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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 14, 1995)
Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board • • University of Nebraska-Lincoln J. Christopher Haiti... 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...7.Senior Reporter James Mehsling.....Cartoonist Two to tango Voters sick of mudslinging, want issues Well, Ben Nelson and Don Stenberg are already toeing the starting line in the Senate race. And a lot of water will pass under the bridge before we see light at the end of that tunnel. As Democrat and Republican, respectively, they’vebeen unequally yoked foryears. By now they’re chomping at the bit—wanting to get their licks in. But before they go crying over all the milk spilled along the way, they should put their ears to the ground and their fingers to the pulse of the electorate. Consider this editorial, then, a voice crying in the wilderness: The people are sick to death of mudslinging campaigns. In this case, Nelson and Stenberg should keep the carrot and discard the stick. We will not be distracted by any “wolf ’ crying, sheepskin wearing, or other such sideshow. And no “he started if’ will stand up in court. Remember, it takes two to tango. So tell us, gentlemen, why we should vote for YOU. Give us the lowdown on issues that count, not your opponent’s character. We voted each of you into office for some reason. Don’t insult our intelligence, or our choices. This paper will keep an eye peeled, ready to cry “foul” at the first sign of dirty pool. It’s just too easy to let your fingers do the talking—pointing four fingers right back at you the whole time. So keep it cogent, keep itclean and keep everything else underyour hat. ...Oh, and by the way, keep doing the jobs we’re paying you to do while you’re at it. Don’t hit the campaign trail so hard you knock your own block off. And don’t let one bad apple spoil the fun for everyone, OK? ‘Round and ‘round Missing door knobs create barricades So the student union is “handicapped accessible” — technically speaking. Ifyou happen to use a wheelchair, you can go around to the side and up the ramp — if you can convince all the “able-bodied” and able minded pedestrians to get out of your way. . But if you use crutches, for instance (or a walker or even a cane), then why shouldn’t you be able to go through any door you want? But on the north side of the building, where Broyhill fountain causes an attractive nuisance, the only means of ingress are those awful revolving doors. They are difficult to navigate and they slow down traffic, but for those with walking aids they can pose a de facto barrier. And not only for them. Anyone suffering from claustrophobia, obesity, inner- ear distur bance or general left-foot syndrome can find them daunting. The signs on the regular doors, from which the handles were removed a couple of years ago, beg us to “conserve energy.” And just how much energy is being saved by the people who — unready to risk life and limb in some newfangled contraption like revolving doors—block the ramp on the west and enter through the space-age electric doors there? It’s a simple plea, but from the heart: Can’t we have our door knobs back? Pretty please? r.m n,i-i -aii-„ canonai policy Staff editorials represent the official policy of the Fall 1995 Duty Nebras kan. Policy is set by die Daily Nebras kan Editorial Board. Editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the university, its employees, the students or die NU Board of Regents. Editorial columns represent die 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, originality, timeliness and space available. The Daily Nebraskan retains the right to edit or reject all material submitted. Readers also are welcome to submit mate rial as guest opinions. The editor decides whether material should run as a guest opinion. Letters and guest opinions salt to the newspaper become the property of die Daily Nebraskan and cannot be re turned. Anonymous submissions will not be pub lished. Letters should include the author’s name, year in school, major and group affiliation, if any. Re quests to withhold names will not be granted. Submit material to: Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 R SL Lincoln, Neb. 68S88-0448. "vIerf \sMITElX M ni fm MMDRE" I City streets I read with interest your editorial (Cross town, Sept. 7) on the per ceived need for major widening of Lincoln’s arterials. You correctly identified that the main objections to street widening involve the negative effects on estab lished residential neighborhoods. The opposition of many Lincoln residents, however, does not just stem from the reduction of front yards and the removal of tree cover. These are minor issues and if they were the only adverse impacts of street widening, these impacts would quickly heal with time. The more deep-seated opposition to street widening in Lincoln devel oped in the early 1970s as a result of the callous and cavalier manner in which the city widened such arterials as South, 27th, and Vine streets in the early 1960s. Little regard was paid to the ad verse impact to the established resi dential neighborhoods. It is now plainly evident how short sighted our civic leaders were in re gard to the cancer-like impact to the established neighborhoods. One only has to look at the deep gashes in the city’s social, aesthetic and cultural fabric created by these poorly conceived and miserably ex ecuted widenings. One can correlate the increases in crime, poverty, and other social prob lems within three blocks of these wid ened streets caused by the decay of housing and business stock that in evitably develops as owner occupancy decreases and absentee landlordship increases. Do we want to repeat mistakes of this great a magnitude again? James S. Foote President, Clinton Neighborhood Organization Lincoln Judge not Gov. Benjamin Nelson has proven that affirmative action needs to be preserved or people of color will be destined to remain in a second class r citizenship status in the “Good Life” state of Nebraska. The governor’s recent decision to keep the ruling class legal commu nity in Lancaster County all white and mostly all male was a clear mes sage that African-American people, especially males, will always bejudged by the color of their skin and not by the content of their character. Patrick Campbell, by the governor’s own admission, was more than qualified to be Lancaster County’s first black county judge. But oh no, I forgot, “the people” are not ready for that kind of change yet. That is the answer that most politicians give when asked why. Is it that the “people” are not ready, or is it that Gov. Nelson and his pals at the all-white State Bar Associa tion, who operate all-white law firms, whose members attend all-white churches and live in all-white com munities, are not ready to see people of color in positions of power and Brel Goltschall/DN authority? Rev. John M. Carter Lincoln LTI angels I’m writing in response to the re cent behavior of the Nebraska foot ball players. Listen up guys, all you have to do is behave yourselves. That means keep your guns in your closets, your morals in check and your hands in your pockets. There are more than just national championships and Heismans at stake. There are lives, careers and reputations too. You are all big enough to know right from wrong, so act your ages. And to those of you who are being good boys, good job and keep up the good work. Lynn McRautter Sophomore Physical Education , Send your brief letters to: . .. Daily Nebraskan, 34 TV") TPlC* Nebraska Union, 1400 R St., ",/u 11 iKs Lincoln, Neb. 68588, or Fax to (402) 472-1761, or email cletters @ unlinfo.unl.edu.> T ■■ Letters must be signed and IN C DraSKan include a phone number for __ verification.