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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 1995)
Opinion Tuesday, October 31,1993 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 News Editor Doug Kouma.Arts & Entertainment Editor JeffZeleny.Senior Reporter Matt Woody.Senior Reporter James Mehsling.Cartoonist Aaron Steckelberg/DN Recovery time Positive changes remain for Canada Wake up to a new Canada! Yesterday’s failed attempt by Quebec to secede promises new things for a society that’s had so much trouble reconciling its two halves. Canadians can breathe a sigh of relief— there will be no repeat of this referendum, at least for a while. But in the meantime the Canadian government faces a challenge; until the last returns were in, no one could predict the outcome — the issue was a dead heat. That says a lot about the deep divisions that have racked Que becker history, and that of all Canada. Though the flag and anthem of the country remain unchanged— many changes will now take place internally, if Canada wishes to avoid such a trauma in the future. And make no mistake, it has been traumatic. Imagine Texas seceding from the union — or California. Imag ine all the Southwest — the states with Mexican flags in their his tory — breaking off en masse to form a sovereign state. This referendum has been a jolt to the economy and social struc tures of our neighbor to the north. It will take some time to recover. The worldwide trend is away from homogenization and toward cultural and ethnic identification. The days of the melting pot, even in our country, are dead. Canada must make room for the differences between its peoples — and not just between those who speak French as opposed to En glish. The government, even the provincial government of Quebec, must also come to terms with the First Nations (the native peoples) in their ranks. And the United States needs to pay close attention. Our move ment toward states’ rights will tear at us in different ways (we don’t expect secessions ... yet), but we are in the throes of it already. We will feel its economic and social results soon enough. It’s a good thing that the nation of Canada remains whole on the map — it will be a better thing when it becomes whole in the hearts of its citizens. Editorial policy Staff editorials represent die 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 die 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 die 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. Latter policy The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the editor fhxn 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 die 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. , Rainbow notion ~ 1 wish to voice my utmost disapproval of the constant weak and pointless columns produced by Rainbow Rowell. Her columns, that have included everything from her disliking of certain T-shirts, to her clumsiness, and now her change in opinion of the comics section of the newspaper. Well thank you very much Rainbow, as that has inspired me to think — but only about your level of competency as a so-called “journal ist.” Miss Rowell, since the first day that I bothered to read your print, I have been disappointed in the lack of seriousness and thought-provok ing ideas. Some of your columns may have had great possibilities, but you have never followed through with them. You seem to be avoiding controversy, at all times, and never take a stand. Jim Vance Sophomore Math Ed via e-mail Leftover The Left insists on funding for the arts by the general public. But with the Republicans in Congress it seems the days of this elitism are numbered. What reasoning can be used for making all Americans pay for something as subjective as art? Not everyone likes the same artwork. It is time to limit government to serve everyone, and not just a select group for the sake of a naive, utopian pipe dream. It’s time for everyone to reject the Left and really open their minds to the free flow of ideas, not the suppression of them. Christopher A. Nollett Freshman Journalism i-— 0. Jury If the O.J. Simpson trial managed to teach theTnation the meaning of jury nullification, as many believe it has, perhaps we should devote equal consideration to the issue of what happens when a jury votes to convict a defendant when the evidence clearly does not support such a conclusion. Granted, the judge has the power to overturn the verdict of a jury when he or she believes the evi dence does not support a conviction, but they do so in only about half of the cases in which they believe this occurred. If we know that juries can and do engage injury nullification to allow the guilty to go free, does it require much of a leap to believe that innocent persons are sentenced to die in this country by virtue of the verdicts rendered by juries inclined to find the innocent guilty? Timothy Paul Sullivan Senior Political Science BretGottschall/DN ' Go home In response to Scotty Knutson’s letter “Home for the homeless” — when I first read your complaint I thought it was “cute.” Cute like a child saying some thing stupid so that you have to laugh at them because they are so sheltered. Having been both a student and a homeless person I can see it from both sides. I also hate it when homeless folks sit around and stare at the big-screen TV. It isn’t fair that good-old, hung over frat boys who are wasting Mommy and Daddy’s money can’t watch the O.J. Simpson trial out of fear that someone might ask them for a nickel. Keep pumping those quarters into those arcade games. Maybe Street Fighter number 29 will finish the lobotomy that your sheltered childhood failed to complete. Ryan Brown Lincoln _. .. Send your brief letters to: ... TO the 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 ;ne«onphonenumberfor
