With the Republicans in control of Congress for the first time in 40 years, many federally funded programs find themselves looking at a slashed or eliminated budget. One of these programs’ plight has received much attention after new Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich suggested its funding be eliminated- the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The CPB is one of the main sources of money for PBS, the non profit network that is responsible for such quality television shows as “TheMacNeil/LehrerNewshour,’’“Nova’’and“GreatPerformances.’’ Ron Hull, associate general manager of Nebraska Educational Telecommunications, understands and supports the need for the United States to get control of its budget deficit. “Everybody has to downsize,” Hull said. “We don’t disagree with that. But zeroing out public broadcasting funding would be devastat ing for Nebraskans.” Indeed, that is true. Nebraska ETV and other public broadcasting suppliers already rely heavily on donations from thepublic. Eliminating the $ 1.2 million in government support that goes to NETV could bring about an end to PBS in Nebraska. It isn’t hard to see a nationwide trend following. PBS deserves all of the support it gets, and then some. The amount of federal funds PBS receives is such a small part of the big picture that cutting into those funds, will have a minimal impact on the deficit. Everyone is going to have to make sacrifices to balance the budget. But public broadcasting is one we cannot afford to make. Medical drama Doctors should not dictate patients’lives Dr. Thomas Theocarides decided last month that he would no longerprovide contraception for unmarried people. The Indiana obstetrician-gynecologist made that decision based on his own feelings about premarital sex. Theocarides believes sexually active single women expose themselves to serious health risks. He said he would no longer condone or encourage their behavior. It is not a doctor’s role to dictate the personal activities of his patients. Theocarides has the right to make his Own decisions about sex, and who and how he wants to serve as patients. But these patients have similar rights. Certainly, women who request birth control are more responsible than those who do not consider birth control until too late or those who use abortion as birth control. Theocarides’ patients probably just found new doctors (it is doubtful that any chose to stop having sex). But in some areas of the country — and many areas in Nebraska — it is geographically impossible to just switch doctors. With the recent demise of the contraceptive sponge, a woman’s over-the-counter birth-control options are limited to messy spermicidal jellies, foams and films. Many women depend on their doctors for effective birth control. If other doctors exercise their rights and follow Theocarides’ example, women and men will be forced to examine other methods of contraception. Editorial poliey Staff editorials represent the official policy of the Spring 1995. Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. Editori alsdo not necessarily reflect the views of the university, its employees, the students or the NU Board of Regents. Editorial columns represent the opin ion of the author. The regents publish the Daily Nebraskan. They establish the UNL Publications Board to su pervise the daily production of the paper. According to policy set by the regents, responsibility for the edito rial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of its students. Letter policy 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 mate rial submitted. Readers also are welcome to submit material as guest opinions. The editordecides whether material should run as a guest opinion. Letters and guest opinions sent to the newspaper become the property of the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be re turned. Anonymous submissions will not be pub lished. 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: Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448. ARE yoo sure \ YOO WAKT ME 1 TO REND 1 YOOR FUTURE? 1 1^1 i 117 jL/rtiiiy Nebraskan readers say: k Send your brief letters to: Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588. Or fax to: (402) 472-1761. Letters must be signed and include a phone number for verification. Planned Parenthood Again there is talk, as there always should be, about abortion and Planned Parenthood in Lin coln. Perhaps the Daily Nebraskan should research and inform the students of this campus, many of whom will be deciding whether to use Planned Parenthood’s services, just what the organization is and where it came from. A woman of the early 1900s named Margaret Sanger is respon sible for Planned Parenthood. She was a rebellious, self-proclaimed anii-Catholic, Adolf Hitler-loving, Nazi-party organizing, eugenics promoting nut case who had a problem with obedience, fidelity and sexual prudence. She supported Adolf Hitler’s “superior human race” philosophy. She divorced her husband because he did not agree that they should each experiment sexually with other partners. She hoped to kill off the old, the weaker, the feeble and the “undesirable” to improve the human race. She believed sex was a right for all, especially for young adults and teenagers (married or unmarried). She promoted mass promiscuity and the idea that “if they (teens) want to have sex, that is their right.” Needless to say, abortion rights soon followed this irrespon sible thinking. This is just a little information. I’m sure Planned Parenthood could provide some more history and information. People should ask for some figures on divorce rates, sexually transmitted diseases and baby killings since they came into existence. If you would like some informa tion from religious groups, ask them how many souls they have helped. Just weighing the facts, I know they’ve helped mine. Tony Fulton senior mechanical engineering BretGottshall/DN Cha-cMngll I have a great idea for a new business. Well, OK, I copied it from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I want to buy a square of land next to campus, pave it and riddle it with parking meters. They won’t be those sissy two-hour meters, though. I figure with an unorganized variety of 15-, 30- and 60-minute meters, I’ll make even more money on tickets than UNL does. I’ll overstaff the security so violators will be ticketed right away, and if they don’t pay for the mounting tickets, I’ll tow their cars so they have to pay. They’ll be back tomorrow. Besides, if they can’t afford the parking, they shouldn’t have a car. With my profits rolling in, I’ll begin the building of my large parking garage. Then all my patrons will have to pay two or three dollars to park. So what if I take advantage of people who drive to campus. Anything less would be like inviting them. Allen Hudson junior advertising Letter was satire Brice Sullivan and Mick Vodvarka’s letter to the editor entitled “Orphanages” (Jan. 17) is outrageous because it manifests utter ignorance, prejudice and abusiveness. I did not promote orphanages anymore than Jonathan Swift advocated cannibalism in his “A Modest Proposal.” Swift wrote, “I have been assured by a very knowing Ameri can of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is a year old a most delicious, nourishing and whole some food, whether stewed, roasted baked or boiled, and I have no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or a ragout.” If Sullivan and Vodvarka read only the first book of the Bible, “Genesis,” they would have known that Moshe, the hero in my letter, was not given up “voluntarily” for adoption, but that he was under the threat of death before being given up for adoption! I did not mention the word orphanages once in my previous letter. If Sullivan and Vodvarka knew about the miracles that Father Val Peters and his co workers at Boys Town have performed, they would not scoff at Boys Towns and spew other vulgarities about these institu tions. Their anti-Semitism is only skin deep. Hitler did not feel that “the Jews were screwed up;” he knew better. He was consumed with envy and hatred. I am a member of Voices for Children of Nebraska. They lobby the Nebraska Legislature to eliminate poverty amongst working Americans. Ezekiel Bahar George Holmes Professor electrical engineering