Opinion
Thursday, February 16,1995 Page 4
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
Safety first
Proposed gun policy right on target
A proposed change in the student code of conduct would affect
how students living on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus
keep their firearms.
Currently the code forbids guns from all university buildings, ex
cept living units. In residence halls, guns are stored by residence
assistants and in greek houses by chapter presidents.
The proposed policy change would require that students living on
campus turn their guns over to University Police. The weapons would
be stored at the police station.
Police Chief Ken Cauble said police would provide gun covers
and racks, as well as a location for cleaning.
But before it takes effect, the policy must be approved by ASUN
and the NU Board of Regents.
These bodies should approve the measure.
If something will make campus life safer for students, then it is a
good thing. This policy will do that.
By having students check their guns with police, UNL can avoid
a situation where a student might get in a fight and then run up to
their living unit, grab their firearm and retaliate with deadly force.
An incident similar to this happened in a fraternity a few years ago.
The university also could avoid another scenario like what oc
curred in October 1992, when a student with a semi-automatic en
tered a room in Ferguson Hall and attempted to open fire at a class.
No one would argue with a policy that would prevent something
like that from happening.
The gun storage policy would not restrict students’ rights, either.
A student would be able to acquire his or her gun from police 24
hours a day, as opposed to the hours that a residence assistant is
available.
Another view
As if women don’t grapple with enough midlife crises, now they
must add weight.
It was with good intentions that the U.S. government changed
national weight guidelines in 1990. For too long, women have felt
pressured to be unduly thin. Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa
and bulimia are blamed on the overemphasis on weight.
The 1990 guidelines, which replaced the leaner versions of nearly
40 years, correctly tried to refocus attention on health, not looks.
But a study in last week’s Journal of the American Medical Asso
ciation says die government went too far. According to the Harvard
Medical School study, the guidelines have dangerously misled women
by suggesting it’s desirable to gain weight as they age.
The study found that even modest gains by women 35 and older
seriously increased their chances of suffering a heart attack.
The good news, is the study’s authors say the most effective way
to maintain a healthy weight is through exercise, not dieting. The
bad news is, thin is back in.
— The Atlanta Constitution
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Oscar picks
Although my “quotes” in the
article on the Oscar nominations
(Feb. 15) were slightly mangled, I’d
nevertheless like to go on record
with my Oscar picks for the
upcoming Academy Awards:
Best Picture: “Forrest Gump”
Best Actor: Tom Hanks
Best Actress: Jodie Foster
Best Supporting Actor: Martin
Landau
Best Supporting Actress: Too
close to call
Best Director: Robert Zemeckis
I’m not saying I agree with these
choices, but given the candidates
nominated, these seem the likely
winners. Overall, I predict that
“Gump” will sweep the field.
Wheeler Winston Dixon
chair
film studies
Robert Allen
I enjoyed the article by Rainbow
Rowell on Nebraska Regent Robert
Allen (Feb. 14). Articles of this
type should be done for each of the
members of the Board of Regents,
so we can get to know them better.
I believe the article gave a true
representation of both Mr. Allen’s
talents and also his shortcomings.
Regardless of his shortcomings, I
like Robert Allen. I believe that he
is the only regent that truly gives
his heart and soul into representing
us, the students.
During a time when our elected
officials feel that when they get into
office they can start representing
their own special-interest group
friends and not the common people,
Mr. Allen’s efforts can only be
applauded.
When it comes down to the
controversy between Chancellor
Spanier and Mr. Allen’s opinion on
his qualifications, Robert Allen
represents ME. When have the
students of this university ever felt
that Spanier has been looking out
BretGottschall/DN
for our best interest?
i What good will politically
correct, social-reform education do
for a university that, in a few more
years, will not have buildings
occupiable to teach it in?
Do not think for a minute, Mr.
Alien, that you are alone on the
board; you have thousands of silent
students backing you up.
By the way, when this last six
year term is up and it is “someone
else’s turn,” I would be glad to take
your place, because I will have had
an honorable example to follow.
Roger R. Johansen
junior
pre-dentistry
4vows are important
In response to James Griffin’s
letter “Beef is bad” (Feb. 7),
explanations about beef and the
industry need to be brought out.
Contrary to some beliefs, beef is
a nutritional choice of anyone’s
diet. Beef is not only a complete
protein, containing all nine essen
tial amino acids, but is alto an
excellent source of heme iron (the
most easily absorbed type) and
various vitamins. Beef is also lower
in cholesterol than most other meat
choices, including chicken, and is*,
relatively low in fat if cooked
properly.
To continue, byproducts from
cattle contribute to more than 300
pharmaceuticals and medicines,
including insulin for the three
million-plus diabetics of the world.
Furthermore, surgical sutures are
made from cattle byproducts, as
well as plaster, asphalt and sporting
goods. Stearic acids make tires run
cooler and last longer. Bones,
hooves and horns supply ingredi
ents for buttons, glues, gelatin and
photographic film.
As you can hopefully now see,
cows play a very important role in -
our lives today. They provide us
with much more than meat, milk
and leather. Guess what? They even
do this without harming our
nation’s rangelands or other
species.
Jeff Erickson
senior
animal science
Randy Burge
senior
animal science
Some columnists
Dear Mr. Karlgoff,
I recently took a few of your
articles to a psychologist friend of
mine and asked for help in under
standing your views on society. We
came up with some results that
might be hard to take, but as you
say, “It’s the truth!”
In an attempt to decode your
articles, I offer a simplified,
composite version of them:
“I am a close-minded goof, who
got this job for the school newspa
per. This position will assist me in
perpetuating overused and deroga
tory stereotypes about every known
group on campus. So sayeth the
Lord.”
M.L. Svoboda
junior
English
