Monday, August 28, 1995 Page 4
uauy
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
J. Christopher Hain..Editor, 472-1766
Rainbow Rowell.•. Managing Editor
Mark Baldridge.Opinion Page Editor
DeDra Janssen..;.Associate News Editor
Doug Kouma.....Arts & Entertainment Editor
JeffZeleny....Senior Reporter
Matt Woody.....Senior Reporter
James Mehsling.... Cartoonist
Certain death
Mandatory execution impractical idea
The slaying of Omaha police officer James Wilson Jr. has sad
dened and angered the Omaha'community and Nebraska law en
forcement.
Last Friday, the day of Wilson’s funeral, Gov. Ben Nelson said
he would propose to the Legislature a mandatory death sentence for
cop-killers. -
Was Nelson’s announcement an attempt to soothe a grieving com
munity, a solid proposal or an attempt to grab headlines?
In the past, Nelson has sided with the politically popular capital
punishment platform.
His pro-death penalty stance has most certainly helped his large
public approval. And he is a-strong candidate in the 1996 senatorial
campaign. Any positive press he can get now as governor is a plus
over any unestablished candidates.
But maybe it’s a good idea? Why shouldn’t we kill our cop-kill
ers?
And while we’re at it why don’t we kill our teacher-killers, our
accountant-killers and our tourist-killers?
Whether you’re for or against the death penalty, this should be
seen as a bad idea.
First, mandatory sentencing has been an ineffective means of
reducing crime.
Second, a mandatory death sentence takes any discretion away
from judges. And in the most serious of all cases, where a life may
be taken, the ability to make an individual decision on an individual
case is absolutely necessary.
Nelson has jumped on an idea that is likely to be politically popu
lar in Nebraska, but not practically sound. And worst of all, he used
the funeral of a fallen officer to grab.some extra press.
Reasonable doubt
Accused stand innocent in eyes of law
In Omaha, the police are one man short.
If there is such a thing as “social contract,” we have a debt to
pay. *
We ask these men-and women to risk their lives to keep the peace.
In turn we resolve to find and prosecute, to the fullest extent, those
who would threaten those lives.
Every person has the right to a day in court and nothing can be
decided until then — “innocent until proven guilty” is more than a
noble sentiment; it is the law.
Today, a handful of young men are accused of killing a cop.
But no amount of accusation will make them guilty.
We’ve seen this in operation, from the opposite angle, in Lincoln
for ourselves. .
When a handful of officers, and a fire chief, stood trial in the
death of Francisco Renteria, the prosecution brought evidence and
eyewitness accounts before the court.
It was not enough. It left “reasoflable doubt” and that’s all it takes.
Today, those accused are free — they stand innocent in the eyes
of the law.
There will be evidence and witnesses in Omaha, too.
Will these young men receive the same fair treatment as our own
officers and fire chief?
Editorial policy
Staff editorials represent the official
policy of the Fall 1995 Daily Nebras
kan. Policy is set by the Daily Nebras
kan Editorial Board. Editorials do not
necessarily reflect the 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. Accord
ing to policy set by the regents, respon
sibility for the editorial 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,
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Nebraskan retains the right to edit or reject all material
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rial as guest opinions. The eoitor decides whether
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So long Herbie
Good riddance to Herbie — he ■
was such an oF frowney face.
Julie Teeters
Secretary
Department of Plant Pathology
Shannon Faulkner
In the military, I and my fellow
classmates will be better cadets than
Shannon Faulkner would ever have
dreamt of becoming. That is for one
reason: We will be going to defend
the precious freedom of the citizens
of the United States.
I personally will not be going as '
a Caucasian female but as an
American citizen, a member of a
. team.
Does it matter if I go to West
Point, Thue Citadel or our own UNL?
As long as I am receiving the same
training, expertise, do the best I can
do, and get the job done; I don’t see
the difference!
Military training is what you put
into it, not trying to make a point of
it.
Oh, Faulkner made a point of it
all right. A point that she can’t get
up and run with the best of them at
5:30 a.m., or that she can’t pass her
Physical Fitness Test, or running
between classes makes her heart
beat too fast!
As for the “Hell Week,” you can
find that anywhere.
Basic training js meant to
separate the weak from the strong. If
one’s heart and soul is into the
military (or anything else), one will
overcome all obstacles.
Obviously we found out where
Faulkner’s heart was, and that was
in the spotlight and the record
books. .
When I go through my training, it
- will not bother me to have numerous
males (and females) screaming
inches from my face, forcing me to
do push-ups. To me they are not a
gender but an Officer or Drill
Sergeant preparing and training me
to do my job correctly and effi
ciently.
If I go through life expecting
things to be handed to me on a
gender basis (like entrance to
school), I have degraded myself as a
human being!
Thank you Shannon Faulkner.
You did pave a road (sort of)
especially for a more professional,
competent, strong willed female to
go forth and succeed where you
didn’t.
And I know somewhere out there
one of my sisters will make it
through and I will see her and the
rest of the team on the battlefields of
war and life.
Leah Davis
Freshman
Meteorology
Macho men
I am writing in response to Mr.
Grone (Women and'War, Aug. 23)
who indicated that women were
unfit for combat. I disagree.
I spent 10 years in the service, as
a cadet, paratrooper and an Armor
Officer. Mr. Grone is most emphati
cally wrong.
Personally, I believe that women
generally handle emotional stress
more directly and in a healthier
fashion than most men — particu
larly those men attracted to tpe
service.
Furthermore, as a combat arms
officer, I felt that most leadership
failures were the result of poor
communication and poor interper
sonal relationships: generally
machismo.
Robert Tobin
Graduate student
Geology
War of attrition
In response to Ms. Ahl’s asser
tion (Women as disease, Aug. 24)
that I’ve compared being a woman
to having a disease, I wish to point
out that I chose that metaphor to
illustrate that I do not find women
inferior to men. I too am no longer
fit to serve in a combat environment,
and I certainly do not find myself
inferior to those who can.
w
In response to Mr. Hearst
(Women and war, Aug. 24) I would
agree that women are capable of
serving in combat support roles, and
indeed they have. But grant me this.
Sir, there is a difference between
combat and combat support.
Admission of women to the
School of Infantry or to The Citadel
will do one of two things: v
II will result in high attrition
among women. I know all too weMfe
the monetary costs of attritiori to ml
government and the personal price
one pays who goes through this.
The other possibility is the
lowering of graduation standards. -
Mr. Hearst, if you truly under
stand the nature of war, you know as
well as I — attrition comes sooner
or later.
Ryan Grone
Sophomore
General studies
Jamie Umbaugh?
Once again Jamie Karl’s protrud
ing brow ridge graces the pages of'5
the DN. For another semester we are
treated to ditto-headed Limbaugh
like “social commentary” from this
clod.
If he is shooting for Limbaugh’s
style, he is succeeding. Karl’s latest
“gem” (Mantle, Garcia live on in
history, Aug 23) is chock full o’
knee-jerk reactionary statements,
half truths and distorted facts.
The statement about “fans who
tore down fences or attacked
security guards” was rather intrigu
ing. There has been a platoon of
security guards testifying to being
smacked in the face with beaded
necklaces or being stomped by
vicious bare-footed 19-year-old
girls. Sounds scary to me.
Keep up the brainwashed
distortion, Jamie. Maybe you too
can get some air time. Try cable
access right after Ron Kurtenbach’s
spot.
Sean T. Green
Sophomore
General studies
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