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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 1995)
Opinion Wednesday, October 18, 1995 Page 4 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 Hews Editor Doug Kouma.Arts & Entertainment Editor JeffZeleny.Senior Reporter Matt Woody.Senior Reporter James Mehsling.Cartoonist United stand March a positive message Almost a million men marched on Washington, but much more than a million should feel their footsteps. As the fourth largest demonstration crowd ever, the Million Man March is an impressive show of unity among the black community in this country. In and out of the black community, the Million Man March has been the subject of criticism, much of which has been directed at Louis Farrakhan. But the message sent Monday by the show of unity in our nation’s capitol speaks to much more than Farrakhan’s views. Eric Shanks, one of the 42 Nebraskans who attended the Million Man March, said he didn’t attend the march for Farrakhan but for the positive message of black unity. “I came looking for millions. It was not one man who brought me here,” Shanks said. Shanks’ focus on unity speaks to the challenge Nebraskans who attended the march need to take to heart after returning to this state. Racial divisions laid bare by the Simpson verdict, and the pre dominantly white population of our state, make unity and racial healing desperately overdue. Melvin X, an Omaha minister who coordinated the group of Nebraskans, perhaps said it best. “We will have to challenge the community to see our view in order for that community to grow and thrive.” Forgotten ones Police alienate city’s youth This town hates kids. That conclusion is undeniable. Anywhere kids hang out is suspect—and the police will be near at hand. We saw it when After Shock, an all ages dance club, was bad gered out of existence in the spring of 1994 — when citing anti quated city ordinances didn’t work, the police staged elaborate un dercover operations and a raid. Sure enough, within weeks of their initial citations, the club was closed. v And we’re seeing it again with The Hurricane. The club, which has sponsored 19-and-over shows, is currently appealing the loss of its liquor licence for violations involving a minor in possession. The police have once again rid the city of places for kids to hang out, hear music and dance. Maybe some church group will sponsor a Bible and Kool-Aid night — or the police themselves will offer “Cops and Kids” eve nings, so they can keep a closer eye on the menace that threatens our town. More likely, though, another club, not yet wise to the cops’ plan to alienate those under the drinking age, will start another all-ages or 19-and-over night — only to be hounded and hunted and finally destroyed by the vicious conspiracy against youth that holds Lin *' coin in its thrall. Editorial policy Staff editorials represent the official policy of die 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 die editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of its J 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 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 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 St Lincoln, Neb. 68588-0448. Just the fax, m’am Vennila Ramalingam’s column (“Global cries,” Oct. 17) contains significant factual errors. The “main culprit” in the atmospheric greenhouse effect is not, and could not possibly be, carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is the toxic gas emitted by malfunctioning furnaces and auto exhausts, and its levels in the atmosphere are ordinarily extremely low (otherwise, we’d all be dead). Carbon dioxide is the gas usually thought to be involved in the greenhouse effect, though several other gases, notably methane (emitted by such environmental nightmares as cow and rice fields) have also been implicated. To blame this summer’s hot spell on human causes is foolhardy. Many of the Midwest’s record high temperatures occurred during the 1930s dust bowl years, when carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere were considerably lower than they arc presently. Finally, I am not aware of any movement in the Republican Party to reverse the Montreal protocols. Such a reversal would be pointless — domestic use of CFCs has effectively ceased; refrigeration systems have switched to other uses, and the remaining production of these chemicals occurs in other countries. Gerry Harbison Professor of Chemistry via e-mail Chuck Chuck Please do not try to foist off on the reader partisan drivel under the guise of a column. Chuck Sigerson is the chairman of the state Republi can party. He has a vested interest is seeing no viable third party. His column is closer to free political advertising than an insightful evaluation of the situation. There is nothing set in stone about the United States having a two party system. We have lately, but i 1 1 ■■ 1 " -.. ■ .—- - not by any design of our sagacious forefathers. Mr. Sigerson, I see no evidence that the two-party system is what made America great. There are plenty of better candidates for that credit. And you are mistaken in believ ing the current trend toward a third party is because the voters feel neither of the current parties are moving fast enough to solve problems. The general belief is that both the Democrats and the Republicans are far more concerned with the betterment of their parties (as measured by contributions, polls and votes) than the betterment of the country. A political party should be no more than a private club with no official status recognized by the government. Eric Bergquist College of Law via e-mail Homeless Ttxlay I watched Lincoln’s finest take time out from a busy day of stolen bicycle calls to harass a homeless person at Broyhill Fountain. The man’s crime was being homeless at the same time and in the same place as a couple of bored authorities. The capitalist powers that be continually assure us that every . person has an equal opportunity for financial success. But our country is more like an economic oligarchy with a co-opted police force. It seems Marx was correct after all. Nick Hansen Senior Philosophy AIDS Krista Schwarting, I believe you are right when you say AIDS should be a human issue and not a political issue (“Quilt can’t cover social stigma,” Oct. 13) so why are you blaming Ronald Reagan for the problem AIDS has become? It’s not his problem. We must be responsible for our own actions and not expect the political system to right the wrongs of our social structure. If you want to place blame, try these candidates: 1. Lack of monogamous relation ships 2. Instant gratification (sex) with no responsibility 3. Condoms being considered “safe sex” and 4. Total lack of respect for another person by engaging in such activity while endangering the lives of others by concluding “it won’t happen to me.” Change the behavior and control the disease. Don’t depend on the media or political system to find a cure after the fact. Vanessa Streff Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Distribution Ample ads I am once again disgusted and outraged that the Daily Nebraskan continues to advertise various Lincoln strip joints. The DN goes beyond merely giving ample information on location and content, but it also includes photos worthy of porno graphic publications. By advertising for these establishments, the Daily Nebraskan is advocating an industry that dehumanizes women and treats them like sex objects. I realize that advertising is a must for financial purposes, but these advertisements show complete disregard for the female readers of the Daily Nebraskan and the women who arc students and faculty members of the University of Nebraska. The women of UNL would be wise to pass over the DN until it decides to respect them. Daily Nebraskan, get a clue. Sarah Zulkoski Freshman Chemistry via e-mail Send your brief letters to: Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St., Lincoln, Neb. 68588, or Fax to (402) 472-1761, or email <letters @ unlinfo.unl.edu.> - - Letters must be signed and Nebraskan vecrmcatk>nhone number ,or